HopeLives365

Guest (Male): And when the journey seems long and the pilgrimage of life is tough, and on my knees, I look through the open door of heaven, and I remember he created me. I remember he has a purpose for my life.

Guest (Female): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: Revelation's Lamb of God. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Revelation is the last book of the Bible. It unmasks the plans of Satan, it reveals the plans of God. When we study the book of Revelation, we look through God's eyes into the future. We've noticed in past programs that this is a revelation of who? It's a revelation of Jesus. If we want to know what Jesus teaches about end-time events, we study the book of Revelation.

Revelation's central theme is the first and second coming of Jesus. Jesus is going to return to our world. Some time ago, I read the story of Bobby. Bobby's neighbor visited him. Bobby wasn't known for keeping his room clean. He was one of those nine or ten-year-old boys who left his socks on the floor and his underwear in the corner, and his sweater on the bed and his jeans in the middle of the floor. And his shoes, well, it was difficult to know where his shoes were.

He could find one of his shoes, but finding the second one was the most difficult thing for Bobby. Mom would say it was time to go to school, but, "Mom, I can't find my other shoe." Sometimes it would take them a while. This day, Bobby was cleaning his room. It was really spick and span, and his neighbor was visiting mom. She had to walk by Bobby's room and she said, "Bobby, why are you cleaning your room?" He said, "Daddy's coming home."

You see, his dad was in the armed forces and he had been gone for three years, and he was coming home. The house was clean and Bobby didn't want one thing lying around in his room. The neighbor asked, "When is he coming home?" Bobby said, "I don't know. That's why I'm in such a hurry. That's why I want to get everything cleaned, because I don't know when he's coming."

You know, I don't know when Jesus is coming, but I'm certainly in a hurry to be ready for when he comes. I want to have my heart clean. When he comes, I want to be right with God. When he comes, I don't want anything between my soul and my Savior. I love that old song, "Nothing Between my Soul and my Savior, Not of this World's Delusive Dream, Nothing Between."

In this study, we're going to look at Revelation chapter 4. We studied the first three chapters of the book of Revelation. In the first chapter, we learned about Jesus. Jesus, who's the Creator of the universe. Jesus, the one who is, who was, and indeed the one who was to come. We studied about Christ, the one who died on the cross, the one who lives in heaven as our great high priest, the one who brings encouragement to our lives, the one who finally vanquished evil.

In Revelation 2 and 3, we studied about the seven churches. We studied about Ephesus, which represented the first stage of Christian history, where there was doctrinal purity, but they left their first love. We heard the call to come back to our first love and never to leave it. We studied about the church at Smyrna, that means sweet-smelling incense, the church where Christians were persecuted, and we've learned to hold onto our faith just as they held onto their faith when we find ourselves persecuted.

And then there was the third church, Pergamus, where church and state united. Pergamus means, of course, exalted. We studied about the danger of being exalted, the danger of the church being united with the state. We looked at the importance of the separation of church and state.

We studied the church of Thyatira, that church where truth was compromised, and we heard the call of God to never compromise the truth in our life. And then the fifth church, Sardis. Remember what we learned about Sardis? If you've been with us through this program series, Sardis was built on a hill and the Persians surrounded Sardis and there was no way to get up and attack the city.

But then there was a watchman in Sardis that fell asleep, and when he fell asleep, his helmet fell off and rolled down the pathway. The Persians saw that helmet that fell off because he was sleeping. And we pointed out that if we fall asleep spiritually, the devil is going to creep up on us with his enemies and destroy us like they destroyed the city of Sardis.

Philadelphia was an amazing church. It was the church of the open door. There's an open door in heaven for you and me. Salvation is there through Christ. There's the open door in the world where God wants to pour out his Spirit so the knowledge of his truth, the glory of God will be shining throughout our world. We pointed out that nothing can stop the advance of the gospel when the power of Christ is poured out.

Then we studied about Laodicea, a church that was wealthy, a church that was materialistic, but a church that was apathetic and spiritually blind. And Jesus says to that church, "I am the Creator. I want to recreate your heart. I want the gold of love and faith to fill your life. I want your eyes to be anointed with the eyesalve of the Holy Spirit so you see not only yourself, but you see the possibilities in the world and that you see clearly my love and grace."

And Jesus says, "I want to clothe you with righteousness, so that as you are clothed with my righteousness, my perfect life, my righteous life will cover your sins." This church of the judgment hour was to know Christ deeply. But in this presentation, we look at Revelation 4 and 5.

