Prophecy

Earlene Davis

Looking Into Heaven – Rev. 4 & 5

John by vision is taken into the throne room of heaven. Ch. 4:1, “After this” after John viewed the Church Age, he is still at the Lord’s Day and his view is now upward. He sees a door opened in heaven and hears the same voice, “as it were a trumpet,” it is the voice of the Lord (1:10-11). A trumpet has a clear, commanding sound. Only the full overcomers will hear that first trumpet sound, For they will be looking for the Lord’s coming, loving His appearing – II Tim. 4:7-8. Not all believers will be ready, they will not be listening for His voice. But they will get stirred up when they realize many saints are gone. They will be listening for His voice when He calls up the innumerable company of Rev. 7.

“I will show thee things which must be hereafter,” Yet future after the Church Age. The first thing we look forward to happening is the Rapture “Come up hither,” and they will ascend up to be with the Lord. “Immediately John was taken up into heaven at the trumpet voice. 

John represents the full overcomers (Smyrna & Philadelphia) taken up at the first trumpet sound. Those in graves resurrected and those alive will be translated – I Thess. 4:13-15. Believers will then be “changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye” – I Cor. 15:51-53.

“Behold a throne was set” and One sat on the throne” Christ takes His own throne. It is His day to reign – I Cor. 15:25. The nations no longer have any right to rule, Gentile times are over. The nations will refuse to relinquish their authority (Ps. 2) and Christ will have to take it from them, thus bringing on tribulation days.

The Ruler Described

In chapter 1, we saw Him as Judge, here we see Him as God Almighty. He is worshiped as the Creator (4:11). 4:3 – The Jasper stone is like our diamond and means, “He will be made prominent.” It figures His deity, He will reign as God. The sardine stone is reddish or flesh colored and means ‘ruddy’ or ‘ruddiness.’ It represents His humanity, He will have a human body and rule the universe. He is the GOD-MAN, glorified. 

Christ will be exalted to a greater height than a man has ever been exalted. He will reign a thousand years – Rev. 20:4. He will always be King, but after the thousand years, He will reign in subjection to His Father – I Cor. 15:24-28. He will reign forever and ever – Rev. 11:15.

Later in Revelation we will read a description of the heavenly Jerusalem as a Jasper stone representing the Church as possessing the qualities we see in Christ. “There was a rainbow round about the throne, like unto an emerald.” A rainbow is a token of God’s promised mercy, a sign He would never destroy the world by a flood again – Gen. 9. It will be fire next time – II Pet. 3:10-11. 

An emerald is greenish in color and figures eternal life, life out of death. Christ will take authority and judge until He has put all enemies under His feet, but over His throne is this rainbow, the promise of hope. This is a beautiful scene, we have been in the throne room of heaven – Hallelujah!

Next time, we will read, what Christ will do when He sits upon His throne.

To be continued