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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 19

TITLE: THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN

TEXT: REVELATION 4:4-7

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE CENTRAL THEME OF JOHN’S 2’D VISION IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION CHAPTER 4 IS THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN.

* THE THRONE OF GOD IS MENTIONED 11 TIMES IN REVELATION CHAPTER 4.

** AND AS WE GET A PREVIEW IN HEAVEN IN REVELATION CHAPTER 4, THE THRONE OF GOD IS THE FOCAL POINT, IT’S WHAT IS EMPHASIZED, THE CENTER OF ATTENTION, THE PRINCIPLE POINT OF FOCUS.

*** THE THRONE OF GOD IS THE FIRST THING JOHN’S ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO AS HE IS SUMMONED TO HEAVEN.

**** AND AS HE SAW IT, HE WAS ASTOUNDED, AMAZED, IN AWE, CAUSING HIM TO USE THE WORD “BEHOLD” IN REVELATION 4:2, AN EXCLAMATION OF AWE.

(2) AND HE NOTICES THAT THIS THRONE WAS “SET IN HEAVEN”, A BETTER TRANSLATION THAN “STANDING IN HEAVEN.”

* AND THIS PHRASE DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE PERMANENT LOCATION OF THE THRONE OF GOD, IT WAS SET IN HEAVEN, IT’S PERMANENT PLACE WHERE GOD ALMIGHTY RULES FROM.

** MEANING GOD’S SOVEREIGN RULE IS FIXED, UNSHAKABLE AND PERMANENT IN HEAVEN.

*** GOD’S THRONE SET IN HEAVEN REVEALS HIS PERMANENT, COMPLETE AND UNCHANGING CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE FROM HIS SEAT OF AUTHORITY.

**** FROM HIS THRONE HE RULES AND SPEAKS WITH AUTHORITY, WHAT IS CALLED EXCATHEDRA, MEANING FROM THE SEAT OF AUTHORITY WITH AUTHORITY.

(3) ONLY GOD SPEAKS EXCATHEDRA, FOR HIS PRONOUNCEMENTS, HIS JUDGMENTS, HIS WORDS, HIS EDICTS ARE INFALLIBLE FROM HIS SEAT OF AUTHORITY, HIS THRONE.

* AND GOD’S THRONE IS SET IN HEAVEN.

** NOW JOHN’S EYES IN REVELATION 4:2&3 MOVE FROM THAT THRONE TO THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE, GOD ALMIGHTY, THE ANCIENT OF DAYS.

*** AND WE SEE GOD SITTING ON HIS THRONE.

**** AND GOD SITTING ON HIS THRONE COMMUNICATES HIS KINGSHIP, HIS ROYALTY, HIS SOVEREIGNTY, FOR KINGS IN THE O.T. RULED THEIR KINGDOM FROM THEIR THRONE.

(4) AND THE TERM “SITTING” HERE INDICATES THE POSTURE OF REIGNING.

* PSALM 47:8 SAYS: “GOD REIGNS OVER THE NATIONS, GOD SITS ON HIS HOLY THRONE.”

** AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 4:2, JOHN, IN SPIRIT, SEES THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE RULING FROM HIS THRONE.

*** AND NOTE THAT ALL THE FEATURES OF REVELATION CHAPTER 4 RELATE TO THAT THRONE.

**** LOOK BACK AT CHAPTER 4 WITH ME AND FOLLOW ALONG IN YOUR BIBLES.

(5) REVELATION 4:2 WE SEE THE PHRASE: “ON THE THRONE” – IF YOU MARK IN YOUR BIBLE, UNDERLINE IT.

* IN REVELATION 4:3, “AROUND THE THRONE” OR ROUND ABOUT THE THRONE, OR ENCIRCLED THE THRONE.

** VERSE 4, “AROUND THE THRONE” OR ROUND THE THRONE, SURROUNDING THE THRONE, OR ROUND ABOUT THE THRONE.

*** VERSE 5A, “FROM THE THRONE” OR OUT OF THE THRONE.

**** VERSE 5B, “BEFORE THE THRONE”

(6) VERSE 6A, “BEFORE THE THRONE”

* VERSE 6B, “IN THE CENTER AND AROUND THE THRONE” OR IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE.

