A Throne was Set in Heaven

Q: What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

The Bible reveals God's sovereignty as His absolute control over all creation, as stated in Psalm 115:3. God's sovereignty is a central theme throughout Scripture, illustrating His control over all events in history and the lives of individuals. For example, Psalm 115:3 states, 'Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.' This indicates that nothing occurs outside His sovereign will. The understanding of God's sovereignty provides comfort and assurance to believers, as it assures them that their lives are not governed by chance, but by the divine purpose of an all-powerful God. His sovereignty also emphasizes His grace in salvation, demonstrating that it is God who calls and equips His chosen ones according to His will, as referenced in Ephesians 1:4-5.

Q: How do we know Jesus is the center of Revelation?

Jesus is revealed as the central figure in Revelation, embodying the spirit of prophecy as stated in Revelation 19:10. The book of Revelation is fundamentally about the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). It serves as a testament to His authority and lordship over all creation. The testimony of Jesus is described as the spirit of prophecy in Revelation 19:10, meaning that all prophetic revelations point back to Him. As we examine the imagery and the events depicted in Revelation, we see that they serve to glorify Christ, highlighting His redemptive work and ultimate victory over sin and death. Understanding this focus on Christ helps us interpret difficult passages by ensuring we remember that they are meant to display His glory, reinforcing that the entire narrative of Scripture and prophecy aligns with God's purpose in Christ.

Q: Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

Grace is essential for Christians as it underscores our reliance on God rather than our own works for salvation. Understanding grace is foundational for a Christian's faith journey, as it highlights the unmerited favor of God toward humankind. Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works, thus removing any grounds for boasting. This understanding brings clarity to the gospel message, allowing believers to recognize that it is God's initiative and sovereign choice that brings salvation. A firm grasp of grace helps Christians live in gratitude and humility, fostering a spirit of worship and service. Furthermore, the concept of grace encourages believers to extend the same love and mercy they have received to others, embodying Christ’s character in their relationships.

Q: What role does prophecy play in the Christian life?

Prophecy guides Christians to understand God's purposes and assures them of His sovereignty over history. The role of prophecy in the life of a Christian is multifaceted, serving to reveal God's sovereign plan and prepare believers for future events. Prophecy, as seen in the book of Revelation, is centered on the revelation of Jesus Christ, ensuring that Christians have hope in His ultimate victory over evil and in the fulfillment of His promises. Understanding prophecy encourages believers to remain vigilant and faithful, as it reminds them of God's providential control over their lives and the world. Additionally, prophecy inspires a sense of urgency in sharing the gospel, as it reflects God’s heart for saving His people. Ultimately, it serves to deepen the faith of believers by reassuring them of God's faithfulness in both the present and the future.

Q: Why is it important to see Christ in the Scriptures?

Seeing Christ in the Scriptures is crucial as it reveals God's redemptive plan and purpose for humanity. The importance of seeing Christ in the Scriptures cannot be overstated, as all of Scripture points to Him as the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for humanity. From the Old Testament prophecies to the New Testament accounts of His life and ministry, Christ is at the center of God's unfolding story. This focus allows believers to comprehend the depth of God's love and grace, as seen in the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross. Moreover, it enriches the believer's understanding of their identity and purpose in Christ as they recognize their life is hidden in Him (Colossians 3:3). Ultimately, seeing Christ in all of Scripture leads to a life of worship, reliance, and transformation as believers respond to the truth of who He is and what He has accomplished for them.

That is indeed a blessed robe that we have been given through no ability of our own or through any effort of our own. The Lord's put that robe upon us. He made it and He determines those to whom he will give this robe. What a privilege that is. No man can boast in it because there's nothing that he can say but thanks be unto God.

Well, we're looking in chapter four of the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him. And he revealed it to his disciple, John. Necessary that we remember that. Every time we read any part of this book, Don't ever read this book that you don't go back to the first verses that tells you what this book's about. Too many people get started in this book and they forget all about what this revelation is, who the revelation is given to. See, the revelation wasn't given to John. Revelation was given to Christ to give to John. And John has indeed recorded it for us.

And so we begin here in chapter four. I'm gonna read the chapter and then we'll look at a few verses here. It says, after this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said, come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne. Notice what it says there.

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices, and there were seven lamps, excuse me, of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass likened to crystal. And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

And the first beast was like a lion, the second beast like a calf, the third beast had a face like as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts each had of them six wings about him. And they were full of eyes within, and they rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever. The four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.

