Who Is Worthy?

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Who Is Worthy?"

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
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The incredible sights seen by John in God’s Throne Room are clearly made by an intellect beyond genius. That would be the mind of God. It may even cause us to ask the question, “Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?”  His reality, or ours? As we saw in last week’s study, the fantastic visions John saw in heaven, are the true reality of Earthly things seen through “a glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Our Earthly reality replicates the things in heaven, though not clearly. They are imitations of things in heaven, perhaps accurate, but out of focus by our earthbound eyes. You may recall that even Adam and Eve were made in God’s image. Yet, the glory of humans pale when compared to God.

While humans are the highest functioning beings on Earth, there are many others which function differently. Things on Earth replicate heavenly things, I might postulate. Revelation chapter 19 indicates that there are horses in Heaven, why not others of God’s creatures? God is orderly, and Jesus said, “all things of my Father, I have made unto you.” Our vision may be a bit foggy, but when you hear someone say “this is a little slice of heaven,” it is more likely true than false, as much as we can imagine.

“Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God, and it doth not YET appear what we SHALL be: but we know that, WHEN He shall appear, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see Him as HE IS." - 1 John 3:15.

“For now we see through a glass darkly; but THEN face to face: Now I know in part; but THEN I shall know even as I am known" - 1 Corinthians 13:12.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:

Revelation 4:8-11 - Who Is Worthy?

Summary/Notes: 

** We apologize for a bit of technical difficulty the first few minutes of this message.  There is a 5g cell phone tower directly across the street from the church, which on occasion, seems to interfere with our wireless radio signal effecting our recordings.  Thankfully we have a backup plan for when that happens.  This is an important message, so don't get discouraged.  The recording is much better after a couple of minutes.

This week, we are finishing up chapter 4 in the book of Revelation.  John is still describing all that he sees and hears in the throne room of heaven.   Here is the throne of God set in heaven.  Sitting on this throne is the ruler of the universe, Almighty God, the Creator of all that exists.  John does not describe Him by any human features but has given us a fantastic description of the pure, brilliant, sparkling, perfectly crystal clear, and reflective Light that sits on the throne, like a Jasper.  Also, like a sardius stone, ruby red in color, signifying His provision of sacrifice, the blood of Jesus, as well as the justice of God, judgment that will proceed to those who have not believed. 

The rainbow around the throne was the seal of the covenant of promise that God made with Noah and his posterity, and the covenant of promise that God made with Christ and all those who belong to Him, demonstrating God's grace and mercy, and faithfulness. This is not like any rainbow we have ever seen but was like an emerald in appearance.   

Last week we looked at the twenty-four elders seated (their work is completed) on twenty-four lesser thrones, with golden crowns upon their heads.  They are clothed in white garments, symbolizing eternal righteousness.  These are the representatives of the glorified church.  The church at this point is present in heaven, the rapture has taken place. We know that these twenty-four elders are not angels, as their work is complete, and the angelic beings have much more to do.  

From the throne, John tells us about the seven lamps symbolizing the seven spirits of God.  He describes that in the midst of the throne, there are thunderings and lightnings and voices - speaking of the judgment that is coming upon the earth, to those who have refused to believe.

God's glory is reflected in the sea of glass... His beauty, His holiness, His splendor and majesty, His sovereign power and authority...all on display in this glorious, fantastic and utterly incomparable place. The absoluteness of perfection.

Next are the four living beings, in the center and around the throne of God.  The prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament gives the same description.  See Ezekiel Chapter 1.  John sees four living creatures with various faces and manifestations.  He sees the spirit of those creatures, beautiful and glorious beings who are indescribable in our limited understanding.   In Ezekiel 10:15, these living beings were the cherubim in brilliant light and glory. Cherubim are angels and are frequently referred to in the Old Testament with God's divine power.   See Psalm 80:1 and Psalm 99:1. These beings are in God's presence, and they are guarding His holiness, expressing His power when called to do so.

In the book of Exodus, we know the Israelites make their exodus from Egypt marking the end of a period of oppression for Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:13).  It is the beginning of the fulfillment of the covenant promise to Abraham that his descendants would not only live in the Promised Land but would also multiply and become a great nation (Genesis 12:1-3, 7).  God made a covenant (a conditional covenant) with the children of Israel through His servant Moses. He promised good to them and their children for generations if they obeyed Him and His laws; but warned of despair, punishment, and dispersion if they were to disobey.  He instructs them to build a tabernacle.  As a sign of His covenant, He had the Israelites make a box according to His own design, in which to place the second set of stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. This box, or chest, was called an “ark” and was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The Ark was to be housed in the inner sanctum of the tabernacle in the desert and eventually in the Temple when it was built in Jerusalem. This chest is known as the Ark of the Covenant.

