Monday, April 12, 2021

A Morning Bible Study - What Is God's Throne Like?


 by Guy C. LaMar



Just what is God's throne like!?

Just what is Jesus Christ like in His glory!?

Just what is Heaven like?

The apostle John, my personal favorite apostle, and the one which Jesus loved (John 13:23) speaks of the glory of the LORD our God in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation, and again in chapters 4 and 5.

John, in the Spirit, was called to go up to Heaven to be shown "things which must take place after this." He was the only man who ever saw this. 

Turning to the Book of Revelation chapter 4 – 

Verse 4 – “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.” 

This is the first mention of the twenty-four elders in the entire Bible! This shows us that Almighty God is in charge; the twenty-four elders have their part, and all the angels are there. The angels are separate from the twenty-four elders as identities. 

Verse 5 – “And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices …” – refer to Exodus 20 with special attention to verse 18, and Deuteronomy 5 with special attention to verse 22.

When the LORD God came down upon the mountain to speak – what happened!? 

“Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” – Exodus 19:18, NKJV.

There were thick clouds, darkness, lightnings, trumpets blowing, and everything! 

In the Book of Hebrews chapter 12 –

Verse 22 – “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who registered in heaven, …”

Back to Revelation chapter 4 – 

Verse 5 – “ … Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”

The apostle John was given a vision that even the apostle Paul was apparently not privy to. John was able to see in vision things concerning “the third heaven” and the throne of God and to hear things and write things that Paul apparently did not see. 

2 Corinthians chapter 12 – 

Verse 1 – “It is [necessary, though] not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2) I know a man in Christ [speaking in the third person] who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows – 4) how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which is not lawful for a man to utter.” 

Turning over to the Book of Matthew chapter 17 – what about the transfiguration. 

Verse 1 – “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2) and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. 3) And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.”

This shows the vision of the glorified Christ in that instance. 

Now, back to the apostle John’s great and awesome vision – Revelation chapter 4

Describing, by Jesus Christ “to show His servants – things which must shortly take place” just what the third heaven looks like, what the throne of God looks like, and what will be happening there in the very near future!

Then we are given a glimpse into the “four living creatures.” 

Verse 6 – “ … And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7) The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8) The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. …” – refer to Ezekiel 1:18 – “ … and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.”

I can’t imagine what that looks like, or what it is, or whether these were actual eyes or they looked like eyes – I do not know. 

“ … And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come!’”

Surely, they are not saying this all the time, but at a specific time – like during Christ’s coronation. Notice Revelation 14:14 – “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.” Daniel chapter 7 describes this soon-coming coronation of Jesus Christ – the King of kings and the LORD of lords – Verse 13 – “’ I watched in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days [God the Father], and they brought Him near before Him. 14) Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” 

Verse 9 – “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, …” – showing us that it is a specific time that this is taking place. 

Verse 11 – “’ You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.’” – showing us all bout the creation of the LORD God, the purpose of the world, and why mankind is here – and you can plug into the whole of the Bible to this.

Now, what is so dynamic and important about all of this!?

Well, since God is Spirit (John 4:24), and that God works through spiritual power, one cannot know or see nor understand that these things exist, except they are revealed – as in Revelation chapters 4 and 5.

The apostle Paul – under the divine inspiration of God’s Spirit, says in Ephesians chapter 1 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5) having predestined us to adoption as [children] by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” 

Also in Philippians chapter 2 – 

Verse 13 – “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Add to this – the calling of God. The work of God. The fulfilling of prophecy. The working in governments of men to carry out His will and good pleasure – like King Cyrus the Great, ruler and founder of the Achaemenid Empire! (Isaiah 45), and King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon (Daniel 2). How He raised up King David and Solomon. Nothing occurs on this earth except directed by Almighty God from His throne in “the farthest sides of the north” of His universe – Isaiah 14:13; Job 26:7.

That’s the whole lesson here.

Indeed, the unveiling of biblical prophecies falls under the authority of God the Father – cf. Acts 1:7. And, God the Father gives it to Jesus Christ to fulfill. They are in complete agreement in everything that is done – cf. John 10:30. 

Turning to the 5th chapter of the Book of Revelation – 

Verse 4 – “So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.”

What does this tell us!?

That only God is going to carry it out. No man – anywhere, anyplace, under any circumstances, in any society down through time unto the present – is going to tell God what to do,, how to do it, or when to fulfill biblical prophecy! No one – but One – has been found worthy to open it! 

“ … no one in heaven or ON THE EARTH or UNDER THE EARTH …” – v. 3.

Verse 5 – “But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah …” – that goes back to where Christ came from the tribe of Judah, of the stem of Jesse. “ … the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’”

Then he saw in vision a most fantastic thing! He saw Jesus Christ! 

Verse 6 – “ … and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain …” – so, first mentioned was ‘the Lion of the Tribe of Judah,’ as His great war-making power. And also as a ‘slain Lamb,’ representing the Savior of all mankind. 

“ … having seven horns and seven eyes …” – representing seven churches. Cf. Revelation 2 and 3. 

“ … which are the seven Spirit of God sent out into all the earth.” – see also Revelation 4:5; 8:2. Representing the living Church of God.

