Sermon Notes - Revelation 4 - Setting the stage - Littleby Baptist Church - July 11, 2021

1.     Quick Refresher

a.      We have looked at John and his vision of Jesus walking among 7 golden lampstands.

b.     We have reviewed verses that describe Jesus in all of His resurrected Glory!

                                                    i.     Eyes of fiery flame that sees the truth.

                                                  ii.     A double-edged sword coming out of His mouth that prunes away sin and brings judgement to those who reject Him.

                                                iii.     His face shines as bright as the sun at full strength.

c.      We were reminded that Jesus loves us and meets us where we are at. He bends down and touches us because He knows we cannot reach up to Him.

d.     Then there was a lot of great ‘stuff’ in seven letters that Jesus wrote through John.

                                                    i.     Love God

                                                  ii.     Hold true to the Word of God.

                                                iii.     Let our faith drive us to act.

                                                iv.     And even some bits and pieces about what is still to come.

2.     So far John’s visions have been about things on the earth, now they turn to heaven.

a.      The first 3 chapters were for the time they were written.

b.     They are still relevant for today, but they were written for a specific time and purpose.

                                                    i.     From here on out, we are looking at the future.

                                                  ii.     Chapters 4-18 are the events leading up to our Lord’s second coming.

                                                iii.     Chapter 19 is His second coming.

                                                iv.     Chapter 20 is the millennial kingdom.

                                                  v.     Chapters 21-22 the New Jerusalem, the new heaven and the new earth.

c.      The main purpose of the Book of Revelation is to let us know what to expect as we draw closer to the second coming of Christ.

d.     The Hope is that believers will see and that those in the world will wake up and be prepared for when He comes.

3.      Revelation 4:1

a.      In Rev 1:19 we were told that the events recorded in this book ‘will’ happen.

b.     As John is invited through a door into heaven, he is told these events ‘must’ happen.

c.      The things we will study in the coming weeks will happen at some point in our future and the must happen to carry out the Lord’s Plan.

d.     The fulfillment of God’s Plan is necessary for the restoration of the world and all that is in it. It needs to happen to bring everything back to what was originally intended.

4.     Revelation 4:2-3

a.      ‘In the Spirit’ – John is already in spirit, as in communing with the Holy Spirit while in Patmos. This is more of him saying that his physical body has not moved, but he is seeing this stuff firsthand.

b.     The ‘someone’ is God the Father.

c.      Described as looking like jasper and carnelian stones.  

                                                    i.     Happen to be two of the stones used in High Priest’s breastplate.

d.     Carnelian is fiery red representing the wrath of God when Justice is needed.

e.      Crystal clear Jasper is representative of the holiness of God the Father.

f.      Rainbow with an emphasis of emerald or green, that surrounds the throne.

                                                    i.     Believed to represent God’s promises to His people as judgment falls on the earth.

                                                  ii.     The rainbow is reassurance to followers of Jesus that there is calm after the coming storm.

                                                iii.     Reminder that God is with us.

5.     Revelation 4:4

a.      Twenty-four smaller thrones with twenty-four elders.

b.     White robes and golden crowns show that these are people who have endured hardship and persevered in service to our Lord.

c.      The twenty-four are made up of twelve Old Testament elders and twelve New Testament elders.

                                                    i.     Likely the twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles.

6.     Revelation 4:5

a.      Lightning and thunder – Exodus 19:16-19

                                                    i.     Lightning and Thunder show God’s awesomeness.

b.     Seven fiery torches or seven spirits of God – All are the Holy Spirit and the different aspects of His ministry or character, such as understanding, counseling, strength, wisdom, knowledge, self-righteousness, and fear of God.

c.      So far in the throne room we have the Father, the Holy Spirit, and 24 elders.

7.     Revelation 4:6-7 + 8a

a.      There are similarities to the cherubim found in Ezekiel chapter 1 and the seraphim found in Isaiah chapter 6, but these 4 living creatures have some differences.

b.     Difference may be a matter of perception and the visions they were allowed to see, but that is speculative at best.

c.      Eyes in front and back – tell us these creatures are vigilant, they are watching what is going on. They are constantly alert.  

8.     There are several ways to interpret the four living creatures, but two stand out.

a.      Attributes of God:

                                                    i.     Lion represents majesty, nobility, and that God is all powerful.  

                                                  ii.     Ox represents faithfulness and patience.  

                                                iii.     Man represents intelligence.

                                                iv.     Flying Eagle represents supreme sovereignty.

b.     Another interpretation is that they represent Jesus as revealed in the Gospels.

                                                    i.     Matthew – Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

                                                  ii.     Mark – Jesus is seen as the servant of Yahweh, the Ox.

                                                iii.     Luke – The incarnate human, man.

                                                iv.     John – The eagle as the divine Son of God.

c.      With the Father on the throne and the Holy Spirit among the fiery torches, the creatures representing Jesus might make sense, but it would have to only be symbolically.

d.     Jesus is not in the throne room yet, but he will be in chapter 5.

e.      These living creatures are likely angels with 6 wings, lots of eyes, and in forms that convey who God the Father or who Jesus are.

9.     Revelation 4:8b

a.      Re-read what they are saying…

b.     The creatures never stop praising God!

c.      They proclaim His holiness, recognize who He is, and point out that the Lord will be coming again.

d.     Their song tells us that our Lord’s triumphant future, the one who is to come, is built on Him being Holy and The Almighty.

e.      God’s Plan will be successful, because of Who He Is!

f.      Re-read what they are saying…

10.  Revelation 4:9-10

a.      As glory, honor, and thanks is given to Father God who is seated on His throne, the twenty-four elders join in.

b.     They bow before their God and lay their crowns before Him.

c.      In worship they recognize that all they have and all that they are come from God.

d.     A position of worship that we should remember, not the bowing, but in recognition that all we have comes from God!

11.  Revelation 4:11

a.      The One who created and sustains all things deserves all glory, honor, and power.

b.     The One who created and sustains us, deserves our continual praise.

12.  Summary

a.      The stage is set.

b.     Almost all of the pieces are in place.

c.      We have transitioned from visions and letters that speak to a specific time and place, to now we are looking to the future.

d.     Not only the future, but the next several chapters take place in heaven and in the presence of the Father’s magnificent throne.

e.      As followers of our Lord Jesus… let’s remember to praise Him always, giving Him all the honor and glory, remembering that all we have comes from Him!