The real significance of the Ark of the Covenant was what took place involving the lid of the box, known as the "Mercy Seat." The term ‘mercy seat’ comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to cover, placate, appease, cleanse, cancel or make atonement for.” It was here that the high priest, only once a year (Leviticus 16), entered the Holy of Holies where the Ark was kept and atoned for his sins and the sins of the Israelites. The priest sprinkled blood of a sacrificed animal onto the Mercy Seat to appease the wrath and anger of God for past sins committed. This was the only place in the world where this atonement could take place.

The Mercy Seat on the Ark was a symbolic foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice for all sin—the blood of Christ shed on the cross for the remission of sins. The Apostle Paul wrote about Christ being our covering for sin in Romans 3:24-25. 

There is also a description in 1 Kings 6, with the two cherubim that were placed in the midst of the inner sanctuary in the temple.  The inner sanctuary being the Holy of Holies, the cherubim spread out over the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant, symbols guarding the holiness of God, and representing the power of God as He acts against sin.  

So back to chapter four, John is seeing is God's reality!  Everything we see on earth is a shadow of things to come.  Although God has revealed these things to us, we are unable to comprehend fully, because of sin.  Because of Adam's sin, the Human Race lost the Holy Spirit, our understanding became tainted, blurred, foggy, and lacking.

The four creatures or angelic beings are in the presence of God adoring and worshiping Him.  In verse 8 it says that they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."  It is their constant occupation both day and night to offer God the worship that is rightly due Him. 

John hears the beautiful worship of God and sees the response of the twenty-four elders as they fall down before the Lord, and lay their crowns before Him knowing that He alone is worthy to receive all the glory and honor and power. He is the Creator of all things and the object of creation.  All things were created by His will and for His pleasure.  That's right, we were created by God, not for His entertainment, but for His pleasure.  His desire to dwell with us, to fellowship with us, for us to know Him, personally, and to love and worship Him for who He is.  Thou art worthy!

What can anyone possibly pretend to give unto God what already is His? Creation existed in God’s mind before He created the universe. From the beginning, He was the Creator of all things, and the Preserver of all things. He alone upholds and sustains all that exists. It was by His will and for His pleasure. He is the sovereign One, and He is Lord over all.

The elders’ response is most likely the way we will all respond when we receive our reward from Jesus. We will be so overcome with gratitude because of what He has done for us that worship will be spontaneous.

In today's message, Pastor Bob will be showing us some comparisons from the Old Testament about the image that John is seeing, and the image that was created with the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat and the cherubim upon it. 

This morning's scripture reading in Genesis 1:20-27, are the keys to understanding the things we are reading about in the book of Revelation.  All the things we see on earth, are a shadow of the things to come in heaven for us. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - 1 Corinthians 13:12.  

Our New Reality Awaits

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Our New Reality Awaits"

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

In the Gospel that bears his name, John identified himself as “the Apostle whom Jesus loved” at least four times (John 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20). And as of last week’s first three verses in Chapter 4, this same beloved apostle stood in the throne room of God. His eyes beheld His Throne of Glory shining brightly as jewels, surrounded by a rainbow, like emeralds, and then John notices the real beauty that is emanating from the One who sat on the Throne: Jesus who loves him, now in His natural state.

Jesus Himself is more beautiful than the Throne, shining as clear Jasper and ruby stones in the brightness of Himself. Later in Revelation, we will read that the sun, moon, and stars will be gone, and Jesus provides all the light we will need and more! The physical state will be gone at that time, and all is lit in His heavenly presence.

This is the level of love that Jesus wants John to write about while there still exists a dark physical realm, a love so deep that it takes one’s breath away, and provides us with hope. John then notices other things around the Throne Room and begins more descriptions of phenomenal things. I cannot imagine what must have been going through John’s mind at this point. (Jesus left all this temporarily; the Word of God put on human flesh for 33 years, so He could save us!)

Twenty-four Elders were seated around the Throne. The King James Version says the elders are on seats, but notations to the original language indicate that those seats were thrones too. Lightnings, thundering, and voices also emanated from Christ’s Throne. Lighted Golden Lampstands, which are the Seven Spirits of God… If it were me, my eyes would be popping out of my head by this time!