** VERSE 9, “ON THE THRONE”

*** VERSE 10A, “ON THE THRONE”

(7) AND V. 10 B, “BEFORE THE THRONE”

* NOW I THINK THAT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CENTRAL THEME OF JOHN’S VISION IN REVELATION 4 IS THE THRONE OF GOD.

** AND AFTER DESCRIBING THE THRONE AND TELLING US WHO IS ON THE THRONE, WHAT WE STUDIED LAST WEEK, JOHN TELLS US WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND THE THRONE, FROM THE THRONE, BEFORE THE THRONE AND IN AND AROUND THE THRONE.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, “THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN.”

**** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 4 POINTS AS WE LOOK AT REVELATION 4:4-7 IN OUR STUDY OF GOD’S WORD.

(8) NO. 1 THE THRONE: AROUND IT, V. 4; NO. 2 THE THRONE: FROM IT, V. 5; NO. 3 THE THRONE: BEFORE IT, V. 6A; AND NO. 4 THE THRONE: IN AND AROUND IT, VV. 6&7.

* AND WITH THAT OUTLINE IN MIND, AS WE FOCUS ON THE THRONE OF GOD, LOOK AT REVELATION 4:4 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE THRONE: AROUND IT.

I. THE THRONE: AROUND IT, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW AROUND THE THRONE, PROBABLY SURROUNDING AND ENCIRCLING THE THRONE OF GOD ARE 24 THRONES, AND UPON THESE 24 THRONES ARE 24 ELDERS SITTING ON THEM.

* AND WE CANNOT SAY DOGMATICALLY AND WITH CERTAINTY WHO THE 24 ELDERS ARE, FOR THE TEXT DOESN’T IDENTIFY THEM SPECIFICALLY.

** AND ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY THEM HAVE FALLEN INTO TWO CATEGORIES.

*** NO. 1 AS AN ORDER OF ANGELIC BEINGS, POSSIBLY A SPECIAL CLASS OF ANGELS.

**** AND NO. 2 AS HUMAN REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTING ALL THE SAINTS OF ALL TIME. SOME SAY THEY REPRESENT ISRAEL WHILE OTHERS SAY THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS REPRESENTING THE CHURCH.

1. NOW BEFORE I MAKE AN ARGUMENT FOR AN INTERPRETATION FROM THE TEXT, LET ME SAY THAT THESE 24 ELDERS ARE MENTIONED AS INDIVIDUALS, AN ELDER, OR AS A GROUP ON 12 OCCASIONS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, SO THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT GROUP.

* AND I BELIEVE THAT A STRONG ARGUMENT FROM THE TEXT CAN BE MADE THAT THESE 24 ELDERS REPRESENT HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE BEEN GLORIFIED IN HEAVEN AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD.

** NO. 1 THE WORD ELDERS IS USED IN SCRIPTURE ONLY OF MEN.

*** THE WORD IS USED IN SCRIPTURE TO SPEAK OF OLDER MEN IN GENERAL AND RULERS IN ISRAEL IN THE O.T. AND AS PASTORS OR OVERSEERS IN THE N.T.

**** NOW SOME TRY TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT THE ELDERS IN ISAIAH 24:23 REFERS TO ANGELS, BUT THAT CAN BE DISPUTED AND COULD REFER TO HUMANS AS WELL.

2. ELDERS ARE AGAIN OLDER MEN, SPIRITUAL LEADERS IN ISRAEL OR SPIRITUAL LEADERS IN THE N.T.

* FURTHER THE WORD ELDER WOULD BE AN INAPPROPRIATE TERM TO DESCRIBE ANGELS WHO DO NOT AGE, ANGELS DO NOT GROW OLD AND BECOME ELDERLY.

** NO. 2, THE 2’D ARGUMENT THAT THESE ELDERS ARE HUMANS IS THEY SIT ON THRONES INDICATING THEY ARE REIGNING WITH CHRIST.

*** NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE DO ANGELS SIT ON THRONES, NOR ARE THEY PICTURED RULING AND REIGNING.

**** THEIR ROLE IS TO SERVE “AS MINISTERING SPIRITS, SENT OUT TO RENDER SERVICE FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO WILL INHERIT SALVATION” ACCORDING TO HEBREWS 1:14.

3. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, HUMAN BEINGS SPECIFICALLY THE CHURCH IS REPEATEDLY PROMISED THAT WE WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST ONE DAY, A CO-REIGNING WITH CHRIST, REVELATION 2:26&27; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4; MATTHEW 19:28; LUKE 22:30;

I CORINTHIANS 6:2&3 AND II TIMOTHY 2:12.

* NO. 3, IT SAYS HERE IN V. 4 OF OUR TEXT THAT THESE ELDERS ARE CLOTHED IN WHITE GARMENTS, AND WHITE GARMENTS ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF REDEEMED PEOPLE.

** FOR EXAMPLE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN REVELATION 3:5, CHRIST PROMISED THE BELIEVERS AT SARDIS THAT THEY WOULD “BE CLOTHED IN WHITE GARMENTS.”

*** CHRIST ADVISED THE LAODICEANS TO “BUY FROM ME…WHITE GARMENTS SO THAT YOU MAY CLOTHE YOURSELF” IN REVELATION 3:18.

**** AND THEN AT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB, CHRIST’S BRIDE WILL “CLOTHE HERSELF IN FINE LINEN, BRIGHT AND CLEAN” IN REVELATION 19:8.

4. AND WHILE ANGELS DO APPEAR IN WHITE IN JOHN 20:12 AND ACTS 1:10, WHITE GARMENTS SYMBOLIZE CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED TO BELIEVERS AT SALVATION.

* AND THEN ARGUMENT NO. 4, IT SAYS IN OUR TEXT IN V. 4 THAT THESE ELDERS HAD GOLDEN CROWNS ON THEIR HEADS.

** NOW GOLDEN CROWNS ARE MOST NATURALLY INTERPRETED AS THE CROWN PROMISED TO BELIEVERS OF THE CHURCH AGE IN REVELATION 2:10; 3:11;

II TIMOTHY 4:8; JAMES 1:12 AND I PETER 5:4.

*** AND CROWNS ARE NEVER PROMISED IN SCRIPTURE TO ANGELS, NOR ARE ANGELS EVER SEEN WEARING THEM.

**** NOW WITH THOSE ARGUMENTS IN MIND, THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED, TO WHICH HUMANS DO THESE 24 ELDERS REPRESENT?

5. AND I USED THE WORD REPRESENT FOR ELDERS IN THE O.T. AND N.T. WERE REPRESENTATIVES AND LEADERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE.

* AND THE NUMBER 24 IS USED IN SCRIPTURE TO SPEAK OF COMPLETION AND REPRESENTATION. THERE WERE 24 OFFICERS OF THE SANCTUARY REPRESENTING THE 24 COUNSELS OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS IN I CHRONICLES 24:4-5, 7-18, AS WELL AS 24 DIVISIONS OF SINGERS IN THE TEMPLE IN I CHRONICLES 25.

** SO WHOEVER THE 24 ELDERS ARE, THEN THEY LIKELY REPRESENT A LARGER GROUP.

*** NOT ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH, USING THE 12 TRIBES AND THE 12 APOSTLES, NOT ISRAEL AS THEIR NATIONAL JUDGMENT AND SALVATION TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 11:26 WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE TRIBULATION, THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE.

**** AND THESE ARE NOT TRIBULATION SAINTS, FOR THE TRIBULATION HAS NOT STARTED YET.

6. AND THAT LEAVES ONE MOST ACCEPTABLE POSSIBILITY, THAT THEY REPRESENT THE RAPTURED, GLORIFIED, CROWNED CHURCH WHICH SINGS THE SONG OF REDEMPTION IN REVELATION 5:8-10.

* THEY HAVE THEIR CROWNS AND WILL CAST THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE IN REVELATION 4:10 AND LIVE IN THE PLACE PREPARED FOR THEM, WHEN THEY HAVE GONE TO BE WITH JESUS. READ JOHN 14:1-3, ALSO READ I THESSALONIANS 4:16-18.

** SO THE STRONGEST ARGUMENT THAT I CAN SEE WHICH ADDS TO THE ARGUMENT OF A PRE-TRIBULATION IS THE 24 ELDERS REPRESENT THE CHURCH.

*** AND THE CHURCH IS AROUND THE THRONE. NOW WE MOVE FROM AROUND THE THRONE, TO FROM THE THRONE, LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE, THE THRONE: FROM IT.

