Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Revelation 4:1-11 ~ Jeff Ludington
Revelation 4 –
“The Throne”
Worship:
· We opened this series with a message on Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.
· We have discussed that worship is not limited to our singing
· Worship is predominantly a posture of the heart
· Proskuneo: to kiss towards, or bow before
7 Churches
· We looked at how each church “worshipped”
· Some good, and some bad
· We then discerned how we relate that to our worship
How do we measure up?
· Are we like Ephesus?
o Too hung up on our theology to be loving?
o In our battle with our denomination; are we pushing others away?
· Are we like Pergamum?
o Too loving to call sin, sin?
o Again, in our denomination; are we just allowing sin?
· Are we like Laodicea?
o Too comfortable to be Godly?
o Are we allowing sin in our own lives?
· Are we like Smyrna and Philadelphia?
o Are we fighting a good fight?
o Are we loving, yet living without compromise in ourselves and/or others?
Chances are we have some portion of each of them within us.
· After a good hard look at ourselves, we have to figure out two things:
· We have challenged the posture of our heart with these things.
· We have viewed how our lives are poured out.
Questions:
1: How do we fan the flame of the things that are good?
2: How do we correct the things that are off?
TWO IDEOLOGIES:
· Shift how we think of worship (what we normally do)
· Shift how we think of Who we worship…
By re-evaluating Who we worship.
· Is your God big enough to correct others theology?
· Is your God strong enough to be loving as well as just?
· Is your God great enough for you to give up everything for?
What if God showed Himself to you, would that change how you worship?
· Who we worship dictates how we worship!
PRAY – God, show us your throne tonight!
Vs. 1
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."
· This statement has 2 bookends, the statement “after this”
· This is a simple way of saying “this starts the next vision”
“After this, I looked, and there standing before was a door open to heaven”
· Can you even imagine?
· John, the 90 year old Apostle, is offered the opportunity of a glimpse into Heaven!
“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this”
· “what must take place”
· Jesus (shown by the red letters in your bible) is speaking
· He says “what must take place”
· This shows Jesus is sovereign over time and history
History…
· His story
· Not our story
Some of you tonight need to know that Jesus Christ is sovereign over History!
Vs. 2-3
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.
(Blog Notes:)
In the Spirit:
· See Revelation 1a
In the spirit references:
Luke 1:17
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
· Spirit = in the same power of …
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
· In the power of the Holy Spirit
Colossians 1:8
…and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
· In the Spirit = Unity
Revelation 1:10
On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
· Most likely means prayer
“Before me was a throne”
· The entire focus in Revelation is the throne, and He who sits on it
· Not an eschatology, but a throne
THE THRONE:
· 60 times we hear of a throne in the NT
· 44 of these times are in Revelation alone
· That is approximately 75% of the NT mentions of a throne
· 17 of the 22 chapters in Revelation mention a throne
· This is the over-arching theme of the Book of Revelation
“Before me was a throne in Heaven with someone sitting on it”
Why just someone?
Why not say who is on the throne?
Because the description is more important than we give credit to!
· Solomon didn’t tell Abishag that she had lips
· He wrote a description when he spoke of her lips
Song of Solomon 4:3
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely.
Song of Solomon 4:11
Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue.
Description is very important!
· Tonight we have 11 mentions of the throne
o Before me was a throne
o Encircling the throne
o Surrounding the throne
o From the throne
o Before the throne
o Around the throne
o To Him who sits on the throne
o Fall down before Him who sits on the throne
· To the Apostle, description is as important as what he is describing
For sake of time; we will only expand on three of these.
· I will give you some verses to look up at home
· I will also start posting my notes on the blog page at www.emergehb.blogspot.com
· So much to do, I want to build on other messages, not recap too much
(NOTES for Blog…)
Jasper, Carnelian, and a Rainbow:
· Without overwhelming you with references, these symbolize:
o The clarity of the Jasper = the glory of God
o The brilliant translucent red of the carnelian = the blood of Christ
o The Rainbow = the Mercy of God
Vs. 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.
· Surrounding the Throne!
Who are these 24 Elders?
· We aren’t told, however, there are some great guesses
· Since they are dressed in white and wear crowns I believe that they are human beings.
Where do I get this idea?
· Overcomers in Revelation are spoken of as given these things
Revelation 3:4-5
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.
Revelation 2:10
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Overcomers:
· To the one who overcomes, these things are promised
· Who are these people promised this?
· The Church, followers of Christ.
So, who are the 24?
· Possibly a representation of the fullness of the church
· 12 Tribes of Israel in the OT
· 12 Apostles of the Church in the NT
· Symbolically 24 faithful followers of all the ages
Who is included in this?