Who is the Head of the Church!?

Jesus Christ is. 

That’s symbolic of the seven horns upon the head of the slain Lamb. 

Verse 7 – “Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him [God the Father] who sat on the throne.”

Recall – the Book of Revelation, the book of revealing, is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place.” – so, the apostle John was seeing in vision a future event taking place in “the third heaven” – the throne of God. 

Verse 9 – “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, …” – a scroll of end-time events “ … And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood OUT OF EVERY TRIBE AND [LANGUAGE] AND PEOPLE AND NATION.’”

So much for sacred names. This shows us that this ties in with all the “gospels” – with all preaching of the gospel – “But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: ‘Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.’” – Romans 10:18. This also, of course, ties in with all the epistles that the apostle's Paul, James, Peter, and John wrote.

You cannot have redemption and salvation out of every tribe, language, people, and nation unless you have the living Word of God – so they can hear it, read it, study it, and understand it, and God sends His Spirit to accomplish this. 

Verse 10 – “’ And [He will make] us kings [a kingdom] and priests [notice Revelation 4:4] to our God; And we shall reign ON THE EARTH.’”

So, we shall reign on the earth, not in Heaven. This shows us no one is going to Heaven – cf. John 3:13.

Only is “Worthy is the Lamb.”

That is so inspiring!

The apostle John was able to see in vision this whole thing and was told “’ What you see, write in a book’” for His servants – 

Verse 11 – “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12) saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain …”

No man; no self-appointed ‘messiah’; no self-appointed prophet or apostle – 

“ … ‘To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!’”

What a glorious thing to understand! Also, what does this tell us!?

That our Lord Jesus Christ is going to share it with us at the resurrection!

Notice the Book of Hebrews chapter 1 –

Verse 1 – “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, …”

Also, notice the Book of Romans chapter 8 –

Verse 16 – “The Spirit [itself] bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17) and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together.”

Friends – God is in control! 

Verse 13 – “And every creature which is in heaven [the atmosphere] and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: …” – every living creature in this physical realm praising and honoring Jesus Christ! Surely symbolic language. “ … ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, …’” – speaking of God the Father. “ … ‘And to the Lamb, …’” – speaking of Jesus Christ. “ … ‘forever and ever!’”

MAGNIFICENT!

This was a glorious and wonderful vision which the apostle John was allowed to see!

Now, what also does this show us!?

It shows us that God, through His love – if we love and are faithful to Him – allows us to come to understand some of the ‘deep things of God.’ 

1 Corinthians chapter 2 – 

Verse 9 – “But it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 10) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. … 16) For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

God has revealed them to us by His Spirit.

This is what has happened here with the apostle John. He was able to see this glorious future event! One of the greatest blessings of all!

Have you ever wondered how John must have felt having this vision – which must have taken days, weeks, or months! He was a prisoner on the isle called Patmos at approximately the age of 95. He may have been a cousin to Jesus Christ, and having grown up with Him.

Then, through Jesus Christ’s three-and-a-half-year ministry, preaching and teaching all the things that went on. Then witnessing His crucifixion, death, and His ascension into heaven – cf. Acts 1. Then, the apostle John going out and preaching and all the miracles and things which were done; seeing the apostasy within the Church of God.

Then, as an old man – one of the last living apostles – with possibly Andrew and Philip with him, how he must have felt reading through his notes to write the Book of Revelation!? When we read it, there is a tremendous inspiration that the Holy Spirit of God has jam-packed into it!

Friends, it is vitally important to understand this inspired vision ‘in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day’ and the love of God, because this was given so that when the apostle John began writing the Book of Revelation (a book of revealing) and all the horrendous things that were to come, he would be strengthened in steadfastness and he would not waver. That’s a pattern which God does for us. He gives us strength and inspiration and help so that when trials come we know we can lean on Him! We know that it’s all going to work out! 

Verse 14 – “Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

Isn’t that something!

God has called us to live forever “into the ages of eternity” – NET. □

John 1:1-3; 3:16; 14:6 Rev. 1:5, 8, 16; 2:9-16, 21; 4:5; 9:21; 11; 12; 19; 3:1-3, 8,9, 12; 20; Isa. 6; 14; 44:5-6; 45:21-23; 46:5-10; 48:12; Matt. 11:25; 16; 12; 20; Rev. 20; Phil. 2; Gal. 6:16; Rom. 1; Ex. 33:17-23; 34:6-7; Ezek. 1; 10; 28; Acts 7:55-56; Gen. 3; Luke 10:18; 19; Eph. 6; Col. 2; 1 John 5; Heb. 4:12; 11:36; Num. 22-25; 1 Kings and 2 Kings; Psa. 37; Matt. 24; 25; 1 Peter 1; Rev. 13; 1 Cor.; 2 Cor.; Acts 8; 13; 16; Rev. 3:10; 2 Thess. 2; 2 Tim. 4; Rev. 21; 22; 4:5; Ex. 19; 20; Deut. 5; Heb. 12; 2 Cor. 12:1-4; Matt. 16; Rev. 4:8-9, 11. Ezek. 1; Isa. 6; Rev. 5:4-6.

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