May I turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 4? Revelation chapter 4. For several weeks we considered Revelation 2 and 3, the letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. And having considered that, it is good for us to look at Revelation 4 and 5.
We will not be going through the entire book, but Revelation 4 and 5 are the answer, the trials that the church faces in Revelation 2 and 3, very similar to what we see there in Psalm 2. The first scene, David says, why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? The first scene is man in defiance against the Lord and against his Christ. And then scene 2 shows us, as Walt Chantry says, the calm dignity of God's throne room.
God is in the heavens. God knows what's going on. God is in sovereign control and God will hold the peoples in derision. Well, Revelation 4 and 5 serve in a very similar fashion.
Remember that in chapters 2 and 3, the various churches, there were lying apostles in the church in Ephesus. There was tribulation and poverty and imprisonment and death in Smyrna. The people in Pergamos or Pergamum were dwelling near Satan's throne and engaged in martyrdom. And there was also trial in the church in Philadelphia.
So Revelation 4 and 5 is necessary, a necessary antidote or corrective or remedy so that we do not leave that section discouraged. God would always have us to turn our attention heavenward and to consider the divine response to man's sin. Revelation 4 and 5. I'll just pick up reading in 4.1.
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this. Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne sat in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance.
And there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.
And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it. So I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it.
But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. that he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a heart, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard say, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. Then the four living creatures said, Amen, and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever." God in heaven, what a glorious picture, what a wonderful view that we have here of the throne room of God.
We thank you for that calm dignity. We thank you for the obvious contrast between tribulation and trial on earth to the fact that Jesus Christ is overcome. Lord God Most High, we pray even now for Your Spirit that You would guide us and direct us in our consideration of these wonderful chapters and this glorious vision of the Son of God who saves His people from their sins. And we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Introduction
Well, the whole scene takes place in heaven. We see that in chapter 4, verse 1. After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And in chapter 4, God is praised primarily for the work of creation.
You notice there at the end of verse 11, or in verse 11, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power For you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created." And then in chapter 5, God is praised again, but primarily in view is the work of redemption. Very specifically the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in redeeming us to God by His blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. So it is a two-part vision The first deals with God the Creator, the second deals with God the Redeemer. We will not get into all of the details this evening, just make a few observations on Chapter 4, and then a few observations on Chapter 5, and then some concluding thoughts.
But notice first of all, as I mentioned, the context. You cannot miss that. It's absolutely crucial. We see the same pattern time in and time out throughout the scriptures.
Jesus set it forth in John 16, 33. He says, in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Chapters 2 and 3 sets forth and identifies that tribulation. Chapters 4 and 5 usher us in. to the presence of Him who has overcome the world.
J. Adams says that widespread persecution was breaking out everywhere. Greater still was yet in the offing. Lest there be doubt in any Christian's mind, the Savior graciously draws back the curtain of heaven, or to use the exact figure of the text, opens the door, and gives John a reassuring glimpse of the divine control and care.
I love that. And in verse 1 of chapter 4, I do believe it is the Lord Jesus Christ. As we compare this with Revelation chapter 1, verse 10, it is Christ who brings John into the presence of God Almighty. Vern Poythress comments on the context here with four and five being the answer to chapters two and three.
He says, when God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, a revelation of God's character and glory is the best remedy. I heartily amen that. When you are beset with temptation or trial, the best thing to do is study theology. Get a view of God.
Understand the Lord. Take your nose and put it in the Bible and learn about our triune God. Poitras goes on to say, his power guarantees the final victory. His justice guarantees vindication of the right.
And his goodness and magnificence guarantee blessing and comfort. The blood of the Lamb demonstrates that solid redemption has already been accomplished. Even in the midst of trials and persecution, God is still the ruler. He controls everything.
That's why it's important to study chapters 4 and 5 after going through chapters 2 and 3, so that we will not focus only on the trials, the persecution, the suffering, the martyrdom, all of the defeat that Christ's Church often meets with in this lower world. We need to be realists and interpret that data accurately, but we also need to look heavenward and seek God's answer and see the divine response to these particulars.
