THRONES DON’T COME CHEAPLY

#418                                   THRONES DON’T COME CHEAPLY

Scripture  Revelation 4:1-11, NIV                                                                   Orig. 7-12-1964; 1-1973

                                                                                                                                 Rewr. 3-26-1989

Passage: 4 1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.  In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Purpose: Continuing a series for use with adults in Church Training.

Keywords:        Bible Study                  God, Glory                   Worship

Timeline/Series:           Revelation

Introduction

            It can be perceived directly that thrones don’t come cheaply.  There is a cost, and someone must bear it.

            Edward the VIII of the House of Windsor discovered early in his reign that the price was formidable indeed.  After the death of his father in January of 1936, Edward became king of England.  He had been a faithful servant of the British Empire for all of the twenty years of his adult life.  He was well-known and loved by the British people.  His inherent ability, his experience, and his being of the royal family portrayed a regent of great ability.  However, his term as England’s reigning monarch was a brief one indeed.

            Less than a year after inheriting the throne at his father’s death, he discovered the price that he would have to pay to hold on to his title.  To remain king he would have to give up the woman whom he loved.  He was unwilling to pay that price.

            While the romanticists applaud his decision, the historians wonder what might have been England’s destiny under his able leadership, especially with the Second World War already in its early struggles.

            Shakespeare did not picture it any differently.  Macbeth was literally driven to the throne by his own ambition. He was a loyal subject of the king until he became enamored with the idea of himself as being king.  You perhaps remember the scene with the three witches, with the tempting of Macbeth, and with resultant death of Duncan at Macbeth’s hand.  He himself died similarly.  Thrones don’t come cheaply.

            A cursory reading of the Old Testament books of II Kings and II Chronicles further proves this point.  The price paid under the labors of this kingly ambition.  An extremely high price has already been paid for the throne perceived here in the opening of Revelation 4.

I.          The Price of Purchase Describes Honor.  V1 “. . . a door opened . . . and the first voice said . . . Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”

            We are not left to wonder whose throne.  John was in the midst of a worshipful experience:  At Patmos for punishment (Revelation 1:9) and in the spirit of worship (Revelation 1:10).  In this continuing encounter he observes an open door, unguarded, same as in Revelation 3:8 (Philadelphia) hinges removed and permanently open.  We were in Washington D.C. summer after the explosion in Lebanon, killing hundreds of soldiers.  Barricade made entrance to White House a maze. 

            John is ordered to appear before throne.  Word “looked” suggests design.  “Saw” is a better translation.

            John is then transported into a discerning spirit.  This is an ordinary view of God.  Psalm 47:8 “God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” Isaiah 6:1 “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.”  We are given a description of what was seen:

·         An open door—Door of opportunity (3:8), door of objectivity (3:20), door of observation (4:1).

·         Next he observes a throne—Someone is on the throne; he makes no effort to describe with man-like quality

·         What he sees he does picture—No mention of size, shape, texture; God is pictured in terms of light—glittering diamond (jasper), shining ruby (sardius), rainbow like an emerald.  I Timothy 1:16 “God dwells in the light that no man can approach unto.”  Psalm 104:2 “God who covers himself with light as with a garment.”

·         He sees a rainbow: peace.

·         There are twenty-four thrones/elders—Tribes/apostles; 4 earthly/3 divine/doubled; Wearing crowns signifying victory.

·         Thunder and lightning—Announcing God’s presence (Sinai); Lamps of Spirit’s presence to enlighten, save.

·         A glassy sea (transparent)—wide dominion/peaceful kingdom.

            The signs thus seen are of honor, glory: Breastplate of High Priest—Exodus 28:17; foundation of holy city—Revelation 21:19; the colors communicate majesty (white—God’s purity, red—God’s wrath, green—God’s mercy).

II.         The Price of Purchase Declares Holiness.  V8 “And the four beasts . . . rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

            Along with his title to honor is his testament of holiness.  Usurpers can claim the trapping of the throne.  Sergeant Doe led uprising in Liberia while Fritha was there.  But only his own character can describe his worthiness to lead.

            A further look at those around the throne:

·         The elders—Genesis 3:22 “one of us,” Job 1:6 “Sons of God.” 24 courses of priests (I Chronicles 24:7f), symbolic of perfect worship.

·         Their crowns—II Timothy 4:7,8 “I have fought . . . I have finished . . . I have kept . . . , laid up for me . . . a crown of righteousness.”  Matthew 19:28 “When the son of man sits on his glorious throne, you my disciples shall certainly sit upon your thrones.”

·         There are four  living creatures—Covered with eyes suggesting wisdom; four classes of beings (Lion—preeminent wild, Oxen—preeminent domestic, Eagle—preeminent of winged, Man—PREEMINENT.)  Thus, all creation praises: everything fulfilling its function.

III.       The Price of Purchase Demands Homage.  V10 “And the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever.”

            The threefold effect of praise: glory, honor, thanks.

            The elders’ praise represents all who are themselves followers of Christ: 

·         They fell down before Him;

·         They cast crowns at His feet—stephanos, earned crowns;

·         But they are on the thrones through His work, not their own;

·         All living creatures have wings suggesting their readiness to do the will of God;

·         Here are the operations of a divine economy that keeps this world in harmony; 

·         The church is to acquiesce to this divine harmony thus lifting our own voices of praise—the sounds of all creation, the voices of faith.

Conclusion

            In this Roman world of which John wrote, there was a military/political event that figures into the picture here described.  When one king was vanquished by another, the absolute sign of submission was to see him, the vanquished, remove his crown and cast it at the feet of him, the conqueror.  The armies of Rome often carried with them to the field of battle an image of their emperor.  When the enemy was subdued, then in open ceremony, the beaten monarch, or his agent, had to throw down a likeness of the royal crown before this image.

            In mind and will, our lives are our own.  We are sovereign and are determined to remain so.  To accept Jesus is no act of appeasement.  It is not giving intellectual assent to Jesus’ potential to Lordship.  It is to de-throne self.  It is to reject the deified self-image and pay homage to the king of kings.