God Seated On His Throne

The key word in this chapter and chapter 5 is throne; it is used fourteen times. In fact, this is a key word in the entire book, appearing forty-six times. Here we see the throne for the first time and in John’s vision the throne is a place of the glory, judgment and mercy of God the Father.

The One seated upon the throne is God the Father. John sees God in His glory and describes what he sees as light seen through jewels. What John is seeing is not seeing the  gem stone but the color of the light as it would shine through that gem.

Psalm 104:1-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

These jeweled hues of light symbolize the glory and attributes of God the Father.

A Throne of Holiness - Jasper is a clear stone so this color speaks of God’s purity, His holiness;

A Throne of Judgment - sardine is red like a blood red ruby and it speaks of God’s wrath and judgment.

A Throne of Mercy - The color of light refracting though an emerald is green and that is a color associated with grace and mercy.

A Place of Mercy and Grace - John also sees an emerald-colored rainbow, that completely surrounds the throne, not an arc but a full halo, I imagine it would be like a sunburst, caused by the light of God’s glory. The rainbow that was the sign of God’s covenant back in Genesis 9:11–17, after the flood, is now a full rainbow shows God’s complete and finished mercy and grace to those who are His own.

This mercy and grace is also seen in the 24 elders who sit around the throne of God. These 24 are representative of all of God’s people Old Testament and New Testament who have found His grace. There were 12 tribes in the OT and 12 apostles in the New and so this number represents all the saved, all the believers, all of God’s children of all time.

These 24 are clothed in white raiment symbolizing their holiness imparted to them through grace and they wear golden crowns which symbolize rewards for their service which was empowered in God’s grace.

Victor’s Crowns - These crowns that the elder are wearing are “victor’s crowns, crowns of life” as we first heard promised in Revelation 2:10 …be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

The word crown is the Greek word στέφανος, stephanos, where we get our words for the names Stephen and Stephani, a crown. It comes from a word that means to twine or wreathe. So, these crowns are not the ones that a king or queen would wear but instead these are the crowns that athletes would wear after winning a race, these are the crowns of champions, the champions of Jesus Christ, the overcomers, the victors, the believers.

The Throne Room also shows us a Time of Judgment and Wrath: Then John sees and hears lightning, thunder and voices emanating from the throne. He also sees seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which he identifies as the seven Spirits of God, which is symbol for the full and complete power of the Holy Spirit. All these symbols show that not only is this a throne of glory and grace but it is also a throne of judgment and wrath. Lighting is the fire from heaven that God unleashes upon the prophets of Baal and thunder is always a warning of a storm that is coming. Here the Holy Spirit is not seen as a dove like He was at Jesus baptism, but now as seven burning fires, showing full and complete judgement.

The Throne Room is also a Place of Eternal Cleansing: John now in his vision sees a sea of glass like crystal. This sea was once symbolized by the brazen laver or basin in the tabernacle and in the Temple. It represents cleansing for all who have come to be in the throne room.

The Throne Room Shows us the Godhead, The Trinity

The Father is on the Throne.

The seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which he identifies as the seven Spirits of God, the full and complete power of the Holy Spirit

Then John also sees four living creatures, these creatures were created to sing praise for all eternity to the father, Son and Spirit. The KJV calls them beasts, but they are not wild animals but creations of God.

Revelation 4:6-7 …in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

These living creatures have four faces and we have seen them before if we read Ezekiel’s vision of the wheel in a wheel in Ezekiel 1:10-14 10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 11  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 12  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. 13  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Isaiah’s Vision: The Seraphim in Isaiah 6:2 called them the seraphims, “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

There are differences between these visions, but I think that is due to the perspective of Ezekiel, Isaiah and John. I also believe John sees much more because he has seen an experienced the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies. So he is allowed to see more, because he would understand more.

Firstly, the Seraphim are symbols of God as the creator of all living creatures but in more detail we can see that are symbols of the Son of God in his roles as the King who was also the Servant and the God who was also Man. The four faces of the lion, the man, the ox and the eagle, show Jesus as the King symbolized by the lion, Jesus as the servant symbolized by the ox, Jesus as God symbolized by the eagle and Jesus as man in the face of the man on the seraphim.

Our Seat In The Throne Room

As I think about this scene taking place in John’s vision, this incredible, glorious representation of what the throne room of heaven will be like and all the amazing, unbelievable things we see, I can’t help but think of the most amazing thing, that we are also represented there.

We see the blinding radiance of God on His throne, we are awed of his holiness, we are swept away by His mercy but so thankful that we will not experience His terrible wrath. We see Our Father and Creator seated on the throne, the symbol of His authority and power. We see the living creatures, surrounding the throne but then wonder of wonders, we also see these 24 who are also seated in seats before the throne, seats of honor next to the throne of God Himself reserved for the children of God. It truly will be amazing, that those seats are reserved for us, the children of God. And yet it shouldn’t surprise us because who else would the Father want beside him but his own children.

John writes to Gauis in 3rd John and says, “I have no great joy than to know that my children walk in truth.” That is a sentiment that every parent understands. There is no greater joy, no greater sense of pride than in your children’s achievements, their good works. We have that sentiment in our hearts because it comes from our heavenly Father. When we get heaven we will have a seat beside the throne of our Father, because part of his glory in that throne room will be us, His children.

Ephesians 1:12-14  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Our faith, our trust, our redemption and the life of service that follows our salvation are those things which bring praise to God’s glory. We are God’s trophies of grace the throne room of heaven is His mantle place where those trophies will sit right beside Him, surrounding the throne shining in and being a part of His glory.

Are you ready for that? Wouldn’t it be terrible to miss this? To not experience such an event. Oh, I could tell you about how eternally horrific Hell is going to be, but can you imagine missing heaven and not seeing this event not in a vision but in person, not recorded in the Bible but in real time, not virtually, but literally, not through the eyes of faith but through the eyes of our newly resurrected, sinless, perfect body. And you know what, you won’t need any corrective lenses to behold this glorious day, though you may wish for some heavenly sunglasses because, Child of God, it is going to be bright. Its okay to get excited, this is our day. The day we see God our Father, what a reunion that will be.