A Throne In Heaven

Our God is an Awesome God. Our God is a glorious, merciful, and holy being, who is powerful, just and good in all He does. Everything about our God is Awesome. When I was a youth pastor, one of the songs we taught our students was the song, Awesome God, by Rich Mullins. It was and remains a simple song of praise that declares:
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

These simple lyrics proclaim a powerful truth: There is no one like our God! Now, I’m convinced most every one of us believe this to be true. That our God is incomparable, Almighty, full of goodness and love. None of you would argue with me about those statements. But at the same time, I am convinced that if we were to really meet God in all His awesome splendor, none of us would remain the same. He would completely and utterly change us. He would fill us with such a sense of awe, that nothing in this world could ever rattle our confidence in Him or cause us to worry or fear the evil we encounter on a daily basis. Our God is an awesome God. But most of the time, His awesome glory has little effect on us as to how we live our daily lives.

That is why as we are about to witness God’s judgment poured out upon a rebellious world in the book of Revelation; Jesus invites us to come into the very throne of God in heaven. He does so for two very important reasons: One, to strengthen our confidence in God. And two, to transform us into a people who can’t help but worship God.

So, if you need a dose of confidence in God today or want God to fill your heart with praise, then let me encourage you to open your Bible to Revelation 4, where Jesus is about to reveal God’s throne in heaven. For it is here we will discover why God is worthy of all our worship. But first, I need to make a disclaimer here. There is no way as a mere man, or a preacher of God’s Word that I can truly give justice to this passage. So, here is where I need you to pray for me and for us, that God would open our eyes to see the glory of His throne today….So, why is God worthy of all our worship?

God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Sovereign: 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.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. Revelation 4:1-2

Here Jesus speaks again, inviting John to come before the very throne of God. But in so doing, Jesus’ invitation reveals that God is indeed sovereign over history. He says, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” Jesus can foretell the future. He is not a silent bystander watching a world going out of control. Quite the opposite. He knows and has ordained everything that “must take place” in the course of history. He’s not saying what might take place, or what could take place. But these things must take place. Nothing that is happening today is outside His sovereign plan.

Think about what is transpiring in our world today: the rise of hostility against Israel, the growing antisemitism in our country. Muslims invading and causing chaos in Europe. Growing persecution against Christians in Nigeria, China, India, and around the globe – None of this evil has taken God by surprise. For here Jesus says, these things “must take place.” He is sovereign over history. We are told of the increase of wickedness that must take place before Jesus returns. But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal… 2 Timothy 3:1-3 We are seeing this now. We shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus is sovereign over history. These things must take place.

Now add to this, the image of a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. This image reveals to us that God reigns in the center of all created reality. It reveals to us that God is sovereign over all He has created. He is sovereign over all the heavens, over all the universe, over all the earth. Our God reigns over all.

Why does Jesus want us to see God being worshiped as Sovereign over all creation? I would say this: When you worship God as Sovereign over history and over all creation, He will give you a confidence to stand firm in the face of evil. Even if you cannot see the reason for the evil that is taking place in the world today, you can trust that whatever is taking place will work out for your good and His glory.

For He has ordained everything that must take place. He is sovereign over history. He reigns over all creation. And the more you worship Him as the God who reigns, the more He will impart Himself to you. But take your eyes off God. Stop worshiping Him as Sovereign Lord and start looking at the evil and chaos in our world, your confidence will plummet, your circumstances will control your attitude, and you will be consumed by fear and worry. This is why Jesus opens this scene by proclaiming: I will show you what must take place after this.” He wants you to know that God is in complete control in our world today. Our God is sovereign over history. And the more we worship our Sovereign God, the more we will stand firm with Him. That’s the first reason why God is worthy of all our worship. Here’s the second:

