Brother Mike Walker requested
that I bring a message at the graveside for his wife yesterday,
and I'm going to try to repeat it tonight. I had prepared something
else, but I believe this will be profitable for you. I like to think about what God's
people experience when they leave this world. Unlike most people, I like to
think about dying. I like to think about death,
and I like to think about eternity. I hope you'll learn, too. Soon,
you and I must leave this world. We who believe on the Lord Jesus,
who are washed in his blood and robed in his righteousness, have
every reason to look upon our departure from this world with
anticipation, with expectation, and with delight. There are things
opened to our eyes that we shall see immediately as we could never
see before. Mark's wife Debbie died after
nine long weeks of suffering. She's 37 years old, and we don't
understand all the details of how God works all things together
for our good and His glory. And it is best that we do not
understand how He does so. If we understood the mystery
of God's providence and how He accomplishes His will, There
would be no faith by which to glorify and honor him, trusting
him to perform what he has said. But here in Revelation chapter
four, we see John as he is caught up into heaven by the spirit
of God and given visions of those things that must come to pass. He's given us a vision here by
divine inspiration. of that which is and that which
was and that which must be that which is now being accomplished
that which has been accomplished and that which must be accomplished
and the three things are all one that which is being done
has been done in God's decree and shall be accomplished in
time to the glory of God. Now just imagine if you can being
transported right now into heaven. After this I looked and behold
a door. A door was opened in heaven. That door of course is Christ
Jesus the Lord. That door was not just open,
but that door was opened. Opened by God's decree, opened
by Christ's finished work as our Redeemer, by His blood and
righteousness, opened by His entrance into heaven as our forerunner.
And if it is opened to you now to enter in, It's open to you
by the Spirit of God in the sweet revelation of His grace. And
when you leave this world, opened to you. Imagine that. God Almighty
throwing open the door of heaven for me to enter in. A door opened
in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were
of a trumpet. A trumpet talking with me. A
trumpet is an instrument of calling. It's an instrument of triumph. It's an instrument of victory.
It is a trumpet talking with me. And this is what it says.
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. If ever a sinner is given grace
by God to enter into the holiest through the door of Christ Jesus
the Lord, first thing he will see is a throne set. This throne,
of course, I've told you numerous times, is the mercy seat. It
is the throne of grace. It is that which Isaiah saw upon
which the Lord sat. The throne was set, that is,
fixed in heaven, and one sat thereo. This throne is the throne
by which the world is ruled in all the details of this world. It is the throne fixed by God
himself from eternity upon which he sits. Unruffled, unmoved,
undisturbed by anything. And just to the degree that he
gives us grace to trust him so we shall be unruffled, unmoved,
undisturbed by that which transpires here below. Nothing shakes God's
throne. Nothing shakes his purpose. Nothing
disturbs him. Nothing hinders him. He sits
upon this throne. Now watch this. He sat was to
look upon like Jasper and a sardine stone, a rare jewel. And there was a rainbow round
about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald, completely encircling
the throne, that bow. God destroyed the world in a
flood in the fury of his wrath. And when he'd finished destroying
the world and he called Noah out of the ark and the ark had
found rest on the mount, God said to Noah, said, I'll never
do this again. I will never again over flood
the earth with my wrath and water. It will never come over the earth
again and destroy all creeping things and all flesh upon the
earth. And see, I have set my bow in
the sky. Every time you see a cloud form
in the sky and you feel a little rain start to fall out of the
sky, remember the bow. It's the token of my covenant.
It's a token of my covenant. hear me children of God. God
help you to hear me. Nothing proceeds from God's throne
and nothing goes to God's throne. Nothing comes from it and nothing
reaches to it except that which is according to God's covenant
grace bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus. Everything God does in
this world, everything we experience in this world, even those things
that seem so bitter, so hard to bear, so heavy a load, everything
is ordered according to this covenant that God Almighty has
made on our behalf with his own darling son, It's ordered in
all things insure and the whole of it is our salvation. I think I'm just beginning to
get a little glimpse of what I've been trying my best to preach
all my life as a believer. This thing called salvation. From the time we come forth from
our mother's womb, We are continually experiencing
God's salvation. And it will be complete when
we are raised from the dead and made like our Redeemer in resurrection
glory. But all that's going on here
is God delivering us from the curse. God delivering us from
the fall. God delivering us from sin. God delivering us from ourselves. Understand that and rejoice in
God's providence as you would in the blood of Christ freshly
shed today. This is God's salvation. The
whole of it is God delivering us. And round about the throne
were four and twenty seats. Just twenty-four places, that's
all. Just twenty-four seats. You mean just twenty-four people
going to heaven? Well, what idiot would ever think such a thing?
