Revelation 4:9

 

In Revelation 4:9-11 the Bible says,

 

"And when those four beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship him that lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

 

The 24 elders who are seated near the throne of God were given crowns to wear. These crowns were the result of faithful service to God. In II Tim. 4:7-8 the apostle Paul said near the end of his life,

 

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness."

 

God will give great rewards including crowns and positions of authority to those who have faithfully served Him. But in spite of these rewards, our relationship with the Lord is completely based upon the grace of God. It’s the grace of God through Jesus Christ that provides us the forgiveness of our sin. It’s also the grace of God through Jesus Christ that gives us the means to live for Him in this world. Therefore, no one has any reason to boast. If anyone accomplishes anything that glorifies God, it’s not them: but the grace of God in them. We should strive to be more like the 24 elders who are seated near the throne of God, and we should strive to be more like the creatures who are in the presence of God, in that we need to be careful to give God the honor and the glory that only He deserves. Too often we praise some Christian who has appeared to accomplish something out of the ordinary. We should praise God instead. When we all get to heaven, if we have gained any rewards or any crowns, we will do the same thing that the 24 elders did. We will cast our crowns before the throne and we will say,

 

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power."

 

The Bible says in Rev. 4:9 that the four beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sits upon the throne. It also says as we just read that the 24 elders say to Him,

 

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power."

 

Notice why the elders praised Him. They praised Him for creation. They praised Him for all the things that He created. Remember in the book of Genesis after God created the world, He looked at the things that He created and He said, "It is good." You can look at the good or the bad side of things. You can focus on the good things of this world or the bad things.

 

You recall what Paul wrote to us in Phillipians chapter 4, verse 8:

 

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

 

Why did God create such a wonderful world? According to the 24 elders in Rev. 4:11, he created it for His pleasure. Some people have it all wrong. They think that God created the world for their pleasure, and they go about to use who and what they can for their pleasure or their benefit. Some young men think that young women were created for their pleasure. But they are also wrong. Whenever you see anyone or anything, you can know that in some way this was created for God’s pleasure.

 

In Revelation Chapter 5 the apostle John continues his description of the things that he saw and heard in heaven near the throne of God. Rev. 5:1-4 says,

 

"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon."

 

John saw that there was in the right hand of Jesus a book. This book was not the Bible. We will be told about the contents of the book with seven seals in Chapters 6-8, but for now we are simply going to be told some important characteristics of this book. Even though it is not the Bible, it has some things about it that are similar to the Bible. When John first saw the book, it was sealed. The Bible is also sealed and its contents are hidden from those who do not have the Spirit of God. Additionally, we read in Daniel that some parts of the Bible are sealed up until the time of the end."

 

The book with seven seals is in the right hand of Jesus. It’s something that is important to Him, and something that He will use as an instrument. Of course, we know that the Bible is also very important. It’s the most important and valuable book in the world. In our day and age the Bible is also one of His instruments that is used to reveal His truth and will to the world. If you want to learn more things about God, if you want to always know God’s will, then as you journey through this life you must keep yourself a student of the Bible. In the Bible you will find revealed mysteries and secrets about how life can be lived in this world. If the Bible is opened up to you by the grace of God and by the Spirit of God, your life and your destiny will be changed.

 

A great change will also take place when the book with seven seals is opened. Thank God that the day is coming when the problems of mankind will be resolved. There is a wonderful day planned by God in the future when sorrows, disease, death, injustice and sin of every kind will cease forever. In that day the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the land as the waters cover the sea, and the the end of this age will be ushered in by the opening of the seals of the book. Once the seals are opened great events will take place that will mark the beginning of the end of life as we know it.

 

The aspirations of believers of all ages will be finally realized once the seals of the book have been opened. Therefore, John was greatly troubled when he heard the strong angel say that no man was worthy to open the book. John knew that if the book was not opened mankind would forever continue in its unending cycle whereby birth is always followed by death, and in between too often is the sorrow and woe that so plagues us all.

 

Just as man cannot save himself from his own sinful nature, but requires a Savior; even so, no man is worthy to open the seals of the book that will change everything. What man cannot do, God can do. Nothing is impossible to God. Mankind will never be able to fix all the problems of the world; but God will transform the world; and Jesus will open the seals of the book to set it all in motion. Rev. 5:5-7 says,

 

"And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne."

 

John was weeping, but he was told to weep not. Jesus told the disciples more than once to be of good cheer. Christians are told in the Bible to rejoice always. We certainly have many things to rejoice about, and many of those things are recorded here in the book of Revelation. Two thousand years ago Jesus came into the world and took care of the sin problem for the human race. What John was witnessing in heaven was Jesus putting into motion the final events of human history and ushering in the greatest times that the world has ever known.

 

No man can do this, but Jesus can because He is the lion of the tribe of Juda and the Root of David. To King David were given from God the promises of a future glorious kingdom. When Jesus came to the earth, He came in the lineage of David in order to fulfill the promises. In the future we will know Jesus as a great king, but we will never forget what He did for us on the cross, and so John saw Him as

 

"a Lamb as it has been slain."