But all of these things are symbolic of things we have read of in the Old Testament, as Jesus fulfills even these things for us in His Word. We will read of the Four Beasts full of eyes too! All these things are real in Heaven, so this is one of the most exciting prophetic chapters in the Bible! This is the reality that Jesus exists in; and it awaits us as Believers and followers of Christ.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” - 1 John 3:2

Sunday Morning Audio Message:

Revelation 4:4-8 (part 2) - "Our New Reality Awaits"

Summary/Notes: 

Our scripture reading this morning is from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13:8-13.  In verse 12, Paul explains that in our physical state, reality is that we see through a glass darkly. In other words, we see shadows, images that are not clear. The physical properties of earth do not exist in heaven. God dwells in a reality that is not ours on this earth.  This earthly experience of God’s divine love gives us a taste of His perfect grace and glory. We participate to a limited degree in the full perfection we will one day know and enjoy when we stand in God’s presence in eternity. We will see clearly when we see Him face to face.

In 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul speaks of a third heaven, where Paul was caught up. This is the home of God, or where He dwells. While scripture is clear that there is no place that can contain God (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18, Isaiah 66:1 and many others), heaven, as it were, is His home.

We get a glimpse and some understanding of the third heaven from scripture. Ezekiel chapter 1 describes God's throne in heaven. Ezekiel describes what he saw when God gave him a look at heaven.

In Revelation 4, the apostle John had been given the wonderful privilege of visiting heaven.  In verse 1, John had been to be shown the things which must be here after.  Remember back in chapter 1 verse 19, John was instructed by Jesus to write the things that he had seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. This is the record of what John saw and heard when he was taken to heaven. 

Last week, in part one of chapter 4, we covered the first three verses.  The apostle saw the throne room in heaven, the presence of God and the Lamb.  Chapters four and five set the scene for the judgment which begins to unfold in chapter 6.

Again, John wrote, "behold, a throne was set in heaven," describing the dwelling place of God. The throne is a symbol of sovereign rule, and supreme authority, and it is set, permanently.  His eyes are then fixed on the glorious One seated upon the throne, not described by human features, but represented by a likeness - His surpassing brightness, symbolizing the perfect excellence of His Divine nature, and of His justice. The rainbow is a symbol of mercy and grace. John describes Him as like a jasper, crystal clear, refracting all the colors of spectrum and brilliance.  And Sardius, a fiery bright ruby stone, the Lamb that was slain, without blemish.  There was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.  From the time of Noah, the rainbow became a sign of God's faithfulness to His Word. 

This week John begins with a description of the twenty-four thrones around the throne, and seated in them were twenty-four elders, representing, probably, the whole church of God.  The elders' joint rule with Christ, their white garments, and their gold crowns all seem to indicate that these 24 people represent the redeemed (vv. 9-11; 5:5-14; 7:11-17; 11-16-18; 14:3; 19:4).  We don't know who these 24 elders are, there are many differing opinions, but these elders are best understood as being representatives of the church. 

Their sitting denotes a place of honor and rest. They are seated around the throne, in the presence of God, seeing Him face to face. They are clothed in white raiment, which is the imputed righteousness of the saints and their holiness through Christ: and they had on their heads, crowns of gold, signifying the glory they have with Him.

The lightnings and thunderings, and voices (vs. 5) are not the fury of nature, but the firestorm of righteous fury about to come from an awesome, powerful God upon a sinful world (8:5; 11:19; 16:18).

There are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which represent the seven Spirits of God described in Isaiah 11:2. The prophecy is that the Messiah would be empowered not by seven individual spirits but by the One Spirit, described seven ways:

1. The Spirit of the LORD
2. The Spirit of wisdom
3. The Spirit of understanding
4. The Spirit of counsel
5. The Spirit of power
6. The Spirit of knowledge
7. The Spirit of the fear of the Lord

John describes seeing a sea of glass before the throne, it was like crystal.  the sea here, is metaphorical.  How do we know, verse 21:1 tells us that there is no sea in heaven.  What John saw was crystal glass, like a sea, around the base of the throne refracting through every imaginable prism that could possibly contain the light of God's glory.  Jesus, the Light of the world.

Next, he describes four living creatures around the throne, full of eyes, front and back.  Although no omniscient, an attribute reserved for God alone, these four living creatures, or beings, angels, have a comprehensive knowledge and perception.  Nothing escapes their scrutiny.

The four living creatures (literally “beings”) are a special, exalted order of angelic being or cherubim. This is clear by their close proximity to the throne of God. Ezekiel 1:12–20 suggests that they are in constant motion around the throne.  One resembles a lion, another a calf, and another with the face of a man, and lastly one like an eagle. 