II. THE THRONE: FROM IT, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW FROM THE THRONE OF GOD, FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD, COMES FLASHES OF LIGHTENING AND SOUNDS AND PEALS OF THUNDER, PEALS OF THUNDER COMMUNICATING A LOUD SUSTAINED ROARING OF THUNDER.

* SO THERE IS LIGHTENING, SUSTAINED SOUNDS OF THUNDER AND OTHER SOUNDS COMING FROM THE THRONE OF GOD LIT. EK – OUT OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

** AND COMMENTATOR JAMES ALLEN AT THIS POINT SAYS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION AND I QUOTE, “THE THRONE OF GRACE HAS BECOME A THRONE OF JUDGMENT.” (END QUOTE)

*** AND BELOVED, IT IS AS IF JOHN SAW A PREVIEW OF THE FIRESTORM OF DIVINE JUDGMENT AND FURY ABOUT TO BURST ON THE WORLD IN THE TRIBULATION.

**** FOR AS GOD POURS OUT HIS WRATH ON THIS WORLD IN JUDGMENT LATER ON IN REVELATION, THUNDER, LIGHTENING AND SOUNDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GOD’S JUDGMENT.

1. FOR EXAMPLE IN REVELATION 8:5 AFTER THE SEVENTH SEAL JUDGMENT IT SAYS: “AND THEN FOLLOWED PEALS OF THUNDER AND SOUNDS AND FLASHES OF LIGHTENING AND AN EARTHQUAKE.”

* IN REVELATION 11:19 AFTER THE 7TH TRUMPET JUDGMENT IT SAYS: “AND THERE WERE FLASHES OF LIGHTENING AND SOUNDS AND PEALS OF THUNDER AND AN EARTHQUAKE AND A GREAT HAILSTORM.”

** AND THEN IN REVELATION 16:18 AFTER THE SEVENTH BOWL JUDGMENT IT SAYS: “AND THERE WERE FLASHES OF LIGHTENING AND SOUNDS AND PEALS OF THUNDER; AND THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE.”

*** NOW YOU CAN SEE THE INTENSIFICATION OF DIVINE JUDGMENT UPON THE EARTH IN THIS PERIOD AS EARTHQUAKES AND HAIL ARE ADDED TO THE LIGHTENING, THEN THUNDER AND THE SOUNDS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT IS POURED OUT ON THE EARTH.

**** SO CLEARLY OUT OF GOD’S THRONE, JUDGMENT WILL COME, AND WE SEE A PREVIEW HERE IN THE FIRST PART OF V. 5 AND IN THE SECOND PART OF V. 5 WE SEE A SYMBOL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

2. AND THIS PICTURE WAS GIVEN TO US IN REVELATION 1:4 WHERE THE PHRASE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD ARE USED TO TALK ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, SEVEN BEING A NUMBER OF PERFECTION. IT PICTURES THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HIS FULLNESS AND COMPLETENESS.

* BUT THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL PICTURE HERE FOR US, “SEVEN LAMPS OF FIRE BURNING BEFORE THE THRONE, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD.”

** SO THE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE 7 LAMPS OF FIRE ARE, THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, AGAIN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

*** NOW THESE LAMPS OF FIRE UNLIKE THE LAMPSTANDS MENTIONED IN REVELATION 1:12&13 WERE OUTDOOR TORCHES, THE BLAZING LIGHT OF A FIERY TORCH, A FIERCE BLAZING LIGHT, NOT A SOFT GENTLE LIGHT.

**** AND JOHN’S VISION DEPICTS GOD AS READY TO MAKE WAR ON SINFUL, REBELLIOUS MANKIND AND THE HOLY SPIRIT HERE AS HIS WAR TORCH.

3. JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 1-11 SAYS AT THIS POINT SPEAKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A WAR TORCH SAID, “THE COMFORTER OF THOSE WHO LOVE CHRIST WILL BE THE CONSUMER OF THOSE WHO REJECT HIM.” (END QUOTE)

* AND IN REVELATION 4&5, WE WILL SEE THE TRINITY, THE TRIUNE GOD WORKING IN UNISON AS THEY ALWAYS DO, READY TO POUR OUT WRATH ON THIS EARTH.

** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 6A PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY AS WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON GOD’S THRONE, WE’LL LOOK AT BEFORE THE THRONE.

