Intro: John hears a trumpet and a great voice calling him up to Heaven in this passage's first verse. The transition from the earth to the heavens occurs immediately. After that, John is shown a glimpse of what Heaven will be like.
The Church's rapture is clearly depicted in this first verse. John depicts for us what it will be like to be taken directly from this world to Heaven. That will be an exciting adventure! Nonetheless, the inquiry that is frequently posed by individuals with respect to Paradise is this: " When we get there, what will we do? That is a decent inquiry! It is an inquiry individuals have posed for a really long time and it is an inquiry that this section responds to for us. Because in the eleven verses that make up this chapter, we are given the chance to look into Heaven to see some of the happenings there. The events that are taking place there are exciting, but what makes them so unique is that they involve us!
Let's take a few minutes tonight to go with John to that Heavenly city. We should set aside some margin to look in the background to what will occur in that spot called Paradise. This evening, I need to teach regarding this matter: I'm in heaven; what now?
That question, I believe, can be answered in part by this text. Keep in mind that if you are saved right now, we are considering your future! Give your life to Jesus if you are not already doing so so that you can join us in our efforts! I'm in heaven; what now? Great inquiry! Let's see if we can respond immediately.
I. V. 2-6a You Can Examine the Heavenly Scenery A. V. 2-3 You Can See the Sovereign - Naturally, God Himself will be the most magnificent feature of Heaven and its centerpiece. The One who cannot be seen or lived by men, Ex. 33:20, will be visible to all of that location's residents! It is stated as plainly as it can be: Rev. 22:4. We will see God sometime in the future!
1. His Stability: A "throne set" that refers to His Administration! Our God runs a never-ending realm! He has established and maintained his kingdom! God cannot be overthrown, Psa. 47:8; Psa. 45:6.
2. His Imagery - John attempts to do the inconceivable: He attempts to explain God!
a. Like a diamond, the Jasper Stone Splendid and clear, yet hard, resolute and firm! This talks about the ethical law of God! The laws of gravity and thermodynamics are two such fixed laws that govern the universe. God is the only one who can break these laws, and no one else can! God's ethical Regulation is only a fixed and stable - Fire up. 2:9; Psa. 119:89.
b. The Sardine Stone - Dark red, blazing and red hot. This stone conveys God's holiness and His wrath against sin! This serves as a reminder to ourselves that God is holy and despises sin! Similarly as the flames on the conciliatory special raised areas of Israel we never to be stifled, insofar as transgression possesses the universe, the fire of God's scorn will consume against it, Heb. 12:29!
c. As an aside, just a note: These stones can also talk about God's holiness (pure white) and how He saved us (red). For while God is a blessed God Who loathes sin, He is likewise a similar One Who cherished us such a lot of that He sent His Child to pass on for us on the cross!
d. In any case, stand by! Additionally, the first and last stones in the breastplate of the High Priest of the Old Testament, Ex. 28:15-30. Reuben's tribe was represented by the Sardine stone. His name translates to "See a son." The Benjamin tribe, whose name means "Son of the right hand," is represented by the Jasper stone. These two names depict Jesus, our Lord and Savior, in all of His humanity. He is the heavenly child, Isa. 9:6 and He is situated at the Dad's right hand, Heb. 10:12. These stones represent the finished work that Jesus did for sinners. They serve as a reminder that grace and salvation are available to those who will accept the Gospel, despite the fact that sinners are certain to face judgment.
3. His Peacefulness - An emerald rainbow encloses the high position. The color suggests calmness and serenity. Gen. 9 says that the rainbow is a sign of mercy. In Noah's day, he could see a portion of the rainbow. He was unable to comprehend what had transpired or the reasons behind God's actions during the flood. This is life for both of us. We go through the preliminaries and battles of existence with just a portion of the story. We see God's effortlessness and experience His kindness in this life, however we don't have the total picture. We will one day be in His presence, and then everything will make sense, 1 Cor. 13:12; Eph. 2:7. The rainbow appears after the storm has passed! We will be at peace in the city, where all the mysteries of life will be made clear, when the storms in Heaven will have passed forever.