· All followers of Jesus Christ
· SHARE GOSPE HERE!!!
This representation of the full church:
· Is dressed in white – symbolizing righteousness
· Wearing a crown of Gold – symbolizing royalty
· We will see more of them in a bit
Vs. 5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
· “From the throne”
· Lightning and Thunder
o Sounds like Moses on Mt. Sinai
o See Exodus 19 at home
· “Before the throne”
o Seven lamps = Seven spirits of God
o Download “Revelation 1a” on www.emergehb.org
o These are the seven ministering spirits
o Possibly tied to the messengers of the 7 churches Rev. 2-3
o Remember Rev. 1 taught us that the 7 lamp stands are the 7 churches
“From the throne, and before the throne”
· Lamps blazing, lightning exploding, thunder sounding out
Consider the greatest rock concert, or worship event:
· That resonates with many of us
· We are so driven by music, lights, explosions
· We go to these huge events and we are moved emotionally
o We are prompted into worship
o The lightning
o The thunder
o The roar of the crowd
This huge event focuses on the throne!
· For those of us that this relates to
· This is the ultimate rock concert
· The ultimate worship event
Vs. 6a
Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
· If you would like to look into the sea of glass
· I recommend 1 Kings 7:23-26, 2 Chronicles 4:2-5)
· The sea here is the washbasin in Solomon’s Temple
Picture this like the water that you go through to get to Heaven.
· I get the feeling of baptism
· The waters in which we are cleansed
Vs. 6b-8
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 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."
· “Around the throne”
· Buckle up, this is good stuff here!
· Let’s look at these 4 living creatures:
Ezekiel 1:4-25 (shortened)
I looked, and I saw a windstorm - an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. All four of them had faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go. The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown.
· Ezekiel saw the throne of Jesus Christ, long before it’s time
· John saw the same vision here in Revelation 4
· See also Ezekiel 10, Daniel 7, Isaiah 6
The Four Creatures:
· I believe with all my heart that these 4 Living Creatures represent the Gospels of Jesus Christ
· The Gospels bear testimony to Jesus
· The 4 living creatures bear testimony to Jesus Christ
A Lion, an Ox, a Man, and an Eagle:
· Matthew: the fulfillment of prophecy Jesus = Lion of the Tribe of Judah
o Repeats: “so that prophecy would be fulfilled concerning…”
o Example Matthew 1:22-23
· Mark: the servant Jesus = the ox, or bull
o The Son of Man “did not come to be served, but to serve”
o Example Mark 10:45
· Luke: the historical figure = the man Jesus
o “To give an orderly account that you might know the certainty of these things”
o Luke 1:3-4
· John: the Divine Jesus = the Eagle
o In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh
o John 1:1-4
Four testimonies to Jesus:
· These four living creatures stand
o In between the fullness of the church
o And the actual Jesus on the throne
o They bear witness to Him to sits on the throne
· The Apostle John tells us that they stand there saying
o “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty”
o “Who was and Who is and Who is to Come!”
What does Jesus call Himself in Revelation Chapters 1-3:
(1:8) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(1:17-18) “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”
(2:1) “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands”
(2:8) “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.”
(3:1) “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars”
(3:14) “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation”
(3:21) “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
Jesus testifies that everyone of these things that is said here testifies to Himself, as He is sitting on the throne!
Ezekiel tells us:
“Wherever the spirit would go, the 4 living creatures would go”
· Wherever the Spirit of God goes
· The testimony of Jesus Christ goes
In between the fullness of the church (24 Elders), and the fullness of the throne where Jesus is seated, is the fullness of the Gospel!
Vs. 9-end
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."
· To Him who sits on the throne
· The fullness of the church fall down before the throne
· They lay their crowns at the foot of the throne
· And they worship the One on the throne
Ezekiel 1 ends with:
When I saw it, I fell facedown!
We worship in this fashion at Emerge:
· First, like the 24 Elders before the throne
o We look to the testimony of Jesus Christ
o In other words we search the scripture
· Once we have seen Jesus, or the testimony of Jesus
o We respond in worship
· We create space to worship
o We have the crosses at the back of the room
o We keep this section open for kneeling down
o We dim the lights
o We raise the music
We give you freedom to respond in worship of your God on the throne!
Who is this Jesus we worship?
· He is the LION
o He is the fulfillment of thousands of prophecies in the bible
· He is the real man
o He lived on here on earth as real as you or I
· He is the OX
o He came and served all of humanity by His death
· He is the EAGLE
o He is God
o And He proved it by raising Himself from the dead
“The Throne”
Worship:
· We opened this series with a message on Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.