God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Glorious: And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 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. Revelation 4:3-4 Here, John attempts to describe the appearance of God for us. This is an impossible task. After all, 1 Timothy 1:17 tells us our King is “eternal, immortal, invisible.” And 1 Timothy 6:16 tells us He dwells “in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him.” In our sinful, fallen state, no human can look upon God in all His glory and majesty and live. No one! And yet here, John describes the sounds, lights and colors that radiate from the enthroned Lord. The closest he comes to depicting God’s glory is to say that He “had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.” Now, modern day jasper is a dull, opaque stone, but Revelation 21:11 describes it as being as “clear as crystal.” Scholars think this was what we call a diamond. And the ruby is a stone that is blood-red. Joined with these is an emerald rainbow giving us a staggering picture of God’s glorious majesty and stunning beauty.

Each of these images communicates a truth about God. The Jasper stone represents the majesty, holiness, or purity of God. The ruby stone signifies God’s wrath or God’s redemption (both can be represented by the blood red color of this stone). And the emerald rainbow speaks of God’s covenant promise to Noah and His faithfulness. Put them all together and you have this stunning vision of God’s purity, mercy and faithfulness. We are given an image of God’s glorious majesty, so that we might bow our knees and give Him praise.

That’s what we see happening here: 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. These worshipers represent the 12 tribes of Israel, and the 12 apostles. In other words, they represent the redeemed of Christ, god’s people worshiping Him. We see three truths in their worship. First, the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that faithful believers will be seated with Him on His throne. Second, the image of them dressed in white pictures the redeemed as being covered in the righteousness of Christ. And third, their golden crowns are the fulfillment of another promised of Jesus: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” Revelation 2:10 At the throne of heaven, the redeemed of Christ, give God worship for His majestic glory.

They are doing what we will be doing when we encounter the beauty, the majesty, the purity and the awesome splendor of God. We will be so awestruck in HIs presence that we will do what we were saved to do, what we were created to do. We will worship Him with all our being for He is glorious. But there’s more. Next, we see,

God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Holy: From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Revelation 4:5a These symbols of thunder and lightning are symbolic of God’s divine power and wrath. This image is meant to remind us that our God is holy and will eventually judge all sin. Also, whenever thunder and lightning appear in the Scriptures, they often precede an event of unusual importance. Here, the appearance of lightning and thunder around the throne, remind the reader that God is about to unleash His holy wrath upon the earth.

Why is it that important for us to be reminded of God’s judgment to come? It was very important for those who were receiving this letter. Many were experiencing intense persecution. So, this image reminds them that God has not forgotten their suffering. It reminds them that judgment for the wicked is coming. We need this same reminder. We live in a world where evil continues unabated. But we see here that since God is holy, one day He will judge the wicked and remove them once and for all. But until that day, God is worthy of all our worship for He is holy. However, this image of God’s holy judgment does not stand alone. It is immediately contrasted with the image of the seven lamps blazing before the throne. What is the purpose of this contrast? It is put here to remind us that…

God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Gracious: In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing, which are the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5b Here we see the perfect light-bearing Spirit. The number seven symbolizes perfection or completion. Here the seven spirits reveal to us that the perfect Spirit of God who is forever ablaze before the throne.

In fact, these seven lamps blazing before the throne reveal the Spirit’s purpose of shining the light of Jesus to the world. This is a wonderful image of God’s grace that makes it possible for anyone to escape God’s wrath. In Revelation 1:4, John declared “grace and peace” came from God to us by means of the seven spirits who are before the throne. The fact that these seven lamps are blazing, reminds us that the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is always pouring forth to mankind from God’s throne through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is why our God is worthy of all our worship. He gives us grace to believe through the power of the Holy Spirit. For unless His Spirit opens our eyes, we remain blind to the grace of Jesus. Unless His Spirit imparts new life, we remain spiritually dead to Jesus. But thanks be to God, that He sent His Spirit, and now, through the revealing work of the Spirit, through the proclamation of His Word, the good news of God’s saving grace found Jesus can be proclaimed to the world. For that alone, God is worthy of all Worship. God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Gracious! But there’s more. Next, we are given this image of a sea of glass. What does this reveal to us?