The Majesty of God in Chapter 4
Notice in chapter 4, the majesty of God is communicated to us Very beautifully. You need to compare this with Ezekiel chapter 1 for just one specimen passage. There's a lot of similarities with what Ezekiel saw when he saw the glory of God manifest when he was by the river of Kabar. But we see the throne in verses 2 and 3.
That's the divine response to our trials and our difficulties. That's the main message of the book of Revelation, is that there is a throne occupied by God most high. When you have trials and difficulties, look to the throne. When you have issues and perplexities, look to the throne.
When you are down, look to the throne. That is God's answer. He says in verses 2 and 3, immediately, I was in the Spirit and behold, a throne sat in heaven. And one sat on the throne.
And he who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance. And there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald. He is surrounded by worshippers. He is glorious.
He is magnificent. Magnificent.
The Twenty-Four Elders and Living Creatures
The 24 elders I take as being representative of the Church. Notice this description of these four living creatures down in verses 6 and 7. At verse 7 it says, the first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Ezekiel sees very similar things.
Only in Ezekiel's vision, the attendants have each of the four faces on four sides. But these animals, or these depictions, are representative of specific things. The lion is symbolic of royalty. The ox, or the calf, is symbolic of strength.
The eagle is symbolic of compassion. You can see that in Deuteronomy 32, where God likens himself to the eagle. In fact, I've heard that the female eagle, the eagleette, when it's time to wean the eaglets, she knots them out of the nest so that they're forced to fly. And when I was a kid, I heard that in Hawaii, to train someone to swim, you threw them in the water.
I don't know if they really did that with their babies, throw them in the water so that they learn how to swim, but that's what I always heard. Well, eagles practice something similar. They knock the bird out of the nest so that it has to fly. It has to fish or cut bait, literally, or it dies.
Well, the father eagle will swoop down and rescue it if it's not able to fly. Very compassionate. And this was an image very well known in the ancient world. And this is what attends the glory of God.
It is His royalty, the strength, compassion. And the face of a man represents intelligence. All those are aspects, all those are indicative of God's rule from the throne. And something else very interesting to notice when we come to this description.
Likeness and the Limits of Human Categories
Go back to verse 3 for just a moment. He says, And he who sat there was like a jasper, and a sardius stone in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance, like an emerald. Ezekiel does this too in his description. The closer he gets to the glory of God, the more he has to say, it's like, it appears to be.
Why? Because we can't fully comprehend it. He's pulling images that we can understand. He's not saying it was Jasper.
No, it's like Jasper. Something we can connect to to get something of an idea, but the closer he gets to the glory of God, the more light and appears, and light and appears comes out. I heard D. A.
Carson explain this. If you were to explain a modern appliance to a primitive tribesman, how would you do that? He's not a fool, he's not dumb. But he has no categories to relate to a box that you open up, you put your cup in, you shot, you push one minute, and it's hot.
He doesn't have that category available to him. So you have to try to connect on his level and say, like, and appears, and like, and appears. Not because he's ignorant, but because he doesn't have those categories of thought. It's the same thing.
When we are brought into the presence of the glory of God, We must be told it's like, and it appears, because we don't have those categories. We are sinful men on a sinful earth. We are not now enveloped in the glory that is God. That's what the apostle is doing.
That's what Ezekiel does prior to that. So the throne is glorious. The attendants demonstrate the glory of God. Notice the terror and the power associated with the scene.
In verse 5, and from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. This is synonymous, or this is exactly like the description of Sinai in Exodus 19. Don't come near the mountain or you will die. Remember that pompous scene, that glorious display of God showing His power and His majesty?
The same thing is here, the same connection, the same idea. He speaks of seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God, representative of the one Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God. And then verse 8, the four living creatures, each having six wings. Hopefully you're reminiscent of Isaiah the prophet.
Why did those angels have six wings? With two they flew, with two they covered their feet, and with two they covered their face. Why? Because God is glorious.
And we don't just strut into His presence and say, Amen. We don't just strut into His presence and address Him as an equal. We are to bow before Him in humility. We are to bow before Him in reverence.
We are to simulate, or imitate rather, the response of John when he saw the glorified Christ in Revelation 1. It says, I fell at His feet as a dead man. Ezekiel the prophet did the very same thing. Isaiah the prophet cries out, woe is me for I am undone.
