The Silence of Heaven

 

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood wat the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5 ESV).

 

Our reading today introduces the opening of the seventh seal. Since the scroll had seven seals, we might be tempted to think that the story is about to come to a speedy conclusion. However, we do not meet a cosmic display of God’s almighty forces. Instead, we are surrounded by heaven’s silence for an extended time. I believe this is so that we cannot miss the message to be revealed at this moment.

 

In our culture there are very few places where we experience silence. Not only that, but we generally don’t like to have times of prolonged silence. We’ll do anything — listen to a radio, watch TV, send text messages, read or listen to a book, play games or sports, work, do hobbies, and more — to avoid staying in silence for very long. I must confess to filling the void of silence with noise of some kind all to often.

 

However, silence gives us space for God to speak to our hearts. It is God who speaks in Psalm 46, saying, “Be still, and know that I am God.” With the opening of the seventh seal, the story line in Revelation moves toward darkness and devastation, destruction from powers that are allowed to test and challenge people on the earth. As those who live by faith in Jesus, however, we need heaven’s silence—the stillness in which God can make himself known to us—to face any challenges to our faith.

 

When I have simply sat in the silence of solitude, I have found it is most likely then that I hear God. You may be facing challenges today. The prolonged silence in today’s Bible reading promises to be God’s way of assuring us that we are not alone. God is with us as “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

 

Who Are These People?

 

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:13-17 ESV).

 

Driving south on FM5 to our home is a lovely cemetery (pictured here). The Annetta Cemetery is listed on the Texas State Registry for Historical Places. Mary and I have often remarked that should we still be in this area when we die that this would be our preference for burial. The live oaks and “country” feel seem to fit us. Some have asked why we prefer burial to cremation. Well, I really don’t care either way; however, our sons have made it very clear that they want our remains to be some place. If they were to come for a “visit” later, the marker would be a good anchor point. However, make no mistake… we won’t be there. They do know that.

 

That’s the message of our reading today. Remember the context of our reading. John, the narrator of this story, had a blank and puzzled look on his face when he was asked: “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” It is easy to get lost in a crowd, especially “a great multitude that no one could count” (cf. Revelation 7:9). No wonder John responded by saying, “Sir, you know.”

 

The Spirit of God, who gave John this revelation, wants us to know who these people are. We do not know them all, but we know some of them very well. They are believers in Christ who have died and have gone before us to be in heaven with God. I have walked through cemeteries where the remains of loved ones are buried. The thoughts and memories that are evoked are pleasant though bittersweet. We grieve the deaths of our loved ones. We miss them. To comfort us, God gives us this picture of a multitude before his throne. And they are not lost in the crowd. God knows and cares for each one, and he continues to be their shepherd. He will forever be the Lamb in the midst of His people!

 

That No One Can Number

 

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12 ESV).

 

Picture this scene. John sees a great multitude of people wearing white and holding palm branches and singing before the throne of God with all the angels and elders and other living creatures in heaven. They all sing great praise to God and bow down to worship him. The sheer size of this group is amazing. There are so many people in this multitude that “no one could count” them. It would be like trying to count the stars in the night sky or the grains of sand on a seashore (cf. Genesis 22:17). God’s gift of salvation is indeed given to a great multitude.

 

Even more amazing than the size of the choir is the composition of the crowd that the Lord has gathered. This gigantic crowd is made up “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” It is amazing how God’s gift of salvation creates a bond of unity that reaches to the ends of the earth and breaks down the walls and divisions that we have set up in our societies and cultures around the world. No one is debating the points of theology, or the systems of interpretation. Everyone is gathered for one great purpose. They are singing the praise of the One on the throne!

 

This is a powerful picture of what God’s salvation looks like in the lives of real people. It is more than a picture of the unity God will create in the new heaven and earth. This is a call for the church today as well—to be faithful in welcoming God’s servants “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” God’s amazing grace brings us together from every people and nation.

 

The 144,000

 

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. (Revelation 7:4-8 ESV).

 

The visions in Revelation are filled with symbolism, so we should not read the number 144,000 literally. If that were the total of all whom “God so loved …that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16), it would be too few. John also soon sees “a great multitude that no one could count” (Revelation 7:9)—and that, of course, is far more than 144,000 people. There is poetic beauty in the numbering of 144,000 servants of God here. The use of 12’s and 1,000’s is symbolic of completion and fullness in God’s kingdom. Scholars differ on identifying the 144,000. Some say the number is literal and records Jews from each tribe who become believers in Jesus Christ. Dispensational interpreters think the number refers to Jews who are saved during the final seven-year tribulation period.

