1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,740 Alright, if you have your Bibles, let's turn to Revelation chapter 4. 2 00:00:05,740 --> 00:00:09,140 Revelation chapter 4. 3 00:00:09,140 --> 00:00:14,460 And we have been studying Revelation chapter 4 for a few weeks now. 4 00:00:14,460 --> 00:00:18,120 And just to kind of reorient ourselves to what's going on, 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:24,420 God has given us a vision of His throne room in order to remind us of His sovereign rule 6 00:00:24,420 --> 00:00:30,660 over all things and to comfort us with the reality of the trying times that lie ahead. 7 00:00:30,660 --> 00:00:36,100 That even though those times are coming, we can trust God because He's sovereign and He rules over all. 8 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:41,980 And we were saying that no matter how out of control life seems to be, God is always in control. 9 00:00:41,980 --> 00:00:50,980 And now as we get into the later part of this vision, so we're getting towards the very end of this vision now in chapter 4, 10 00:00:50,980 --> 00:00:59,060 we begin to see some really interesting creatures and these creatures are engaged in the most important act that anyone can engage in. 11 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:03,460 It's the purpose for which we were all created. 12 00:01:03,460 --> 00:01:06,620 And that's the question that a lot of people wonder about, isn't it? 13 00:01:06,620 --> 00:01:08,580 What's the purpose of life? 14 00:01:08,580 --> 00:01:10,540 Why are we all here? 15 00:01:10,540 --> 00:01:13,100 Those are questions maybe you've considered before. 16 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:15,540 And we pose it again. 17 00:01:15,540 --> 00:01:17,940 What's the purpose of life? 18 00:01:17,940 --> 00:01:23,700 Why are we all here? 19 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:26,860 To glorify God? Okay, yeah, yeah, that's good. 20 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:30,820 So I love the way that the Westminster Confession of Faith phrases it. 21 00:01:30,820 --> 00:01:36,300 They say, what is the chief and highest end of man? 22 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:44,860 And they say, man's chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy Him forever. 23 00:01:44,860 --> 00:01:46,660 And I love that last part, don't you? 24 00:01:46,660 --> 00:01:50,100 It's not just we're going to glorify God because it's what we're supposed to do, 25 00:01:50,100 --> 00:02:01,540 it's because what we have to do, but the chief and highest end of man is to glorify God and fully to enjoy Him forever, because He is good. 26 00:02:01,540 --> 00:02:05,780 And so we actually see that that's the purpose for which we were all created. 27 00:02:05,780 --> 00:02:08,500 There is no greater purpose, there is no greater aim, 28 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:14,260 there is no greater end of mankind than to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 29 00:02:14,260 --> 00:02:20,980 When we understand that, you begin to understand what this last section of this vision is all about. 30 00:02:20,980 --> 00:02:30,660 The whole point of like verses 6-11 is that we should glorify God at all times because He is worthy of glory at all times. 31 00:02:30,660 --> 00:02:37,180 We should glorify God at all times because He is worthy of glory at all times. 32 00:02:37,180 --> 00:02:43,100 And as we study the last section of this vision, we're going to observe the heavenly host and hopefully learn from them. 33 00:02:43,100 --> 00:02:47,540 So as we're getting into the Bible here, have your Bible's open, Revelation 4. 34 00:02:47,540 --> 00:02:54,740 We're coming again to the throne room and we see some interesting creatures engaging in the world's most important act. 35 00:02:54,740 --> 00:02:58,260 Starting in verse 6, this is what we read. 36 00:02:58,260 --> 00:03:02,460 And before the throne, there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal. 37 00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:04,700 And we talked about that last time we were together. 38 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:12,700 You remember that throughout the Bible, the sea is representative of the birthplace of evil and chaos and disorder. 39 00:03:12,700 --> 00:03:14,860 And we tracked that theme throughout Scripture. 40 00:03:14,860 --> 00:03:20,260 And so the fact that it's now a sea of glass, it means that the sea has been calmed. 41 00:03:20,260 --> 00:03:23,580 There is no more evil before God. There is no more disorder. 42 00:03:23,580 --> 00:03:26,260 There is no more chaos because God is one of the victories. 43 00:03:26,260 --> 00:03:28,540 So just remind yourselves of that. 44 00:03:28,540 --> 00:03:36,620 And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 45 00:03:36,620 --> 00:03:42,900 The first living creature is like a lion. The second living creature is like an ox. 46 00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:45,820 The third living creature with the face of a man. 47 00:03:45,820 --> 00:03:49,940 The fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 48 00:03:49,940 --> 00:03:55,980 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within. 