A glimpse into glory

I am going to share all of Revelation chapter 4 with you tonight in this post. This is one of my favorite passages in the entire bible. It was quite the coincidence that this exact chapter was referenced today at church.

I am going to share it with you and then highlight some of the verses that are very important. This chapter of the bible really gives believers a glimpse into glory.

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lighting, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in the front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in from and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

" 'Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,'
who was, and is, and is to come."

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being." (Revelation 4)

The first thing that I want to point out is that in verse 2 (underlined), John says that he was in Spirit. This means the Holy Spirit was giving him a vision-showing him situations and events he could not have seen with mere human eyesight.

The second cool thing about this passage is verse 6. (yellow) I didn't know this, but glass was very rare in New Testament times, and crystal-clear glass was virtually impossible to find. The "sea of glass" highlights both the magnificence and holiness of God.

Thirdly. I want you to look at the end of verse 6 and verse 7. (orange) The Holy Spirit is seen symbolically in the seven lighted lamps right? Well the "four living creatures" represents the attributes (the qualities and character) of God. These creatures weren't actually real animals. God's attributes symbolized in the animal-like appearance of these four creatures are majesty and power (the lion), faithfulness (the ox), intelligence (the man), and sovereignty (the eagle).

Lastly, the point of this chapter is summed up in this verse. All creatures in heaven and earth will praise and honor God because he is the Creator and Sustainer of everything.