THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION
The Father’s Throne and Jesus’ Exaltation (Rev. 4-5)
(Part I)
INTRODUCTION:
John has had a vision in chapter one of the glorified Son of God. And in chapters two and three John has seen this same Jesus walking in the midst of the seven churches on the earth and holding the seven messengers (leaders/pastors) of these churches in His right hand. Now, after these visions, in chapters 4 and 5 John is now called up through a door in Heaven to behold the throne room of Almighty God! I hope you are beginning to see the storyline as well as the continuity and order of this amazing book. And here is where we begin today.
I. THE FATHER’S HEAVENLY COURT: THE BEAUTY OF GOD (REV.4)
A. Revelation 4 gives us the greatest revelation of God’s beauty in the Scriptures. What God put around Himself expresses His beauty to creation. Revelation 4 is about the beauty of God. After the Father’s beauty is revealed in chapter 4, then His plan for Jesus comes to light in Revelation 5.
B. Revelation 4:2-7
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 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. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
C. Revelation 4:8-11. The government leaders of heaven’s glory (boast with loving delight) in God. Their foundational hymn forever magnifies God’s holiness (Note: there are fourteen hymns in Revelation).
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
D. To be holy means “to be totally separated from.” God is separated from everything sinful. Therefore He is pure! God is also separated from everything created (or common), therefore He is transcendent or infinitely superior to all that exits. God’s holiness points to His transcendent beauty.
II. THE GRAND DRAMA: JESUS IS EXALTED AS KING OVER ALL NATIONS (REV.5)
A. Revelation 5 gives us insight into the Father’s plan to exalt Jesus as a human being over all the earth. Jesus coming as king to take over the nations is one of the main themes of Revelation
Rev. 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him . . .”
Rev. 19:16 “He has on His robe . . . a name written: King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Psalm 2:8 “I (the Father) will give to you (Jesus) the nations for your inheritance.”
B. Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is a great mystery.
John 1:1,14,18 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. V. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. V. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.”
C. The Father promised to exalt Jesus because of His faithfulness in His humanity.
Philippians 2:6-11
“Although He existed in the form of God . . . being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
D. God gave dominion (authority) of the earth to Adam as a representative of the human race as an eternal stewardship. To reverse this decision would be an injustice and failure to keep His word.
Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Psalm 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; But the earth He has given to the children of men.
E. By sinning, Adam forfeited his authority to Satan (Genesis 3; Luke 4:6).
Luke 4:6
And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”
It would be through Jesus, in both His First and Second Coming, that God would take back the dominion of the earth—through the God-Man. That is the purpose of the scene in Revelation 5.
III. JESUS TAKES THE SCROLL FROM THE FATHER’S HAND (REV. 5)
As Jesus is commissioned, He takes the scroll from the Father’s hand (v.7). This scroll represents the title deed of the earth and the action plan (Rev. 6-19) necessary to prepare the Church as a mature Bride, who partners with Jesus to bring in the harvest and judge the Antichrist’s worldwide empire as a key part of His plan to drive evil off of the earth and establish the Kingdom of God.
Revelation 5:1-7:
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.”
B. The Father gives the title deed of the earth to Jesus as a human king. He is the only man with the ability to govern the whole world and lead all of its governments (v.2). He is the only one found worthy (deserving and capable) to take the scroll from the Father. In taking the scroll Jesus accepts responsibility to cleanse and rule the whole earth.
C. To “open the seals” means to release judgments in the book of the Revelation (Rev. 6-19), to cleanse the planet from evil, and to restructure all the governments of the earth (Rev. 20:4-6).
D. Jesus is the only man with the wisdom, love, humility, and power to open the seals (release judgment) in a way that produces righteousness and love across the entire earth.
E. Jesus has the fierceness and fearlessness of a lion and the tenderness and humility of a lamb.
That’s why He is seen as the “. . . the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David . . .” and as “a Lamb standing as if slain . . .” in Revelation 4.
Only He who has perfect humility, as of a Lamb, and the perfect strength, as of a Lion, could carry out the plan of the Father to take back control of the earth!
CONCLUSION
Hopefully it is becoming clear that Jesus is the center of Father-God’s plan to restore all that was lost back to Himself. And that includes all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; that includes you and me!
Dear friends, the Gospel or the Good News of the Kingdom of God is this: Jesus, the Lamb of God, who died on the cross to take away our sins and secure our inheritance to live forever with God will return to the earth the second time as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to make sure we have it!
That is what we see in the Book of The Revelation! And blessed are all of those who receive this truth!
COMMUNION
Let’s celebrate this truth today as we remember His First Coming as the Lamb and His Second Coming as the Lion!
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
Let’s pray.