 

It is more convincing to say the 144,000 symbolically represent all Christians throughout history, both Jews and Gentiles. They are God’s army who wage war by being faithful to the Lamb and enduring persecution. The reasons for thinking John refers to all Christians are numerous, and some stem from Revelation 14, where the 144,000 appear again. First, numbers in apocalyptic literature are regularly symbolic. Here we have the number twelve representing the people of God from the twelve tribes in the OT, and the number is squared and then multiplied by 1,000. Hence the number should be understood as a symbolic way of designating the entire people of God.

 

The greater truth is not found in the number, but in the security of those saved and sealed by God. The cataclysmic judgment of God does not fall on these people. From the “four corners of the world” they are all saved. It is a glorious example of God’s perfect grace.

 

The Seal of God

 

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:1-3 ESV).

 

In our reading today we see a pause in the middle of John revealing what will happen at the end of the age. God puts a seal on 144,000 people:12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. There is some debate in Christian circles as to whether that is a literal or figurative number. Regardless, those that are sealed go into the world and are witnesses for Christ during this period known as the great tribulation. While it is important to understand what this means for these 144,000, it is even more important for us to understand the personal meaning of this for us today.

 

There are a few different definitions for the word “seal.” There are three basics that are important for us. First, it guarantees safety. The seal in the biblical era always signified the one who wrote that which was sealed. It carried a weight of power and protection from others who might think to steal the communication. Second, it is a mark of ownership. The seal was unique. It is something like a brand today. It conveyed absolute irrefutable ownership. Third, it certified that something was real or authentic.

In biblical times, as well as today, when a seal was attached to a document, it gave that document legitimacy.

 

Remember the context we have just seen. In the previous scene we saw everyone reeling as the foundations of the earth tore apart and people had nowhere to hide. And now we see God’s mighty angels holding back the four winds so that God’s servants can receive his seal of protection. All who have faith in God and the saving power of the Lamb (Jesus) will be spared from the oncoming destruction.

 

The tearing open of creation leaves no uncertainty. When God says the time has come, there will no longer be anywhere to hide. God’s seal on us is God’s way of saying, “I am your God; you are my people. I love and care for you more than you will ever understand. I am not here to let destruction come upon you but to give life to all who put their trust in me.” (cf. John 3:16.) The gift of God’s seal is ours to embrace; it is also a call commitment to stand with all who identify as servants of the living God.

 

The Sixth Seal

 

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth mas the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17 ESV).

 

The opening of the sixth seal places us on shaky ground. John sees a massive earthquake undoing all the stitches of created reality. All that we assume to be permanent parts of the created world around us — the sun, moon, stars, blue sky, mountains, and islands in the sea — are dramatically changed or removed from their place. It’s like ground zero in an event of mass destruction.

 

No one is untouched by the destruction of this event. The powerful, the rich, and the poor all share in this common ground of chaos. All the things that people have relied upon in the past are removed. Wherever anyone turns for help or rescue are gone. However, the one constant that is not removed is God, Himself.

 

It raises the question of what do people do with this God who refuses to go away? We hear their cry of desperation. When people are brought face to face with God, they do what humankind has attempted since the fall (cf. Genesis 3:1-11): they try to hide from God. Fear deepens their desperation, and they call to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us!”

 

Hiding from God keeps God unknown. Thankfully, hills do not respond to people’s cries. But God does! God knows what to do with our fear over coming close to him. He welcomes us with all our fears and surprises us with an embrace like a parent welcoming a long-lost child back home (cf. Luke 15:11-24).

 

The Souls Under the Altar

 

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9-11 ESV).

 

With the opening of the fifth seal, God’s story brings us to the altar where God gathers the souls of followers who have died for their faith in him. The enemy tries to silence believers who are faithful to God’s Word and to put an end to their testimony. Although they can be killed on earth, God keeps their souls safe in heaven. And they are not silent! The souls of the martyrs cry out with the passion of ancient laments to the Lord of all lords (cf. Psalm 13:1-2; 74:10; 94:3; 119:84).

 

We may not know the names of the people whom God gathers beneath his altar. But we do know they are the people Jesus acknowledged when he said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Matthew 5:11).

 

These martyred saints have a special place in God’s design to help us live by faith in his Word. They provide us with a one-of-a-kind, holy witness to what following Christ looks like. Faith is willing to sacrifice to stay true to God.

