Revelation 4:5 – 11 “From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf (ox), the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.”
Well, we are back in First Church with its 100 – voice professional choir and its 75 – piece orchestra. The Sunday morning service is about to begin, and the worship leader, JoJo Brown has a microphone in his hand and is ready to take off on the first song. JoJo just released this song on I Tunes this week, and already one million people have downloaded it. But down in the basement prayer room, Mama Gracie Jones is on her knees. “Father God, we beg you to come down this morning! Holy Spirit, we invite you, we beg you, come in your strength and your power! Lord, let your presence fill this place! Anoint all who are to minister, but above all else, Lord, demonstrate your presence in a mighty way.” Nobody else is with Mama Gracie; week after week, she is the only intercessor using the prayer room. And week after week, Mama Gracie’s prayers are always the same. But this morning is going to be different because this is the morning that God is going to answer Mama Gracie!
As the members take their places and as the ministers and worship leaders are about to get started, suddenly there is the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Without even thinking about what they are doing, the entire congregation, the ministers, the choir, the orchestra, and every one else find themselves flat on their faces on the floor, unable to move. Suddenly the huge cross in the front of the auditorium is shining so brightly that it hurts to look at it. And the auditorium is filled with voices chanting, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.” When the voices die away, all that can be heard throughout the huge church is the sound of weeping and wailing. Deacons who have paraded before the congregation for years are sobbing their hearts out! The leader of the Women’s Ministries is quietly tearing at her hair and rubbing reddened eyes. Throughout the entire congregation, men and women and children are humbling themselves before the Lord and worshiping Him. The weeping goes on for hours, punctuated by spontaneous singing of hymns. And as for JoJo, he spends the entire time flat on his face before God. No, nothing will ever be the same at First Church!
If you think this scene is impossible, read accounts of the Azusa Street Revivals, the Welsh Revivals, or the Great Awakening or Charles Finney’s meetings. Scenes such as the one I just described were common. When true revival hits, the awe of the Lord and the fear of the Lord are so strong that all anyone can do is to humble themselves under the hand of the Holy Spirit. May God send such revival on each and every one of us!
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.” The psalms tell us that God rides on the clouds so thunder and lightning would naturally come from his throne. The seven torches of fire are the same seven spirits previously represented by the seven lampstands. What about the sea of glass? Remember, John is doing the best he can to describe sights that are are almost beyond words. How can you describer preciousness, purity and immense distance? A sea of glass might be the only thing John could think of.
“In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf (ox), the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within.”
The first time the Bible mentions these four creatures is in the Book of Ezekiel. These creatures are cherubim. Barclay suggests: “the four faces represent that which is noblest, strongest, swiftest, and wisest in nature. Each has the preeminence in his own particular sphere. The lion is supreme among beasts; the ox is supreme among cattle; the eagle is supreme among birds; and man is supreme among all creatures. The beasts represent all the greatness and the strength and the beauty of nature; here we see nature praising God. In the verses to follow we see the twenty-four elders praising God; and when we put the two pictures together, we get the picture of both nature and man engaged in constant adoration of God. “The ceaseless activity of nature under the hand of God is a ceaseless tribute of praise.”
“And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.”
1 Corinthians 13:9 – 10 reminds us “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.” As long as we are on earth, even our best efforts at praising God will be limited and incomplete. But meanwhile in heaven, perfect praise is going up to God continually. Why should this matter to us? Each one of us is already stepping into eternity. Either we will gladly serve the One True Living God, or we will reject Him. There is no neutrality in the spiritual world. And God is the Lord God Almighty whether or not we choose to believe it. Each of us has a choice: we can humble ourselves before God and praise Him throughout our lives, or we can turn away. But every time we turn away, we are stepping further into hell. God does not send anyone to hell; we choose to go there.
God chose John to record the Book of Revelation because John had spent a lifetime being faithful and God knew He could trust John to get it right. God has a calling for each of us. Today, open your heart and ask God to reveal Himself to you. When you do this, you are speaking to the One who loved you before the foundations of the world and who knows you better than you know yourself. Come to Him!
PRAYER: Father God, thank you that perfect praise goes up to you continually! Lord, help us to seek your face, to praise you and to love you more each day than we did the day before. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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