The Age of The Apocalypse
“A Glimpse into Glory”
Revelation 4:1-5:14
This study begins the third main division of the Book of Revelation:
- Chapter 1 – past things.
- Chapters 2-3 – present things – the Church Age – and the Church is not mentioned again until the very end of the book.
- Chapter 4-22 – future things that have to do with Israel and the other nations on the earth during the Tribulation.
- God will judge those who rejected His Son as their Savior.
- God will carry out the events that He has ordained to bring this age to a close and to establish His Kingdom on earth for 1,000 years.
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The Throne of God — Revelation 4:1-11 – “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open into heaven.”
In Chapter 4:1, John said he heard a voice coming out of heaven like the sound of a trumpet saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
- The voice John heard was the Lord Jesus Christ calling John from his island prison into the heavens – a perfect picture of the rapture of the Church.
- 1 Corinthians 15:52 – “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump!”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “The Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God.”
- We read no more about the Church until the end of the book, because the Church will not be involved in these things.
In Chapter 4:2-3, John said he saw into the very throne room of heaven, and he saw God Himself on the throne.
- The Bible speaks of at least three heavens:
- The atmosphere that is right above the earth.
- The starry host of heaven.
- The abode of God.
- John described God in terms of “light” beaming through the most precious gems and jewels of that day:
- Jasper – God’s purity
- Sardine – God’s justice
- Emerald – God’s mercy
- This vision compares the holiness of God, who is perfect and pure, with sinful man, who has fallen short of God’s glory, unable to fellowship with God, and therefore worthy of His justice and judgment.
- However, this vision also shows that God is merciful and full of grace, willing to forgive those who will trust in Him for their eternal salvation.
In Chapter 4:4, John said he saw the 24 elders sitting around the throne of God, clothed in white with crowns on their heads.
- The term “elder” refers to those who have been redeemed.
- Twelve is the number of Divine Government.
- The 24 elders represent the priesthood of believers (saints) who are at home with the Lord and whose duties are to worship the Lord with prayer and praise.
In Chapter 4:5, John said he saw lightning and heard loud thundering, which represented the voice of God.
- He also saw seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, representing the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
- All of this was upon a sea of crystal, which shows us that nothing is hidden from the all-knowing, and all-seeing God.
In Chapter 4:6-11, John said he saw four creatures whose only assignment was to guard the throne of God.
- Their four faces reflected their four different characteristics:
- The face of a lion – supremacy
- The face of an ox – strength
- The face of a man – intelligence
- The face of an eagle – swiftness
- These four living creatures show us that every created being is to give glory, honor, and praise unto God, and God alone.
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The Scroll of God — Revelation 5:1-4 – “And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.”
- John said he saw God seated on His throne and holding the official document of the last days of the human race.
- John said the book was sealed with seven seals which meant it was “secret:” i.e., the end time events are not to be known by man until God is ready to reveal them to man.
- John said God was holding the scroll “out” as if He was willing to hand it to anyone worthy to open it, but no one is found.
- John said he heard the voice of an angel so strong it could be heard throughout the universe, and it shouted the most penetrating question of human history: “Who is worthy to open the book and to loose it’s seals?”
- John said when no one answered, he wept because he would not be allowed to see what would happen in the future.
- God is still holding that book in His right hand, which means regardless of what man says or does, God is still in charge of human history.
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The Lamb of God — Revelation 5:5-14 – “One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’”
- This was John’s first glimpse of the exalted Lord Jesus, the One with whom he had spent so much time and the One upon whose breast he had leaned so many times.
- Jesus was the only One worthy to open the book of human history because:
- He is the Lion of Judah, the Old Testament title of the Messiah.
- He is the Root of David, which fulfills the prophecy that the Messiah would be from the household of David.
- He is the only One:
- Who has won victory over the world.
- Who has won victory over sin, death, and the grave.
- Who has won the victory over Satan and hell.
- Who has won the victory over all human authority.
- He was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ, the One upon whose breast he had leaned for rest.
- John said when Jesus takes the book out of the Father’s hand, heaven and earth will break forth in wave after wave of a new song of praise: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.”