Revelation 5:6–14 describes the duties or purposes of the four living creatures. They fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus Christ, offering the same reverence to Him that they did to the Father (Revelation 4:6–9), proof positive of the deity of Jesus Christ. Along with the twenty-four elders, they have “harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8).

The purpose of the four living creatures also has to do with declaring the holiness of God and leading in worship and adoration of God, and they are involved in some way with God’s justice, for when He opens the first four seals and sends out the four horsemen to destroy, their powerful voices, like thunder, command “come” (Revelation 6:1–8). The horsemen respond to the summons of the four powerful creatures, indicating the power the creatures possess. That power is seen again in Revelation 15:7 when one of the four unleashes the last seven plagues of God’s wrath on mankind.

The four living creatures are very similar, if not the same, beings as those in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 and Isaiah 6:1–3. They are four in number, full of eyes, have faces like the beings in Ezekiel 1:10, have six wings (Isaiah 6:2), and offer worship as the beings in Isaiah 6:3, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.” They may not be the exact same beings, but they definitely are comparable and probably of the same order.

What do these faces on these cherubim mean? Ezekiel tells us they all had all the faces, but the way they were turned when John saw them, he saw the one with one face, the other with another and another and another. What does it mean? What do they represent? Well, some have suggested that the lion speaks of untamed creatures; the calf or the bull, of domestic creatures; the man, of the greatest of all creatures; the eagle representing all the flying creatures; and that the angels are seen in their relation to the created world, that they have some duty and responsibility on behalf of God to tend to the created world.

It is also possible that the lion symbolizes strength and power, the calf symbolizes humble service, the man symbolizes reason, and the eagle symbolizes speed. It may well be, then, that what you have here are cherubim that are represented as being able to see and be aware of vast amounts of information and action. And that these angels are powerful, dutiful, serving, rational, swift beings in discharging their duty. I like to think that they are symbolic in that regard. Again, the lion symbolizing strength and power; the calf, service rendered; the man, reason; and the eagle, speed. They are swift, they are rational, they are service-oriented, and they are powerful.

We could say, they represent all of God's created order, not only could they represent certain characteristics and attributes of the angels themselves, but it is also reasonable to say that they may even have represented God’s people because in the past, God collected His people under the banner of these four. Perhaps these angels, then, have some special role in the life of Israel.

Pastor Bob will even share how these creatures bear the same attributes of our Lord.

Ever With The Lord

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Ever With The Lord"

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

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Jesus reveals Himself in all His glory to John in Chapter 1. The letters in chapters 2 and 3 are specific to each of those churches, and bleed into the future as we see the state of the Church revealed in each era of The Church Age. Laid out for the reader is discovery on every page. And each page gives us references to the past from the Torah and the Gospels. Suddenly, movies like “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea,” and “Fantastic Voyage” pale in comparison to God’s Masterful Works. Mankind’s highest levels of thought and imagination become a baseline for God’s will for Creation and His plan of salvation.

Chapter 4 finds John scooped up into heaven, and he immediately found himself in the spirit, and in God’s throne room. From here on, the chronology continues into “the things which shall be.” John has been tasked with writing of these things, these fantastic things before him. He begins to write of this out-of-this-world experience by using the limitations of his Earthly language skills. The song, “I CAN ONLY IMAGINE” comes to mind right away.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, the Apostle Paul wrote prophetically of the Rapture of the Church, and from here on, the Church (Ecclesia in the Greek) is not mentioned in the Revelation text again until chapter 19 and Christ’s return to earth to begin His thousand-year Millennial Reign.

Once the Rapture of the Church takes place, 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says, "…and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” The Rapture will have taken us out of the world, escaping the wrath to come during the Great Tribulation Period. (1 Thessalonians 5:9 – “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

But before the Millennial Reign begins, John is to write what rejecting Christ will mean to any and all. The world will fall into chaos like never before seen. Hurtful treachery will explode upon the Earth because the Holy Spirit of God is removed. The Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of Believers. Once they are gone from the earth, so also is He.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:8.

Sunday Morning Audio Sermon

Revelation 4:1-11 - "Ever With The Lord"

Summary/Notes:  

As we continue our study in the book of Revelation, this morning we will look at the second great vision given to John by the Lord, Jesus Christ, it is a vision of heaven. Chapter 4 begins with the door of Heaven opening and John being raptured from the Isle of Patmos to the throne of God in Heaven.

