SERMON - THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING (part 6)

The Book of Revelation

In

Words of Understanding

Part 6

 

 

We have seen John as he was lifted, in spirit, up to heaven as performed as directed and wrote the letters to the seven churches of Asia.  We see John before God and His mighty throne. John now describes what he witnessed is symbolic terms as he listened to all he heard Jesus said as relates to the letters and now what he saw, and heard, as he was before the throne of God.

 

Revelation 4: 6…  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 his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, 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."

 

John writes of seeing 4, ‘beasts,’ before the throne of God, one with the head of a lion, the others with the head of a calf, a man and an eagle. Each was covered in eyes, front and back.

 

The ‘beasts’ represent living creatures, in this instance, people who have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

Ages ago Israel was separated into 4 major divisions. (See Numbers Chapter 2) Each was camped on each side of the Tabernacle and each was identified by the standards (banner) before them. (Numbers 2:2)

 

Lion - The men of Judah ; Jacob prophesied Judah as the ‘lion’s whelp. This represents the ‘morning of the church as the righteous are bold like a lion. (Proverbs 28:1)

 

Calf – The men of Ephriam, Moses final blessing was upon the head of Joseph who brought 10s of thousands to God. This also signifies the Christians that were martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ.

 

Man – The men of Reuben were like all mankind, sinful until Redeemed. This signifies man’s attempt to impose their will on other men. The era of Papal rule and Protestantism was a dark and cloudy time.

 

Eagle – The men of Dan from whom John and Ezekiel sprang. The eagle soars high which signifies man’s return to God as the eagle, of all God’s creation is His only beast that can look into the sun.

 

The ‘eyes’ signify the ability of man to look within themselves to search for truth. That truth is God’s Word and there is no other as it is by the Blood of Christ that we are redeemed.

 

The 6 wings represent the saints and holy in thought, holy on their walk to God and holy in their victory over the world. They, with wings, rise above all evil.

 

The elders casting their crowns signify their bringing multitudes of people (souls) to God.

 

The prayer offered allows us to realize that when God created us He was not through creating. In His sending His Son to redeem us of our sins He created new lives for each of us. 

 

The Scroll and the Lamb

Revelation 5: 1

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4

I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."  6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
   "You are worthy to take the scroll
      and to open its seals,
   because you were slain,
      and with your blood you purchased men for God
      from every tribe and language and people and nation.
 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
      and they will reign on the earth."

 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:
   "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
   to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
   and honor and glory and praise!"

 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
   "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
   be praise and honor and glory and power,
         for ever and ever!" 14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped

We know the identity of He who sits on the throne. The scroll with writings on both sides is the Old and New Testaments.

 The contents of God’s Word express His righteousness as well as His wrath. The seven seals represent man’s inability to either understand and being not ready to receive the meaning of that which is written.

The angel asking as to who was worthy to, ‘break open the seals,’ was Gabriel. He was the angel who had appeared to Mary and later to Joseph. (Daniel 9:21, Luke 1:26)

The only person worth to ‘reveal God’s Word was Jesus Christ and it was in redeeming us believers and suffering His crucifixion that He is worthy.  John saw Him as the slain Lamb standing among the elders and beasts before God’s throne.

Jesus Christ received God’s Word from God Himself and only after Christ sent the Holy Spirit to His children was the knowledge within able to become something that man could understand.

The, “golden bowls of incense,’ prayers of saints were sung as a, “new song.” This represents the new lives we live after becoming Christian.  The song, Verses …9 and 10 is, in the words of those who worship Jesus Christ a prayer expressing the happiness and recognition of His awesome power.

John watched as so large a gathering of both angels and those redeemed Saints that he attempted to grant an understanding of the multitudes he sought to make known as before God’s throne. That multitude continued their song of praise and worship in Verses 11, 12 and 13. In saying, “Amen,” they were attesting to the love and honor they were showing their Savior. 

These Verses are most comprehensive in their meaning and grant understanding as to how loved and how revered Jesus Christ is to His followers. The unimaginable numbers of Christians that will be named as, “priests and kings,” is staggering as we hear so many doubting Christ and making little of our Christian faith. You must keep in mind that God has told us that we, as Saints, will sit in judgment of angels as well as men. This is almost ‘mind boggling.’

(Closing prayer)

Almighty God, Creator of us all, we thank You for sending Your Son, our Savior to save us from the grips of this world and for lighting our paths. It is for that reason that we are able to claim our Salvation as You have promised. We praise and worship You O Lord and pray for the forgiveness of our transgressions. You alone have the power to forgive us our sins and grant us Your Kingdom. 

Thank You Father, we say with hearts filled with love and appreciation.

Father, we ask that You look down on this nation and see the turmoil that exists as we go through the process of electing a man to lead us through perilous times. Father, it is Your will to be done and Your guidance we seek to allow us the understanding and knowledge to elect the correct person. Please enlighten us and enlighten those who are any part of the selection process. This we pray.

Lord, we ask that You protect our military, our elected officials, our judges and police forces as well as the many men and women charged with the security of our country. Bless them and guide their thoughts and enlighten their ways. Please send Your angels to protect the weak amongst us no matter where they may live in this world. Touch those in need of healing whether in body or of spirit.

These things we pray in the name of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever,

Amen, amen, and amen.