Title: Glory of the Throne
Contents
2006' Lecture on Revelation from the pulpit of Kyunghyang (17)
"The Glory of the Throne"
Revelation 4:3-6
The Apostle John was able to witness the glory of the one who sat on the throne through the heavenly gate opened on the island of Patmos. But he could not see the reality of the one who sat on the throne.
1 Timothy 1:17 says, “The King of all ages, the incorruptible, invisible, the only God.” In John 1:18 it says, “No one has ever seen God.” Still, the apostle John could see the glory of its existence.
I. God's Attribute Glory (Rev 4:1~3)
1. I saw the God of holiness.
In Revelation 4:3, it is said that “the shape of the one who sat down is like a jasper”. This jasper is the most brilliant of all gems. This “jasper” also appears in Revelation 21:11. He said it was clear as crystal. This represents the God of purity, the God of holiness. He is a God who is away from uncleanness and darkness.
2. I saw the God of justice.
In Revelation 4:3, “… shape... It’s like a publicity seat.”
This publicity stone is a ruby, representing God's wrath against sin and a God of justice, a God of justice who punishes judgment.
3. I saw the God of mercy, the God of covenant.
Revelation 4:3 also says, “And there was a rainbow, and it was surrounded by a throne, and its shape was like a chrysanthemum.” So it's like a green gem with a rainbow around it.
The green gemstone was emerald, and green was a symbol of mercy and grace. The rainbow around it is a symbol of God's faithful covenant (Genesis 9:12-16).
The glory of God as above is his three major attributes. A holy God, a righteous God, a God of mercy.
“Holy God” is the glory of a God who is free from evil.
The ‘God of justice’ is the glory of his judgment on sinners.
The ‘God of mercy’ is a manifestation of the glory of love for God’s children.
Today's earthly church is the stage of God's glory. The church on earth must have holiness, justice, and mercy.
4. I saw the God of judgment (Revelation 4:5).
Revelation 4:5 says, “Out of the throne went lightnings, and voices and thunders.”
Here, ‘lightning, voice, and thunder’ means that God’s righteous judgment will appear.
Psalm 18:13 says, “The Lord thunders from heaven, and the Most High gives a voice, and hail and coals come down.” These are instruments of judgment to punish the wicked.
Psalm 29:3-9 says, “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters; the voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic; the voice of the Lord is the cedar. He breaks down the cedars of Lebanon, He breaks them to pieces; He makes them leap like calves; He makes Lebanon and Syria leap like wild calves. The voice of the LORD cuts through the flames. The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh; the voice of the LORD causes the deer to abort, and the forest is razed to the ground, and everything in its temple says, "Glory."
Lightning, thunder, and voice are the voices of the LORD judging the wicked. It was said that the sound came from the heavenly throne.
The people of Noah's day were judged by the flood from the throne for their sins of unbelief and were buried (Genesis 6:3).
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were judged by fire and brimstone from the throne after repeating their sins of unbelief, pride, and fornication (Gen. 19:24).
When the Egyptians persecuted the chosen people of Israel, they were destroyed by the ten plagues that came from the throne.
Nadab and Abihu were burned to death by offering unholy fire (Leviticus 10:1).
Saul was arrogant in the dark and was struck by God and died (1 Samuel 31:6).
Aninia and Sapphira were punished by deceit for lying in the presence of the Holy Spirit and died instantly (Acts 5:5, 10).
King Herod did not give glory to God and was bitten by a worm (Acts 12:33).
At the throne of God are lightnings and thunder to judge the wicked, and the glory of judgment, which is a voice.
The Church of God, the throne of God on earth, shows not only the glory of salvation, but also the glory of judgment that judges and condemns the world of unbelief.
5. I saw God as the seven lamps, the Spirit (Revelation 4:5).
In Revelation 4:5 it is also said, “… There were seven lamps lit before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
In the Old Testament tabernacle, there was the Most Holy (throne), and in front of this Most Holy (throne) were seven lamps. This light was always on from sunset to sunrise, and kept out the darkness.
It is said that there are seven lamps lit on the throne of God (heaven). These seven lamps are said to be the seven spirits of God.
This is also recorded in Revelation 1:4 that “there are seven spirits before the throne”.
Isaiah 11:2 says, "The God of the LORD, the god of wisdom and understanding, the god of counsel and talent, the god of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."
It means that the glory of the perfect Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God Himself, illuminates the throne.
The absence of darkness is a characteristic of the heavenly throne. It is so full of the glory of the Spirit of God that even the light of the Sun, Moon, and Holy Ghost is useless.
The church of the Lord, the throne of the earth, must be filled with the Spirit of God and become a pillar of fire. The darkness must go before him. No, it must be the land of death, the city of light for the people who live in darkness.
II. The glory of purity (Revelation 4:6)
Revelation 4:6 says, “Before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal.”
Here, the sea of glass, clear as crystal, is the place where the saints of heaven are playing the harp (Rev 15:2).
Revelation 21:11 says that the holy city (heaven) is like a sea of glass.
In the Old Testament sanctuary, there was a laver made of brass for the priests to wash their hands and feet (Ex. 30:18-21). Also, there was a great sea (a large basin) made of bronze in Solomon's temple (1 Kings 7:23).
These all refer to the glory of the throne that was cleansed by the merit of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The throne in heaven was established based on the merits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and the atoned saints stay in front of that throne.
The Lord's Church, His throne on earth, must retain this glory of purity. The harp of peace must be played on the clean glass sea.