From the beginning of this study, we established that the BOOK of Revelation naturally divides into three (3) parts, namely: part one, which consists of “the things which thou hast seen…”; part two, which consists of “the things which are…”; and part three, which consists of “…the things which shall be hereafter…”.
We have dealt fully with the first part and will now delve into the final stage of the second part of the study, which still falls under “…the things which are…”, but on a different sphere of existence, that is, heaven.
THE CONTINUOUS GLORIOUS WORSHIP IN GOD’S THRONE ROOM IN HEAVEN
REVELATION 4:1–11
We have already established that the phrase “…the things which are…”, as it occurred in Revelation 1:19, refers to the events that were currently happening at the time the Lord Jesus Christ was revealing the mysteries to John the Apostle. Those events were divided into two, namely, the ones that were taking place on earth, which formed the basis for the messages to the seven churches in Asia Minor, and the one which was taking place in heaven, at the throne room of Almighty God, which we are about to study in conclusion of the second part of Revelation.
“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…” Revelation 4:1.
Even though the fourth chapter of Revelation introduces the third part of the mysteries of Revelation, it nevertheless falls under the second part. Chapter Four gives a glorious and awe-inspiring description of the throne room of Almighty God and the heavenly beings who attend to His worship and adoration. This does not fall under the division of the things which shall be hereafter because, from times immemorial to times everlasting, God’s praises, worship, and adoration have endured and shall always endure in heaven and among all of His creation. See Revelation 4:8–11; Isaiah 6:1–4; Psalm 113:1–4; 148:1–14; 150:1–6.
“Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised”. Psalm 113:2–3.
Even though Chapter Four (4) falls under the second division of “…the things which are…”, nevertheless, it is not to be viewed or understood as an event which occurred at that material time alone. God’s praises, adoration, and worship are as enduring as Himself; the event mirrored in Chapter Four has always been, is ongoing now, and will forever be.
Just how great and awesome our God is can be seen from the description of His court and those who attend to Him. Verses 2, 3, and 5 describe His throne. Verse 4 describes the sitting position of certain heavenly nobles, whom on earth we would have called courtiers, but who are simply identified here as the twenty-four elders. They form the outer circle of heavenly beings surrounding the exalted throne of Almighty God.
Verse 6 describes the demarcation between the 24 elders and the inner circle of beings that are around the throne of God. The words “…sea of glass…” give the idea of a large expanse of glass or crystal, setting a demarcation between the 24 elders and the next creatures surrounding God’s throne, which verses 7 and 8 describe in detail.
Besides these inner circles of heavenly nobles and awesome creatures attending to God Almighty, Revelation 5:11, which we are not dealing with right now, also describes another circle of angelic beings surrounding the throne and the two inner circles of creatures previously described.
“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands…” Revelation 5:11.
It must be understood that all these descriptions of the glory of the Most High God, as given by the Apostle John, the son of Zebedee, were, at best, expressed within the limited words and wisdom of a mortal man. The actual glory and splendour of Almighty God surpasses anything any mortal soul can ever contrive. See Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him…”
1 Corinthians 2:9.
The second part of the Book of Revelation, therefore, concludes with the awesome manifestation of the glory, honour, splendour, and majesty of Almighty God, the beauty of His throne room, and those who wait on Him. Indeed, our God is great; greater than we could ever imagine! The Psalmist, intrigued by such awesome glory, wrote:
“Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high…” Psalm 113:5.
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven”.
Psalm 148:13.
REVEALING THE MYSTERIES OF REVELATION (PART THREE, STUDY 1)
Having concluded Part Two of the Book of Revelation, we will now delve into the third part, which, in Jesus Christ’s own words, falls under the classification of “…the things which shall be hereafter” (Revelation 1:19).
Chapter 5, which opens up this last classification (or Part Three) of Revelation, is actually a preamble to the unfolding events which follow from Chapter 6. As a result, we shall treat this study under the topic:
THE PREAMBLE TO THE EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS
Revelation 5:1–14
A preamble is a preparatory statement or explanatory introduction to an actual statement or event. In this regard, Revelation Chapter 5 and the events described in it explain the events of the last days as they are unfolded from the 6th chapter of Revelation. Below is a detailed breakdown of this preamble as recorded in Revelation Chapter 5:1–7.
A. Verse 1
Verse 1 introduces the mystery of God, which ushers in the end of time, written in a book and sealed with seven seals. The mystery comprises the events of the last days, which should sum up the plan of God for mankind and bring it to an end so as to judge the world and usher in the kingdom of God in everlasting righteousness. See Daniel 9:24; Revelation 10:6, 7; 11:15–18.
“…But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets”. Revelation 10:7.
B. Verses 2–4
Verses 2–4 throw up the challenge as to who was worthy to open the sealed book of God’s mystery. It was a formidable challenge because the mystery, once unsealed from the book, must trigger some irreversible chain of divinely programmed events which would bring about judgment, death, and destruction for the unrepentant sinner on the one hand, but deliverance from tribulation and eternal redemption for the righteous on the other hand.
Besides God Almighty, who sits on the throne of His glory, who created life and who alone has the power to save or to destroy it in judgment, no one else would be able to unleash God’s mystery without coming under divine condemnation for their imperfection, unless they shared the same divinity and attributes with Him as the Perfect God. Revelation 5:2–4; Job 4:17–19; 15:14–16; 25:4–6; Romans 3:23–24; John 8:1–11.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” Romans 3:23–24.
C. Verses 5–7
Verses 5–7 reveal Jesus Christ as the only One who was worthy to take the book of God’s mystery, to break the seals thereof, and to unleash its contents on the world. He could do this without coming under divine condemnation for the following reasons:
- As a man, born into the lineage of King David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, of the nation of Israel, He prevailed over sin and unrighteousness with which all of mankind were and are still plagued. Revelation 5:5; 1 Peter 2:21–23.
In His own words, Jesus Christ triumphantly announced His conquest of sin and all depravity of this world by saying:“…but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. John 16:33.
- As a man, He did not only overcome the world, but also became the means by which sinful man may receive forgiveness, become born again, and also be made an overcomer like Jesus Christ. Because of this, He could judge sin or reward righteousness. Revelation 5:6–10; John 1:12, 29; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; 2 Corinthians 5:17–21; 1 John 5:4–5, 10–11; Romans 8:1–2 .
- As the risen Lord and the Conqueror of Satan and his kingdom, God has given all of His authority and power to Jesus Christ, both in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth. This means that Jesus Christ possesses the fullness of God’s attributes and, thus, can act in God’s stead to unleash the contents of the book of God’s mystery without any consequences on the grounds of imperfection, because there is none in Him. He is perfect as God the Father is, and His authority extends to everyone and everything in all realms of existence, with the exception of God the Father.
It must, however, be understood that although Jesus Christ shares the same attributes with God, He does not share the same offices. There is the exclusive duty of the Father, just as there are those of the Son and the Holy Spirit. God delegated the authority for His Son, Jesus Christ, to execute His judgments, even as Jesus Christ delegated His authority to the Holy Spirit to take what is His and expound it to the Church. Thus, although they share the same divine attributes, each has His distinct office and responsibility within the Godhead. Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:5–11; Revelation 5:11–14.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Philippians 2:9–11.
With Jesus Christ as the only One found worthy to unleash the mystery of Almighty God on this world, our next study in Chapter 6 will reveal that the mystery of God to end this world and her government has been at work already for a long time, and is now on the verge of drawing to a close in order to herald the rapture of the saints. This calls for vigilance and prayers on our part.
TO BE CONTINUED