III. THE THRONE: BEFORE IT, (READ V. 6A)

A. NOW BEFORE THE THRONE THERE WAS AS IT WERE, A SEA OF GLASS LIKE CRYSTAL.

* AND THE SEA IS METAPHORICAL, SINCE THERE IS NO SEA IN HEAVEN ACCORDING TO REVELATION 21:1.

** AND CERTAINLY THE TEXT OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR METAPHORICAL LANGUAGE, FOR “AS IT WERE” IS USED.

*** AND FOR JOHN, WORDS COULD NOT DESCRIBE IT, BECAUSE HE HAD SEEN NOTHING LIKE IT ON EARTH.

**** ALL HE COULD DO WAS DRAW A COMPARISON TO DESCRIBE IN A LIMITED WAY WHAT HE SAW IN HIS VISION.

1. AND WHAT JOHN SAW REMINDED HIM OF A SEA MADE OUT OF GLASS.

* WHAT JOHN SAW AT THE BASE OF THE THRONE BEFORE IT WAS A VAST PAVEMENT OF GLASS, SHINING BRILLIANTLY LIKE SPARKLING CRYSTAL.

** AND IN THE FIRST CENTURY IN JOHN’S DAY, THEY HAD GLASS, BUT NOT THE CLEAR GLASS AND CRYSTAL FORMS WE HAVE TODAY.

*** I MEAN I THINK OF THE BEAUTY OF SWAROSKY CRYSTAL AND HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS AS A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

**** AND MOST LIKELY GOD’S HOLINESS AND PURITY CAN BE PICTURED HERE BY WHAT IS BEFORE HIS THRONE.

2. BUT NOTICE AT THE END OF V. 6, WHAT WE START TO SEE IN AND AROUND GOD’S THRONE, OUR 4TH AND FINAL POINT TODAY. LOOK BACK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

IV. THE THRONE: IN AND AROUND IT, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW IN THE CENTER AND AROUND THE THRONE ARE 4 LIVING CREATURES FULL OF EYES IN FRONT AND BEHIND THEM.

* AND THAT THEY ARE SAID TO BE BOTH IN THE CENTER AND AROUND GOD’S THRONE MEANS THEY ARE CLOSEST TO THE THRONE, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE THRONE, ONE ON EACH SIDE, ONE IN FRONT AND ONE IN BACK.

** NOW THESE LIVING BEINGS, NOT BEASTS, POORLY TRANSLATED IN THE KJV THAT WAY, THE GREEK WORD HERE IS FROM THE GREEK WORD DZAH-O (ZAO) AND LITERALLY MEANS ALIVE, SO WE HAVE LIVING BEINGS HERE.

*** AND THAT THEY ARE FULL OF EYES CONVEYS THAT NOTHING ESCAPES THEIR SCRUTINY. THERE IS A CONTINUAL AWARENESS AND ALERTNESS.

**** THEY ARE NOT OMNISCIENT AS ONLY GOD IS, BUT ABSOLUTELY AWARE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, NOTHING GETS BEHIND THEM.

1. AND THEY ARE FURTHER DESCRIBED IN V. 7. LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 7. NOW SOME SUGGEST THESE 4 BEINGS ARE CHERUBIM BECAUSE OF WHAT EZEKIEL SAID IN EZEKIEL 1:4-25 AND EZEKIEL 10:15.

* OTHERS SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE SERAPHIM BECAUSE OF ISAIAH’S VISION IN ISAIAH 6:1-6.

** BUT AS YOU COMPARE THOSE PASSAGES THERE ARE THINGS IN BOTH TEXTS THAT CAN APPLY TO THEM AND DON’T APPLY TO THEM.

*** SO WITHOUT MAKING AN ARGUMENT OF THE WAY, IT’S BEST JUST TO SAY THEY ARE A HIGH ORDER OF ANGELS, PERHAPS THE HIGHEST WHO WORSHIP BEFORE THE THRONE NIGHT AND DAY AND ASCRIBE GLORY AND HONOR AND THANKS TO GOD.

- THEY ARE AN EXALTED ANGELIC ORDER.

**** NOW THESE 4 LIVING CREATURES ARE GIVEN SYMBOLIC DESCRIPTIONS, THEY ARE FIGURATIVE, FOR NOTICE THE WORD LIKE IS USED 4 TIMES IN V. 7.

1. NO. 1 THE FIRST CREATURE WAS LIKE A LION. AND WE KNOW A LION REPRESENTS STRENGTH.

* NO. 2 THE 2’D CREATURE WAS LIKE A CALF OR OX WHICH REPRESENTS SERVICE.