 

Give thanks today for the little-known and often unnamed saints who paid and are paying with their lives for being faithful to God. Thank God that the voice of the martyrs is not silenced. “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders . . . and run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

 

The Rider on the Pale Horse

 

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8).

 

The fourth horseman is too familiar to us. This picture represents suffering and death. While the Pandemic of 2020 and the introduction of COVID-19 has subsided somewhat, we cannot forget that the global death toll rose to over 2 million. No one can deny the images we experienced during that time. As we come to the fourth horseman we see the coming of another pandemic. It will bring death on a scale we have never see or experienced in history.

 

Death is always a terrible intruder, regardless of its coming to claim people in large numbers or in the sudden death of a person we love.The Holy Spirit has given us powerful pictures to embrace for a time such as this. We have the good news of Christ’s coming and of his rising on Easter Sunday morning, announcing death’s defeat. We also have comforting pictures of Jesus grieving with those who mourn. Jesus wept with Mary and Martha over their brother Lazarus’s death (cf. John 11:33-35). Jesus weeps with us too when this rider on the pale horse comes.

 

Jesus also knows this horseman as his “last enemy to be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 15:26). And God’s great story closes with John announcing, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’” in which God will “wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:1-4). Hallelujah!

 

The Rider on the Black Horse

 

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Revelation 6:5-6 ESV).

 

The third horseman enters with the opening of the third seal. This rider is seated on a black horse. This rider holds a pair of scales, which were used for everyday buying and selling. These scales, however, were rigged to inflate the costs of grain. The third horseman represents economic injustice, robbing many people of their daily bread and other basic needs. It introduces severe practices that affect all the world. The results are catastrophic and hard to imagine the level of destruction to people everywhere. Hunger and starvation are introduced at a scale we have never seen before.

 

We should not miss the care and concern of God over unjust practices, because a day’s worth of wages for a small bag of grain or flour would have a big impact on most people for their survival.

 

Jesus knows the importance of having daily bread available for everyone. One of his most famous miracles was feeding the thousands of people when they were tired and hungry in a remote place. He refused to send the people away hungry (cf. Matthew 14:16). And when Jesus taught us to ask God our Father, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), it was our basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter that he had in mind.

 

Following Jesus’ example, we can live and work so that the scales for economic justice tip on the side of mercy and love. The rider on the black horse shows no care for the poor. But Jesus does! And he commands us to do likewise. Jesus also says to those who follow his example: “Come… [into] the kingdom prepared for you… For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” (Matthew 25:35-40).

 

The Rider of the Red Horse

 

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4 ESV).

 

When Jesus opens the second seal, a fiery red horse comes out! Artists use red sparingly because it commands attention. And God, the master painter, used the brightest red possible to paint the mission of this second rider. This is a very clear warning for us to be on guard. This horseman receives power to “take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other.”

 

Peace, in this story, includes much more than just the absence of war. The Bible’s picture of peace is about the harmony in creation revealed in Genesis 1:31: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

 

The clearest example of this peace is found in the life of Jesus, given for our sake. He is described as the “Prince of Peace” (cf. Isaiah 9:6). And when he was born, a multitude of ­angels from heaven gave glory to God and announced the coming of peace on earth (cf. Luke 2:14).

 

In the picture of the rider on a fiery red horse, however, this vision opens our eyes to the power of evil in our midst, robbing creation of God’s peace (shalom). We are especially warned to be on guard about this rider’s goal to create violence, making people kill each other. This is the coming of great conflict, wars, and rumors of wars, that will signal the end of the age.

 

While this seems to be at odds with the mandate to be “peacemakers” we need to understand that there can no peace as long as the devil still roams freely about the earth. We bring peace today with the sharing of the Gospel. Then Jesus will bring peace with the might of His word and the power of His will. It is a very sobering thought. We all called to be ready!

 

The Rider with a Bow

 

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of ethe seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:6:1-2 ESV).

 

There is another point we should noticed in John’s description of the first horseman. He is a rider with a bow. It could be a means to express a soldier who has the training to kill with a bow and arrow; or perhaps we are meant to picture a hunter, with bow in hand, standing over his downed prey.

 

It is tempting to read God’s story that way. But if we did, we would think the first rider is all about bringing death and destruction. There is certainly some of this in John’s vision, however, we should go a bit deeper to see the surprising good news that the One who is skilled with a bow is God. He has worked with a bow for a long time.

