Soon

Here is the link to last week’s study of Revelation, “Soon”.

As I explained before, I am learning this information with you, my patient readers. Thank you for sticking with me. I hope you will continue to share Seed Basket with your friends and family. People are hungry to know our Savior.

I am not a theologian or even a theology student, but I hope to inspire every believer to read more of God’s Word, no matter how mysterious a section may seem.

Knowing God’s Word is knowing our loving and majestic Father.

After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Revelation 4:1

The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone.

In this first verse, the open door to Heaven is symbolic of God allowing John to see the visions of future events. These events were ordained by God from the beginning.

God does not allow us to have future knowledge of His plans without His authority. John could not have claimed to be wise beyond God’s provision.

The Throne Room of Heaven

Everything in Revelation 4 occurs in the throne room of Heaven, where Jesus speaks to John. By God’s Spirit, he “sees” these images.

Having the experience of such nearness to the Father, to Jesus and of course the Spirit living in him must have been indescribable. John must have felt so blessed and filled spiritually in his heart!

In this chapter, the full majestic splendor of God would have been breathtaking.

But, as we see in chapter 1, John was empowered to handle his heavenly encounter. Bible scholars think that normal nervousness and bodily reactions were no impediment. He was strengthened to endure and to take in all the wonders, sights, and sounds.

At the beginning of our study of Revelation, you might recall this:

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.” Revelation 1:17

John was strengthened by Jesus’ own touch, to withstand his heavenly encounter.

“Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there was a throne in heaven, and someone was seated on it.”

Revelation 4:2

That was God, seated on the throne.

“The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.”

Revelation 4:3

John did not see God as if He had human features. the jewels and rainbow were meant to describe God with the most beautiful objects in creation. Matthew Henry tells us this:

“This jasper is a transparent stone, which yet offers to the eye a variety of the most vivid colours, signifying the glorious perfections of God; the sardine-stone is red, signifying the justice of God, that essential attribute of which he never divests himself in favour of any, but gloriously exerts it in the government of the world, and especially of the church, through our Lord Jesus Christ. This attribute is displayed in pardoning as well as in punishing, in saving as well as in destroying sinners.”

Henry, M. (1 Mar, 1996). Commentary on Revelation 4 by Matthew Henry. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Rev/Rev_004.cfm¹

I think this is a great place to end today’s study. Please take a moment to read the passages out loud. Then re-read the Matthew Henry quote. Think about the last sentence of Dr. Henry’s quote. Our God is so holy. We do not deserve life, much less the opportunity to be saved by God’s grace. God is so good.

“Let the Book live to me, oh Lord. Show me Thyself within Thy Word. Show me myself. And show me my Savior. And let the Book live to me.”²

R. Hudson Pope

1. Henry, M. (1 Mar, 1996). Commentary on Revelation 4 by Matthew Henry. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Rev/Rev_004.cfm¹ ↩︎
2. Let the Book Live to Me
   R. Hudson Pope
   CA 1945 ↩︎

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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