Here we have the Apostle John, the beloved Apostle and he is on the island of Patmos. Everybody thought he got a bum deal--all he got was to take care of Mary, that was it--remember that? Oh no, that's not all for him. He got to write the Book of Revelation and he gets to go up to heaven too. God had something special for him at the end. Couldn't kill him boiling him in oil, I wouldn't want to go through the system without dying that way. Anyway, God had a blessing for him and here it is.
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1).
"Hereafter," they always miss that. He's taking him up here to look hereafter. Listen, if you are at the end of time--if you are in eternity--you can definitely see the end from the beginning. God can, yea, look over here, see David, see Solomon ... look way over there, this is what is going to happen. God can do that! And so He took John up there to see what is going happen. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ! We are going to see what Jesus is going to do. So, I like this 'hereafter.'
Some would say this 'hereafter' was the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Nuh uh, the Book of Revelation was written twenty years after that occurrence. So 'hereafter' means . . . 'hereafter!'
John was going to be shown the things which would come to pass in the future, not the things which were in heaven in John's lifetime. John first sees twenty-four elders sitting around the Throne of God, and he sees four beasts in the midst and around about the Throne. Then in Revelation chapter five, which is obviously a continuation in time of what John saw. John sees the seven-sealed book in verse 1 . . .
"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals" (Revelation 5:1).
This is very interesting, what John is allowed to see.
"And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne" (Revelation 5:7).
When you do the connection with the thrones, it's amazing how the Book will open up to you and show you how the throne of David is the throne of glory in Jerusalem during the Millennium. That is where Jesus receives all the crowns--sits on that throne--because He won it physically on planet earth.
John had been weeping . . .
"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof" (Revelation 5:5).
Now let's let the Scripture continue to describe what John saw. He saw a book. He saw how powerful the book is. Who can open it? No one. John starts to weep. You got a Book. You know how you receive revealed truth? By Him. By Him! He is the only One worthy to open this Book. So all of a sudden now business is picking up with John. Now he is seeing this continue.
Why is this important? Because John has gone up to heaven to see the future, and when he sees what is up yonder all of a sudden he sees a choir and they are singing. And what is important is that chapter five is in front of chapter six. Chapter six starts the seals. And if you get chapters four and five together, YOU GOT IT, no one can trick you into starting with chapter six.
"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:8-12).
What are they saying? "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!" Well, who are the they that are singing this new song? and number over a hundred million? Why? There is no doubt about it. This is the church of God, seen by John, already in heaven before the opening of the first seal by the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 6:1. And you need to get that, Yes!
How did they get there before the seals were even opened if they are supposed to go through part of the Tribulation?
Now, consider this passage . . .
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-14).
Now, again, and pay attention to this . . .
"Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1).
"Hereafter," they always miss that. He's taking him up here to look hereafter. Listen, if you are at the end of time--if you are in eternity--you can definitely see the end from the beginning. God can, yea, look over here, see David, see Solomon ... look way over there, this is what is going to happen. God can do that! And so He took John up there to see what is going happen. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ! We are going to see what Jesus is going to do. So, I like this 'hereafter.'
Some would say this 'hereafter' was the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Nuh uh, the Book of Revelation was written twenty years after that occurrence. So 'hereafter' means . . . 'hereafter!'
John was going to be shown the things which would come to pass in the future, not the things which were in heaven in John's lifetime. John first sees twenty-four elders sitting around the Throne of God, and he sees four beasts in the midst and around about the Throne. Then in Revelation chapter five, which is obviously a continuation in time of what John saw. John sees the seven-sealed book in verse 1 . . .
"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals" (Revelation 5:1).
This is very interesting, what John is allowed to see.
"And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne" (Revelation 5:7).
When you do the connection with the thrones, it's amazing how the Book will open up to you and show you how the throne of David is the throne of glory in Jerusalem during the Millennium. That is where Jesus receives all the crowns--sits on that throne--because He won it physically on planet earth.
John had been weeping . . .
"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof" (Revelation 5:5).
Now let's let the Scripture continue to describe what John saw. He saw a book. He saw how powerful the book is. Who can open it? No one. John starts to weep. You got a Book. You know how you receive revealed truth? By Him. By Him! He is the only One worthy to open this Book. So all of a sudden now business is picking up with John. Now he is seeing this continue.
Why is this important? Because John has gone up to heaven to see the future, and when he sees what is up yonder all of a sudden he sees a choir and they are singing. And what is important is that chapter five is in front of chapter six. Chapter six starts the seals. And if you get chapters four and five together, YOU GOT IT, no one can trick you into starting with chapter six.
"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:8-12).
What are they saying? "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!" Well, who are the they that are singing this new song? and number over a hundred million? Why? There is no doubt about it. This is the church of God, seen by John, already in heaven before the opening of the first seal by the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 6:1. And you need to get that, Yes!
How did they get there before the seals were even opened if they are supposed to go through part of the Tribulation?
Now, consider this passage . . .
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-14).
Now, again, and pay attention to this . . .
"Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).