Now we're beginning up, as we look in this book, up to this point, most of the things that have been said have been relatively straightforward. Now, and these were the, primarily what we've looked at for the past few weeks, has been the messages that the Lord sent to the churches by the various messengers that he appointed for that task. And as we talked about that, there were these specific churches that he singled out, but these churches, they don't represent ages, they don't represent anything but the whole of Christianity, the whole of God's people. If you read through these messages to the churches, you understand that these are messages to each one of us. We can see ourselves in every one of those instances of the Lord. both praised the churches for and upbraided them for, admonished them about, exhorted them. You know, all of those things are true for all of God's people. And so we must, you know, there are several different schools of thought about Bible prophecy. I don't claim to be a Bible prophet don't claim to have any great insight into what men call the prophecies.

I don't have any way to ascertain every jot and tittle of the images that are set forth here. I don't think anybody else does either. Now there are plenty of folks that are quick to come forward with what they will tell you these things mean. I don't know what a lot of these things mean in the sense in which they are speaking of them.

But I do know what this book is about. And I do know what prophecy is. The testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy. All prophecy that you find in this book points to Jesus Christ. And if somebody comes talking to you about a prophecy that does not ultimately redound to the glory of Jesus Christ and manifest the glory of Christ before you, then that is not the prophecy that's spoken of in this book.

Now a lot of these things are hard to understand. You know, a lot of them, I mean, we just read some of this stuff and we shake our head. But one thing we need to understand is that this vision that's given to John is not necessarily meant for you to comprehend every jot and tittle of it, because who can comprehend the glory of God? I mean, that's the point that's made in all of this when we come away shaking our head. That's exactly where you need to be. Because you cannot look upon the glory of God and say, I got it. I know exactly how it is.

And so as we read this, John says, after this I looked, and behold, a door was opened into heaven. Now, we understand that John speaks figuratively about these things. Obviously, there was not a door with a doorknob on it or anything up in heaven and it was opened up. That's not what he means. He means that he was brought to see these things. Heaven was opened. Paul said he was called up into the third heaven. And he saw things that he couldn't even relate to. He couldn't even tell you about. They were just beyond his comprehension.

And so it is, when we come and we look at this, and he says, a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, which said, come up hither. Now, we've heard that same voice, or John heard that same voice before, did he not? over here in the first chapter. He said, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. Who is that? Well, I'll tell you who he is. He said, this is what the one who spoke with the voice of the trumpet, this is what he said. He said, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and what thou seest right in the book.

You see, this one who's speaking here is the Lord. And the Lord Jesus Christ is the spokesman of God. If you ever know anything about God, it's going to come to you through Jesus Christ. You cannot know God apart from knowing Jesus Christ. He said, I am my Father alone.

And so he says, I heard, as it were, a trumpet talking with me, a loud voice, a voice that got my attention. You know, when somebody blows a trumpet, that is a startling sound, is it not? I mean, that gets your attention, and that's exactly what happened here. And talking with me, which said, come up hither. Now notice that.

John understands he can't just go there. Now a lot of people just think they can just go to the Lord anytime they get ready. You can't come unless he says come. Thankfully in the gospel. He says this to sinners. He said, come, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. And he says to John, you've got my permission.

Come up hither. Now when the Lord says come up hither, he doesn't say, now John, I sure wish you'd come. No, when the Lord says come, those that hear his voice, what do they do? They come. So when the Lord said, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, that's not a request, it's a command. See, the Lord calls his sheep. He said, my sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me. And he said to John, come up hither. Did he have any doubt that John was gonna come up there? No, why? Because he purposed it. John didn't have any right or reason or anything to think that he could go up into heaven or see these things unfolded in any way.

He said, come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. Now let's stop there for a minute. Now right here is where a lot of people get off the track, in my estimation, as they look at this book. Because what they say is, well now, the Lord's told him these things, now he's gonna tell him things that's gonna happen later on. And in a measure, that is what he's saying, but he's talking about the things he's fixing to show him. He says, I'm fixing to show you something. Not that these are events that are gonna happen way out here in the future. That's not what he's speaking about.

Because you see, there are several schools of prophecy, one being that some think that all things, you know, have already been done. All the prophecies of the Lord have already been fulfilled. And in a measure, I agree with that. All the prophecies have been fulfilled as far as God has been pleased to manifest and purpose them in the earth, but we haven't seen them all fulfilled yet. See, the Lord hadn't gathered all of his children unto himself yet.

I have no doubt that he will. He's presently calling his sheep. He's bringing them out of the darkness and into the light. So he is presently doing things. So all things are not in the past. But then on the other hand, the things that he sets forth in this scripture are not all in the future.

Because see, we have to understand that God is eternal. And what the Lord is showing to John here, is a picture of the eternal purpose of God and who God is. See, we think of God as being like we are, that he is in a progressive state or whatever and things happen here and then he can, he looks at things that's gone past and he's looking out here and things that's gonna be future. God sees all things as they are. See, the scripture says we live our lives as a tale that is told.

