1. Revelation 4
The throne room of God

2. 1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said,“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
Vers 1. So what do we get from this 1st verse.
1st sentence what was it after. Period of time? The Rapture? Do we think it was straight after the vision of the churchs?
Could this mean that Revelation was more than 1 vision all in one go.
The door to Heaven was opened. So was this after the rapture? When the Christian believers have been taken up.
1 Thessalonians ,16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God,
God told John to Come up to Heaven and he will show him what? What do we think this means?
Other throne room visions Ezekiel ch 1
Jasper & Ruby were the 1st and last stone in the breast plate of the chief preist.
Rainbow a sign of everlasting covent between man and God. Gen ch9 Vs10

3. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
24 thrones and elders, what people believe they are.
12 disciples and 12 leaders of the tribes of Israel?
24 Arch Angels ?
24 Raptured Saints?
Were they the people who rose with Christ at his resurrection. Matt 27 vs 52-53
24 Old Testament Patriarchs. Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Heber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
WHY is the representation of perfect governance. So 24 meaning perfect governance on earth and in heaven
They had white robes on and had crowns of gold. Because they were called Elders they were proberly not angels. Has angels were never referred to as elders.
In thess 4 16 to 18. So is this again after the rapture as we wont be given White robes and crowns till we go to heaven.
Noise came from the throne and we have the 7 lamp stands again ie the 7 spirits of God. Isaiah 11 is Christ possessing them.
In the bible when we talk about sea’s it normally mean masses of people or nations of people because we call it hear clear has glass and clear has crystal does that mean it is God church in heaven at peace at last with God.

4.  In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
So who do we think the 4 living creatures are. Some say they are Cherubim or Seraphim.. They are mentioned in Ezekiel Ch 1 throne room image.
People have also said that they are a manifestation of God’s characteristics because they are in the centre around the throne.
Also perhaps they are a representation of Jesus: Messiah = Lion, Ox = servant, Man = son of man, Eagle = Son of God.
As we can see from the next slide they were part of the tribes of figure head and represent the cross when they were camped in the desert.

6. is the Lord God Almighty,’[b] who was, and is, and is to come.”
8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
   “‘Holy, holy, holy
   is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
   who was, and is, and is to come.”
So if they were in any way part of God they properly would not praising him day and night.
Would they be Jesus if they Worshiped God?
Are they Cherubim or Seraphim. Let look else were to see what they are.
The word Seraphim (one seraph, two or more seraphim) means “burning ones” or nobles. They are also sometimes called the 'ones of love' because their name might come from the Hebrew root for 'love'. Seraphim are only fully described in the Bible on one occasion. This is in the book of the prophet Isaiah, when he is being commissioned by God to be a prophet and he has a vision of heaven
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2 Above himwere seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  3 And they were calling to one another:  "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."  4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."  6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.  7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."  Isaiah 6:1-7
After he [God] drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24
In Jewish folklore the 'Throne Angels' are known as Merkabah.
Having four faces on four side of their heads and being arranged in a square, they can travel in any direction without having to turn.
The word Cherub may come from a term 'to guard' which would fit well with their role. No where in the Bible are the Cherubim actually called angels!
So far from being cute, cuddly creatures, the Cherubim are the mighty and powerful guardians of God.

7. 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
So what will you do with your crown in the presence of God.
More importantly what are you doing with your life that God has given you? Are you laying it down for him.

8. 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,     to receive glory and honour and power,  for you created all things,     and by your will they were created     and have their being.”
So God created everything and we were all created for him. Not for our selves or for anyone else, but just for God.
Think what do think the reason you are on earth for?