What idiot would ever think such a thing? And yet there are idiots
who presume because in chapter seven, the scripture speaks of
144,000. That's all that's going to heaven. It's a specific number
to represent a specific number, but a number that no man can
number. These 24 seats are the places prepared for God's elect
in heaven. There are a specific number of
people who shall enter into glory. They are represented by these
24 seats in which are seated 24 elders. But these 24 elders,
these 24 seats represent a multitude 10,000 times 10,000, as we'll
see in just a moment. All right. These 24 seats and
upon the seats, I saw four and 20 elders sitting. Now watch
it. Clothed in white raiment. We know that if our earthly house,
this tabernacle, be dissolved, we have a house not made with
hands eternal in the heavens. Paul said we're desirous of this
not to be unclothed, but clothed upon. Here in heaven sit these
24 elders, all God's elect, and they are all clothed in white
raiment, clothed all of them in the same garment, just one
garment. It is called the righteousness
of Jesus Christ. And they all had on their heads
crowns, crowns of pure gold. White raiment, where have we
read that before? Back in the book of Exodus, again
in the book of Leviticus, when the priest went in to the Holy
of Holies on the Day of Atonement, on that day when he would make
sacrifice to God, make atonement for the sins of the people, he
would take off his gorgeous apparel and put on white raiment, white
linen garments, white linen breeches, and he would go in to the Holy
of Holies, that place where God said, I'll meet you on the mercy
seat between the cherub and commune with you. There, God's priest
wear white raiment. But here they sit in this white
raiment with crowns on their heads. Kings and priests, we
are made unto God by Christ Jesus, the Lord. And out of the throne
proceeded lightning and thunderings and voices. And there were seven
lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven
spirits of our God. These seven lamps, of course,
The golden lamp stand standing in the tabernacle in the holy
place, just outside the veil going into the holy of holies.
These seven lamps burning with fire are the seven spirits of
God. That is the perfect sevenfold
spirit 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. Modern translations do a little
better with this. They have the appearance of beast,
not in the sense of wild beast, but a strong beast. But the translation in most modern
translations is four living creatures. four living creatures full of
eyes before and behind. They see clearly what God has
done and they see clearly what lies ahead. That's pretty good vision. That's
pretty good vision. I see clearly what God has done. I really do. I don't have any
question about it. And I see clearly what God's
going to do tomorrow. I have no question about it.
He's saving his people. He's making himself an everlasting
and a glorious name. They have eyes before and eyes
behind. And the first beast was like a lion and the second had
the face of a man. These beasts speak of God's servants,
gospel preachers, prophets and apostles and pastors and preachers
in all the ages of time who lead God's church in the knowledge
of Him, in the knowledge of the Redeemer. They are bold like
a lion and they Second is like a calf, and the third has the
face of a man, strong like an ox, yet tender like a man for
one of you. And the fourth beast was like
a flying eagle, swiftly flying to do the master's will. And
the four beasts each had them six wings about him. They're full of eyes within,
and they rest not. They're constantly given to the
labor and the work of the gospel. Blessed work it is, they rest
not day and night saying, holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty. That's exactly what Isaiah saw
in Isaiah chapter 6. He said, I saw these seraphim,
these six winged creatures, Before the throne crying, holy, holy,
holy Lord God of Sabbath, Lord of host, Lord God Almighty. He's the thrice holy God. They
cry continually. Concerning him, which was and
is and is to come the eternal God, our savior, and when those
beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the
throne, who liveth forever and ever. When they give praise to
Him, the four and twenty elders, God's people, they fall down
before Him that sat on the throne and worship Him that liveth forever
and ever. God's servants not only are sent of God for
this work, but this is the work they do in this world. We lead God's people to Christ
on the throne to worship him. And as Christ is lifted up and
exalted, his people fall down before him and worship him. Now,
what's this? And they cast their crowns before
the throne. He who made us kings. Oh, these
crowns. These crowns of life and righteousness
and glory, these crowns of everlasting salvation that you've given us,
we cast them at your feet. They weren't earned by us, they
were earned by you, and we bow before you. Kings and priests
we are over all God's creation, but not over God. Over all the
affairs of time in Christ, but not over Christ. We cast our
crowns before him saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things. Now watch this. And for thy pleasure
they are and were created. I haven't turned the news on
in a few days. If I go home tonight and turn it on, no matter what
it is they tell me on the news came to pass today. God did that. God did that. He may have used
hell to perform it, but God did it. and he did it for me for
his pleasure thou hast created all things past tense and for
thy pleasure they are present tense created and were past tense
created everything for his pleasure and his pleasure is our salvation
and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a
book A book written within, and on
the backside, sealed with seven seals. I have no question at
all. The book is obviously symbolic
like the rest of the book of Revelation is, not talking about
God. Literally sitting down writing
out books. I have to write things down to remember them. God doesn't.
I have to write them down to plan them. God doesn't. But he
speaks to us in language we can understand. John said, I saw
a book, and it's written, I can see it written everywhere. It's
written on the inside and on the outside, and the book is
bound shut and sealed. It's got seven seals on it. Seven
seals of perfection. Seven seals of grace. But what's in that book? What's in this book of God's
purpose? John said, I saw this book in the right hand of him
that sat on the soul on the throne. Verse two. And I saw a strong
angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the
book and to loose the seals thereof. Who is worthy to fulfill everything
written in this book? Who's worthy to bring it to pass
as it is written in this book? And no man in heaven nor in earth,
neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither
to look therein. And I wept. I wept much because
no man was found worthy to open the book and to read the book,
neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto
me, weep not. Weep not. What is it you see? I see a door opened in heaven
and a throne and one sitting on that throne in undisturbable
ease and serenity. I see a rainbow around that throne
and I see I see elders worshiping before that throne. I see a book. And behold, I see the lion of
the tribe of Judah. The root of David. He who is
the one from whom David sprang and he who sprang from David.