 

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we find a promise that God gave to Noah after the great flood. “I have set my bow in the clouds” God said, “and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth” (Genesis 9:13). We usually understand the bow in the Genesis story as being a “rainbow.” But it is the same word that is used in this story in Revelation.

 

In other words, the first horseman, Jesus, is armed with God’s covenant promise. His goal is to bring God’s promises for the renewal of creation to every part of creation.  This is the central truth we must come away with. God is not interested in bringing destruction in the coming of Jesus’ reign on earth. He is bringing restoration. He is returning the earth to its first glory. This is how He is going to be able to look on it and declare that “it is good” (cf. Genesis 1). All of God’s chosen will finally be at the end of their journey where they will finally be awarded the peace and perfection of heaven coming to earth! That is a day I long to see come quickly!

 

 

A Voice Like Thunder

 

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:1-2 ESV).

 

Today we begin to see the opening of the seven seals. When Jesus opens the first seal of the scroll, John hears one of the four living creatures speak with a “voice like thunder.” If you have ever been caught in a quick-moving thunderstorm, you know the power of thunder. The loud booming of thunder from sharp cracks of lightning strikes us with unexpected power from the coming storm. There is no doubt from this reading that a storm that has been brewing for millennia is about to strike.

 

The mention of thunder shows that God wants our attention. As the first seal is opened, we see a white horse, and its rider is determined to succeed in his mission. Soon we will also see three other powerful horsemen determined to win, but this first one is different. He is the only one introduced with a “voice like thunder.”

 

The color of the white horse stands for restoration and renewal, being made clean and given new life. This horseman’s mission is to restore God’s creation, and he is also given a crown. If you are familiar with the story of Jesus’ life and mission, you will recognize this first horseman. This is Jesus Christ, the one whom God “crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death… for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

 

This horseman is on a mission, “as a conqueror bent on conquest.” And he comes into the story again later (cf. Revelation 19:11-16). At this point, though, we are invited to picture him at the cutting edge of God’s mission of salvation and restoration. While it causes awe and wonder, for the child of God it should bring a great sense of relief. The end is near, and all is about to be restored to the great glory God intended from the beginning. We may be closer to this day than any might imagine! Be ready!

 

When Heaven Sings

 

And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, reach holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:7-14 ESV).

 

Today our glimpse into heaven’s throne room closes with a finale of praise. The praises from the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures swell to include “thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand” angels. Their praises then join with those of “every creature” in heaven and throughout creation.

 

We are invited to join all of heaven and earth in giving praise and honor to “him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” All three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—work in us to make this possible. We know that God the Father created us to give worship to him. Jesus redeemed us by his blood to be a unique body together in the giving of our worship. By his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has purchased us “from every tribe and language and people and nation.” He has made us “to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.” Jesus builds bridges and creates bonds between people who have learned to raise dividing walls.

 

Today the Holy Spirit moves churches to become places where the gifts of unity, hospitality, and love, purchased by Jesus’ blood, are felt, experienced, and practiced. Within and through the witness of church communities, walls should come tumbling down, and bonds of unity between peoples of all nations and languages should be made anew. Dare we do anything less in our daily lives!

 

The Scroll with Seven Seals

 

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5 ESV).

 

God’s throne room is full of surprises. Having seen all the people and creatures surrounding God’s throne and giving constant praise, John is now drawn to focus on a scroll. The scroll is in God’s right hand, which means it is important to God and all of creation. This scroll is also unusual in that it has writing on both sides. The words of God’s law on stone tablets were written that way too (cf. Exodus 32:15). Also surprising is the number of seals used to keep the scroll closed. One seal would have been enough to keep it closed from view. But this scroll has seven seals!

 

Most surprising is that it will require someone special, someone “worthy” to “break the seals and open the scroll.” But the text says that no one in heaven, on earth, or anywhere in creation is worthy to open the scroll or even to peek inside it. God has a powerful, one-of-a-kind story to reveal. It will take someone unique, worthy, and special to open this book and tell its story.

 

As John begins to weep since no one could be found worthy to open the words of redemption and deliverance, an angel approaches him. The angel tenderly puts his hand on him and comforts him with the admonition to look toward the throne. The only One to be able to break the seals and reveal the story’s contents also sits on the throne of all thrones. He is the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, He is the Savior and son of God… He is Jesus!

 

John rejoices, as we do, though the result of the opening of each seal brings judgment and calamity to the earth. It is the beginning of the end of what we know and the renewal of all things. God’s redemptive work nears its end! What a day that will be!

 

The Call to Worship

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:8-11 ESV).