These men had no concept of a big body up in the sky who simply functioned to give them whatever it was they desired. No, they approached with reverence. When they got near to his glory, they fell as dead man at his feet. That is the way we approach the living God.
He is glorious. He is awesome. He is powerful. And then
Worship Grounded in Creation
notice specifically the reason for their worship. An interesting textual variant there in verse 8, where it says in the New King James, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is, and is to come. The majority text has holy nine times. Nine times.
That's holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. That's a praise chorus, a good one. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.
Again, the thrice holy, or the thrice repetition of holy, reminiscent of Isaiah the prophet when he was ushered into the throne room in Isaiah 6. And then we see that worship. We see that praise. We see them cast their crowns before the throne, saying, verse 11, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.
See, if we remove the doctrine of creation from the Bible, we remove a reason for worship. If we play games with what God says concerning creation, we are stripping away one of the majestic expressions of God's character. We live in a scientific age. No one wants to hear that there's a young earth and that it was spoken into existence by God.
But since when did it matter what people want to hear? This is what Genesis declares. This is what Christ and his apostles affirm. They treat Genesis 1 to 11 as historically reliable narrative, and the Christian church ought to do the same. and understanding that doctrine of creation, we ought to bow before our Lord, we ought to say to our God, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.
For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. That doctrine is to humble us. That doctrine is to promote praise. That doctrine is to promote worship and glory. and honor given to our God.
The Vision of God the Redeemer
Now notice, secondly, the vision of God the Redeemer. There is this seven-sealed scroll in chapter 6 at verse 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, and then chapter 8 and verse 1 are the opening or the loosing of these seven seals. When we look at those seven seals and them being open, the identity or the message is simple. It is a scroll of judgment.
And this is very similar to what we find in Ezekiel chapter 2 verses 3 to 10. The scroll is obviously a statement of judgment. And again, don't miss the significance. Chapters 2 and 3, the church is persecuted.
Chapters 4 and 5, God is on his throne. God will visit the persecutors with judgment. God is not a distant spectator. God is not an absentee king.
God is not on a holiday. God is in control. God is ordaining whatever he pleases. And in this particular instance, it is the seven-sealed scroll that depicts the judgment of God upon the Church's enemies.
And notice the announcement, verse 2. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll into lucid seals. Don't miss that. This is a strong angel with a loud voice.
Sometimes I think this is up too high. I feel like I've got a loud voice. I'll never forget John Mars' grandson. Can somebody turn him down, please?
John wants us to get something here. There is a strong angel with a loud voice who is not worthy to open these seals. There is one that is stronger. There is one that is louder.
There is one that is more powerful. There is one alone that is able. One alone who is qualified One alone who can prevail. So when the angel makes this proclamation, verse 3 says, and no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it.
John's response, verse 4. Excuse me. So I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. Now notice, the conqueror is identifying, verse 5, but one of the elders said to me, do not weep.
In other words, John, we have it under control here. I don't think the strong angel who cried out with a loud voice was devoid of knowledge. I don't think the cry was for the angel, but it was for John and for us. It sort of sets the stage for the introduction of the conqueror who prevails.
And notice, he is described in verse 5, Do not weep, behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. Christ's deity is highlighted here. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Christ's humanity is stressed.
He is the Root of David. and Christ's perfection for his office as the mediator of a new covenant. He has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. So you see how this whole scene is fit to promote, produce, and to demonstrate the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as the initiator, as the executor of God's judgment upon the Church's enemies.
The Lamb as Though Slain
Notice verse six, and I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. Get that? What happened? The announcement is the lion from the tribe of Judah.
John turns and what does he see? He sees the Lamb. And Lamb here isn't to be pictured as the feeble, bleeding, weak sheep. Lamb in this particular instance highlights the glory, the power, the excellence, and the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was as the Lamb of God that he prevailed to open the scroll. I love the imagery. He hears of a lion and he turns and he sees a lamb. He sees one who has, or a lamb, as slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God.
And this is, as I've said before with other verbs, a perfect verb. Not perfect that it's perfect. Perfect is a tense. You think of the past tense.
I went to Superstore yesterday. That's the past tense. The future tense says, I will go to Superstore tomorrow. The perfect tense is beautiful.
