I am blessed to be co-leading a Sunday school class on the Book of Revelation, and through it am seeing everything in an entirely new way. We have spent 2 months very slowly moving through the first five chapters, taking in and internalizing the history and the imagery to gain a deeper understanding of what this often misunderstood Revelation of Jesus Christ is saying to us today. Normally, I include an image or two in my writings to help you create a picture in your mind, but have decided it is far too important for you to “see” this image in your own mind, so I am including only text, and encourage you to read these two chapters, Revelation 4 and 5, to drink it in for yourself.

After the letters to the 7 churches in Revelation 1-3, John is shown the throne room of God in layers…

each layer building upon the last, culminating, as the only one who is worthy to break the 7 seals on the scroll is revealed to be the Lion of Judah, but when John turns to see this lion, he sees a lamb as if slain, in the center of the throne – in the center of God upon the throne. Backing up to incorporate the verses that came before, we can take in the entire scene.

The scene is thunderously loud and emblazoned with brightly coloured lights, colourful precious stones, and a sea of glass. The throne room of God as described in chapters 4 and 5 has all of this noise, and color, and excitement, and at the center a throne, surrounded by four creatures – worshipping, encircled by the 24 elders – worshipping, and surrounded by all of creation – yes, worshiping. The lamb is not just on the throne, but in the center of the throne – in the center of God upon the throne.

The throne room – what an amazing place!

The ultimate worship service in the throne room of God, and we are all invited! Now I can imagine it so vividly… the sights, the sounds, the colours, the vibrations… and most importantly, if I can imagine it – this Revelation of Jesus Christ that John shares with us can be as real for me as it was for John. I can imagine myself there when I pray and when I worship, and the time I spend with Him becomes more tangible and more impactful. I have a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, and where Jesus is, and in my time of prayer and meditation I can imagine being there with Him. I can put my faith into action in a new way.

Hebrews 11:1-13

“1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”