49 00:03:55,980 --> 00:04:06,380 And day and night, they never cease to say, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is, and is to come. 50 00:04:06,380 --> 00:04:08,820 Now those are some interesting creatures, right? 51 00:04:08,820 --> 00:04:13,620 We have finally got, we're finally getting into like the weird parts of Revelation, right? 52 00:04:13,620 --> 00:04:16,300 These are the parts that everybody, they're all curious about. 53 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:19,340 Because so far it's just been, hey, I know what your church is doing. 54 00:04:19,340 --> 00:04:21,740 Stop it or I'm coming and I'm going to destroy it. 55 00:04:21,740 --> 00:04:26,500 And now we're starting to get into, I've got a vision and there's some weird creatures up there. 56 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:30,820 And they're full of eyes and they kind of look like a lion and maybe like an eagle and all this kind of stuff. 57 00:04:30,820 --> 00:04:34,980 And eyes are literally surrounding them all over and they've got wings. 58 00:04:34,980 --> 00:04:36,500 What do you do with that? 59 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:37,900 Why on earth? 60 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:38,940 Is that even described there? 61 00:04:38,940 --> 00:04:41,020 Like what is going on? 62 00:04:41,020 --> 00:04:44,020 And so there are some interesting things about these creatures. 63 00:04:44,020 --> 00:04:46,060 This isn't the first time they appear in Scripture. 64 00:04:46,060 --> 00:04:51,300 We see something like them in Ezekiel chapter one, verses five through six. 65 00:04:51,300 --> 00:04:55,660 So Ezekiel chapter one, verses five through six. 66 00:04:55,660 --> 00:04:57,540 This is what the Bible says. 67 00:04:57,540 --> 00:05:02,660 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. 68 00:05:02,660 --> 00:05:03,700 And this was their appearance. 69 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:09,300 They had a human likeness, but each had four faces and each of them had four wings. 70 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:16,860 Now it's not until verse 10 that we actually hear and read the descriptions of what those faces look like. 71 00:05:16,860 --> 00:05:19,300 So Ezekiel one, 10. 72 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:24,900 And as for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. 73 00:05:24,900 --> 00:05:28,380 The four had the face of a lion on the right side. 74 00:05:28,380 --> 00:05:31,620 The four had the face of an ox on the left side. 75 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:35,140 And the four had the face of an eagle. 76 00:05:35,140 --> 00:05:42,260 So these creatures in Ezekiel, they are essentially the same ones that we're reading about in Revelation, 77 00:05:42,260 --> 00:05:45,780 only with very slight minor differences. 78 00:05:45,780 --> 00:05:54,460 In Ezekiel later on in chapter 10, these creatures are going to be described as cherubim. 79 00:05:54,460 --> 00:05:58,900 What are cherubim? 80 00:05:58,900 --> 00:05:59,540 Burning ones. 81 00:05:59,540 --> 00:06:02,860 Okay, let's put it in like everyday church language. 82 00:06:02,860 --> 00:06:03,460 What are they? 83 00:06:03,460 --> 00:06:04,940 They're angels. 84 00:06:04,940 --> 00:06:07,220 They're a class of angels. 85 00:06:07,220 --> 00:06:08,340 They're angelic beings. 86 00:06:08,340 --> 00:06:14,540 And the ones here in Revelation chapter 4, they're not necessarily described as cherubim, 87 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:21,820 but it's obvious that these creatures here in Revelation chapter 4, they are part of the angelic order. 88 00:06:21,820 --> 00:06:29,220 And not only that, there's a very good chance that they are of the highest angelic order. 89 00:06:29,220 --> 00:06:33,820 Now where would we get that? 90 00:06:33,820 --> 00:06:40,220 Very good chance that they're of the highest angelic order. 91 00:06:40,220 --> 00:06:43,500 Any ideas where we might get that? 92 00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:44,860 Isaiah? 93 00:06:44,860 --> 00:06:45,380 Potentially? 94 00:06:45,380 --> 00:06:50,380 Okay, any other suggestions? 95 00:06:50,380 --> 00:06:52,100 Well notice how they're described here. 96 00:06:52,100 --> 00:06:54,220 This is very important, okay? 97 00:06:54,220 --> 00:07:01,780 The Bible does not say here in these verses that these angels are the creatures they are likened to. 98 00:07:01,780 --> 00:07:03,740 Did you pick up on that? 99 00:07:03,740 --> 00:07:06,380 It never says they are these creatures. 100 00:07:06,380 --> 00:07:10,260 They say they are like these creatures. 101 00:07:10,260 --> 00:07:13,020 That word like is a very crucial word there. 102 00:07:13,020 --> 00:07:21,460 In other words, when John is receiving this vision from the Lord and he is trying to comprehend what he's seen, 103 00:07:21,460 --> 00:07:25,620 he's not seeing a lion and an eagle and an ox and a human. 104 00:07:25,620 --> 00:07:34,460 He is seeing some angelic being that in some way bears likeness to what we would know as those type of creatures here on earth. 105 00:07:34,460 --> 00:07:35,620 Does that make sense? 106 00:07:35,620 --> 00:07:39,980 In some way they are in the same likeness of each other. 