 

Heaven’s throne room is filled with sounds of praise and worship. The four living creatures give round-the-clock adoration to the One on the throne. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,” they proclaim. This is a picture of all creation honoring God as the Creator and Lord over all things—the only one worthy of all praise.

 

Creation’s song of praise—led by the four living creatures— serves as a call to worship for the twenty-four elders. God’s people cannot help responding in worship when surrounded by the authentic, enthusiastic praises of all the rest of creation.

 

All God’s people in his worldwide church—young and old, seekers and established followers—help each other celebrate and confess with praise. Together, we join with the rest of creation, saying, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they . . . have their being.”

 

This picture reminds us that just as creation constantly proclaims the glory of God (Psalm 19), so can all God’s people—in our work and play each day as well as when we gather for a worship service. All things give glory to God for bringing them into being, and he keeps all creation in his constant care. Our creating, life-sustaining God is worthy to receive our praise always.

  

Looking into Heaven - Pt. 3

 

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. (Revelation 4:1-6 ESV).

 

We meet interesting and intriguing characters close to the Lord God and encircling his throne. We might wonder, “Do these elders and creatures help us understand what living in heaven will be like?” It turns out they do more than that; they also show us how-to live-in God’s kingdom today. The twenty-four elders, seated on thrones around God’s throne, have long been understood to represent God’s people. Twelve of them represent the people of God in the Old Testament: the twelve tribes of Israel. The other twelve elders represent the church formed under the shepherding care of Jesus’ twelve apostles. The presence of the elders shows that God has given his people a special place in his kingdom; we will rule and reign with God.

 

Along with the twenty-four elders, we also meet “four living creatures.” They too encircle God and his throne. The living creatures represent “everything that has breath” (cf. Psalm 150:6; Genesis 2:7) in God’s whole creation. Wild animals, domesticated animals, human beings, and all other creatures have a place of honor and service in God’s throne room.

 

God’s redemptive care covers his entire creation. As the people who will one day rule and reign with God, God calls us to exercise dominion by loving and caring for all he has made. It is more than mere responsibility; it is our assignment from God. Today, we should be much more aware of our environment and the care of it. God’s creation is so much more than mere window dressing designed for our pleasure.

 

Looking into Heaven - Pt. 2

 

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. (Revelation 4:1-6 ESV).

 

As we read a bit further in John’s vision of heaven we soon see that the focal point is the one who sits on the throne. Here Revelation brings us into the awesome presence of the Lord God Almighty. This is not the first time the Bible tells of someone standing before the Lord Almighty (see Isaiah 6:1-8; Ezekiel 1; Daniel 10). But since the time of Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Acts 1:9-11), this is the first sustained and detailed description of “the one who sat on the throne.” Even so, we are not given a full description of the Lord.

 

Even though we are understandably curious about heaven, this revelation is not merely a remedy for that curiosity. The Lord God opens heaven’s door and has John stand in his presence and write it down for the ages so that our faith in him may spring to life, grow in conviction, and be sustained in hope.

 

In our world of mixed emotions and situations both good and bad, pleasant and painful, joy and sorrow, doubt and conviction, success and failure, health and sickness, God wants us to see that our world is centered in him. This is a central theme of the Revelation beginning in chapter four. Of course, this s not the only reference we have to the majesty of God seated on His throne. However, here we see that the throne of heaven and the One seated on it have come near to all of us [note: the gospel of Mark tells us that Jesus’ ministry began with the words “The kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15)]. And here in Revelation we see that Jesus’ mission continues as he is seated on the throne. It gives us great motivation to praise Him in all things and know of our coming eternal victory.

 

Looking into Heaven - Pt. 1

 

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. (Revelation 4:1-6 ESV).

 

Our reading today is a part of a much longer section of John’s vision (cf. Revelation 4-5). The focus shifts to a new and powerful story of God’s ongoing mission. This new section begins with John seeing “a door standing open in heaven.” This picture surprises us because we know that an open door often extends an invitation to come in. This is an enticing opportunity because heaven is often considered a place of mysteries that we do not have access to. For the most part, it is God’s secret—at least from our day-to-day living in this life. But here Jesus opens heaven’s door. And in a voice like a trumpet, he welcomes John, saying, “Come up here.”

 

The invitation promises to reveal “what must take place after this.” But as John tells the story of walking through heaven’s open door, the future is not the first thing that catches his attention. Instead, he sees “a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.” We will look at the description of what he sees in more detail over the coming days; however, today do not miss the significance that through heaven’s open door John is standing before the throne of all thrones, from which everything in heaven and on earth is loved and cared for.