· We have discussed that worship is not limited to our singing
· Worship is predominantly a posture of the heart
· Proskuneo: to kiss towards, or bow before
7 Churches
· We looked at how each church “worshipped”
· Some good, and some bad
· We then discerned how we relate that to our worship
How do we measure up?
· Are we like Ephesus?
o Too hung up on our theology to be loving?
o In our battle with our denomination; are we pushing others away?
· Are we like Pergamum?
o Too loving to call sin, sin?
o Again, in our denomination; are we just allowing sin?
· Are we like Laodicea?
o Too comfortable to be Godly?
o Are we allowing sin in our own lives?
· Are we like Smyrna and Philadelphia?
o Are we fighting a good fight?
o Are we loving, yet living without compromise in ourselves and/or others?
Chances are we have some portion of each of them within us.
· After a good hard look at ourselves, we have to figure out two things:
· We have challenged the posture of our heart with these things.
· We have viewed how our lives are poured out.
Questions:
1: How do we fan the flame of the things that are good?
2: How do we correct the things that are off?
TWO IDEOLOGIES:
· Shift how we think of worship (what we normally do)
· Shift how we think of Who we worship…
By re-evaluating Who we worship.
· Is your God big enough to correct others theology?
· Is your God strong enough to be loving as well as just?
· Is your God great enough for you to give up everything for?
What if God showed Himself to you, would that change how you worship?
· Who we worship dictates how we worship!
PRAY – God, show us your throne tonight!
Vs. 1
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."
· This statement has 2 bookends, the statement “after this”
· This is a simple way of saying “this starts the next vision”
“After this, I looked, and there standing before was a door open to heaven”
· Can you even imagine?
· John, the 90 year old Apostle, is offered the opportunity of a glimpse into Heaven!
“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this”
· “what must take place”
· Jesus (shown by the red letters in your bible) is speaking
· He says “what must take place”
· This shows Jesus is sovereign over time and history
History…
· His story
· Not our story
Some of you tonight need to know that Jesus Christ is sovereign over History!
Vs. 2-3
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.
(Blog Notes:)
In the Spirit:
· See Revelation 1a
In the spirit references:
Luke 1:17
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
· Spirit = in the same power of …
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
· In the power of the Holy Spirit
Colossians 1:8
…and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
· In the Spirit = Unity
Revelation 1:10
On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
· Most likely means prayer
“Before me was a throne”
· The entire focus in Revelation is the throne, and He who sits on it
· Not an eschatology, but a throne
THE THRONE:
· 60 times we hear of a throne in the NT
· 44 of these times are in Revelation alone
· That is approximately 75% of the NT mentions of a throne
· 17 of the 22 chapters in Revelation mention a throne
· This is the over-arching theme of the Book of Revelation
“Before me was a throne in Heaven with someone sitting on it”
Why just someone?
Why not say who is on the throne?
Because the description is more important than we give credit to!
· Solomon didn’t tell Abishag that she had lips
· He wrote a description when he spoke of her lips
Song of Solomon 4:3
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely.
Song of Solomon 4:11
Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue.
Description is very important!
· Tonight we have 11 mentions of the throne
o Before me was a throne
o Encircling the throne
o Surrounding the throne
o From the throne
o Before the throne
o Around the throne
o To Him who sits on the throne
o Fall down before Him who sits on the throne
· To the Apostle, description is as important as what he is describing
For sake of time; we will only expand on three of these.
· I will give you some verses to look up at home
· I will also start posting my notes on the blog page at www.emergehb.blogspot.com
· So much to do, I want to build on other messages, not recap too much
(NOTES for Blog…)
Jasper, Carnelian, and a Rainbow:
· Without overwhelming you with references, these symbolize:
o The clarity of the Jasper = the glory of God
o The brilliant translucent red of the carnelian = the blood of Christ
o The Rainbow = the Mercy of God
Vs. 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.
· Surrounding the Throne!
Who are these 24 Elders?
· We aren’t told, however, there are some great guesses
· Since they are dressed in white and wear crowns I believe that they are human beings.
Where do I get this idea?
· Overcomers in Revelation are spoken of as given these things
Revelation 3:4-5
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.
Revelation 2:10
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Overcomers:
· To the one who overcomes, these things are promised
· Who are these people promised this?
· The Church, followers of Christ.
So, who are the 24?
· Possibly a representation of the fullness of the church
· 12 Tribes of Israel in the OT
· 12 Apostles of the Church in the NT
· Symbolically 24 faithful followers of all the ages
Who is included in this?
