Today’s post includes a brief overview of the chapter and a focused look at what it reveals about Jesus (Rev. 1:1) — so our eyes stay fixed on Him.
Chapter Overview: Revelation opens as “the revelation of Jesus Christ” — a message from God, given to Jesus, delivered through John to the church (vv. 1–2). It promises blessing to those who hear and obey because “the time is near” (v. 3). John greets the churches with grace and peace and points to Jesus, who loves us, freed us from our sins, and made us a kingdom of priests (vv. 4–6). The chapter announces that Jesus is coming again in glory (vv. 7–8) and then records John’s vision of the risen Christ — standing among His churches in power and authority (vv. 12–16). When John falls in fear, Jesus reassures him and declares His victory over death, commissioning him to write what he sees (vv. 17–20).
Seeing Jesus in This Chapter: Revelation 1 shows us Jesus not in humility, but in glory and authority. He is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth (v. 5). He is the One who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, making us a kingdom and priests to God (vv. 5–6). He is the coming King who will return with the clouds, and every eye will see Him — both those who trust Him and those who rejected Him (v. 7). As the Son of Man, He stands among His churches — present, watchful, and sovereign — holding His people securely and knowing their true condition (vv. 12–13, 16). His blazing eyes see all, His voice carries authority, and His word brings both judgment and truth (vv. 14–16). Yet this same glorious Jesus comforts His people, saying, “Fear not.” He is the eternal One — “the first and the last” — who died and now lives forever (vv. 17–18). Because He has conquered death and holds its keys, His people can live with confidence, endurance, and hope.
🌀 Reflection: Seeing Jesus in His glory reminds us that He is not only Savior but King. How does that truth shape the way you face fear, uncertainty, or suffering today?
💬 Mission Challenge: Worship Jesus as your risen King today, and share that hope with someone who needs it.
John writes this short letter to a man named Gaius, and it gives us a clear picture of what faithful Christian living looks like in everyday life. John rejoices because Gaius is “walking in the truth,” meaning his life matches the gospel he believes (3 John 3–4). Truth is not just something we say—it shapes how we live. John even prays that Gaius’s physical health would match his strong spiritual condition, showing that faithfulness to Christ is the most important measure of a person’s life.
One of the clearest ways Gaius lives out the truth is through hospitality. He faithfully supports traveling gospel workers, even those he does not personally know (3 John 5–6). In the early church, these workers depended on believers for encouragement and provision, and John says supporting them is a way of partnering in the truth (3 John 7–8). Not everyone is called to go, but everyone is called to play a part in the mission of the gospel. When we support those who are faithfully serving Christ, we share in that work.
In contrast, John warns about a man named Diotrephes, who loves to be first and refuses to welcome others or submit to apostolic authority (3 John 9–10). His pride leads him to oppose faithful believers and even push them out of the church. John tells Gaius not to imitate what is evil, but what is good (3 John 11). Instead, he points to Demetrius as a faithful example—someone whose life and reputation align with the truth (3 John 12). The letter closes with a reminder that Christian relationships are personal and meaningful, rooted in truth and love, not control or selfish ambition (3 John 13–15).
🌀 Reflection: Whose example are you following right now—Gaius, Diotrephes, or Demetrius? Your daily choices reveal whether you are walking in truth or drifting toward pride and self-focus.
💬 Mission Challenge: Support someone who is faithfully serving the Lord—through encouragement, prayer, or practical help—and become a partner with them in the work of the gospel.
John’s short letter brings together two themes that must stay together in the Christian life: truth and love. He rejoices that some in the church are “walking in the truth,” and then urges them to continue loving one another in obedience to Christ’s command (2 John 4–6). Truth is not cold doctrine, and love is not mere sentiment. John shows that real Christian love is shaped by God’s truth, and real Christian truth is lived out in love. Grace, mercy, and peace are found “in truth and love,” and John wants the church to keep walking in both.
But this little letter is also a warning. Many deceivers had gone out into the world, denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (2 John 7). That means this is not a minor disagreement. It is a rejection of the true Christ. John says such a person is “the deceiver and the antichrist,” and he tells the church to watch carefully so they do not lose what they have worked for (2 John 8). Anyone who runs ahead of apostolic truth and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God, but the one who abides in that teaching has both the Father and the Son (2 John 9). Truth must not be traded away for novelty, popularity, or the appearance of kindness.