B. V. 4: You Can See the Saints - Heaven is a place for the redeemed as well as the Redeemer. The redeemed of the ages can be seen in these 24 elders. 12 of them are saints of the Old Testament and 12 of them are church age saints of God.
1. Their Position: They're sitting down! Note: They also involve privileged positions which shows that they are rulers as well, Fire up. 1:6. The way that they are situated tells us that they are rest. They are now at peace and tranquility as they sit before God's throne after the battles are over! The departed saint has a restful day today, praise God! Eph. says that one day we will actually be in the position we are in now. 2:6.
2. These elders wear "white raiment" robes for their purity. Rev. 19:8 says that this is always a sign of purity and holiness. The time has come, thank God, when the Lord's saints will no longer be plagued by sin and be present with Him.
3. Their Prize: These elders each have a "crown of gold" on their heads. According to Rev. 19:12, this crown is distinct from Jesus' crown. His crown is referred to as a "diadem," which is a king's crown. The "victorian's crown," or "stephanos," is worn by the elders. It was given to those who had won it on the battlefield or in athletic competitions. Heb, it was given as a reward for a job well done. 12:1-2. According to the New Testament, believers can win at least five crowns. The point here is that these elders have already appeared before Christ's Judgment Seat, where they have been evaluated and rewarded. Note: There will come a time when your devotion to Jesus will be rewarded and acknowledged. You may not get the honors down here, yet you can have confidence the He will sees all will give you a crown around there! Hence, continue, Lady. 6:9, for the magnificence of God realizing that one day He will say, 'Good job!".
You can see the sights in C. V. 5a, where John describes "lightning and thunderings." These indicate the imminent judgment that will be poured out on the world. In addition to being a place of glories, heaven will also be a place where God's power and His judgment on sin will be displayed!
D. V. 5b: You Can See The Spirit: The Holy Spirit, who has infected us, guided us, and instructed us, will be in heaven for us to see and praise. Being in person with the person who has meant so much to me on this journey will be an exciting time!
E. V. 6a You Can See The Ocean - John expresses that there is an ocean of metal before privileged position. This sea is a reference to the "Laver" object in the Tabernacle and Temple. The laver was a bronze jar that was set outside the Tabernacle and Temple entrances. They had to stop at the lavatory and wash themselves before the priests could enter, Ex. 30:18-21. The priest was reminded that he was a sinner and needed to cleanse himself before he could enter the presence of the Lord at the laver. ( Note: We have a laver as well! It is called 1 John 1:9! Every day, I wash there multiple times. In point of fact, we are unable to worship or pray in the presence of the Lord unless we go to the lavatory to wash up, Psa. 66:18.) However, the sea has transformed into crystal in Heaven. This implies two significant bits of insight.
1. The opportunity for sinners to repent has passed. The time has come for God's sentence to be carried out, and the verdict has been handed down.
2. For the holy person, the hour of erring has passed! In paradise, we will have atoned once and for all and we will be fit for transgression no more. Now is the time to repent!)
II. V. 6b-8 "YOU CAN ENJOY THE SOUNDS OF HEAVEN A." In verse 6b-8a, "The Source of the Praise," four beasts are described as carrying out the ministry of praising the Lord. The four monsters are an other-worldly animals of some sort. Numerous individuals have attempted to determine what they stand for. Some say they address the four Stories of good news. The lion stands for either Matthew's Gospel or the King's Gospel. The calf stands for either Mark's Gospel or the Servant's Gospel. The man addresses the Good news of Luke, or the Good news of the Child of Man. The eagle stands for either the Gospel of John or the Gospel of the God-Son. Others assert that the beasts are Jesus. He is shown to be King by the Lion. He is shown to be a servant by the calf. The Man demonstrates His Personhood. The Bird helps us to remember His Great beginning.
Now is a good time to share my thoughts on these beasts. I accept they address the entirety of creation. The lion addresses natural life. The calf trained creatures. The man is indicative of intelligent life. The eagle is a bird of prey. This is simply creation doing what it was intended to do: carry greatness to the Master. Regardless of their identity, these beasts are praising the Lord!
B. V. 8b: "The Sound of the Praise": They raise their voices and praise God for His immutability and holiness! They claim that He is the righteous one and that He exists on his own. They celebrate Him as the "I'm". He is deserving of all praise from men for that alone!