Let's begin with Revelation chapter 4, verse 1. "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice I heard was like a trumpet saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.'" Jesus says to you right now, whether you're driving in your car, whether you're listening in your home, whether you're jogging and listening on the radio, Jesus says there's an open door in heaven for you.

And Jesus says to you today, come up higher. Jesus says, come up here, and I'll show you things which must take place after this. Jesus invites you and me every day into the spiritual realms. For you, there's always a door standing open in heaven. In the problems of your life, in the difficulties of your life, in the challenges of your life, when down seems up and up seems down, there's always a door open for you in heaven. Every door on earth may shut for you, but God has a door standing open in heaven.

That's pretty good news, isn't it? Where was the door standing open? In heaven. Doors on earth may be shut, but God's heavenly doors are open for us. In the last part of Revelation 4, verse 1, it says, a trumpet spoke with me saying, "Come up here" or "Come up higher." God never says, "Go down lower." He always says, "Come up where? Higher." Wherever you are in your spiritual journey today, God says take another step, come higher.

And I'll show you things that must take place after this. In your spiritual life, with your spiritual walk with Jesus, Revelation 4:1 says, come up higher. There's a door open in heaven. It's the door of divine revelation. God wants to reveal to you more of his love, more of his grace, more of his goodness. There's a door standing open in heaven. There's a voice speaking to you in your heart, and God is calling you. He's saying to you, "I have a better plan for your life, come up higher. I'll show you things that must take place after this."

In your spiritual pilgrimage, in your spiritual journey, God says, don't accept the lowlands of earth. Don't accept the fog, the miasma of this earth. Never accept where you are. One thing in the Christian life: God is always calling us to come up higher. God is always saying, "I'll show you something else. There's another step that God wants you to take."

Verse 2, Revelation chapter 4: "Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne." It may look like things are out of control on earth, but they're never out of control up in heaven. It may look like things are chaotic on earth, but they're never chaotic in heaven. Like James Russell Lowell, the great American poet once said, "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne, yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown stands God keeping watch over his own."

There's a throne set up in heaven. And nations may rise and fall, political powers may seem out of control, a war may rage in the Middle East, but there is a God that is sitting on his throne that ultimately will make all things right. Now notice what the Bible says in Revelation 4, verse 3. "And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald."

Now in the Bible, when we read about a rainbow, can you tell me when was the first rainbow? Sure, it was right after the flood. When you look at a rainbow, it's a mixture of color. The rainbow over the throne of God mixes God's justice and mercy. The rainbow in the sky after the flood indicated that a just God had to destroy sin. But it also indicated that a merciful God would reach out to his people, and that this world would never be destroyed by a flood again.

Over God's throne, there is justice and mercy, the dual aspect of his character. God invites us to come to him who never makes a mistake and will always be just in the way he treats individuals. Individuals at times may treat you unjustly, but God will always treat you justly. And his justice is always tempered with mercy. It's always tempered with grace. Pardon is available, grace is available, mercy is available, salvation is available.

We go to verse 4, Revelation chapter 4: "And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads." Now who are these twenty-four elders that sit about the throne? The Bible talks about them clothed in white robes. White is always a symbol of God's grace, God's love. Clothed in white, they are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. They must come from the earth. Where would they have come from? How would there be twenty-four elders up there in heaven from the earth? How would they get up there? If they could talk to you tonight, what would they say?

Turn to Matthew 27. Let's see if we can discover who these twenty-four elders are. We're looking at trying to identify them, who they might be, that they're around the throne of God. In verse 51 and 52 it says, "Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." It's the veil of the temple, the Jewish temple. The earthquake, the rocks split. This is the time of Christ's death. The graves were opened. Now when Jesus died, some of the graves were opened. "Many of the bodies of the saints," the Bible says, I'm quoting, "who had fallen asleep were raised; coming out of their graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."

When Jesus died, there were graves that were opened, and after Christ was resurrected from the dead, they came out of their graves after the resurrection, went into the city, and were witnesses of his power.

Guest (Female): You're listening to Hope Lives 365. We'll be right back. And if you like what you're hearing, we invite you to check out our website HopeLives365.com. There you can find many ministry resources, encouraging messages, and even a link to our Hope Lives 365 YouTube ministry. And of course, an opportunity to sow into this valuable ministry. Find out more by going to HopeLives365.com. That's HopeLives365.com. And now back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Now did they remain on earth to die again? Ephesians chapter 4 puts it this way in verse 8. Now there's a certain nuance of this you don't quite see in the King James version of the Bible or the New King James clearly. But if you look at Ephesians 4, verse 8 in a little more modern translation, you can see it. The original language helps us to understand it. If you have a marginal reference in the old King James, you'll notice it as well.

