Weekly Sermons

The Creator is Praised in Heaven! 

Ironically, Facebook is promising their false vision for “abundant life” in virtual reality under the name “Meta.” Our Jewish friends have pointed out that in Hebrew meta means “dead.” Today we will see in Greek it often means “after.”

Revelation chapter four begins the third section of Revelation.

 

“Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what must take place after this.”                                                                                        -Revelation 1:19

 

Read Revelation 4:1-11                The Creator is Praised in Heaven            Let’ Pray!  

 

Introduction to the rest of Revelation, after the church age!                 V. 1

Chapters four and five are a look into Heaven, and then when we return to earth in chapter six we enter a very different time on earth, the seven years of tribulation. From here until all but the very end of Revelation there is no more mention of churches during the tribulation, millennium, or coming New Earth.

Occurrences of the word for church/ churches (ekklesia) in the New Testament:

 

Section:                     Occurrences of ekklesia:             Chapters:                  Ratio:

Gospels:                                2                                              89                               1 to 45

Acts:                                       0                                              28                               0.7 to 1

Paul’s Letters:                     61                                           87                               0.7 to 1

General Letters:                 6                                              34                               1 to 5.6

Revelation 1-3                    19                                           3                                  6 to 1

Revelation 4-22:5              0                                              19                               0 to 19

For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) together with then in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.                                                                                          -1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

And they heard a loud voice from Heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to Heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.”   -Rev. 11:12

As we go from here until the end of Revelation we will have a full portrait of Heaven painted for us. Don’t form your full impression about Heaven from just one of these chapters; put them together to get the full picture!

As we begin to learn about Heaven, chapter four takes us to a specific place: the Throne Room of Heaven! 

What did John experience in the throne room of Heaven?

 

First and foremost, John saw God on His special throne!                         Verses 2-3

“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord.”                                                                                         -King David in Psalm 27:4

When you think of that rainbow around God’s throne, remember that God keeps His promises! 

Second, John saw lots of people in Heaven!                                                 Verse 4

Over and over again we are told the saints in Heaven will be dressed in white and will receive crowns based on their deeds for Jesus down here!

Third, John was reminded of the greatness of God!                                  Verse 5

You’ve got the Trinity in action here! Jesus called John up to Heaven, the Father is on the throne, and the Spirit is active there too! 

Fourth, John sees four angels of praise around the throne                     Verses 6-8

We can’t overlook that these heavenly creatures correspond to aspects of angels called seraphim and cherubim the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel saw around God’s throne (See Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 1:1-10).  

Fifth, John experiences part of Heaven’s unending praise service            Verses 8-11

Sixth, John understood what Heaven was praising God for        Verses 9-12

Heaven constantly praises God for being the Creator of all, the source of all blessings!