Now what does that mean? It means that God has ordained all things to come to pass as he sees fit for them to be. And God is a very present God. See, when he revealed himself to Moses and he said, you tell them I am sent you, what does that mean? It means he's the one who is.

And so what John is seeing here is the one who is. These are the things that are. These are not things that's gonna happen. These are not things that you could see with these eyes. What'd he say? He said, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. See, he couldn't see these things.

A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them. You can't know the things of the Spirit of God by nature. You can't discover them in your present understanding. You can't get an understanding of the truth of God by a carnal mind. The Spirit of God has to show you these things.

And so when he says, come up hither and I'll show you these things which will be hereafter, he's not talking about it in a chronological sense. See, too many people, they start at this book and they go through and they try to attach a date and a time and a season and this is gonna happen and that's gonna happen and this and that. This is the unfolding of God's purpose in a panoramic view. And there's one who's at the center of it. And that's what this book is designed to do, is to show the revelation of Jesus Christ. See, it's to display who he is.

John thought he knew who he was, didn't he? I mean, he walked with him, did he not, for three years, maybe longer, I don't know exactly how long it was, but it was approximately three years, that he walked with him, the closest one to him, the disciple whom Jesus loved. And yet when John saw him as he was, as he is, what happened? He said, I fell at his feet as a dead man.

See, that's the glimpse of the glory of God that the Lord alone can give to a man. He showed Isaiah, I believe in a kind of a limited way, I don't think Isaiah, I think Isaiah had a glimpse of this. I don't think he had the understanding that John did about it. I think Ezekiel was given, in fact, as you read the first chapter of Ezekiel, it's exactly the same thing that John saw.

What is it? The glory of God. Ezekiel's that man, he says, I saw this thing, and he tried to describe it as best he could, he couldn't. And people have gone off the deep end trying to figure out what that is, you know. A guy wrote a book, Chariots of the Gods, and it was supposedly, you know, some kind of trying to take what Ezekiel saw and turn it into some ridiculous, vision of alien terrestrial beings and all that. You're hearing a lot about that in the news and whatnot. The UFOs. Now let me say something. I don't know if there's any UFOs. I don't know if there's any aliens, as we would call them, on other planets. I have no idea and neither do you. But I will tell you this, that if there is, every one of them was created by the almighty God who said, I am. He hasn't told us everything he's done. And so when people say, oh, well, there can't be anybody on another planet who said, I don't know.

I know that the Lord Jesus Christ has come down to earth to reveal himself as the redeemer of sinful men, and that is all that I know. You know, beyond that, I don't know anything. I know he's a great savior and I'm a great sinner, but beyond that, you know, I can't boast of what I know because we don't know.

And there's a lot of people, in fact, somebody was telling me the other day that they were gonna have a press conference where Trump was gonna get some of these church leaders and stuff in to reveal to them what the government knows so that it wouldn't be a great shock, you know, to the religious community. And there's probably a lot of people that would, oh my goodness, you know, all these things, if some guy walks in that's from some other planet somewhere or whatever. Now, do I think that's gonna happen? No. But if it does, if it did, it's not gonna change one thing about what we know and understand the true and living God to be. There's no aliens that live outside the realm of God who is over all. God blessed forever. He's not just ruling in this little corner of the universe. He is the universe. Universe belongs to him. And so we give him praise.

Oh, I don't know how he got off on that. So what John's seeing here is a manifestation of the glory of God and the manner in which the Lord is describing this to him. Now do I think that there is actually a throne up there where John saw, hanging up wherever it is, and that there's these seats around it and all of this is in a carnal way as we understand it. No, I think that's how John saw it. And that's how the Lord intended for him to see it. And that's the way that it is in that respect, but that's not who God is. See, he's beyond all of that. He's immortal and invisible. The only wise God. No man has seen God at any time. And yet we have seen him face to face in Jesus Christ.

Now can you explain that? I can't. I can't. But I thank God that he's pleased to visit us with his salvation. And so we said, so the voice, the Lord speaking to John said, come up and I'm gonna show you some things. These are the things I'm fixing to show you. The things that are here after. That is, the things that are out before us here.

And immediately I was in the Spirit. And behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne. Now who was that? It was the Lord Jesus Christ. He's sitting on the throne. He didn't say, I looked and there was three thrones. He said there's one. One throne, because there's one God. And he said, behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne. He doesn't talk about that there was a little throne set next to it on the right hand side, does he? He said there was a throne. And he said, I saw that. Now how did he see it? I don't know. But he's fixing to tell you something that's beyond, I'm not telling you I know what this means, but I'm telling you I know who it's speaking about.

And he that sat, that is the one that was on the throne, was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone. Now there's people that go in great lengths describing, you know, what a jasper stone and a sardine stone and all that. I have no idea what that is. They don't either. Because what they're talking about here, what you might call a sardine stone now and what they call a sardine stone then might not be, you know, back when this, I mean, we don't know that, okay?