That is why John gives such strong instruction about hospitality. If traveling teachers come without the true doctrine of Christ, the church must not receive or endorse them, because to support false teaching is to share in its wicked work (2 John 10–11). John is not telling believers to be harsh toward unbelievers in general, but to refuse any partnership that would make it seem like false teaching is acceptable. He closes by saying he hopes to come and speak face to face, because faithful fellowship in truth leads to full joy (2 John 12). This letter reminds us that guarding the gospel is not unloving. It is one of the most loving things we can do for Christ’s church.
🌀 Reflection: Are you holding truth and love together, or are you tempted to separate them? Jesus calls us to love people deeply without compromising the truth about who He is.
💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage another believer to stand firm in the truth about Jesus, and look for one practical way to show Christlike love without surrendering biblical conviction.
This phase reflects contains the apostle John’s writings. His gospel and letters teach us how to walk in truth in love. Revelation closes the New Testament with a powerful vision of Jesus’s return and eternal reign.
Phase 4 is the embodiment of two passages from the end of John’s gospel, so we’ll let the Holy Spirit through John explain:
John 20:30-31 —
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 21:24-25 —
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
These verses not only represent John’s aim when writing as he was “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21); they represent our heart in seeking to get folks into God’s Word — “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31). Our goal isn’t clicks or likes or to give ribbons for finishing a reading plan. We want to see Jesus high and lifted up. And while there are many books written about Him and “the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25) if every moment of His life on earth were recorded, there is no books greater than those of holy Scripture to introduce us God in flesh than the New Testament.
Let’s dig in together and finish well — let us seek and see Jesus together!
Below, you’ll find brief synopses of each book in this phase to help you understand the scope of the book and most importantly, how it fits into the full Story of the Bible.
When you click on each day’s link, you will find a link to audio, a summary of the chapter, a key verse from the chapter, and opportunities for reflection and outreach.
We’re moving into Paul’s epistles, which we’ll go through chronologically rather than in the order they appear in our Bibles.
The book of Revelation opens with these words: “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). This is not first a book about timelines, symbols, or end-times speculation—it is an unveiling of Jesus. Through vivid imagery and powerful visions, Revelation pulls back the curtain to show what is really true: Jesus is risen, reigning, and returning. Much of its language and imagery draw from the Old Testament—especially books like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah—so that what may seem strange at first is actually deeply rooted in God’s earlier promises. Because of this, Revelation is not always meant to be read in a strictly literal or step-by-step way like other New Testament books. It is a picture-rich, symbol-heavy book meant to reveal truth, not hide it.
At the center of everything Revelation shows us is Jesus Himself. He is the Son of Man walking among His churches (1:12–13), the Lamb who was slain and yet stands victorious (5:6), the King of kings who rules over history (19:16), and the One who will make all things new (21:5). Revelation reminds us that behind the visible world is a greater reality—one where Christ has already secured the victory through His death and resurrection (Col. 2:15), and where every enemy will ultimately be defeated. No matter how chaotic things may appear, Jesus is not absent. He is reigning now, and He will return to judge evil, rescue His people, and establish His kingdom forever.
Revelation was written to real churches facing real pressure—persecution, compromise, and the temptation to give up. Like the Gospel of John, it calls us to believe—but here, that belief is strengthened in the face of suffering and uncertainty. As we read, we are not trying to decode every symbol or map out every detail. Instead, we are looking to see Jesus more clearly, trust Him more fully, and follow Him more faithfully. This book calls us to endure, to remain faithful, and to worship the One who holds all things in His hands. In the end, Revelation is not meant to confuse us, but to anchor us: Jesus wins—and all who belong to Him will share in His victory.
To help, Jamie Harrison and I (Keith) have been walking through Revelation in a series of Bible studies called The KING is Coming; check them out!
Because Revelation is unique, our daily reading helps will look a little different than the rest of NT260. Instead of only summarizing each chapter, each day will include (1) a brief overview of the chapter to help you follow the flow, and (2) a focused paragraph highlighting what that chapter reveals about Jesus. From there, we’ll continue with a key verse, a personal reflection, and a mission challenge just like the rest of the plan. The goal is not to untangle every detail, but to keep our eyes fixed on Christ—to see Him clearly in every chapter and respond in faith, worship, and obedience.
