COME ON UP!
Opening Prayer
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” (8).
Read Revelation 4
The Throne in Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Footnotes:
a Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
b Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Can you imagine being with John during this experience?Have you ever wanted a “sneak preview” of something—feeling the presents under the Christmas tree? John is given a sneak preview of heaven. He has been invited to “Come on up” and see what will happen “after this.” But instead of going straight to the scary end-time stuff, John is taken into the throne room of heaven. It is an amazing sight! The throne is in the center and everything comes from it or is directed towards it (2–6,9,10). There is a sense of excitement, of richness and splendor, of wonder and power. The spontaneous worship of God in all his glory goes on at all times (8).
Can you begin to imagine the scene? John is trying to describe the indescribable, with words like “glow” and “sparkle” and “brilliant.” Perhaps it’s a little scary; or perhaps we long to be there too. Rather than speculate on who the “living beings” and the “twenty-four elders” are, look at what they do and say (8–11). They fall down, worship God, praise him for who he is and for what he has done, and cast their victors’ crowns at his feet. They are completely focused on the one sitting on the throne. We know the scary end-time stuff is coming—but now it’s in the context of this amazingly powerful and glorious God.
Apply
Close your eyes and try to picture what John describes. Let your inner response come out in prayer and worship to God.
Closing prayer
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things…” (11).
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