It refers to something that happened in the past, but it has results for right now. It's the same type of verb that Jesus used when he said, it is finished. It is finished, it happened in the past, but it has current abiding results for us now. Same language that John uses here.
He sees this lamb as though it had been slain, a lamb as though it had been slaughtered. It happened in the past, one time, but there are abiding results as a result of this lamb's having been slaughtered. John hears of the lamb, and he looks and he sees a lamb. It is through His atoning death for sinners that Christ has prevailed to open this judgment scroll.
And when you get into the horns, it represents His power and authority. And it is He who controls, it is He who dispatches, it is He who sends the Spirit of God into all the earth. What we saw, or at least referred to this morning in Acts 2, Jesus poured out the Spirit. So that's the Savior, the Conqueror identified, the Conqueror in view.
And then notice the Conqueror in action, verse 7. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Could a creature do this? I mean, think about it.
God Almighty is sitting on his throne holding this scroll. Who but God Almighty could take that scroll out of his hand? You want a proof for the deity of Christ? Well, the book of Revelation is filled with proofs for the deity of Christ.
But 5.7 is simply a declaration of His power and His majesty. He came, He took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worship Before Judgment
And then when He took that scroll, before it gets into the opening of the seals, the loosing of the particular seals, there is a time of worship. It's almost as if John says, you know, we're going to get to the judgment of God. We're going to get to these seven seals. We will see what God does in answer to the suffering church on earth.
But we need worship first. We need to praise first. That's a good pattern for us. That is a very good example for us.
We want answers. We want this. We want that. What about worship?
What about bowing before our God? What about glorifying the Lord who has saved us? What about stopping one moment out of your busy day and directing your worship and praise unto God? What about in the morning before you go to work?
Why don't you spend some time in worship? Why not before you go to bed at night spend some time in worship? We are busy people. I don't doubt that.
But there's always time and every day to worship our God. Chapter 6 and 8 are going to develop some pretty horrific judgments. And what 7 is, it's not as if he stopped. 7 is an interlude between the 6th and the 7th seal. So it's one unit, 6, 7, and 8.
But between the opening of the loosing of the 6th and 7th seal, chapter 7 is there to explain some things for us before the 7th seal is open. I mean, there's some vicious judgment, vicious not in a bad way, but I mean in a righteous, God-glorifying way, that are going to be poured out upon the enemies of Christ's Church. We'll get to that, John says. We'll see all that, John says.
See, our natural inclination is verse 7. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. What is the scroll saying? What are these seven seals?
Maybe some of you tonight are going to say, are you going to explain what these seven seals are? I mean, I'm really interested in this. I'm really concerned about these seven seals. That's how we read the Bible.
We want our answers. God, John, heaven says, wait and worship. You'll get your answers. Your answers will flow far more better when you are in a worshipful attitude, when you submit yourself unto God, when you humble yourself under His mighty hand.
In His due time, He will lift you up.
The New Song of Redemption
Verses 8 to 14 record that worship. They praise Jesus for redemption. Notice verse 8, Now when he had taken the stroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. You see, it's the Lamb that is primarily in view here.
Each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. Yes, we want to know what those seals are. Yes, we want to know what this scroll is about.
But right now, we just want to praise you, Jesus. We just want to esteem you, Jesus. We just want to recall the fact that you went into this world, that you came into this world, that you took on the likeness of sinful flesh without sin, that you denied yourself, that you humbled yourself, that you obeyed God's law, that you were submissive in every respect, you were like us in every point except without sin, That you were crucified at the hands of godless men, that you were put into a grave, that you rose from the grave, and that you ascended on high. We just want to worship you, Jesus.
I think this is a good pattern for all of us. We need to worship Jesus. We need to install Jesus. We need to praise Jesus.
First and foremost on our Lord's Day, it ought to be worshipping Jesus. Not settling theological disputes. Worshipping Jesus. That's first.
That's most important. That's primary. I mean, I think about God, and I think about His grace, and I think about His mercy, and I think about the way He rolls. He's not like us.
What comes first for God is His glory. That's what must come first for us, His glory. You were slain. You have redeemed us to God by your blood.
