Four Pictures for Overcomes: A Door, A Throne, A Lamb, A Scroll
Notes
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Handout
Christ’s soveriegnly reigns over the story, and we will find what it takes to overcome and reign with Him, as we maintain this heavenly perspective, give our worship, and contribute our prayers in these last days!
This world like bad school play - lost lines, don’tknow when to go off oor on… Ever feel like that too about your life - sin, suffering disorientatting … appearances, that false overwhelm the church, that compromise - like day of judges do what’s right in own eyes.. so more violence, more might is right… tribalism hypocrisy…
Christ saw his church - and such a down to tearh, realitistic book about last days, doesn’t back pdeal tough times, suffering-endurance, struggle and temptation … but Christ in the middleo f the Candle Sticks, what a first VISION. But vison from below - left wondering - Antipas throne of Satan, what’s to come … left wondering - Jesus stands outside door knowcing at Laodicia, lft wondering Sardis.. - just Chrstian in name, but garment dirty, and names not written in book olife - but a few NOt SOILED, and WALK WITH ME IN WHTIE —
And this morning here we are and take membership, profess Chrsit to world - but world falls a apart, disorientating, … what message does Jesus have to these 7 who confess his name and say I will follow the Lamb with His church wherever He goes, … join with the peopel f God - testimnony - in the midst of this world…And he gives us not a postcard wiht photograph of heaven, but prophetic vision with 4 pictures, that reach beyond what he was physically seeing that give His churches below the persepctive courage, and purpose to endure and overcome!
And its so interesting that you ask an adult - to read this - literal , symbolic - scrtaching thier head. But a kid - dragon , lamb, - Tell a story to adult need elabaorate. But tell a kid there is a door. WOw and that is how Jesus begins for us!
A) The Open Door to the Main Event of the Universe
A) The Open Door to the Main Event of the Universe
4 Times in the OT Jacob a tricketsr in trouble, Moses with rebellious short attention span people, Elijah wheels with in wheels and Daniel too in Exile - Heaven opened … come and see, but them down below, now Jesus says, JOh in the Spirit, spiritual vision, not whole churched ratpured, but come with me spiritually and see this!
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.”
Jesus says, church of God until my retutning - need to see both from perspective of Christ along the churches below but also - must see big big big picture. World doesn’t think there is Nicholas Copernaicus - not centre. Some people think that of the whole universe. No spiritual center, No reality. Supernatural! doesn’t hold spirtually … God says if going to be an overcomer, way Christ … need this vision. Christ himself says to John, before seal, and bowls and trumpets - unfold this story - get this big pcture, the map of the universe, the point of all history! Come up and I will show it from God’s point of view! And the birlliant white jasper and dark red crimson, the throne and its holiness - show that despite all the appearances down here - other greater reality is that the Soveriegn God reigns in heaven and on earth!
Do you understand that this world - cut off God and the greater spiritual realities of this world. Big lid, but you and I in Christ invited into those ralities, that every Lord’s Day - invitation not just real supernatural event of God meeting with His people, but in vbery real sense - in Christ - invited to the throne room! Fulfillment of Isaiah 26:1-2 after Messiah makes a way to represent us at God’s throne:
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
The promise follows in v.3 He will keep us in perfect peace - enter and stayed upon him. 40x John uses this word throne, and Satan is going to set up a rival throne… and the question is which reality governs your heart and mind, your affections, which promises are you basing - God and the Lamb or deception of Satan and the beast!
B. The Throne with The Holiness & Beauty of the King & His Court
B. The Throne with The Holiness & Beauty of the King & His Court
God’s spiritual throne - can’t describe directly - but biggest deal is one sitting on that throne. But spiritual reality can’t see with eey, not a physical throne. Jasper - brilliant diamonds… like ; and Carnelian - crimson red… Rev 4:3
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.
