God Speaks
Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before, which sounded like a mighty trumpet blast, spoke to me and said, “Come up here and I will show you what must happen in the future!”
2 And instantly I was in spirit there in heaven and saw—oh, the glory of it!—a throne and someone sitting on it! 3 Great bursts of light flashed forth from him as from a glittering diamond or from a shining ruby, and a rainbow glowing like an emerald encircled his throne. 4 Twenty-four smaller thrones surrounded his, with twenty-four Elders sitting on them; all were clothed in white, with golden crowns upon their heads. 5 Lightning and thunder issued from the throne, and there were voices in the thunder. Directly in front of his throne were seven lighted lamps representing the sevenfold Spirit of God. 6 Spread out before it was a shiny crystal sea. Four Living Beings, dotted front and back with eyes, stood at the throne’s four sides. 7 The first of these Living Beings was in the form of a lion; the second looked like an ox; the third had the face of a man; and the fourth, the form of an eagle, with wings spread out as though in flight. 8 Each of these Living Beings had six wings, and the central sections of their wings were covered with eyes. Day after day and night after night they kept on saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty—the one who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 And when the Living Beings gave glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four Elders fell down before him and worshiped him, the Eternal Living One, and cast their crowns before the throne, singing, 11 “O Lord, you are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for you have created all things. They were created and called into being by your act of will.”
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: After the Apostle John was given Christ’s messages to the seven churches on earth, he was invited into Heaven. The glorious things there were revealed to him as well as the events which are to come. The beauty and majesty presented are overwhelming, even though we only experience it via the printed word and our imaginations. The depth of color portrayed by the green jasper, the reddish brown of carnelian, the rich green of an emerald, and a beautiful rainbow is breathtaking to imagine. So are the twenty-four elders with their white robes and gold crowns or the four awesome living creatures covered with eyes.
Prayer: O Holy God, I am awe-struck by Your majesty and beauty. I can only in all humility whisper along with all the elders living creatures and hosts of angels, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty–the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”* I fall down and worship, casting any crown or award I may have received at Your feet. I join with the 24 elders in wonder saying, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.”** To You alone O God, be all glory, honor, and praise. AMEN
* Revelation 4:8 NLT **Revelation 4:11 NLT
Action: (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will take some significant time alone and quiet to read aloud, contemplate, and offer the praises in this chapter to the Lord in prayer.
- I will recruit one or more people to join me.
- I will start my day reading these verses aloud.
- I will use this chapter when trying to talk with someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.