** THE 3’D CREATURE HAD A FACE LIKE A MAN WHICH REPRESENTS REASON AND INTELLIGENCE.

**** AND THE 4TH LIVING CREATURE WAS LIKE A FLYING EAGLE WHICH REPRESENTS SPEED AND SWIFTNESS.

**** NOW IT’S INTERESTING IN THE TALMUD, A COLLECTION OF JEWISH LAW AND TRADITION, THAT IN THE TALMUD THESE 4 CREATURES REPRESENT THE 4 PRIMARY FORMS OF LIFE IN GOD’S CREATION.

2. IT CAN ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL CAMPED UNDER THESE 4 BANNERS.

* SOME WITH REUBEN (SYMBOLIZED AS A MAN) SOME WITH DAN (SYMBOLIZED BY AN EAGLE) OTHERS WITH EPHRAIM (SYMBOLIZED BY A CALF OR AN OX) AND THE REST WITH JUDAH (SYMBOLIZED BY A LION).

** AND MORE WILL BE SAID ABOUT THESE 4 LIVING CREATURES IN V. 8 WHICH WE’LL LOOK AT LORD WILLING NEXT WEEK.

*** AND BEYOND THAT, THESE 4 LIVING CREATURES WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THE COMING JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION, IN WHICH THEY WILL PLAY A VITAL ROLE.

IN WRAP UP TODAY: (1) AS OUR THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, FROM THE THRONE OF GOD, BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD AND IN AND AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, TWO THINGS JUMP OUT AT ME FROM OUR STUDY TODAY.

* WORSHIP AND JUDGMENT.

** FIRST OF ALL WORSHIP, ASCRIBING GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE TO OUR HOLY GOD. AND I WILL DEVELOP THIS TRUTH MUCH MORE OVER THE NEXT TWO SUNDAYS.

*** BUT CLEARLY, CONSTANTLY, CONTINUALLY, WORSHIP IS TALKING PLACE IN AND AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD BY THE 24 ELDERS AND THE 4 BEASTS AND ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN.

**** AND WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO GOD IN WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.

(2) AND BELIEVER, OUR LIVES CONTINUALLY AND CONSTANTLY NEED TO BE FILLED AND PERMEATED WITH WORSHIP TO OUR HOLY GOD, NOT JUST ONE DAY A WEEK.

* AND ALTHOUGH CORPORATE WORSHIP SHOULD BE A PRIORITY OF OUR LIVES, IT REALLY SHOULD BE AN OVERFLOW OF OUR WALK AND WORSHIP WITH OUR HOLY GOD THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.

** WE SHOULD CONSTANTLY OFFER UP THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP SHOULD BE A WAY OF LIFE, LIKE BREATHING.

*** AND THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE AS WE STUDY HIS WORD, WORSHIP WILL BE A WAY OF LIFE AS IT IS CONTINUALLY AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD.

**** NO. 2 GOD’S JUDGMENT JUMPS OUT AT ME IN THIS TEXT AS IT COMES FROM THE THRONE OF GOD. AND HERE WE HAVE A PREVIEW OF THINGS TO COME.

(3) AND IN REVELATION 6-18 WE WILL SEE GOD’S WRATH POURED OUT ON THIS EARTH AS NEVER BEFORE.

* AND THE REASON FOR HIS WRATH BEING EXERCISED IS BECAUSE HE IS HOLY. AND SIN OFFENDS HIS HOLINESS.

** AND CERTAINLY SIN IS ABOUNDING IN OUR WORLD TODAY AND THERE WILL NOT ONLY BE GOD’S WRATH POURED OUT IN HELL FOR ETERNITY, BUT GOD’S WRATH BEING POURED OUT ON PLANET EARTH.

*** AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THEIR SIN AND REBELLION AGAINST A HOLY GOD, BUT SOMEDAY PAY DAY.

**** PSALM 7:11 SAYS: (READ IT).

(4) CHRISTIAN, WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE HOLY LIVES,

I PETER 1:15&16 SAYS: (READ THEM).

* AND IF YOU ARE WITHOUT CHRIST TODAY, I REMIND YOU IT’S A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF A LIVING HOLY GOD, HEBREWS 10:31. REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST TODAY.