Revelation 4

Welcome to The Safe Space! Where we last left off in the Bible, Jesus delivered a powerful message to the seven churches, calling them to wake up, repent, remain faithful, and overcome. The warnings were serious, but so were the promises. Now, John is invited to look beyond the churches and into the very throne room of heaven. As John looks, he sees a door standing open in heaven. The same commanding voice he heard before speaks to him, saying, “Come up here,” promising to show him what must happen after these things. Immediately, John is caught up in the Spirit, and before him stands a magnificent throne with Someone seated upon it. The One on the throne shines with the brilliance of precious stones, surrounded by a rainbow glowing like an emerald. Twenty-four thrones encircle the throne of God, and seated upon them are twenty-four elders dressed in white robes with crowns of gold upon their heads. From the throne come flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before it burn seven torches of blazing fire, representing the sevenfold Spirit of God. Stretching out before the throne is something like a crystal sea, clear as glass. Then John sees four living beings surrounding the throne. They are covered with eyes, front and back, and each possesses a distinctive appearance: one resembles a lion, another an ox, another a human being, and another a flying eagle. Each has six wings covered with eyes, and day and night they never stop declaring the holiness and eternal nature of God. Their worship fills the heavenly throne room: the One who was, who is, and who is still to come is worthy of all praise. Whenever the living beings give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him. They lay their crowns before the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever. Their song declares the reason for this worship: God alone is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because He created everything. Everything exists because He wanted it to exist. The vision ends with heaven united in worship before the throne of the Creator. Before John witnesses the judgments and events still to come, he is first shown the ultimate reality behind them all: God is seated on the throne, surrounded by worship, completely holy, eternally sovereign, and worthy of all glory. The door has been opened. John has seen the throne. And the heavenly scene is only the beginning of what he is about to witness. Verse of the Day: Psalm 139:1-16 LORD, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. LORD, even before I say a word, you already know it. You are all around me—in front and in back— and have put your hand on me. Your knowledge is amazing to me; it is more than I can understand. Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run from you? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in the grave, you are there. If I rise with the sun in the east and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me. I could say, “The darkness will hide me. Let the light around me turn into night.” But even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is as light as the day; darkness and light are the same to you. You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother’s body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother’s body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old. Question of the Day: How do you feel when you consider that God knows every detail of your life?