107 00:07:39,980 --> 00:07:44,300 And notice which creatures they're likened to. 108 00:07:44,300 --> 00:07:50,060 We see that there is a lion, there's an ox, 109 00:07:50,060 --> 00:07:58,060 there's a human and there is an eagle. 110 00:07:58,060 --> 00:08:02,700 Why those? 111 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:07,020 All are very strong, okay? 112 00:08:07,020 --> 00:08:13,060 Anything else? 113 00:08:13,060 --> 00:08:18,340 What's the nickname for a lion? 114 00:08:18,340 --> 00:08:20,340 The king of the jungle. 115 00:08:20,340 --> 00:08:21,340 What about an ox? 116 00:08:21,340 --> 00:08:23,340 What do you think of when you think of an ox? 117 00:08:23,340 --> 00:08:25,340 Strong, powerful. 118 00:08:25,340 --> 00:08:29,340 It's the strongest domesticated animal that there is. 119 00:08:29,340 --> 00:08:34,340 What does the Bible say about humans? 120 00:08:34,340 --> 00:08:35,340 Creating God's image. 121 00:08:35,340 --> 00:08:40,340 So we are literally the highest of God's creation. 122 00:08:40,340 --> 00:08:41,340 What about an eagle? 123 00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:44,340 What do you think of when you think of an eagle? 124 00:08:44,340 --> 00:08:45,340 Majestic. 125 00:08:45,340 --> 00:08:49,340 You think of birds, there's no greater bird than an eagle, right? 126 00:08:49,340 --> 00:08:51,340 And so think about what you have here. 127 00:08:51,340 --> 00:08:59,340 These four creatures are representative of the highest order of God's creation here on earth. 128 00:08:59,340 --> 00:09:01,340 What do you have in a lion? 129 00:09:01,340 --> 00:09:06,340 You have the highest wild animal, right? 130 00:09:06,340 --> 00:09:11,340 What's higher and more majestic than a wild life than a lion? 131 00:09:11,340 --> 00:09:13,340 You're not really going to find anything. 132 00:09:13,340 --> 00:09:14,340 What about an ox? 133 00:09:14,340 --> 00:09:17,340 You're not the highest domesticated animal, correct? 134 00:09:17,340 --> 00:09:19,340 The most powerful. 135 00:09:19,340 --> 00:09:20,340 You think about a human. 136 00:09:20,340 --> 00:09:23,340 It's the highest of God's creation here on earth. 137 00:09:23,340 --> 00:09:25,340 You think about an eagle. 138 00:09:25,340 --> 00:09:27,340 It's the highest of all birds. 139 00:09:27,340 --> 00:09:32,340 So what you have here are categories of God's creation here on earth, 140 00:09:32,340 --> 00:09:37,340 and each one of these represents the highest one within those categories, 141 00:09:37,340 --> 00:09:44,340 and these angelic beings are likened to the highest order of God's creation here on earth. 142 00:09:44,340 --> 00:09:51,340 In other words, these angelic beings are in some way representative of the highest order of angels, 143 00:09:51,340 --> 00:09:57,340 not only because they're likened to this, but they are the closest ones to the throne of God. 144 00:09:57,340 --> 00:09:58,340 Are they not? 145 00:09:58,340 --> 00:10:02,340 Not everybody gets to just be right there at the throne of God all the time, 146 00:10:02,340 --> 00:10:09,340 and yet we read in Revelation 4 that these creatures are around the throne, 147 00:10:09,340 --> 00:10:12,340 right there in the presence of the Lord. 148 00:10:12,340 --> 00:10:17,340 And so it's very likely a way of saying that these four living creatures around the throne 149 00:10:17,340 --> 00:10:24,340 are of the highest order of angels since they alone get to be so close to God and His throne. 150 00:10:24,340 --> 00:10:34,340 But these creatures, they're not just similar to the cherubim that we read about in Ezekiel 1 and in chapter 10. 151 00:10:34,340 --> 00:10:39,340 They're also like the seraphim from Isaiah 6. 152 00:10:39,340 --> 00:10:42,340 Do you all remember that? Gene just referenced that a second ago. 153 00:10:42,340 --> 00:10:44,340 Gene, that's what you were referencing, right? 154 00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:45,340 Yeah. 155 00:10:45,340 --> 00:10:50,340 Okay, so Isaiah 6, we have the seraphim, 156 00:10:50,340 --> 00:10:56,340 and this is what we read in those verses, Isaiah 6, 2-3. 157 00:10:56,340 --> 00:10:59,340 Above him stood the seraphim. 158 00:10:59,340 --> 00:11:06,340 Each had six wings with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 159 00:11:06,340 --> 00:11:08,340 And one called to another and said, 160 00:11:08,340 --> 00:11:12,340 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. 161 00:11:12,340 --> 00:11:15,340 The whole earth is full of His glory. 162 00:11:15,340 --> 00:11:16,340 So notice the similarities there. 163 00:11:16,340 --> 00:11:20,340 Both of these creatures in both chapters, they have all these wings, 164 00:11:20,340 --> 00:11:25,340 and they have all these eyes, and the wings are covering the eyes in Isaiah 6. 165 00:11:25,340 --> 00:11:29,340 And both start off by saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. 166 00:11:29,340 --> 00:11:33,340 Now, Isaiah says, Lord of hosts, Revelation says, Lord God Almighty, 167 00:11:33,340 --> 00:11:36,340 Revelation says, who was and is and is to come, 168 00:11:36,340 --> 00:11:40,340 Isaiah says, the whole earth is filled with His glory. 169 00:11:40,340 --> 00:11:46,340 And so you see that these creatures are also described as having eyes all around them. 170 00:11:46,340 --> 00:11:48,340 Now, this is really important, okay? 171 00:11:48,340 --> 00:11:51,340 What genre are we reading? 