God is Worthy of all worship for He is Powerful: Also, in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. Revelation 4:6a The image of a sea of glass picks up on the fact that “the sea” in Scripture is usually given as a negative image as a place that is wild and untamed. So here, the sea of glass represents the chaos of evil that has been subdued by God’s power. Such an image reminds us of the power of Jesus over the raging sea of Galilee when His disciples wakened him: Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39

This might be one of my favorite images of the throne in heaven. In God’s presence evil has no power. In God’s presence there is peace. Perfect peace. Have you ever found yourself sitting beside a still lake early in the morning, where the water is like glass? It’s a reminder of God’s perfect peace found in Jesus. The evil of this world is subdued by God’s peace. That’s the fifth reason why God is worthy of all our praise. There are two more. The next is this:

God is Worthy of all Worship for He is Awesome: In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 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. 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,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (6b-8) Who are these four living creatures? Most scholars believe they are representative of the whole created order. One scholar says that the multitude of eyes in these living beings signifies divine omniscience, revealing that they are God’s agents who administer God’s justice on earth. Their knowing eyes search the earth, and they execute judgment only on those who truly deserve it.

Renowned scholar Robert Mounce helps us understand their place around the throne. He says, “We can suggest a few truths our God may be communicating to us through this image. First, God is perfect in His authority. The lion is the king of the animal world. It emphasizes strength and honor – that which is noble and respected. Second, God is perfect in His activity. The calf or ox is a servant. It exercises great power for the benefit of others. It was the mightiest of the domesticated animals. Third, God is perfect in majesty. Man is the pinnacle of creation, and only man has a ‘face” in this vision. He is intelligent, rational, and spiritual. He is the apex of all God made. And finally, God is perfect in His deity. The eagle soars in the heavens and often represented deity. It is the mightiest among the birds and the swiftest of God’s creatures. These creatures are strong like a lion, serve like an ox, see like a man, and are swift like an eagle. Each in its particular appearance gives witness to the greatness and glory of our God. No creature is as strong as He. No creature serves as does He. No creature sees as does He. No creature is as swift as is He.”

And these creatures worship God saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” What a beautiful expression of worship to all who God is. What we see in their expression is that God is infinitely holy. That there is no God as pure as our God. No evil can stand in His presence. That God is the Lord God Almighty. He reigns with authority and unrivaled power. That God is the One who was, and is, and is to come. He is the eternal God who holds the future firmly in His grasp. All of history is under His control and command! In other words, God is worthy of all our worship for He is Our Awesome God who reigns above! And finally,

God is Worthy of all worship for He is Creator: Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 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: “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.” (9-11)

Our God worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Why? First, “because you have created all things.” God spoke into existence all that exists. You are here, we are here, because God willed our existence. We are not here as the result of some cosmic accident. There is no one alive today apart from God’s will. You continue to draw breath because it is by God’s will that you have your being. Think about how incredible that is. Because God created you, God has given your life meaning and purpose and hope. Darian Rogers is right: “If you woke up this morning and you are still here, then God still has a plan for your life.”

And at the center of His plan was to redeem you by the power of the cross through the blood of Jesus, so you might come to know Him: To know His Sovereign Authority and rest in His security and live with confidence. To know His Glorious Majesty and be awed by His beauty To know His Holy Justice and trust in His purity. To know His Gracious Light and rejoice in His salvation. To know His Awesome Power and rest in
His peace. To know His Awesome Presence and worship His holy name!

Our God is an Awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

This is why God is worthy of all our worship!
This is why God is worthy of all our thanks
This is why God is worthy of all our service… And why, one day we will cast our crowns before Him, and honor Him with all our worship.

But until then, let us give God all the glory! For our God is an awesome God.