So I don't know what he saw, but I know what he's telling us is that this is a glorious sight. Now he said there's a street of gold. Now do I think that it's gold like you understand it? No, no, because you've never seen any gold like that. Because he said it was clear as glass. Gold that's clear as glass.

You ever seen it? No. What does that mean? It means you don't know. But it means John saw it and that's the only way he could set it forth. Now is that how God wanted him to tell you? Exactly. He told you exactly what he wanted you to tell. Because what? He wanted you to say, how on earth can that be? How is it possible? I mean, isn't that the wonder of the gospel? When we look at what sinners we are, and we think on the mercy of God toward us, can we ever get over that? I mean, can we ever explain it sufficiently? Is it not always just a thing that overwhelms us?

A throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne, and he that sat looked like jasper and a sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Now that gives us a little glimpse into the glory that surrounds the Lord Jesus Christ. When was a rainbow first introduced to the sight of men? It was to Noah. And the Lord said, I have set my bow in the cloud. He says, for an everlasting covenant. Jesus Christ is seated on the throne and the backdrop which is around that throne is the everlasting covenant. Oh, what a glorious thing it is.

Now, this rainbow is not like anyone you've ever seen, because he said, it was in sight like unto an emerald. Now, we understand some, what if an emerald's what we think it is? I mean, an emerald's a green stone. That's what John saw, was a rainbow in sight like unto an emerald. Now that's an amazing thing, and I'm not saying this is what is meant by this, but I thought this was interesting, that on the breastplate of the high priest under the law, when he went in to the Holy of Holies, he wore a breastplate, and on that breastplate were 12 stones, And they were put in order, I think there was four rows of them, three across in each row. And each one was attached, a certain kind of stone was attached to one of the tribes. And the fourth stone in that breastplate was an emerald.

Now, again, I'm not saying this is what this means, I'm just saying this is an observation that we can look at, and it is definitely applicable. And the fourth son of Jacob, the fourth one of the 12 tribes of Israel, does anybody know who that was? It was Judah. And this one that sat on the throne of God with the covenant promise surrounding him is that one who is the lion of the tribe of Judah. Oh, what a glorious thing, dear brethren, to realize that God is a God of minutia, as well as the God of great things. You know, people say, oh, well, that was an act of God.

If you ever read any insurance policies, they always say in there, you know, it covers this, this, and this, but not acts of God. Well, I'm looking at that, and I'm saying, well, man, this insurance ain't worth a flip. Because there's nothing that can happen that's not an act of God. How foolish is that? But that's how men think. Because they think, oh, well, this is something we can't explain, so it's an act of God. Well, I'm telling you, even the things you think you can explain are acts of God. Because he does all things well.

Oh, what a glorious God he is. And that's as far as we're gonna be able to get right now. But, please don't think that I know what all these things mean. I don't. I'll say that over and over again. I'm not telling you this is, you know, you can write it down in a book and this is what this means or that means. I don't care what it really means. What I do know and understand is that the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ is set before us. And from the beginning of that, the word of God to the very end of it, all of it centers on him.

And the Lord didn't run down any rabbit trails. No, he didn't start off one way and decide to go back. He wasn't like a squirrel. A lot of people, they have a squirrel God. He's going over here and then he goes over there and people won't do this and he goes back over there and he runs and doesn't know what to do and pretty soon he gets run over. Because he doesn't know where he's going. I'm telling you, God knows the end from the beginning. And he's that one who does all things well.

And he's pleased to reveal to us a glimpse of his glory. Go see what John saw was a revelation of Jesus Christ. But I'm gonna tell you what, if you could memorize what John saw, if you can memorize the book of the Revelation and you can say I know all about what all these things are, I'm telling you when you're brought face to face with him and we see him as he is, you're going to be overwhelmed because he's worthy to be praised forever because he is the Savior of sinners.

Does anybody have a question or a comment? I know you're all flabbergasted by this. I'm not saying that some men have not been given greater insights into these things than others, surely more than me. But the only thing that's important when you're studying the scriptures is to see Christ. That's the only thing. Because if you miss everything else, and you see Christ, you've seen everything. And if you see all things and miss Christ, you've missed everything. Because he's all in all. And he's that one who's revealed here in this book. May he be ever praised.

A Throne was Set in Heaven

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

How do we know Jesus is the center of Revelation?

Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

What role does prophecy play in the Christian life?

Why is it important to see Christ in the Scriptures?

Sermon Transcript

About Mike McInnis

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A Throne was Set in Heaven

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

How do we know Jesus is the center of Revelation?

Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

What role does prophecy play in the Christian life?

Why is it important to see Christ in the Scriptures?

Sermon Transcript

About Mike McInnis

Comments

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