172 00:11:51,340 --> 00:11:53,340 Do you remember, we had a whole long discussion about this. 173 00:11:53,340 --> 00:11:58,340 What is the genre of Revelation? 174 00:11:58,340 --> 00:11:59,340 Apocalyptic. 175 00:11:59,340 --> 00:12:04,340 What are some key features of apocalyptic literature? 176 00:12:04,340 --> 00:12:06,340 We said it was highly symbolic, right? 177 00:12:06,340 --> 00:12:08,340 It's like a picture book, right? 178 00:12:08,340 --> 00:12:10,340 It's not meant to be a puzzle book. 179 00:12:10,340 --> 00:12:12,340 It's meant to be a picture book where you see these pictures 180 00:12:12,340 --> 00:12:14,340 and you kind of get the idea of the story. 181 00:12:14,340 --> 00:12:17,340 And so apocalyptic literature uses symbols. 182 00:12:17,340 --> 00:12:21,340 It uses pictures to try to convey an idea or a message. 183 00:12:21,340 --> 00:12:28,340 So should we think about angelic beings that are literally covered with eyes all around them? 184 00:12:28,340 --> 00:12:30,340 Maybe. That's possible. 185 00:12:30,340 --> 00:12:33,340 Many people interpret it that way. 186 00:12:33,340 --> 00:12:39,340 What would be the purpose of having so many eyes? 187 00:12:39,340 --> 00:12:44,340 To see everything? 188 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:49,340 You see things and where are they? 189 00:12:49,340 --> 00:12:54,340 And so the eyes are all around them, but where are these creatures? 190 00:12:54,340 --> 00:12:57,340 The throne of God. 191 00:12:57,340 --> 00:13:07,340 And so why would they need all of these eyes around the throne of God? 192 00:13:07,340 --> 00:13:09,340 Yes. Very good. 193 00:13:09,340 --> 00:13:13,340 So, hey, that's good. That's perfect. 194 00:13:13,340 --> 00:13:19,340 So yeah, I think it could be a way of conveying an idea 195 00:13:19,340 --> 00:13:25,340 that these angelic beings are being vigilant and diligent to watch over the throne of God 196 00:13:25,340 --> 00:13:28,340 and in some way to protect the throne of God. 197 00:13:28,340 --> 00:13:32,340 Now, obviously God does not need protection in any way, shape or form, 198 00:13:32,340 --> 00:13:37,340 but they are willing to do that role if that is what is required of them. 199 00:13:37,340 --> 00:13:40,340 And so they are keeping constant watch over the throne of God. 200 00:13:40,340 --> 00:13:44,340 They're not looking directly at God because the Bible says that they're covering their eyes 201 00:13:44,340 --> 00:13:48,340 because the glory of God would absolutely just burn you up like that, right? 202 00:13:48,340 --> 00:13:53,340 And so maybe they are having literal eyes all over them, but I don't think that's the case. 203 00:13:53,340 --> 00:13:58,340 I think it's a way to convey the idea that they are being watchful over the throne of God 204 00:13:58,340 --> 00:14:01,340 and being vigilant in their responsibilities. 205 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:03,340 And notice what it says here of these living creatures. 206 00:14:03,340 --> 00:14:07,340 It says, day and night, they never cease to say, 207 00:14:07,340 --> 00:14:14,340 Holy, holy, holy, as the Lord God Almighty who was and is, and is to come. 208 00:14:14,340 --> 00:14:18,340 Now, that threefold repetition is really important there, right? 209 00:14:18,340 --> 00:14:20,340 I mean, repetition is always important in the Bible. 210 00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:23,340 You have to write Bible study technique, you're reading the Bible. 211 00:14:23,340 --> 00:14:26,340 Anytime a word is repeated, circle the word. 212 00:14:26,340 --> 00:14:30,340 That's what I do in my Bible because you'll start seeing all those circles and you go, 213 00:14:30,340 --> 00:14:32,340 Oh wait, I bet that's the main idea of this passage. 214 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:35,340 We've mentioned clean like six times. 215 00:14:35,340 --> 00:14:38,340 I bet this passage has to do with something with cleanliness or something like that, 216 00:14:38,340 --> 00:14:40,340 or God cleansing us. 217 00:14:40,340 --> 00:14:44,340 So here we have, Holy, holy, holy. 218 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:49,340 It's interesting that the Bible never says that God is love, love, love, 219 00:14:49,340 --> 00:14:53,340 God is kind, kind, kind, or God is gracious, gracious, gracious, 220 00:14:53,340 --> 00:14:55,340 or God is merciful, merciful, merciful. 221 00:14:55,340 --> 00:14:58,340 Of course, he is those things, right? 222 00:14:58,340 --> 00:15:00,340 But none of them get the threefold repetition. 223 00:15:00,340 --> 00:15:08,340 The only thing of God that gets the threefold repetition in Scripture is the holiness of God. 224 00:15:08,340 --> 00:15:16,340 And yet, is it not the holiness of God that is probably the attribute of God that is most neglected today? 225 00:15:16,340 --> 00:15:18,340 We want to talk about God's love. 226 00:15:18,340 --> 00:15:20,340 We want to talk about His forgiveness. 227 00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:23,340 We want to talk about His kindness and His mercy and His grace and all these things. 228 00:15:23,340 --> 00:15:25,340 And again, those things are wonderful. 