 

The Bible says in Rev. 5:8-10,

 

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of fragrances which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

 

We are reading in the book of Revelation about a new age that will be ushered in, when we shall see things that we have never seen before.

 

Paul tells us in I Corinthians 2: 9:

 

"Eye has not seen and ear has not heard the things that God has prepared for them that love Him."

 

But in the age in which we now live, we do not yet see these things, because in this age, we have been called to live by faith.

 

"The just shall live by faith." Paul wrote to the church at Rome.

 

God wants us to grow in faith. Jesus rebuked the disciples when they did not have enough faith, and He said to them,

 

"O ye of little faith."

 

One consequence of having faith is that you will pray. If you believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him, then you will pray. God wants us to pray to Him, and He invites us to pray to Him. Jesus said,

 

"Ask and it shall be given you."

 

God wishes that every one had faith in Him, and at least there has always been remnant on the earth who have had faith. The prayers of the remnant are very precious to God. According to Rev. 5:8 the prayers of believers are in constant remembrance before the throne of God. They are mentioned as being in golden vials because gold is a precious metal. The prayers are mentioned as being a sweet fragrance in the presence of God in order to show how much God is pleased with them and how much He enjoys them. Don’t you also like to hear from someone that you love?

 

Notice the things that are in the very presence of God in heaven as described in Rev. 5:8-9: a book, prayers, and the singing of praises to God. If you want your church services to be more like heaven, the ceremonies and the order of service are not so very important. What’s important is that you also have these three things: a book that is opened and its wonders revealed, prayers, and the singing of praises to God. Notice why Christ is praised in heaven. He is praised because:

 

"He was slain, and hast redeemed us to God."

 

No matter what has happened to you in your life, if you are a believer you will always have this for which to praise God:

 

the fact that He died for you, and He would have done so if you had been the only person on planet earth.

 

Most of us do not praise God enough for this one thing alone.

 

You will also be able to praise Him for the position to which He has elevated you. Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called. It was the common folk who heard Him gladly. But for those who do hear Him,

 

"He will give exceedingly and abundantly above all that they could ask or think."

 

Two of the things that He has given every believer is that He has made us kings and priests. In politics and in religion, in power and in influence the greatest people on the earth are the people of God. We may often be insignificant in the world’s eyes, but to God we are the greatest of all peoples.

 

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus promised that the meek shall inherit the earth, and His promise shall be fulfilled when He returns as the King of kings because His believers will be kings also. As far as God is concerned we are already kings.

 

There are many religions in the world and each of these religions have their clergy and their leaders and their priests; but the only true priests of God are the believers in Jesus Christ. Why, because they are the ones whose prayers are ever before the throne of God. They are the ones by whom God has sent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the world.

 

We can be confident and secure knowing that God has made us kings and priests. We should never be insecure or doubtful, questioning if God has any purpose for our lives. He has great plans and purposes for each of His believers. Go back and reread Jeremiah 29: 11,

 

"For I know the plans I have for you saith the Lord…"

 

We are His kings and His priests. It’s important to note that every believer is called a king and a priest. Male or female, young or old, no matter what race or nationality: every believer is called to leadership and to service, with no exceptions and no limitations. Be careful to avoid any system of theology or church doctrine that puts a limit on what some of the believers are permitted to do in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that every believer is a king and every believer is a priest. Humans who have little faith will tend to build limitations where God has put none.

 

It should be of little surprise that God has offered opportunity to all in His service. Are we not all equal in our standing before God which is based upon grace alone through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and have we not all come to salvation on the same basis and in the same way?

 

Remember the words of Paul in Romans chapter 6 verse 23:

 

"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

 

This is just as true about men as it is about women, and is just as true about blacks as it is about whites, and just as true about mexicans as orientals.

 

Paul in Romans chapter 10 verse 13 reminds us:

 

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

 

This is just as true for the young as it is for the old, and is equally true for all races. John saw heaven, and he saw that praises were being sung before the throne of God because God had redeemed human beings,

 

"out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."

 

If you want your church services to be more like heaven, then make sure that all races are welcome there. There is something terribly wrong when believers, whether red, yellow, brown, black or white, are prejudiced against those of other races or nationalities.

 

In Rev. 5:11-12 the Bible says,

 

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."

 

Ten thousand times ten thousand equals 100 million. John saw 100 million angels around the throne of God, and then millions more angels. Either angels are very small or the throne of God is very large. I would venture and educated guess the latter to be true, God’s throne is huge.

 

At any rate, there were more angels than John could count. In the book of Genesis Jacob saw angels ascending and descending ladders from heaven. God has chosen to create many messengers for the purpose of doing His will, and these many messengers undoubtedly each have many wonderful things that could be said about what they look like or what they have accomplished in the service of God. But none of them are praised or worshipped before the throne: only Jesus. And Jesus is praised for the same reason that we will also praise Him throughout eternity: because He is the

 

"Lamb that was slain for our salvation, before the foundations of the earth were laid."