 

These verses are some of the most encouraging in the Revelation. It shows us the purpose of our heavenly Father to bring all things under the loving, gracious will of Jesus. Still today, the Holy Spirit opens heaven’s door wide so that we can visualize this scene and let its story encourage us to live by faith in Jesus today. Strengthen your faith today!

 

Jesus Knocking

 

[Jesus said] “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20-22 ESV).

 

The Light of the World (1851–1854) is an allegorical painting by the English Pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt (1827–1910) representing the figure of Jesus preparing to knock on an overgrown and long-unopened door. I’ve attached a picture of this painting with today’s devotional. There are some interesting allegories within Hunt’s masterpiece. First, notice that Jesus is still wearing His crown of thorns. Many have interpreted this to indicate the price Jesus paid to be able to call to the sinner. Second, He is wearing a regal robe of white. He is both King and pure. Third, notice He carries a lantern. This is not so that He may see, but to give to those who have had their understanding dimmed by the world. Fourth, the entrance is overgrown with weeds and brambles. This house has become entangled with the cares of the world. And, last notice He is knocking at a door without an exterior handle. Though He has the power to come in, He will not without an invitation from those within the house.

 

While an unexpected knock at your door from a dear friend or family member is a welcome surprise. Few occasions are as precious as seeing a long-­absent loved one who comes to visit. “Here I am!” they say as you open your door, and their presence fills us with joy. Jesus stands at our door, knocking. We may think sometimes that he is far removed from us and our church bodies. But he is, by his own revelation, as close as the door to our homes and our church communities. He wants us to hear his knocking and open the door.

 

Perhaps you have developed a fear of opening the door of your life to Jesus. After all, how does one welcome the Son of God, the Almighty, into their whole life? Or maybe just having Jesus inside your church building is as close as you want him to be. But Jesus keeps knocking, eager for us to open our lives to him. He wants to be as close as a beloved friend in our lives.

 

Do not worry about how to welcome Jesus in. Just open the door. He promises to take care of the rest. He will come in and celebrate with whoever opens the door, bringing joy and abundance so that your life will be filled—with even more than the greatest feasting, fun, and goodness of life you could imagine.

 

The Church in Laodecia

 

[Jesus said] “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.’” (Revelation 3:14-19 ESV).

 

Jesus’ letter to his church in Laodicea is stirring and gripping in its imagery. This church community is identified as being like lukewarm water, not fit for drinking. It may be the best known of the churches He mentions because of both the accusation of being “lukewarm” and the following verses depicting Jesus knocking at the door. Jesus is very clear. He says, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” The culture of Laodecia is perhaps the most like our own in modern America. We should understand the root of the formation of such a culture of being neither cold nor hot.

 

There was a smug sense of self-security based on accumulated wealth and possessions. This church had become rich in material goods. Prosperity and success convinced the Laodicean Christians that they had everything they needed. They were relatively independent because of their technology and architectural accomplishments. They had fully functioning aqueducts and a system of roads that brought enormous business opportunities to them.

 

However, in this letter Jesus gives smug self-security a bone-chilling reality check. He says, “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” I wonder which hurt more: being told that they did not know the truth of their own condition, or the string of negative descriptions that we read here. These are painful words for a church to hear. But at the same time, these words reveal the degree to which Jesus loves even a lukewarm community of believers, desiring their repentance. We should listen to Jesus’ reality check for what it is: a love letter calling for repentance and change.

 

The Church in Philadelphia - Pt. 1

 

[Jesus said] “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” (Revelation 3:7-13 ESV).

 

Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia is filled with praises and promises. This is a letter of love and encouragement. Encouragement from Jesus is what this church needed for the long road of faithful obedience.

 

I have often felt like Psalm 22 (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a better description of the Christian life than Psalm 23 (“the Lord is my Shepherd… still waters … green pastures”). In fact, there are many times when I am at a loss for the right words of encouragement for those who are in the midst of great suffering.

 

The letter to the church in Philadelphia is Jesus’ word to his hurting people. “I know that you have little strength,” he says, “yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Jesus knows how tired we can get from walking the long road of obedience, “even . . . through the darkest valley,” as Psalm 23 explains.

 

Like a long-distance runner who needs encouragement for the last part of a race, we need Jesus to cheer us on to keep his word and not deny his name.

 

My prayer for you today is that God will give you the grace to endure patiently and to trust that Jesus will do all he promises for the ones he loves dearly.