229 00:15:25,340 --> 00:15:26,340 They are important. 230 00:15:26,340 --> 00:15:28,340 We should talk about them. 231 00:15:28,340 --> 00:15:34,340 But the attribute of God that throughout Scripture garners the most attention and has the most impact on people 232 00:15:34,340 --> 00:15:38,340 is the holiness of God. 233 00:15:38,340 --> 00:15:41,340 He's too holy to even look at. 234 00:15:41,340 --> 00:15:44,340 When you come into His presence, He told Moses, 235 00:15:44,340 --> 00:15:48,340 take your sandals off, you're standing on holy ground. 236 00:15:48,340 --> 00:15:54,340 When Isaiah saw the great vision of God and the holiness of God, the glory of God before him, 237 00:15:54,340 --> 00:15:56,340 he said, what was me? 238 00:15:56,340 --> 00:16:00,340 Because I'm a man of unclean lips, I dwell amongst the people of unclean lips. 239 00:16:00,340 --> 00:16:03,340 My eyes have seen the Lord. 240 00:16:03,340 --> 00:16:09,340 The holiness of God is what impacts people more than anything else in Scripture. 241 00:16:09,340 --> 00:16:13,340 And yet, we entirely neglect it today. 242 00:16:13,340 --> 00:16:17,340 His holiness is what sets Him apart from everything else. 243 00:16:17,340 --> 00:16:22,340 His holiness that shows that He is entirely separate from everything else. 244 00:16:22,340 --> 00:16:31,340 His holiness warrants respect and honor and reverence because God is entirely other. 245 00:16:31,340 --> 00:16:36,340 He is not like us. 246 00:16:36,340 --> 00:16:40,340 And so often we try to make Him out to be like He is like us, don't we? 247 00:16:40,340 --> 00:16:45,340 Treat Him as if He is just another human, He's just another man. 248 00:16:45,340 --> 00:16:49,340 And His holiness is what separates Him, sets Him apart. 249 00:16:49,340 --> 00:16:52,340 And so these living creatures day and night, they never cease to praise Him 250 00:16:52,340 --> 00:16:55,340 and declare His holiness and glory to all of heaven. 251 00:16:55,340 --> 00:16:58,340 But I want you to just focus on that, don't miss that. 252 00:16:58,340 --> 00:17:06,340 There is never a moment in which these living creatures fail to praise and glorify God. 253 00:17:06,340 --> 00:17:09,340 Night and day, they never cease. 254 00:17:09,340 --> 00:17:11,340 Night and day, understand that. 255 00:17:11,340 --> 00:17:20,340 All the time, they never cease to praise and glorify God. 256 00:17:20,340 --> 00:17:23,340 Now is that the same for us? 257 00:17:23,340 --> 00:17:28,340 Night and day, we're a people who never fail to praise and glorify God, right? 258 00:17:28,340 --> 00:17:34,340 When do we most praise and glorify God? 259 00:17:34,340 --> 00:17:37,340 When things are going well. 260 00:17:37,340 --> 00:17:39,340 When life is good. 261 00:17:39,340 --> 00:17:41,340 When life is easy. 262 00:17:41,340 --> 00:17:45,340 When tragedies don't happen and it's just smooth sailing and we're like, 263 00:17:45,340 --> 00:17:47,340 man, if we could just keep this up, this is great. 264 00:17:47,340 --> 00:17:49,340 I didn't know life could be this good. 265 00:17:49,340 --> 00:17:53,340 God, if you could just keep it like this, that would be fantastic. 266 00:17:53,340 --> 00:17:55,340 But then what happens? 267 00:17:55,340 --> 00:17:57,340 Life. 268 00:17:57,340 --> 00:18:00,340 Life happens and tragedy does happen. 269 00:18:00,340 --> 00:18:02,340 Suffering happens. 270 00:18:02,340 --> 00:18:04,340 Horde ships come. 271 00:18:04,340 --> 00:18:08,340 Where's the praise and the glory and the honor then? 272 00:18:08,340 --> 00:18:11,340 Is it the first thing that we do? 273 00:18:11,340 --> 00:18:14,340 Is it the natural response of our hearts? 274 00:18:14,340 --> 00:18:20,340 Or do we just try to endure and get through that time and get through the time when we no longer feel pain 275 00:18:20,340 --> 00:18:24,340 and suffering and heartache anymore and then once we're on the other side of it, 276 00:18:24,340 --> 00:18:27,340 then we'll praise God again because then He's worthy of it again. 277 00:18:27,340 --> 00:18:31,340 Is that not what we do? 278 00:18:31,340 --> 00:18:35,340 Is God's worth dependent on our circumstances? 279 00:18:35,340 --> 00:18:42,340 Then why do we act like it is? 280 00:18:42,340 --> 00:18:51,340 If His worthiness to be praised and honored and glorified is not dependent upon our circumstances, 281 00:18:51,340 --> 00:19:04,340 then why do we only praise Him and glorify Him and honor Him when things are going good for us? 282 00:19:04,340 --> 00:19:11,340 Part of the human condition, that's right brother. 283 00:19:11,340 --> 00:19:16,340 Yeah, Horatia Spafford. Yes sir. 284 00:19:16,340 --> 00:19:23,340 Almost his wife too, but she made it. 285 00:19:23,340 --> 00:19:28,340 Yeah, so y'all remember that story? Yeah. 286 00:19:28,340 --> 00:19:32,340 That's right. 287 00:19:32,340 --> 00:19:38,340 When Sorrow is like C. Billow's role and he's right over the spot where his daughters drowned at sea 288 00:19:38,340 --> 00:19:44,340 and in the midst of that pain, he recognizes that even though there was a tragedy, 289 00:19:44,340 --> 00:19:50,340 that tragedy is not indicative of God's character, that God never changes. 290 00:19:50,340 --> 00:19:54,340 Our circumstances, they will change and they will change often. 291 00:19:54,340 --> 00:19:57,340 Will they not? God never changes. 