The Father’s Throne and Jesus’ Exaltation (Rev. 4-5)
(Part I)
INTRODUCTION:
John has had a vision in chapter one of the glorified Son of God. And in chapters two and three John has seen this same Jesus walking in the midst of the seven churches on the earth and holding the seven messengers (leaders/pastors) of these churches in His right hand. Now, after these visions, in chapters 4 and 5 John is now called up through a door in Heaven to behold the throne room of Almighty God! I hope you are beginning to see the storyline as well as the continuity and order of this amazing book. And here is where we begin today.
I. THE FATHER’S HEAVENLY COURT: THE BEAUTY OF GOD (REV.4)
A. Revelation 4 gives us the greatest revelation of God’s beauty in the Scriptures. What God put around Himself expresses His beauty to creation. Revelation 4 is about the beauty of God. After the Father’s beauty is revealed in chapter 4, then His plan for Jesus comes to light in Revelation 5.
B. Revelation 4:2-7
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 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. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
C. Revelation 4:8-11. The government leaders of heaven’s glory (boast with loving delight) in God. Their foundational hymn forever magnifies God’s holiness (Note: there are fourteen hymns in Revelation).
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
D. To be holy means “to be totally separated from.” God is separated from everything sinful. Therefore He is pure! God is also separated from everything created (or common), therefore He is transcendent or infinitely superior to all that exits. God’s holiness points to His transcendent beauty.
II. THE GRAND DRAMA: JESUS IS EXALTED AS KING OVER ALL NATIONS (REV.5)
A. Revelation 5 gives us insight into the Father’s plan to exalt Jesus as a human being over all the earth. Jesus coming as king to take over the nations is one of the main themes of Revelation
Rev. 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him . . .”
Rev. 19:16 “He has on His robe . . . a name written: King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Psalm 2:8 “I (the Father) will give to you (Jesus) the nations for your inheritance.”
B. Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is a great mystery.
John 1:1,14,18 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. V. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. V. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.”
C. The Father promised to exalt Jesus because of His faithfulness in His humanity.
Philippians 2:6-11
“Although He existed in the form of God . . . being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
D. God gave dominion (authority) of the earth to Adam as a representative of the human race as an eternal stewardship. To reverse this decision would be an injustice and failure to keep His word.
Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Psalm 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; But the earth He has given to the children of men.
E. By sinning, Adam forfeited his authority to Satan (Genesis 3; Luke 4:6).
Luke 4:6
And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”
It would be through Jesus, in both His First and Second Coming, that God would take back the dominion of the earth—through the God-Man. That is the purpose of the scene in Revelation 5.
III. JESUS TAKES THE SCROLL FROM THE FATHER’S HAND (REV. 5)
As Jesus is commissioned, He takes the scroll from the Father’s hand (v.7). This scroll represents the title deed of the earth and the action plan (Rev. 6-19) necessary to prepare the Church as a mature Bride, who partners with Jesus to bring in the harvest and judge the Antichrist’s worldwide empire as a key part of His plan to drive evil off of the earth and establish the Kingdom of God.
Revelation 5:1-7:
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.”
B. The Father gives the title deed of the earth to Jesus as a human king. He is the only man with the ability to govern the whole world and lead all of its governments (v.2). He is the only one found worthy (deserving and capable) to take the scroll from the Father. In taking the scroll Jesus accepts responsibility to cleanse and rule the whole earth.
C. To “open the seals” means to release judgments in the book of the Revelation (Rev. 6-19), to cleanse the planet from evil, and to restructure all the governments of the earth (Rev. 20:4-6).
D. Jesus is the only man with the wisdom, love, humility, and power to open the seals (release judgment) in a way that produces righteousness and love across the entire earth.
E. Jesus has the fierceness and fearlessness of a lion and the tenderness and humility of a lamb.
That’s why He is seen as the “. . . the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David . . .” and as “a Lamb standing as if slain . . .” in Revelation 4.
Only He who has perfect humility, as of a Lamb, and the perfect strength, as of a Lion, could carry out the plan of the Father to take back control of the earth!
CONCLUSION
Hopefully it is becoming clear that Jesus is the center of Father-God’s plan to restore all that was lost back to Himself. And that includes all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; that includes you and me!
Dear friends, the Gospel or the Good News of the Kingdom of God is this: Jesus, the Lamb of God, who died on the cross to take away our sins and secure our inheritance to live forever with God will return to the earth the second time as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to make sure we have it!
That is what we see in the Book of The Revelation! And blessed are all of those who receive this truth!
COMMUNION
Let’s celebrate this truth today as we remember His First Coming as the Lamb and His Second Coming as the Lion!
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
Let’s pray.
No comments:
Post a Comment