“Lightning and thunder issued from the throne, and there were voices in the thunder. Directly in front of his throne were seven lighted lamps representing the sevenfold Spirit of God. Spread out before it was a shiny crystal sea” Revelation 4:5-6 (NLT).[1]
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4. The Majesty of God
(Revelation 4:5-6).[2]
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VISION
TWO, Revelation 4:1–16:21 Chapter 4 III. The Picture of Things Hereafter, Revelation 4:1–5:14 A. The
Throne of God: The Focal Point of History, Revelation 4:1–11 |
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1. John
was given the vision a. He saw an open
door in heaven b. He heard a
commanding voice c. He was called to
“Come up here”: To see things that must take place |
After
this I looked, and, behold, a door was
opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up
hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. |
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d. He was in the
Spirit e. He saw the
astounding sight of God sitting upon His throne |
2 And
immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and
one sat on the throne. |
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2. The
One on the throne a. His position:
Was sitting as the sovereign Majesty of the universe b. His description:
Indescribable |
3 And
he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the
throne, in sight like unto an emerald. |
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3. The
24 elders a. Were seated upon
thrones that surround God’s throne b. Were clothed in
white c. Wore crowns of
gold |
4 And
round about the throne were four
and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting,
clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. |
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4. The
Majesty of God a. There
was lightning & rumblings of thunder b. There
were seven blazing lamps: The seven spirits of God c. There
was a sea of glass, like crystal |
5 And out of the throne proceeded
lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which
are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto
crystal: |
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5. The
four living creatures surrounding the throne a. Their position:
They are the beings closest to God, guardians of His throne &
holy presence b. Their
description |
and
in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And
the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the
third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And
the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full
of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. |
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c. Their function:
To glorify & honor God |
9 And
when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the
throne, who liveth for ever and ever, |
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6. The
function of the elders who surround the throne a. To show total
submission & subordination b. To worship the
Lord c. To show the
supreme worthiness of the Lord |
10 The
four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and
worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the
throne, saying, |
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d. To praise the
Lord |
11 Thou
art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.[3] |
And
out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning
before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne, there was a sea of glass like unto
crystal” Revelation 4:5-6
• The scene at the throne. “Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and
thunderings and voices” (Revelation 4:5).
This was all “the precursors of coming judgment” (Scott).
• The Spirit before the throne. “Seven lamps of fire burning before the
throne which are the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation
4:5). We noted in Revelation 1:4 this
reference to the Holy Spirit as “seven
Spirits.” The Holy Spirit is but One, but the seven speaks of the fullness
and completeness of His ministry. He will be involved in the Divine judgment
work.
• The sea before the throne. “Before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal” (Revelation 4:6). The transparency and truthfulness of Divine government is seen in this sea of glass like crystal. It reflects the glory of the Lord.[4]
4 (Revelation 4:5–6) God, Throne of—Throne: there is the awesomeness of the throne.
Three things are now added to the throne of God to show how awesome the
presence of God is.
1.
There is God’s voice which is so commanding that it sounds like a combination
of many voices and of lightnings and thunderings (Revelation
4:5). This shows us just how majestic and awesome the voice of God
is. His voice flashes and thunders the great pronouncements of God. The very
will of God is sounded forth from the throne of God with the speed of lightning and with the awesomeness of thunder. And His will is
done. The events of history take place as He has ordered. This particular sight
of God’s majestic pronouncements is a scene of the coming judgment. The
dreadful storm is about to break loose on the earth beneath.
2. The
seven torches of burning fire are a symbol of the Holy Spirit in all of His
fulness and completeness (Re. 4:5; Re. 1:4; 3:1)
3.
There is a sea of glass stretching out before the throne (Revelation 4:6a). The sea “looks like a
transparent glassy sea, as if of crystal” (The
Amplified New Testament).
⇒ The
elders of Israel saw a similar sight.
“And they saw the God of Israel: and
there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness” (Ex.
24:10).
⇒ Ezekiel
himself saw a similar sight.
“And the likeness of the firmament upon
the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal,
stretched forth over their heads above and above the firmament that was over
their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire
stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance
of a man above upon it” (Eze. 1:22, 26).
⇒ God
had instructed the temple to have a brazen sea stretched out before it, and
remember: the tabernacle and temple were shadows of real things in heaven.
“And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about” (1 K. 7:23).
The Sea Of Glass Symbolizes At
Least Three Things.
a. The glassy sea shows us the value and
preciousness of God’s presence. In the old days it was almost impossible to
make pure glass. Pure glass that was as clear as crystal was considered to be
as valuable and precious as gold.
“The gold and the crystal cannot equal
it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold” (Jb. 28:17).
b. The glassy sea shows us how clearly God is
able to see everything that is out before His throne. It stands for His
omniscience and penetrating vision into all things. Nothing is hid from Him who
is upon the throne of heaven.
c. The glassy sea shows us the spectacular purity of God, as clear and pure as perfect glass and crystal. The glassy sea shows us how far away God is from the impurities of a contaminated world. He is as far away as a sea made of pure glass and pure crystal.[5]
From the throne came flashes of
lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were
blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 NIV
In
Revelation, lightning, and thunder are associated with significant
events in heaven. Lightning and thunder had filled the sky at Mount Sinai when
God had given the people his laws (Exodus 19:16).
The Old Testament often uses such imagery to reflect God’s power and majesty (Psalm 77:18). God’s throne is the final “Sinai.”
In Revelation, thunder and lightning always form part of the scene in God’s
throne room and highlight a significant coming event—for example, they mark the
seventh seal (Re. 8:5), the seventh trumpet
(Re. 11:19), and the seventh bowl (Re. 16:18).
The seven lamps (also translated “torches”) represent the Holy Spirit
(see Re. 1:4 and Ezekiel
1:13; Zechariah 4:2–6). The seven spirits of God are another
name for the Holy Spirit.[6]
Also,
before the throne, there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. Revelation 4:6 NIV
Glass was very rare in New Testament times, and crystal-clear glass was virtually impossible to find. The sea of glass serves as the magnificent floor of God’s throne room and highlights both the magnificence and holiness of God. It is probably not a literal “sea”; rather, it is a metaphor for the scene. No earthly ruler can compare with the awesomeness of God. See also Job 37:18 and Ezekiel 1:22. [7]
WORSHIP
John
describes these scenes in such detail because Christians in the first century
came from many backgrounds. Not all of them understood Jewish history or knew
the glory of the Temple. Revelation instructs us in worship. It shows us
where, why, and how to praise God. What does worship do? Worship takes our
minds off our problems and focuses them on God. Worship leads us from
individual meditation to corporate worship. Worship causes us to consider and
appreciate God’s character. Worship lifts our perspective from the earthly to
the heavenly. [8] |
Revelation 4:5-6 The Majesty of God
Coolest Scenery Of Lightning And Thunder In The Heavens 4K HD Pics Of All Time
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The
Living Bible, Paraphrased.
Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[4] Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical
Bible Expositor: Revelation.
Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.
[5] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
NIV
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
[6] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible
Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
NIV
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
[7] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible
Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[8] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible
Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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