292 00:19:57,340 --> 00:20:02,340 And if He is worthy to be praised on our best days and He never changes, 293 00:20:02,340 --> 00:20:05,340 what does that mean about on our worst days? 294 00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:10,340 He's just as worthy to be praised and honored and glorified. 295 00:20:10,340 --> 00:20:13,340 And that's ultimately what these living creatures are reminding us of. 296 00:20:13,340 --> 00:20:18,340 That's part of the reason God gives this vision to John and now to us is to show us 297 00:20:18,340 --> 00:20:25,340 that God is worthy to be praised at all times regardless of our circumstances. 298 00:20:25,340 --> 00:20:29,340 I mean that was kind of our VBS thing like two, three weeks ago now. 299 00:20:29,340 --> 00:20:32,340 Was it two weeks here? Time's crazy. 300 00:20:32,340 --> 00:20:37,340 But I mean when life is wild, when life is scary, when life changes, when life is sad, 301 00:20:37,340 --> 00:20:42,340 when life is good, God is good. 302 00:20:42,340 --> 00:20:45,340 That's right. God is good. 303 00:20:45,340 --> 00:20:50,340 And so that's the whole idea behind showing us. 304 00:20:50,340 --> 00:20:54,340 It's not just to depict what's actually going on in heaven because this is going on. 305 00:20:54,340 --> 00:21:00,340 This is a reality. This is going on even right now as we talk about it, which is surreal to think about. 306 00:21:00,340 --> 00:21:04,340 As we are talking about these creatures, they are in the midst of saying, 307 00:21:04,340 --> 00:21:08,340 Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. 308 00:21:08,340 --> 00:21:13,340 And it's showing us that if living creatures who were not made in the image of God 309 00:21:13,340 --> 00:21:20,340 never cease to praise Him and glorify Him, then don't you think those who are made in His likeness 310 00:21:20,340 --> 00:21:23,340 should be the ones to praise and glorify Him? 311 00:21:23,340 --> 00:21:29,340 They look like eagles and lions and ox and one looks like a human, maybe? 312 00:21:29,340 --> 00:21:32,340 We are literally made in His image. 313 00:21:32,340 --> 00:21:40,340 And yet we tie His worthiness to be praised to our earthly, temporary circumstances. 314 00:21:40,340 --> 00:21:43,340 God is greater than our circumstances. 315 00:21:43,340 --> 00:21:49,340 And I want you to notice just very quickly that praising the Lord is what all the heavenly hosts do. 316 00:21:49,340 --> 00:21:52,340 I mean, look at verses 9-11 very quickly. 317 00:21:52,340 --> 00:21:57,340 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who seated on the throne, 318 00:21:57,340 --> 00:22:03,340 who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne 319 00:22:03,340 --> 00:22:08,340 and worship Him who lives forever and ever, they cast their crowns before the throne 320 00:22:08,340 --> 00:22:16,340 saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things 321 00:22:16,340 --> 00:22:21,340 and by your will they existed and were created. 322 00:22:21,340 --> 00:22:25,340 Now notice how the 24 elders, they join into the praise. 323 00:22:25,340 --> 00:22:29,340 Remember we talked about them last time that we were studying Revelation chapter 4 324 00:22:29,340 --> 00:22:35,340 saying that the 24 elders are probably representative of the entire people of God 325 00:22:35,340 --> 00:22:40,340 because you had 12 tribes of Israel, you had 12 apostles of Jesus, 326 00:22:40,340 --> 00:22:44,340 and so it is representative of the old covenant people, new covenant people 327 00:22:44,340 --> 00:22:48,340 joined together to encompass the entire people of God. 328 00:22:48,340 --> 00:22:51,340 And notice what it says, it's so interesting. 329 00:22:51,340 --> 00:22:54,340 It says, Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to God, 330 00:22:54,340 --> 00:22:57,340 what happens, the 24 elders join in. 331 00:22:57,340 --> 00:23:00,340 Well what did we just read about the four living creatures? 332 00:23:00,340 --> 00:23:06,340 All the time they never cease day and night to praise the Lord 333 00:23:06,340 --> 00:23:10,340 and so whenever they do that, all the time, the 24 elders join in. 334 00:23:10,340 --> 00:23:12,340 So what are the 24 elders doing? 335 00:23:12,340 --> 00:23:16,340 All the time praising the Lord, giving Him honor and glory. 336 00:23:16,340 --> 00:23:22,340 And so you see that the entire heavenly host are constantly praising the Lord 337 00:23:22,340 --> 00:23:26,340 and declaring that He is worthy, worthy to receive glory and honor and power. 338 00:23:26,340 --> 00:23:28,340 The question is why? 339 00:23:28,340 --> 00:23:30,340 Did you notice what the verse said? 340 00:23:30,340 --> 00:23:37,340 You're worthy to receive glory and honor and power because you created all things. 341 00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:39,340 That's right. 342 00:23:39,340 --> 00:23:44,340 God alone created all things and they came into existence for no other reason 343 00:23:44,340 --> 00:23:48,340 than the fact that He willed them into existence. 344 00:23:48,340 --> 00:23:54,340 God is the only being who has ever created anything from nothing, 345 00:23:54,340 --> 00:23:59,340 no pre-existing material and without the aid of anything else. 346 00:23:59,340 --> 00:24:04,340 You know people talk about humans creating things all the time. 347 00:24:04,340 --> 00:24:08,340 When we create things, we just use things that are already here. 348 00:24:08,340 --> 00:24:10,340 A bunch of pre-existing material. 