Understanding: We have spent a few weeks in chapters 1 – 3 of Revelation, looking at and applying the letters to the 7 churches. These were given to John when he was ‘in the Spirit’ (1:10). The same voice (of Jesus) now speaks to him again and, ‘in the Spirit’ (4:2), he is given a view into Heaven and sees the citizens of Heaven worshipping.
Read Revelation 4 but please note this is just one of a series of at least 7 scenes of Praise and ‘Worship in Heaven’ that John sees in later chapters. The table below lists these and a tick denotes who are recorded as present in each. The 4 Living Creatures (L.Cs) and 24 Elders are probably a higher order of creation, like angels of high rank and honour who lead worship. (I say ‘probably’ because, whilst we should be clear and even dogmatic about some Scriptural principles, it is unwise to claim infallibility here. When seeking to interpret the symbolic meaning of prophetic pictures in Revelation, we could be wrong!)
Mentioned as present:
Revelation References
24 Elders
4 Living Creatures
Others
4:8-11 God on the throne
√
√
5:8-13 The Lamb
√
√
loads of angels,
'every creature’
7: 9-12 The great multitude
√
√
great multitude
11:5-18 The 7th trumpet
√
loud voices
14:1-3 The 144,000
√
√
15:2-4 Victorious over the Beast
the victorious
19:1-8 Hallelujah chorus
√
√
The Bride
= the Great Multitude
= the completed church
Application: 1 How can your glimpse into Heaven help you when life gets tough in this world? 2 Do the descriptions of worship in Heaven in the above passages cause you to try to change the way you worship on earth? 3 Do you ever fear that, however good the worship is in Heaven, you may get bored or run out of steam if it goes on the same, ‘day and night’ for ever?
Hint: In the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21 & 22), there will be ‘no night’ (21:25, 22:5). God will create a completely new environment that will be time-rich rather than time-less.
Technical note: God operates in more than 4 dimensions, probably at least 10. If you are to inhabit His New Heaven, you will probably be able to do many things at once! Very recent advances in mathematical physics have suggested that our Creator must be multi-dimensional, because the Universe possessed 10 dimensions for a very brief while after Creation. Secular science proposes that the other 6 were ‘rolled up’ and stored in the tiniest spaces throughout the universe (meaning God is near: in every particle of our being – just like I always thought, but Scientists have only just discovered it!). ‘Rolling up the heavens like a scroll’ is exactly the pictorial language Isaiah and John use (Isa 34:4; Rev 6:14) for the end of the present heaven and earth. When God creates and reveals the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21 & 22), there will be plenty to do serving and reigning (22: 3-5). ‘Worship’ is no longer specifically mentioned (surprisingly) but, as on earth, ‘service’ is worship. (See Romans 12:1). Having more than one time dimension to operate in, you will find plenty to do!