So it says in Ephesians 4:8, this is Jesus ascending upon high: "Therefore He says, 'When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive.'" Now if you have a Bible that has a marginal reference, or if you're looking at a modern translation, what does it say for captivity captive? When he ascended high, he led with him a multitude of captives. So when Jesus died, graves of some in the Old Testament who were faithful to him, those graves were opened. They came out of the graves, resurrected after his resurrection, this is what it says in Matthew that we read, Matthew 27, verses 50 and onward, and he took them to heaven with him.

There was in Ephesians 4:8, it talks about this honor convoy. So in Revelation 4, we see the twenty-four elders, and who are they? They're a select few that were redeemed from the earth when Jesus opened the graves at his resurrection. They are types of those who'll be resurrected in the general resurrection at end time.

When we look up into heaven, the twenty-four elders around the throne represent us. They know what it's like to be lonely, they know what it's like to feel discouraged, they know what it's like to face disappointment, they know what it's like to face poverty, they know what it's like to face trouble. These twenty-four elders around the throne testify for you and me in our behalf. They witness in our behalf to all angelic beings.

We look up into heaven and the door is open there. There's justice and mercy around God's throne. There are heavenly beings surrounding God's throne. Some of them are redeemed from the earth that Jesus brought up there. The Bible says in verse 5, "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." The Bible says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light to my path." Around God's throne, the truth that is reflected from his character, that has come in the lamp of his word still shines brightly.

The truth of God may be compromised on earth, but the lamp burns brightly in heaven. Verse 6, Revelation chapter 4: "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back."

In the Bible, what are eyes a symbol of? If you take your Bible, we could look at a variety of places where we could see the big picture of what eyes represent. Revelation 1:18 says that the eyes of your understanding might be opened. So in the Bible, eyes represent understanding. Another name for a prophet in the Bible is what? What do you think a prophet is called in the Bible? A seer. They see not with human eyes, they see with what? They see with divine eyes.

So when we read in Revelation 4, we now know that the symbolism of eyes represents understanding. So before the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal. Revelation 4, verse 6: "And in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in the front and back." So the eyes were a sign of understanding or wisdom. They're full of wisdom. Here is divine wisdom and there are four creatures.

Now can you tell me what they are? Look at verse 7. What are these four creatures like? "The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle." Why does God choose a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle?

When the nation of Israel wandered in the wilderness, there were standard-bearers. The standard-bearers held poles with large banners on them. One pole had a lion on it, one pole had a calf on it, one pole had a man on it, one pole had a flying eagle on it. Those banners were a symbol of divine guardianship or protection. They were a symbol of Jesus.

Remember this is the revelation of whom? Of Jesus Christ. The lion represents Jesus in all of his power and kingly authority. The calf is a beast of burden. It represents the servitude and sacrifice of Christ. The man represents Jesus in his humanity coming to earth. The flying eagle, this is the Christ who came to live and die as a man, and was resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven.

Around God's throne, divine wisdom says praise Jesus, the one like the lion of kingly authority. In the whole universe, they kneel and sing praises to Jesus, the one of kingly authority. One of the living creatures says praise Jesus, the one who became a servant of all and sacrificed his life like a calf. And the whole universe sings praises to Jesus as his sacrifice. Another living creature sings praises to Jesus who is a man who came to vanquish Satan. And another angel sings praises to Jesus, the flying eagle who was resurrected from the dead.

There is a song sung in oratorio. There are two oratorios in chapter 4 and one in chapter 5. In chapter 4 you have the oratorio of creation, and in chapter 5 you have the oratorio of redemption. In chapter 4, starting with verses 8 and 9, "Holy, holy, holy." The beings around God's throne sing "Holy, holy, holy." Would you like a wonderful experience with Jesus someday? Kneel before the throne of God, let the song of the angels around the throne in heaven be the song on your lips. Repeat back the words to him of the angels in heaven.

I kneel before him and I say, I know one thing, that I am not holy and you are, Father. One thing I know, that all my righteousness is as filthy rags. One thing I know is that my heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked without you. Lord, in my lips I sing praises to you with the beings around the throne. I'm not there yet, Father. I'm not there around your throne, but by faith I want to be there. I want to sing holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.

