Sermon Tone Analysis

March 20, 2012

By: John Barnett

Read, print, or listen to this resource on our website www.DiscoverTheBook.org

Open to Rev. 4.:

• Step with me into the worship center of the universe.

• Let us gaze at the One who is seated on the Eternal Throne.

• As we watch, exalt God in your spirit as the endless praise is ascending around His Throne.

• Let us be still and know who it is before whom we stand.

• And then Adore the LOVELINESS OF JESUS as He is at the center and focus of my worship.

To worship Him Who is worthy of all worship and praise is our duty and purpose of existence.

The Father seeks only one thing, and that is that we might worship Him.

To truly worship Him is to ascribe to Him that honor, praise, glory, and majesty that He is worthy of – a true “worthship.”

This day, join me as we stand in the vestibule and peer through the door into the chambers of the Most High.

Through the eyes of that faithful and true disciple of love who alone remained, heir of the apostolic band-and with his pen, tried to capture that which when Paul saw it, said it was inexpressible.

• Let us listen to the choirs of angels in numberless circles about the glassy sea and its throne as they say His worthy praise.

• Let us listen to those eternal creatures chant “Holy, holy…holy,” and by faith’s eye let us see with John that band which no man could number and listen to their songs of adoration and praise.

Do you know Him, Christ the Lord, Who merits such praise.

• Let us see Him now—worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to be praised this day by us who owe Him our all!

*ADORING THE LOVELINESS OF JESUS FILLS THE ENTIRE 4TH CHAPTER*

The Awesome Sovereign on the Throne (v.

1-3, 5)

The Awesome Scene around the Throne (v. 4, 6-7)

The Awesome Song before the Throne (v.

8-11)

*THE AWESOME SOVEREIGN ON THE THRONE *

(v.

1-3, 5)

Revelation 4:1-11

v. 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.

And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

WORSHIPING THE LOVELINESS OF JESUS

IS AT GOD'S INVITATION.

v. 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a THRONE set in heaven, and One sat on THE THRONE.

WORSHIP MUST ACKNOWLEDGE

GOD IS IN CHARGE.

• The THRONE is 46 times noted in Revelation; 14 of these times is in Chapter 4.

• The Throne and all the authority and power of God are very much evident throughout this special chapter.

v. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around THE THRONE, in appearance like an emerald.

*WORSHIPING GOD IS UTTERLY BEAUTIFUL*

• Like Saturn the Throne of God is ringed.

• Vertically like a 360 degree arch, a rainbow surrounds God's Throne.

• Horizontally like a vast plain the saints are gathered at the foot of God's Throne.

v. 5 And from THE THRONE proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.

Seven lamps of fire were burning before THE THRONE, which are the seven Spirits of God.

*WORSHIP FLOWS WHEN WE HEED THE HOLINESS OF GOD*

• Ezekiel saw what Moses saw at Mount Sinai, when God came down to give the law, thunder and lightning accompanied Him (Ex.

19:16).

• The seven lamps connote completeness and symbolize the Holy Spirit of God (Rev.

1:4; note also Ezek.

1:13).

• The writers of Scripture, seeking to describe the indescribable, portray the presence of God as an unbelievable display of power filled with thunder and lightning, blinding light, and a sparkling, dazzling array of colors and rainbows.

*THE AWESOME SCENE AROUND THE THRONE*

(v. 4, 6-7)

v. 4 Around THE THRONE were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

*WORSHIP UNITES THE REDEEMED OF ALL THE AGES MEETING AT THE FEET OF JESUS.*

• The number 24 suggests many Biblical ideas.

• There were 24 courses of priests in the service of the Tabernacle and temple (I Chr.

24:3-5).

• There are also two groups of 12 that represent God's saints: the 12 Tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles of Christ's Church.

v. 6 Before THE THRONE there was a sea of glass, like crystal.

And in the midst of THE THRONE, and around THE THRONE, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

*WORSHIP IS UNCEASINGLY OFFERED IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.*

v. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

*WORSHIP IS TO REFLECT GOD'S ATTRIBUTES: JESUS KINGSHIP, SERVANTHOOD,

HUMANITY AND DEITY.*

THE AWESOME SONG BEFORE THE THRONE

(V.

8-11)

v. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within.

And they do not rest day or night, saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!”

WORSHIP FOCUSES SOLELY UPON GOD.

• Almighty is used 9 times in revelation; 31 times in Job.

The only other time in New Testament is II Cor.

6:18.

v. 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on THE THRONE, who lives forever and ever,

WORSHIP HONORS AND GLORIFIES GOD.

v. 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on THE THRONE and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before THE THRONE, saying:

*WORSHIP DEMANDS OUR TOTAL SUBMISSION TO GOD*.

v. 11 “You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.”

WORSHIP IS OUR PURPOSE IN BEING.

*ADORING THE LOVELINESS OF JESUS FILLS THE ENTIRE BOOK OF REVELATION*

• Let us look in chronological order at chapters 4-22 and see Christ, the Lamb in exaltation, both that of the faithful angelic hosts and that of the redeemed saints.

Hold on now!

There are 11 songs that make up the background music to the story.

They are songs of worship and triumph..

We DISCOVER WORSHIP AS THE BACKGROUND MUSIC OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

• So that is where we have arrived.

By way of the snatching away, we join the redeemed of all the agea around the Throne.

The atmosphere is celestial!

What do I mean?

In Revelation 4 the focus is on God as the Creator, and He is on the Throne.

Salvation starts with the ackowledgment of God as Creator.

Acts 14:15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

• Acts 17:24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

• Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him and for Him.

• In chapter 5 the focus is on Jesus the Redeemer, and God's Son is before the Throne.

In 5:13 the worship goes to Father and Son which affirms Christ's deity.

I. WORTHY OF WORSHIP IS JESUS THE ETERNAL CREATOR (Chapter 4) 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

A. all The angelic hosts worship him (V.8) – “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO IS WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME” = ETERNITY.

B. THE 24 ELDERS WORSHIP HIM (v.11) – “Worthy art thou our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they existed and were created.”