Jump Start # 142 

Revelation 4:1-3 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in Heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’ Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in Heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.”

  We are looking this week at images of God. Here in John’s vision of Heaven he sees God sitting on the throne in Heaven. Space won’t allow us to list this entire chapter, but similar to Isaiah’s vision of God it is one of Holiness and Glory. If you get a chance today, take a look at this chapter, it’s only 11 verses long.

  There are several remarkable things here. First, John sees a door opened in Heaven. That very concept invites him to see what is there. A closed door, or a locked door would prohibit any viewing and we would be left to guessing. But the door is opened. What John sees first, is the throne and one sitting on the throne. This is the central image of Heaven. Throughout this chapter and into the next chapter we read about angels, elders, and heavenly creatures. Their place is around the throne. They give glory to the one on the throne. The throne and the one on the throne is the foremost priority here.

  It is interesting that John doesn’t talk about the golden streets, or the “land of cloudless day” or “the roses that do not fade” but the one on the throne. Heaven is about God. Heaven is God’s house. It is not our fantasy island where all of our dreams and wishes come true. That is vain and materialistic in thinking. Heaven is not golf courses, lakes to fish in, malls to shop in, amusement parks to enjoy—that is taking our world up there. Heaven is not about us. It is about God.

  John never calls God “God” in this chapter. He is defined in radiance and beauty. Again, like Isaiah, this vision does not show God as an old man. Holiness and splendor are the concepts. John sees God in relationship to very costly stones—Jasper and Sardius. Jasper is a form of quartz that could be brown, yellow, green or gray in color. Sardius is a variety of chalcedony and typically transparent red in color. One must remember in visions, like Revelation, Ezekiel and other places, that colors, stones, numbers are used to “represent” things. God is not a rock. God is not a stone. God is living and powerful. From these colors, lessons could be made to connect to the character of God. Around the throne John saw a green rainbow. Our rainbows are not one color. Again, this is a vision. Green is the color of growing things. A green yard, or green leaves on a tree is a good sign. A brown yard is bad news. The rainbow takes us to Noah and the promises of God. God is a God of promises. But more than one who makes promises, God is one who fulfills and keeps His promises.

  Later in Revelation four God is praised by the Heavenly host who declare, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty…” Language very similar to what Isaiah heard in chapter 6 of his book. Those around God recognize who and what God is. He is Holy. He is the God of Heaven and Earth.

  God is not a Jeanie who grants my every wish. He is God. It is His will, not my will that is foremost. Jesus understood this in His garden prayer when He said, “Thy will be done.” Glorious and wonderful is the image of God that we are getting through these visions. God is not mean. He is not a tyrant. He is not out of touch. How we view God affects our relationship with Him and it affects how we respond to Him. Great is our God. God is so good, we sing. There is no one like God!

Roger