349 00:24:10,340 --> 00:24:15,340 Humans, when we create things, we're essentially just finding new ways to put things together. 350 00:24:15,340 --> 00:24:18,340 Here's two things I didn't think could go together. Now they're here. 351 00:24:18,340 --> 00:24:21,340 So that's me creating something, right? 352 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:22,340 Not with God. 353 00:24:22,340 --> 00:24:26,340 There was nothing and then God said, let there be light. 354 00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:28,340 And guess what happened? 355 00:24:28,340 --> 00:24:30,340 There was light. Why? 356 00:24:30,340 --> 00:24:37,340 Because God literally just said, let there be light and it responded even though it didn't exist. 357 00:24:37,340 --> 00:24:39,340 I mean we can't even comprehend this. 358 00:24:39,340 --> 00:24:44,340 This is power that we can't even imagine or understand. 359 00:24:44,340 --> 00:24:48,340 No human being has ever created something from nothing. 360 00:24:48,340 --> 00:24:51,340 No angelic being has ever created something from nothing. 361 00:24:51,340 --> 00:24:56,340 No cosmological forces, according to our scientists, they would think otherwise, 362 00:24:56,340 --> 00:25:01,340 but no cosmological forces have ever created something from nothing. 363 00:25:01,340 --> 00:25:03,340 Only God can do that. 364 00:25:03,340 --> 00:25:07,340 And when He says for something to be done, it is done. 365 00:25:07,340 --> 00:25:11,340 I mean still to this day, our universe is still expanding. 366 00:25:11,340 --> 00:25:12,340 We know that, right? 367 00:25:12,340 --> 00:25:16,340 How amazing is it that God literally says, let there be light, 368 00:25:16,340 --> 00:25:21,340 let there be all these different things, He speaks the universe into existence, 369 00:25:21,340 --> 00:25:25,340 and since He didn't say to stop, it's still going. 370 00:25:25,340 --> 00:25:30,340 Since He spoke the words, it has not stopped. 371 00:25:30,340 --> 00:25:33,340 It has just kept going because God never said, okay, you're good. 372 00:25:33,340 --> 00:25:38,340 He said that to the seat, you can come this far and no further. 373 00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:42,340 So our universe continues to obey God. I'm just going to keep going out that way 374 00:25:42,340 --> 00:25:46,340 because God said to exist, so I'm going to expand. 375 00:25:46,340 --> 00:25:48,340 This is power that we can't even imagine. 376 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:54,340 And so when the angelic beings see this happen, and imagine being there when this happened. 377 00:25:54,340 --> 00:25:58,340 According to the book of Job, and you can reference this also in Psalms, 378 00:25:58,340 --> 00:26:02,340 there's a good likelihood God had already created all the angelic beings 379 00:26:02,340 --> 00:26:05,340 and the heavenly host before He created the earth, 380 00:26:05,340 --> 00:26:09,340 and maybe what we know is the sky, which I would have called the heavens and things like that, 381 00:26:09,340 --> 00:26:13,340 because they were praising Him as He was creating these things. 382 00:26:13,340 --> 00:26:18,340 And so imagine being there when God decides, I'm going to create a universe, 383 00:26:18,340 --> 00:26:22,340 and He, they're like, well, I don't even know what that is, God, what is that? 384 00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:25,340 And then He says, okay, watch this, let there be light, 385 00:26:25,340 --> 00:26:29,340 and all of a sudden they see light, and what in the world just happened? 386 00:26:29,340 --> 00:26:33,340 And He says, okay, watch this, here's going to be sky, birds, animals, all these creatures. 387 00:26:33,340 --> 00:26:37,340 They've never even seen before, and He's not moving a muscle, 388 00:26:37,340 --> 00:26:40,340 He's just speaking, and these things happen. 389 00:26:40,340 --> 00:26:42,340 What would you do? 390 00:26:42,340 --> 00:26:47,340 I'd praise Him and glorify Him too, if He could just say something and it appears, 391 00:26:47,340 --> 00:26:52,340 and it just listens to Him, and things do that because He wills them into existence. 392 00:26:52,340 --> 00:26:57,340 Of course He is worthy of our praise and our honor and our glory. 393 00:26:57,340 --> 00:27:02,340 And I want you to notice how they respond as they're praising the Lord. 394 00:27:02,340 --> 00:27:04,340 Notice what it says. 395 00:27:04,340 --> 00:27:10,340 It specifically says that they cast their crowns before the throne of God. 396 00:27:10,340 --> 00:27:13,340 They cast their crowns before the throne of God. 397 00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:15,340 It's an act that signifies a few things. 398 00:27:15,340 --> 00:27:23,340 The first thing that it signifies is humility. 399 00:27:23,340 --> 00:27:30,340 Why would it signify humility? 