The Bible says that whenever the creatures give glory and honor to him and give thanks to him, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and lives forever. They sing, here's the oratorio of creation: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

Why is he worthy of receiving glory, honor, and power? It's because he created all things. His worthiness to be worshipped is intimately linked to the fact that he's the Creator. Because if I evolved, if I am merely skin-covering bones, if I am merely a product of fortuitous chance, if the genes and chromosomes came together to form the unique biological structure of my personality by atmospheric accident, then I don't need to worship him at all. The reason he is worthy of worship, and that's why all the heavenly beings surround the throne sing "Worthy, worthy," is because why? It tells us: you are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because you created all things.

What does chapter 4 say? Here's a summary sentence of Revelation 4. One sentence: Revelation presents a door opened in heaven where I can look through from my vantage point on earth and see the heavenly beings around God's throne worshipping the one that created all, and when the journey seems long and the pilgrimage of life is tough, and on my knees I look through the open door of heaven and I remember he created me. I remember he has a purpose for my life.

And when my self-esteem is shattered, and I look through the open door in heaven, and I remember that God doesn't make junk. I listen to a voice coming from the open door that says you're more than animated mud, you are created in the image of the living God. And I proceed from the oratorio of creation in chapter 4 to the oratorio of redemption in chapter 5.

Revelation chapter 5, verse 1 says, "And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?'"

What is this scroll? What is this book in his hand? It's obviously the book of judgment. It's obviously the book that will decide the destiny of all humanity. It's the book that pronounces whether men and women are saved or lost. And a voice goes forth in heaven saying, who is worthy to open the book? Certainly you and I cannot step forward to open that book. Certainly if the secrets of our lives and the sins of our lives were revealed, certainly we would have "lost" pronounced after our names. Who is worthy to open the book?

Nobody steps forward in all of heaven. Then John weeps because nobody is worthy to open the book. Finally, one steps forward, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Bible says one of the elders says to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." And I looked and behold, in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes.

Horns are a symbol of power, eyes are a symbol of wisdom. Here is one, the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who has perfect power to vanquish Satan. He has perfect wisdom that all of heaven falls before him. He opens the book, and as he opens the book, he is the Lamb that is slain. Now there's something extremely significant that I don't want you to miss. It's so easy to miss, it's easy to miss gems of divine truth that are life-transforming.

If you look at Revelation 5, verse 6, it says, "And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne." Where is John gazing? Where is John gazing into? The throne room of the universe. What does he see before the throne room? Four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders there stands what? A Lamb. There's a bloody Lamb in heaven. All of heaven never gets tired of rejoicing of the Christ that gave his life for you and me. Through the ceaseless ages of all eternity, we'll be praising God for the bloody Lamb.

There's something else. Isn't it strange that there's a slain Lamb in heaven? Look at Revelation chapter 13, you'll see something else that's quite strange in verse 8. "All who dwell on the earth will worship him." That's worshipping the beast, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I thought Jesus was slain on the cross. Why does it say he's slain from the foundation of the world?

Why after the cross do you look up in heaven and there is a Lamb slain in heaven? This is one of those profound divine truths that are mind-boggling. He's not simply the Lamb slain on the cross. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that sin from its very inception has brought to the heart of God. Every deed of cruelty, every departure from the right brings pain to him.

He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. When Adam sinned in Eden, the sword pierced his heart. When Israel drifted away from him, a sword pierced his heart. When we see Jesus hanging on the cross, it's a microcosm of the pain that is resident in the universe now. Jesus longs to come to put an end to sin, to stop the suffering in the universe. It's not only this world that suffers, but also the whole universe suffers from the sin because he's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Guest (Female): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Salvation is for all humanity. The grace of Christ is great enough for all, no matter what your ethnic background, no matter what your linguistic background is. God's salvation is for you. No matter how far you have fallen in sin and the depths of degradation, God's salvation is for you. You have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. Notice you've made us kings and priests to God, and we shall reign on earth.

Salvation has a double quality. Jesus redeems us on the cross from the penalty of sin, but he also redeems us from the power of sin. He not only redeems us from the guilt of sin of the past, he redeems us by transforming us so that our lives are different today. So not only are we saved from sin's penalty, we are saved from sin's power. Worthy, worthy is the Lamb.

Throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, we will be singing that song. So let's sing it now. Let's praise him now. Let's give him glory now. Let's say now, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. And let's rejoice in the salvation that Jesus Christ gives us. Shall we pray?

Father in heaven, we want to rejoice now in the great salvation that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. We praise you, we thank you, we love you. In Jesus' name, Amen.