The Throne in Heaven (Revelation): What happens when you fail to see or believe the truth? Your life will always, to some degree, be out of alignment with reality. And this leads to all sorts of problems! When the Apostle John had a vision of heaven’s throne room, he realized that the fundamental truth of reality is this: God deserves all our worship as both Creator and Savior. Recorded on May 31, 2026, on Revelation 4-5 by Pastor David Parks.
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This sermon is part of the Revelation: All Things Made New series. Christians live in incredible tension. In Christ, we’re already saved, but we’re not yet delivered from this broken world. We’re being made holy, but we’re not yet perfected. We have love, joy, and peace, but we still long for justice, healing, and the death of death. How can we endure all this without giving in to complacency or compromise? In our series, we’ll pull back the veil of reality, exposing both a cosmic spiritual battle and the truth about how this story ends. One day, Jesus will return and bring a final end to evil. He will defeat his enemies and vindicate his people, wiping away every tear. Jesus will finally, fully establish his kingdom on the earth, making everything new. “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Sermon Transcript
There’s a famous story from the 1970s of a Japanese man named Hiroo Onoda who thought that WWII was still going on almost thirty years after the war ended. Hiroo had been an intelligence officer stationed on an island in the Philippines. The picture on the left is Hiroo around 1944, when he was sent to lead guerrilla operations on the island. The picture on the right shows him finally surrendering in 1974. But why did he continue to fight for so long? Well, Hiroo had been given explicit orders that under no circumstances was he to surrender or take his own life, so that’s what he did. He heard reports that the war was over, but he didn’t believe them; he thought it was just enemy propaganda. The Japanese military thought he’d been killed in action, but eventually, word got back to them that there was a holdout still fighting on the island. But it wasn’t until his former commander flew from Japan to personally give the order to stand down that Hiroo actually surrendered. Can you imagine fighting a war for almost thirty years that wasn’t real? This might seem crazy, but Hiroo’s actions, his way of life, made complete sense; it was perfectly logical, based on what he believed was true about the world and his place/role in it. But the only problem was, it wasn’t true! The war had ended years ago. And just think of all the life he missed by continuing to fight under this false belief? Now, by all accounts, he went on to live a very full life after he finally accepted the truth, but still, it would’ve been much better for him to have believed the first reports of the end of the war—because that’s what was true. Now, this is just an extreme example, but many people today are living their lives based on things/beliefs that are simply not true. It might make sense based on their beliefs, but the problem is that when you fail to see and believe the truth, your life will always, to some degree, be out of alignment with reality. And this leads to all sorts of problems! Today, we’re continuing a sermon series on the book of Revelation called All Things Made New. And in Revelation’s apocalyptic style, God pulls back the veil of reality, exposing both a cosmic spiritual battle and the truth of how our world and this current age will come to an end with the return of Christ. Now, Christians live in the tension that exists between the incarnation and the return of Christ, but by God’s grace, we know how the story ends. Revelation starts with letters from Jesus Christ to seven churches around the Roman province of Asia in modern Turkey. If you missed those sermons, you can always go back and watch/listen if you’d like. But today, we’ll come to a turning point in the book where we start to jump into the more wild prophetic visions that Revelation is known for. But the vision that the Apostle John has here couldn’t be bigger or more important for us, even today. Because it reveals the fundamental truth underlying everything in reality. It reveals the truth about who God is. If you have a Bible/app, please open to Rev 4:1. We’ll cover chapters 4-5 today, but we’ll unpack them as we go.