400 00:27:30,340 --> 00:27:32,340 Okay, yeah, that's good. 401 00:27:32,340 --> 00:27:37,340 Recognize from where the crown comes from? 402 00:27:37,340 --> 00:27:40,340 He's more worthy, yeah, that's good too. 403 00:27:40,340 --> 00:27:47,340 Basically they're saying, any glory we might have is nothing compared to God. 404 00:27:47,340 --> 00:27:51,340 Any power we might have, it's nothing compared to God. 405 00:27:51,340 --> 00:27:55,340 Any authority we might have is nothing compared to God. 406 00:27:55,340 --> 00:28:02,340 In humility they relinquish all claims to any significance and they lay it before God. 407 00:28:02,340 --> 00:28:12,340 And then not only that, it's an act of submission. 408 00:28:12,340 --> 00:28:19,340 Not only are they humbling themselves before the Lord, they are submitting themselves to the Lord. 409 00:28:19,340 --> 00:28:27,340 They're sovereign rule and reign because what does a crown normally signify? 410 00:28:27,340 --> 00:28:28,340 Royalty, what else? 411 00:28:28,340 --> 00:28:30,340 What comes with a crown? 412 00:28:30,340 --> 00:28:34,340 Power, what else? 413 00:28:34,340 --> 00:28:40,340 Authority, dominion, kingship or queenship, rule. 414 00:28:40,340 --> 00:28:47,340 And they take those crowns and they cast them before the throne of God. 415 00:28:47,340 --> 00:28:54,340 They're giving up all claims to rule and authority and they are submitting themselves to God's rule and God's authority. 416 00:28:54,340 --> 00:29:03,340 They're saying essentially, it's not my way, it's not how I would have things, I'm submitting myself to your way and to your will. 417 00:29:03,340 --> 00:29:11,340 And so this scene reminds us that if the 24 elders represent the entire people of God are consisting of people from both covenants, 418 00:29:11,340 --> 00:29:20,340 they humble themselves before God, they submit themselves before God, shouldn't we do the same here and now? 419 00:29:20,340 --> 00:29:32,340 You see, it's only when we're confronted with the reality of God's holiness and the glory of God that we realize that we are nothing before God. 420 00:29:32,340 --> 00:29:40,340 What is our glory compared to the glory of God? 421 00:29:40,340 --> 00:29:50,340 It's like ants. 422 00:29:50,340 --> 00:30:02,340 Yeah, it looks like ants. 423 00:30:02,340 --> 00:30:07,340 That's right, I mean that's the idea here is what is our glory compared to the glory of God? 424 00:30:07,340 --> 00:30:10,340 What is our power compared to the power of God? 425 00:30:10,340 --> 00:30:13,340 What is our beauty compared to the beauty of God? 426 00:30:13,340 --> 00:30:17,340 Our majesty, our authority, our claims to dominion and all these other things. 427 00:30:17,340 --> 00:30:21,340 What are they compared to God? 428 00:30:21,340 --> 00:30:27,340 They are nothing before God and we are as nothing before Him. 429 00:30:27,340 --> 00:30:33,340 And listen to me, the fact that He would even take notice of us, let alone sacrifice His only Son, 430 00:30:33,340 --> 00:30:41,340 for us should not only confound us, but it should prompt eternal praise for the Lord. 431 00:30:41,340 --> 00:30:43,340 I mean we're less than ants. 432 00:30:43,340 --> 00:30:47,340 The Bible says we are dirt and we're going to return to dirt. 433 00:30:47,340 --> 00:30:55,340 What is a bunch of dirt to say to God, you should take notice of me? 434 00:30:55,340 --> 00:31:02,340 And yet not only does He take notice of us, but He sends His only Son to suffer and die for us. 435 00:31:02,340 --> 00:31:09,340 That is a God who is worthy of our praise and our honor. 436 00:31:09,340 --> 00:31:12,340 He is worthy of glory at all times. 437 00:31:12,340 --> 00:31:15,340 And so that's what this scene in heaven is reminding us of. 438 00:31:15,340 --> 00:31:18,340 When you look at these angelic beings, yes, it's cool to think about, 439 00:31:18,340 --> 00:31:20,340 why do they have these faces? 440 00:31:20,340 --> 00:31:21,340 Why do they have all these eyes? 441 00:31:21,340 --> 00:31:22,340 Why do they have all these wings? 442 00:31:22,340 --> 00:31:27,340 Don't get lost in the details and miss the forest, right? 443 00:31:27,340 --> 00:31:30,340 Don't focus on the bark of one tree. 444 00:31:30,340 --> 00:31:32,340 Look at the beauty of the forest. 445 00:31:32,340 --> 00:31:37,340 Because what this is telling us here is not only does God have sovereign power and rule and authority, 446 00:31:37,340 --> 00:31:42,340 so you can trust Him at all times, but it's saying that regardless of your circumstances, 447 00:31:42,340 --> 00:31:45,340 regardless of if you're suffering or hurting, if you're going through trials, 448 00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:48,340 whether life is good or scary or changes or anything else, 449 00:31:48,340 --> 00:31:52,340 God is worthy of our praise and glory at all times. 450 00:31:52,340 --> 00:31:59,340 That is the purpose for which we are created, to glorify Him in fully to enjoy Him forever. 451 00:31:59,340 --> 00:32:03,340 And if we waste our lives seeking these things that are nothing before God, 452 00:32:03,340 --> 00:32:09,340 power, glory, dominion, authority, all those kind of things that are as nothing before Him, 453 00:32:09,340 --> 00:32:13,340 you will waste your life. 454 00:32:13,340 --> 00:32:18,340 The only way to have a full, abundant life, a meaningful life, 455 00:32:18,340 --> 00:32:27,340 and to live to that purpose for which God created you is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. 456 00:32:27,340 --> 00:32:31,340 Alright, Joseph, you're the man of the hour.