But what’s this a thrid colour: emarld rainbow! Roman’s colouring was like Blue Jays feathers, or a iradicent, all colouring shimmering - startling clour of the rainbow - EMRALD,… PURITY AND JUSTICE and blood red … awe = shock … BUT control cetnre of the universe .. absolute faithfulness in promsies and mercy … But what comes next is even more stunnin. You expect that sea of crystal, expect the angels upon angels. But no look what Jesus is so excited to show us next, John sees Rev 4:4
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.
Even before the numbers and the term elders, what hits a reader of the Frist vision is what they have on - In the first vision who had white garments on, and who had golden crowns? ONly those who overcame… and now they are here - after all there hard obdience, and tatient endrueance, and their looking like fools to the world - because believe in God , fight war with suffering love, have testimony to Jesus - and this they who are right there with GOd. LIke Jesus saying to John, don’t give up - so confused, looks like you and your fellow-testifiers, and sufferers, and partincaptants in the kgindom in tribulation - looks like fail and won’t get through. But look, look its they who are right by the throne and the - need this again and again - We will sruvive!! We are voercomers - conquer. ANd they not only lead the worship but they are like a Greek drama - the chorus, they interpret the meaning of the visions!
But what JOhn experiences next is going to echos at least 4 times when 7th seal oepned, 7th trupets sounds, when 7th bowl poured out. when - its what happened whwne God acted at mount Sinaia - and it will happen in all the judgments - not radmon chance even in falling rain drop. God issues from his throne - -
And look what else is there - not just the Father and the Son on the Throne, but look Rev 4:5 what are those 7-fold flames of fire?
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,
The HOly Spirit issuing forth in sevenfold wonder to work among us, to see God’s will carried out in power. What we read of with the 4 living creatures full of eeys, and then Chrsti Himself in Rev 5:6b
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Why would the Torches, and the Living Creature, and Christ’s with Seven horns, and then seven eyes with Spirit - Because Jesus is message fear not I and My Father in control with The Spirit sent to you. Do you get the comforting message, God send out of Hisangels to execute His will - His justice, and His mercy, and He sends out His Spirit, His searching Spirit- Why? 2 Chron 16:9a
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
And then we have the stragnest sight to us, in the next outer circle by the sea of crystal, that expanse of God’s holiness. Powers of chaos competley stilled!
God and His people, but look at these four living creatures. Rev 4:6
and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
Who are they and what is Jesus message of comfort to us in them. These are the cherbuim that gaurd holy presence of God and the speraphim taht move to execute his will. Takes the symbols Isaiah and Ezekeiel used to describethem. REpresent, not only the chucrches like thsoe 24 elders, also seems to angels that will again appear in Revealation with the unfolding story - 4 living creatures represent the whole of creation. And these four mighty angels are the executors of God’s Will.
And Jesus sis syaing in Rev 5:8 these agnelic representatives of the church of God’s people - and they hold the prayers fo God’s people.
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
They serve God’s people and bring God’s judgment and rule how - by the prayers of God’s people! And what you got to udnerstand is theis the way the world outght to run, its theyway heaven is running right now, and as you learn to liv e by grace and reign with Christ - make it work like this.
And what is the point - worship What do God’s people do cast crowns of rewqrd, befrore th Lord, wyou and I - motive to withstand temttion and compromise with Staan - get whtie garments, get crowns - but with four living cratioures, and the 24 elders and whole creation - - say God I fellowship with you aI never tire of living in light of your splendor, let me tell you a million different ways…
And with this we get a key to how we must live the rest of our lives, how you must live out the rest of your profession of faiht. You know what life is about - to glorify God - know that highest heavbenly powers at work - f God to get us belvow to start living like thsat. God’s has dispatched, his son, the His spirit, dispataches angels sent to misnter…And the way we know that is because whoel book of Revelation written to show that Satan mimics God - great beast that comes oout of the sea, spirit of antichrist fills, he sends out spirits - like he has wtinesses - God is saying don’t be fooled, ends up with more sin, sufferings, live for wroship ...
Not only that but the later of the 7 visions tells ust aht the beast from the Sea, was and IS NOT and is to come to be destoryed....