The Lord has prophetic plans related to the return of our Lord, and these plans will be carried out just as He said they would, according to His timetable.   We are still living in the church age.  The church age began at Pentecost and will end when the church is raptured out of the world to be with the Lord.   As we continue our study in Revelation 4, John is called up into heaven, a type of the rapture.  

One of the important events in God's timetable is spoken about in Romans 11:25. The importance is two-fold.  First, the apostle Paul is speaking in Rome to both Jew and Gentile believers.  He tells them that should not be ignorant of this mystery.  What mystery? The mystery of the gospel of salvation.  God's promise that all Israel will be saved will only be fulfilled when the fullness of the Gentiles is complete.   Israel’s hardening will continue until the divinely set number of Gentiles are saved. When that happens, God will deliver the nation of Israel. The fullness of the Gentiles is directly connected with the salvation of Israel in God's timetable of events. Second, when that last Gentile is saved, the church will be raptured from this earth to be with the Lord, forever. 

Also, the rapture of the church is not the second coming of Christ. They are two different prophetic events.  In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Paul writes, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

In verse 1, John writes, "After this..." After what? After all that was revealed concerning the church age in the previous two chapters.  John is now called up to heaven, as an eyewitness, for the purpose of revelation.  John is taken up to see the events that will take place next, in God's timetable of events.   John has been translated in both space and time - in space to heaven, and in time to the future, and therefore was able to see and hear the amazing events of the future as an actual eyewitness, just as we shall eventually see and hear them ourselves when we, like John, are caught up into heaven to be with the Lord (1Thessalonians 4:16-17).

In the Old Testament, Enoch was caught up to Heaven before the judgment of flood poured over the earth.  John is caught up to Heaven before receiving the vision of the flood of judgment that is yet to come upon the earth.  These are types of the rapture of the church.    In the previous chapter, Jesus words to the church of Philadelphia were, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). So too, will all believers be caught up to Heaven before the judgment is actually poured out upon the earth.  The church will not pass through the Tribulation but is to be removed before God's wrath is poured out.   The Lord has promised that He would keep His church from that hour.

It's important to note that the church is not mentioned again until ⁠Revelation 19:7-9⁠ when it is portrayed as the “bride of Christ” in Heaven with Jesus celebrating the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” At ⁠Revelation 19:11⁠ the door of Heaven opens again, and Jesus emerges riding a white horse on His way to earth, followed by His Church (⁠Revelation 19:14⁠).

After experiencing Christ ministering to His church, writing down His words for the messenger of each of these seven churches, John is called up by Christ, and He writes, I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven.  At this point, the door on earth was closed to Christ, the fullness of the Gentiles is complete, and the door in heaven is open to John, and to all believers.  

John is immediately in the spirit and the first thing he describes is the divine throne room of heaven. John's focus is on the throne and the one who sits on the throne, and on the Lamb of God. As the chapter begins, we are drawn into John's vision, and we become face-to-face with the ineffable majesty Himself.

Heaven is the abode of God.  It is the place where Jesus ascended into after His resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:10-11, 3:21, 7:55-56; Romans 10:6; Colossians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).  It is also the place where the Lord has been preparing a place for all of us (John 14). 

John sees God sitting on the throne.  In verse 3, "He that sat (on the throne) was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone."  God is not described by human features, but by His transcendent brightness.  The jasper is a transparent stone.  It is a precious stone.  It is crystal clear.  Transparent and yet reflective.  It is perfect without blemish, brilliant.   We can get even a further definition of what the jasper stone is from the end of the book of Revelation, chapter 21:10-11, " And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal."  

John sees God on His throne, He is a clear and brilliant, glorious, splendorous, and magnificent.  

It is noteworthy that the jasper and the sardius were the first and the last stones on the breastplate of the high priest (Ezekiel 28).  They represent the first and the last tribes of Israel; namely Reuben, the firstborn represented by the jasper; and Benjamin, the last born, represented by the sardius.  God is in a covenant relationship with Israel.  Even though judgment is coming, God has not forgotten His promise.  He is faithful and true, and every word of His promise will be fulfilled.  Israel will be saved.  He will fulfill His covenant with them. 

Another interesting note:  Reuben, represented by the jasper, means in Hebrew "behold a son."  Benjamin, represented by the sardius, in Hebrew means "son of my right hand."

Other Old Testament prophets in their visions saw the throne of God and described it for us.  See Isaiah 6:1; 1 Kings 22:19; Psalm 47:8