"They rest not day and night," says C. V. 8, "The Span of the Praise." Throughout all of time and space, their praise song will never stop! The praises of the angelic hosts will be heard everywhere in heaven! Envision the commendation from endless voices as these creatures, who were made for the sole motivation behind extolling God, lift up Him!
(Note: It has been stated that this world is the quietest place on earth. If you go to Hell and die without the Lord, you will forever hear the cries, screams, and curses of the damned. What a horrible idea! If you are saved and go to Heaven, you will hear the redeemed yelling and singing the praises of their Redeemer, as well as the angelic chorus!)
III. You can exalt the sovereignty of heaven (Ill.) in verses 9 to 11. Remember those 24 elders? They are an image of us. This is the very thing that we will do in Paradise! We will worship, and this passage teaches us a few things about heavenly worship.)
A. V. 9-10a Your Worship Will Be Visible - The saints will rise from their thrones, bow before the Lord, place their crowns at His feet, and shout praises to the Lord when the beasts praise the Lord. Moreover, this is what these men are doing every time they are mentioned in Revelation 4:10; 5:8; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4.) That is quite obvious praise! In fact, it appears to be in perfect order as well! The Ruler doesn't reproach them for their commendation. Coincidentally, this is the sort of thing we are to be engaged with while we are here! Too many people wish to attempt to worship God in their hearts. How can He get brilliance from that? What glorifies God and highlights His worth to others is praise!
B. V. 10b: They remove the golden crowns from their heads and place them at His feet. Your worship will be valuable. Why? Since the main explanation they have them is on the grounds that He adored, He stretched out elegance to save them, He kept them, He gifted them to serve, He prepared them for triumph, He did everything and He merits all the magnificence and the recognition. We try to keep some for ourselves down here. There, all that will matter is praising the One who made salvation, service, and Heaven possible, and every selfish motive will have vanished forever. Note: While we travel this world, there isn't anything more significant that we can give the Master than ourselves. That is precisely exact thing He needs, Rom, as a matter of fact. 12:1. He will use us for His glory as we serve Him, and then in heaven, He will reward us for what He prepared us to do! Then we can take the prizes He gives us and we can offer them back to Him so He can be celebrated for how He has helped us! Therefore, live your life so that you can cast many crowns at the feet of the Savior!)
C. V. 11: Your Worship Will Be Vocal - The saints in heaven actually sing praises to God! I realize that is difficult to accept, yet it is valid. You might in all likelihood never yell here, yet when you arrive, you will yell to the highest point of your lungs. You will get your voice together with all the recovered and you will laud the Ruler Who looked for you, got you, kept you and conveyed you home to brilliance. Take note of their praise for Him:
1. His Value - He truly deserve our acclaim tonight essentially for What His identity is!
2. His Work: He is deserving of praise for everything He has accomplished throughout time, from creation to redemption and even judgment. He deserve acclaim for His works. ( Note: Consider how the Master has functioned in your life!)
3. His Will - The older folks perceive what we will see some time or another as well; specifically, that all that has occurred, is going on and will happen is important for God's ideal arrangement. He does everything for "His pleasure." We'll be able to see everything as it ought to be when we get there, and we'll thank Him for it! We should thank God for that right away and praise Him while we are still in this body.
(Note: Getting in on a little bit of that loud praise right now is perfectly acceptable! He is just as deserving now as He ever was. In this way, let the "reclaimed of the Master say as much!" The fruit of our lips and sacrifices of praise should be presented to Him, Hebrews. 13:15. We should get by and by now!)
Conc: I get the impression that Heaven is the kind of place I'd like to be! It seems like it is superior to the best help you have at any point gone to constantly! Say thanks to God, I realize I'm going there and I know when I arrive a portion of the things I'll do. Also, I like every one of them. And you? Is it safe to say that you are going? Is it settled that you are saved and set out toward magnificence? If that's the case, then give thanks to God for what He has done for you. In the event that you are lost or on the other hand in the event that you are don't know about your profound condition, then, at that point, I welcome you to come to Jesus Christ. When you die, you can go to Heaven if you put your faith in Him as your Savior!