Revelation 4:1–8 (NIV), “1 After 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 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,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” After receiving very specific, personal, and sometimes challenging letters from Jesus Christ to the seven churches of Revelation, John’s supernatural vision continues with an open door into the throne room of God. Back in chapter 1, the voice that sounded like a trumpet was Jesus. But here, Jesus calls John to come up and see behind the veil into heaven. Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah and Ezekiel, had similar visions, just as NT Apostles like Peter and Paul. These experiences of being caught up into heaven or of having some sort of vision of heaven are very rare, but they aren’t just for special people to have a cool experience. They always come when God’s people are facing especially difficult circumstances, persecution, or at a pivotal moment in salvation history. I suspect that when God’s people are most vulnerable to losing faith, God knows this and gives them these visions to help them hang on. We’ve already said that it was a tough time to be a Christian. So, in the midst of probably a lot of fear and uncertainty about the future, John had a vision of a throne in heaven, a symbol of power and authority, with someone sitting on it, the Lord of heaven. Their appearance was like precious gemstones, which, by the way, show up again in chapter 21 in the city of God, the new Jerusalem, reminding us that one day, God’s throne will be on the earth, though for now, it remains in heaven. But interestingly, John doesn’t spend as much time describing the Lord on the throne as he does for the creatures around the throne. My guess is that words would’ve fallen so far short that he didn’t even try to describe the beauty and transcendent glory of God. Even the most eloquent or poetic person would be speechless in the actual presence of God. Isaiah said something similar when he saw God as well. But God isn’t alone in heaven; he’s surrounded by fascinating creatures. First, there are 24 elders seated on thrones around God’s throne, serving as a kind of heavenly court. John never explains who these elders are, but one option is that they represent all of God’s covenant people, perhaps combining the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the church to a total of 24 (although there are all kinds of theories about this!). Their clothing suggests they are some of the victorious ones Jesus mentioned in chapter 3, people who remained faithful and holy despite the corruption of this broken world. The lightning and thunder coming from the throne remind us of the scene of Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus, representing God’s fearsome power and glory. In front of the throne, we have the seven spirits of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, with the number seven representing perfection or completion. Finally, John saw four living creatures very similar to the cherubim, or the spiritual creatures the prophet Ezekiel saw in his vision. There are also many theories on the nature of these strange creatures, but the mashup of physical and spiritual characteristics seems to represent all of creation or created life. The wings allow them to quickly respond to God’s will, and their eyes represent their attention to and care for creation. Like Isaiah’s vision of the seraphim, they proclaim the perfect holiness of the Lord God Almighty, “who was, and is, and is to come.” The Lord is perfect and is above all. He is almighty, sovereign over all. He is also eternal; there was never a time when God didn’t exist. The most powerful, famous, or wealthy human isn’t in the same category. Even the most impressive or powerful heavenly creature pales in comparison to him. It’s little wonder, then, that this kind of exalted vision, a vision of the throne room of God, would lead to worship. How could it not?? What happens when the living creatures and the elders respond to the truth of who God is?
Revelation 4:9-11 (NIV), “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.” Worship is the right response to the truth and glory of the Lord God Almighty. The English word “worship” comes from the Old English “worth-ship,” which recognizes the worth or value of something. In the Bible, worship is about ascribing or giving to God the glory due his name; it’s about recognizing and responding to who God truly is. And here, John saw something like a heavenly worship service. True worship lifts up God, recognizing with gratitude and joy God’s own glory and honor. But notice the main focus of their worship here. It’s that God is the creator. The fact that we exist at all is the first reason to praise the Lord. Every time you wake up, every breath in your lungs, and every beat of your heart should remind you that the Lord God Almighty, in all his infinite wisdom and love, decided that his world needed you. So what? So praise the Lord! Or when you’re out in the woods or you’re out on the lake or just staring up into the stars of the night sky, what should you do? Say thank you to the creator of all these beautiful things! It’s not just “The heavens [that] declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1); the whole cosmos declares the glory of God! But just as our worship ought to lift up God, so our worship ought to be a humbling force in our lives. The elders lay their crowns before the throne. Even the best we have to offer is nothing compared to the glory of God. And any authority, honor, or power that we might have is under the ultimate authority, honor, and power of our great God. But a life of true worship is the best way to live. It’s not that we’re actually worthless, but we’re certainly worth less than God. How many of our problems come from getting this messed up? Of making demands of God or judging God’s plan, or simply seeing ourselves as more highly than we ought. True worship reorients us both to the truth of who God is and the truth of who we are in relation to him. But is the fact that God is our creator the only reason to worship him? Not at all.