And God is saying make sure come with Jesus get this whole pictuer , get how life about worhsip the One was, WHO IS< and WHO IS TO COME>.. true living and look at all his beauty…
Every Lord’s Day - rehersal market day of the soul - not just worship - but God saying Comoign up here - worship with me with them. see world as it really is and will be fwith all certainty. But the biggests deal that makes sense of how you can get this open door reality and this throne of God, heavenly big picture in your life, comes in the second great part of this vision
C. The Lion who is the Lamb Having Been Slain Taking Up the Scroll
C. The Lion who is the Lamb Having Been Slain Taking Up the Scroll
Jesus wants you not just to have an idea of heaven as an escape unconnected to this world and the struggles down below. John sees that God on the throne, has a scroll. Not just book of life, not just the judgments about to be releavsed in this world in its crissi. But up to like 100’ long like 30’ long dead sea scrolls, glue togetehr. But this one not ust written on good textured side, but on both ssides. Everything like Psalm 139:16
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
But this is his book of story of whole world, his eternal decrees! Book of all God’s judgments and deliverances. This is the eterna ldecree of God about the whoel world and God’s glorious prupose s for it. But it is sealed up - that plan can only be execute cand carried out by one worthy to break the seals. Cna;t read it and know what those judgmetns and promises dand eliversacnes , what the inheritances are until the worthy one comes!
And who of us, discounting God’s holiness, discoutninghis Son as Mediator, who of us, think can march into heaven, or even write our own scroll of the meaning and pruspe of life and hav ethe power to accomplish it. John seeing right into heaven, see that myserious and sealed up scroll knows - we can’t do it. And for dramatic effects, get this pause, as loud voice, probably gabirel asks the question - that should elict your profession of faith:
Rev 5:2b
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
And like John your confession and mine is - I can’t , angels can’t God Hismelf directly won’t. LIke our age giving up hope - despair - life is like MacBeth says - loud. about nothing. My self righteousness not the key, seeking pleasure not the key - I can’t open it … None can.
And we like John as the chruch who feels the vanity and fariltity, and emptiness of this world ought to do as John
Rev 5:3-4
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 this is where all the action in the book begins, nothgin so far has really happend. But here is the action not only in our world, but at the heart of the whole universe. Rev 5:5
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.”
There is half of your testimony elders, church of God, every living Chrsitian. You know the one who alone is worthy.
So interesting that Emperor’s - just bad tyrants rule wihtout being worthy… But why is Christ worthy and able to open and execute the decree of God the story. John see Jesus taknig the scoll and says: Bingo Jewish proephsy - Lion of the Tribe of Judag Gen 48 , he says Root of David - - He is the One - fully human yet also God own Son - He is the One who will take up His power and reign - bring judgments on the beast, he will establish kingdom and throne and establish true justice on earth , He will rebuild a temple as community, a famkly of God on earth!
And look what happens: Rev 5:6-7
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
The Lord Jesus marches right past sea of glass like crystal - that boundary between Crator and crated, He marchees righ tup tot he one of the throne, and none of the gaurdians those four living creature, chreib and serpahim protect the holiens of God reach out to stop Him. And He grabs the scroll. And why is he worthy to start breaking the seals open, one at a time with the summary of all the would fall out
And look at these paradoxes - the Lion is a Lamb - the lamb who reigns like Lion but by offering hismelf like the sacrficeial lamb that saved Isaac, like the Passover Lamb that piad for Israel in their lsavary - the price of redemption given to win a poeole to be the nation of the lord. And Why in doing do , look that beast from the sea on thee arth may have a bunch of horns, even little boasting ones. But Here this Lamb 7 horns, 7 eyes that see you, competel authroity taken up after laid his life down. And notice the verb tense there - he did all this distinctively down past action in the past, but John carefully notes that perfect tense, ongoing action - He reigns as the one who ithe effets o his being slain as a lamb, that goes on and on eand one and reaches us today still.