There's no Arminians in heaven. Not to say Arminians don't make it to heaven, but they go through a great change. They become Calvinists. They don't speak of potential redemption.
They don't speak of possible redemption. They ascribe all praise and glory to Jesus, for you have redeemed us. There's no debate. There's no little do about this.
Look at it. You have redeemed us to God by your blood. You have made us kings and priests to our God. We shall reign on the earth.
The new or true Israel is ascribing praise to their Lord and to their Savior. Verse 11, Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands sang with a loud voice. What a glorious picture! What an amazing display!
This is what John is telling us. He is ushered up into this grand throne room. He is reported with a God's eye view to us on earth. He says, I looked around and all I could see was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands.
I mean, as far as my eye could see, there were attendants, there were praisers, there were worshippers, there were adorers. God is at the center. Christ, the Lamb, is receiving all of this. Here is their ascription.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them, I heard saying, blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the 24 elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. The glory, the praise of heaven is given to the Lamb and to the Father.
He receives the praise. He receives the glory. He receives the honor.
Application
Well, we learn, brethren, In conclusion, first of all, the glory of God. With reference to the glory of God, having looked or at least referred to Ezekiel, Isaiah, and herewith John, our response before the Lord must be humility and worship. Humility and worship. When we come, when we stand, when we look at what goes on in Revelation 4 and 5, let's not get caught up in all of the details and trying to explain everything to the nth degree and miss the fact that we are to stand before the Lamb, or better yet, fall down before the Lamb and cry out to Him Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.
We need to be mindful in this depiction of the victory of Jesus Christ. Remember, according to chapter 1, He is present with the seven churches. He is mindful of his people. He communicated that to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3.
I know your suffering. I know your works. I know your tribulation. I know your trial.
I know my faithful martyr Antipas was martyred. He is mindful of his people. He is, according to chapter 5, the atonement for his people. Chapter 5, verse 6.
Chapter 5, verse 6, He has prevailed to open the scroll. How did He do that? Through His atoning cross work. That comes out very clearly in verse 9.
For you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood. That's the reason why He is worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. He is victorious for His people. He prevailed.
He conquered. He's glorious. And He is the pattern for His people.
The Mission of Christ
Notice thirdly, the mission of Christ. Verse 9, chapter 5. You have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. That's what we need to be about.
We need to be witnesses to every tribe and tongue and people and nation. It's easy to get sidetracked. I realize that. The devil doesn't want us to do that.
I realize that. But we must fight him. We must oppose. We must seek by the grace of God to do what Jesus does.
We need to be missions-minded. We need to be evangelists. We need to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation. We need to conduct ourselves in the fear of God, and we need to hold forth the word of truth out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
We not only need to shine as lights, we need to pray. We need to pray that Watson, pity the nations, O our God, and constrain the earth to come. We need to pray for gospel victory throughout the earth. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in North Korea.
We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in various places in the Muslim world. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters that are suffering for the cause of Jesus Christ. They are part of this. They are part of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
We need to be globally minded. It's very easy to be myopic. It's very easy to be narrow-minded. It's very easy just to see me, myself, and I.
We need to lift up our eyes and behold, the fields are white unto harvest. We need to realize there is a lot more to the Kingdom of Christ than what we see right here. We need to understand that the Lord God Most High is calling men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.
The Gospel Call
And then finally, the gospel. Christ is praised for redemption. Do not forget that he is opening a scroll of judgment which will eventually incite men to cry out in 6, 16, and 17, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand?
So if you do not know this Christ that is set forth in this chapter, the answer is to believe on Him. He is what is depicted here. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. He is the One alone that saves His people from their sins.
Believe the Gospel and you will be saved. Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Father, we give you thanks for this glorious view of your throne room, and we pray that you would just comfort our hearts and settle our minds as we see so many things in this world that do cause trouble to us, Lord. I confess in my own life the things that go on, the things that discourage me. I just pray that you would help me to get a fresh view of God and of the Lamb who sits upon the throne. I pray that you would keep this forever before the eyes of your people here on earth.
I pray for my brothers and my sisters that you would just fill each one of us with your spirit and cause us to walk in a manner that is consistent with your gospel, not to get bogged down with the trials and the difficulties, but to look upward, to look to that throne and the land that sits upon it. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.