Revelation 5:1-10 (NIV), “1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” John’s vision continues with tension around who might be worthy to open the sealed scroll in God’s right hand. John wept because no one was found worthy to open it or even look inside it. What was written on this scroll? From the context, it’s likely that the scroll contained God’s plan for salvation, a plan hinted at in the OT, but still to some degree a mystery until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. John wept because if no one was worthy to accomplish God’s plan for salvation, then this broken world would be doomed. There would be no hope. But then there was good news! One of the elders told John not to weep. Why? Because “…the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” But when John looked, he didn’t see a lion; he saw a Lamb, “looking as if it had been slain” in the place of God on the throne. What does this mean? Well, for generations of God’s people, from the first Passover during the Exodus on down to Jesus, every year the Israelites sacrificed the Passover lamb and took shelter under its blood to remember when God saved his people by sheer grace. But when Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead, God’s people realized that the Passover had foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who died in our place for our sins. Jesus had lived a perfect, sinless life, so he was worthy. And he was obedient to his Father, even unto death. But the Lamb only looked as if it had been slain. Why? Because he was alive once again! He is risen! So Jesus “went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.” God’s plan of salvation was accomplished by his one and only son. And the elders and the four living creatures fell down before Jesus and sang a new song. “…you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” If that doesn’t make you pulse quicken, I don’t know what could! But again, following the same pattern as chapter 4, chapter 5 has a vision of the exalted Savior, and then a response of worship.
Revelation 5:11-14 (NIV), “11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” This is God’s word. And what happened after seeing Jesus high and lifted up on the throne of God? Somehow it only got bigger! Joining the elders and the living creatures, suddenly there were tens of thousands, maybe millions of angels who encircled the throne singing, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Notice, they have seven things that Jesus is worthy to receive. As we said, sevens are everywhere in Revelation. But following the angelic song, every living thing in all of creation responds with a doxology to God and to the Lamb. Chapters 4-5 couldn’t be clearer: God deserves all our worship as both Creator and Savior. This might be the big idea of the whole Bible. And the story of how God saved his people through the person and work of his son, Jesus, is the heart of the gospel. This is the good news our church was founded on, but more importantly, this is the truth behind all of reality. If you don’t believe in or honor God as your creator, you might be very intelligent in other respects, and you might be a relatively moral person, but you won’t understand reality. And if you don’t believe in or honor Jesus as your savior, again, you might be very talented and accomplished in life, but you will still be lost without him. Why? Because you won’t understand or live in light of reality. Parts of your identity, perspective, goals, values, and motives will be corrupted and shaped by lies. They might be lies you really hope are true, or you wish were true, but they’re still not in line with what’s real; they’re a delusion. Just like Hiroo Onoda, you might be fighting a battle that isn’t even real. But what’s the solution? The solution is to look to the revelation of Jesus Christ, the word of God, which reveals what is true. God has pulled back the veil so that we can all see. And when we behold, when we see with eyes of faith, we can see that God deserves all our worship as both Creator and Savior. This is true for people when they come to faith in Jesus, but Christians need worship too. Because for now, until the return of our King, we still live in this broken world, where it’s so easy to be distracted. Where persecution is common, and complacency and compromise are almost constant temptations. I get it. It’s not easy to follow Jesus here. But God deserves all our worship as both Creator and Savior. And true worship reorients us both to the truth of who God is and the truth of who we are in relation to him. And our worship reminds us that our creator and savior is seated on his throne. He reigns and rules over all. The one who was and is and is to come. And one day he will make all things new. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever! Amen and Amen. Let us pray.