And now its not just the living creatures and twenty-four elders falling down in worship. Now listen to what happens. Rev 5:8
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Now those representives in heaven of the full church - those 24 elders, did you notice what they are holding now that Christ has done His work and is now applying it in the world below. Now in the worshp of haeven, there are the prayers of the church at Pergamum - so small ready to give up , but hold to testimony of Christ, like Antipas those angels sent tto minster to those recieviing salvation - they bring our prayers as it were to Christ who purifies them. Like Amborse and then Spurgeon say - mother and child boquet of lfowers - pull out all the weeds… but here they are as you and I redeemed and now aree to regin with Christ, enthroned with Christ in worship above … our prayers are how the Lamb is carrrying out His plan here below -
Are your prayers in there - borkennnes of this world, the suffering endurance in tiems of tirublation, the struggle to not comprorise - all those things that cause you to weep your heart, and cry your eyes out because Jesus’ will not and saving work not a reality yet down yere… are those prayers in those bowls. there.
Oh they should be - Revelation 14:4b
It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
as we go and follow the Lamb wherever he goes, our overcoming and reigning with him, our patient endurance and suffering and witnessing and surfering love carried out through prayer.
Just look at it. When an OT king would take up his throne, that when a new song would be sung - when God redeemed his peopel through the Reed Sea brought them to the tohter side would be enthroned as it wre between the wings of the cherubi and theark and tabernacle among his poeople - what happened they sang a new song. Well Jesus has accomplished the salvation of the Cross and look at the new song sung:
Rev 5:9-10
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.”
Oh do you undertand this? Satan roams the four croners of this world, and He is the prince of the air Jesus called him the ruler of this age. But Christ broke into this age, brought the Kingdom of Heeaven the - Ransomed you from this age and Satan’s kingdom. That’s the sginificance of the fourfold ,every tribe, language, peopel and nation. Global kingdom of all sorts of people on earth right now. And understand to do the battle and overcome in the lasts days, you claim Jesus as Your LIon and Lamb, have already been made together HIS KINGDOM and indivdually you are now HIs priests on earth.
And so I say to you, seven professing Christ, becoming members in this local church this complete embassy of Christ’ kigndom - live each week by that open door and come up to the throne in worship - privelege of understanding look forward to gathering not only in church but in God’s very presence with Church above - he will speak he will show you something - and by it get perspective for staying faithful being filled with such glory, and overcomoing.
But also get this vision of the Lamb with the Scroll. Wait with wrapt attention to His plan for this world, be watchful for not only His judgments but listen for His promises to His people. Understand that having being made His kingdom and His priests - like the Red Cross Kinght St Geoerge before we get to the grand finale -though He’s deliered the mortal blow to the Dargon, still he sends us out before we reign with HIm on earth - He sends you ought into this world on many quests Dangerous involve such suffering and even for each of us dying - But know He sends His Spiriit , know that he who has seven horns of all the power on heaven and earth, has seven eyes, and not one bit of your suffering, of your situation overlooked by Him. Jesus shows JOhn and the 7 seven churches then and thswhoel churc now - this vision. So we;ll not only heed the marching orders for the church in the rest of the vision, but confidently endure and peresevere in them -
Strange strange thing . Imagine Matt or Lee or Jessica - writing the history of their lives now in a book. Doesn’t make sense. Yet, God has His decrees in Christ, has your name in the Lamb Book of life - got it all written up - He holds it and he by His deth and resurrectino, now stands to unfold it - so we can sing In Christ alone… no power of hell, no scheme of man, no suffering, no diesaese can even plcuk me fro His hand! … for I am His and He is mine, here in the love of Christ I stand.
And that’s why once the 4 living creatures, and then widiening circle of the 24 elders, now myriads and myriads of angels, 7 fold blessing as Christ begins His work unfolidng hte seals! and what is this now even creature in heaven, and on earht and unde the earht and in the sea and all this is in them. When it is all acompolshed, and Christ ia l an din all - Even the annial and hil and the valleys will be singing. This whole world on that day -= filled with the kngoledg eof God like waters fill the ocean. And they chant: Rev 5:12
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 then those 4 living creatures - they declare it as you and i must in our prayer and our worship - AMEN - Let it be!