· All followers of Jesus Christ
· SHARE GOSPE HERE!!!
This representation of the full church:
· Is dressed in white – symbolizing righteousness
· Wearing a crown of Gold – symbolizing royalty
· We will see more of them in a bit
Vs. 5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
· “From the throne”
· Lightning and Thunder
o Sounds like Moses on Mt. Sinai
o See Exodus 19 at home
· “Before the throne”
o Seven lamps = Seven spirits of God
o Download “Revelation 1a” on www.emergehb.org
o These are the seven ministering spirits
o Possibly tied to the messengers of the 7 churches Rev. 2-3
o Remember Rev. 1 taught us that the 7 lamp stands are the 7 churches
“From the throne, and before the throne”
· Lamps blazing, lightning exploding, thunder sounding out
Consider the greatest rock concert, or worship event:
· That resonates with many of us
· We are so driven by music, lights, explosions
· We go to these huge events and we are moved emotionally
o We are prompted into worship
o The lightning
o The thunder
o The roar of the crowd
This huge event focuses on the throne!
· For those of us that this relates to
· This is the ultimate rock concert
· The ultimate worship event
Vs. 6a
Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
· If you would like to look into the sea of glass
· I recommend 1 Kings 7:23-26, 2 Chronicles 4:2-5)
· The sea here is the washbasin in Solomon’s Temple
Picture this like the water that you go through to get to Heaven.
· I get the feeling of baptism
· The waters in which we are cleansed
Vs. 6b-8
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 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."
· “Around the throne”
· Buckle up, this is good stuff here!
· Let’s look at these 4 living creatures:
Ezekiel 1:4-25 (shortened)
I looked, and I saw a windstorm - an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. All four of them had faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go. The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown.
· Ezekiel saw the throne of Jesus Christ, long before it’s time
· John saw the same vision here in Revelation 4
· See also Ezekiel 10, Daniel 7, Isaiah 6
The Four Creatures:
· I believe with all my heart that these 4 Living Creatures represent the Gospels of Jesus Christ
· The Gospels bear testimony to Jesus
· The 4 living creatures bear testimony to Jesus Christ
A Lion, an Ox, a Man, and an Eagle:
· Matthew: the fulfillment of prophecy Jesus = Lion of the Tribe of Judah
o Repeats: “so that prophecy would be fulfilled concerning…”
o Example Matthew 1:22-23
· Mark: the servant Jesus = the ox, or bull
o The Son of Man “did not come to be served, but to serve”
o Example Mark 10:45
· Luke: the historical figure = the man Jesus
o “To give an orderly account that you might know the certainty of these things”
o Luke 1:3-4
· John: the Divine Jesus = the Eagle
o In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh
o John 1:1-4
Four testimonies to Jesus:
· These four living creatures stand
o In between the fullness of the church
o And the actual Jesus on the throne
o They bear witness to Him to sits on the throne
· The Apostle John tells us that they stand there saying
o “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty”
o “Who was and Who is and Who is to Come!”
What does Jesus call Himself in Revelation Chapters 1-3:
(1:8) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(1:17-18) “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”
(2:1) “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands”
(2:8) “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.”
(3:1) “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars”
(3:14) “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation”
(3:21) “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
Jesus testifies that everyone of these things that is said here testifies to Himself, as He is sitting on the throne!
Ezekiel tells us:
“Wherever the spirit would go, the 4 living creatures would go”
· Wherever the Spirit of God goes
· The testimony of Jesus Christ goes
In between the fullness of the church (24 Elders), and the fullness of the throne where Jesus is seated, is the fullness of the Gospel!
Vs. 9-end
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."
· To Him who sits on the throne
· The fullness of the church fall down before the throne
· They lay their crowns at the foot of the throne
· And they worship the One on the throne
Ezekiel 1 ends with:
When I saw it, I fell facedown!
We worship in this fashion at Emerge:
· First, like the 24 Elders before the throne
o We look to the testimony of Jesus Christ
o In other words we search the scripture
· Once we have seen Jesus, or the testimony of Jesus
o We respond in worship
· We create space to worship
o We have the crosses at the back of the room
o We keep this section open for kneeling down
o We dim the lights
o We raise the music
We give you freedom to respond in worship of your God on the throne!
Who is this Jesus we worship?
· He is the LION
o He is the fulfillment of thousands of prophecies in the bible
· He is the real man
o He lived on here on earth as real as you or I
· He is the OX
o He came and served all of humanity by His death
· He is the EAGLE
o He is God
o And He proved it by raising Himself from the dead