This one who is the lion of the tribe of Judah. Well, the Bob
Punson pointed something out to me years ago. In Genesis 49,
you remember Judah said to his father, said, you trust the lad
with me and I'll go down and I'll bring him back to you. I'll
be surety for him. And if I don't bring him back,
let me bear the blame. Just before that, Genesis 48,
Reuben volunteered to do the same thing. Reuben volunteered,
and Jacob wouldn't trust Benjamin to Reuben's hands. But he trusted
him to Judah's hands. How come? Our Lord is the Lion
of the tribe of Judah. He's not the Lion of the tribe
of Reuben. Here's the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Lion
prevailed. Not shall prevail. Nott is about
to prevail, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David,
hath prevailed. He prevailed before ever the
book began to be opened. He prevailed from eternity. He's
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The Father gave
to the Son the dominion of all things, power over all flesh
from eternity. He did so publicly in the resurrection
after he died and accomplished redemption for us. But he was
made to be Lord over all as our surety even before time began. He's prevailed to open the book
and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo,
in the midst of the throne, and the four beasts, and the midst
of the elders, right in the middle of everything, right in the middle
of everything, the centerpiece, the glory, the majesty, the fabric
itself of heaven, stood a Lamb. a lamb that obviously had been
slain, having seven horns, perfect, complete power, all authority,
and seven eyes, perfect, complete wisdom, which are the seven spirits
or the sevenfold spirit of God sent forth into all the earth,
his power and his wisdom. his power and his knowledge,
his power and that knowledge of his own for whom he died by
which he shall justify many ruling the whole world, going forth
into all the earth. And he came and took the book
out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when
he had taken the book, the four beasts, these preachers, these
prophets, these apostles, And the four and twenty elders, these
saints of God, gathered from among the four corners of the
earth, the whole Israel of God, fall down before the Lamb, having
every one of them hearts and golden vials full of odors, which
are the prayers of the saints. They fall down before him. And they worship Him with hearts
and vials full of odors, which are their prayers. Now, let me ask you, children
of God, let me ask you, I presume you've been praying today. What
is it you've been praying for? What is it you want? What is
it that you desire? Father, glorify thy name. To that end, to that end, I willingly,
gladly sacrifice myself and all to which I have any relationship
in this world. Glorify your name. glorify your name. And here, we see their prayers. When this is done, God's name
is glorified. Now, children of God, I ask you
again, how would you alter this? How would you change this? How would you change what God
has done, what God is doing, what God shall do? Oh, Lord,
give us grace now to see with confident faith what we shall
see with joyous confident, everlasting bliss in heaven. You've done
all things well. You've done all things well.
What will I change? Nothing. Nothing. Verse 9, And
they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book
and open the seals thereof for thou was slain and hast redeemed
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and
people and nation and hast made us unto our God kings and priests
and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne and the beast and the elders
And the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of
thousands. I see something else here. I
see something else. Every blessed one of God's elect
are with the Lamb around His throne. Not one missing. Every chosen redeemed sinner
Every sinner called by God's grace with him in glory. And they say with a loud voice,
worthy is the lamb that was slain. Worthy is Christ, our Redeemer,
to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory and blessing. And every creature. Every creature. There's a time called the time
of restitution of all things. A time by which Brother Rex read
just a little bit ago when God's going to, when Christ is going
to reconcile all things to God, everything, everything. We're going to spend, forgive me, I know I'm redundant
sometimes. We're going to spend eternity
doing a lot of things. But one of those blissful things we're
going to spend eternity doing, sitting on the mountaintop of
Zion in God's holy hill in heaven, it shall be our delight to look
back over all the hills of time, discovering God's good hand of
providence in every detail of world history. In every detail. What's he say here? Every creature. Paul, that takes in a bunch. Every creature. For thy pleasure
thou hast created all things. For thy pleasure they are and
were created. for thy pleasure, everything,
every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the
earth. I take that to be hell itself
and such as are in the sea and all that are in them. every demon
in hell, Satan himself, every man, every Jacob and every Esau,
I heard them saying, blessing and honor and glory and power
be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb
forever and ever. And every preacher who's ever
lived and every sinner called by God's grace, robed in Christ's
righteousness, bought with His blood, at last seated with God
in glory. Every one of them. We're going
to see every creature, every creature, every event, everything
that has been falling down before God, giving Him glory. And we'll say amen. That's just
exactly the way it ought to be. That's just exactly the way it
ought to be. And today is just exactly the
way it ought to be. And yesterday was just exactly
the way it ought to have been. will be just exactly the way
it ought to be. And that's the revelation of
God in this book. Amen.