Thanks for joining us in the NT260 readings! It is our prayer that the time in God’s Word has led your heart to worship Jesus and grow close to Him.
Our next Bible reading plan is called See JESUS in the Old Testament — won’t you consider continuing in the Word to worship Jesus and continually grow closer to Him?
John brings faith, love, and obedience together and shows that they cannot be separated. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and those born of God will love both the Father and His children (1 John 5:1). Love for God is not vague emotion. It is shown by obeying His commandments, and John says those commandments are not burdensome because the new birth changes our hearts (1 John 5:2–3). Those who have been born of God overcome the world — not by personal strength, but by faith in Jesus as the Son of God (1 John 5:4–5). In other words, victory over the world’s lies, pressures, and sinful desires comes through trusting Christ.
John then points to God’s testimony concerning His Son. Jesus came by water and blood, most likely referring to His baptism and His death, and the Spirit also bears witness because the Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6–8). These witnesses agree that Jesus is truly the Son of God. To reject that testimony is not a small matter. It is to call God a liar by refusing what He has plainly said about His Son (1 John 5:9–10). And God’s testimony is wonderfully clear: He has given us eternal life, and that life is found in His Son alone (1 John 5:11). That is why John can speak so plainly: whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12; cf. John 14:6).
John says he wrote so believers may know they have eternal life (1 John 5:13). This assurance is meant to lead to confident prayer. When we ask according to God’s will, He hears us, and we can trust Him with what we have placed before Him (1 John 5:14–15). John also urges believers to pray for a brother or sister caught in sin, showing that real faith cares about the spiritual good of others (1 John 5:16–17). He closes with strong reminders: those born of God do not make a practice of sinning, God protects His people from the evil one, the whole world lies in Satan’s power, and the Son of God has come so that we may know Him who is true (1 John 5:18–20). The final warning, “keep yourselves from idols,” fits the whole letter. Anything false that pulls us away from the true God revealed in Jesus must be rejected (1 John 5:21).
🌀 Reflection: Do you live as though eternal life is uncertain, or do you rest in God’s testimony about His Son? John wants believers to have settled confidence that life is found in Jesus and nowhere else.
💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage someone today with the truth that eternal life is found in Christ alone, and pray specifically for a brother or sister who needs help walking faithfully with Him.
John first tells believers not to be spiritually gullible. Not every message, teacher, or spiritual influence is from God, so Christians must test the spirits (1 John 4:1). The main test is what a person says about Jesus. The Spirit of God leads people to confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, truly God and truly man (1 John 4:2). Any spirit that denies the real Jesus is not from God but is part of the spirit of antichrist already at work in the world (1 John 4:3). That is why sound doctrine matters so much. To deny the Son is not a small mistake. It is to reject the truth about the Savior. Yet John does not leave believers trembling. He reminds them that they are from God and have overcome false teachers, because the Holy Spirit in them is greater than Satan and the spirit of error in the world (1 John 4:4–6).
Then John turns again to love, because right doctrine and real love always belong together. Love comes from God, and everyone who has been born of God will show that family likeness by loving others (1 John 4:7). John says plainly, “God is love,” not meaning love is all that God is, but that love is essential to His character and flows from His very being (1 John 4:8). God showed that love most clearly by sending His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9; cf. John 3:16). Love did not begin with us reaching up to God. Love began with God reaching down to us, sending His Son to be the propitiation for our sins — the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath and brings us forgiveness (1 John 4:10; cf. 1 John 2:2). If God has loved us like that, then believers must love one another in real, costly ways (1 John 4:11–12).
John goes on to show that love also brings assurance. We know that we abide in God and He in us because He has given us His Spirit (1 John 4:13). The apostles testified that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, and all who confess that Jesus is the Son of God show that God abides in them (1 John 4:14–15). As believers come to know and believe God’s love for them, they grow in confidence before Him (1 John 4:16–17). Perfected love drives out fear, especially fear of final judgment, because those who are in Christ no longer stand under condemnation (1 John 4:18; cf. Rom. 8:1). Our love for God is always a response to His prior love for us (1 John 4:19). That is why anyone who claims to love God while hating a brother or sister is lying (1 John 4:20). Love for the unseen God must be made visible in love for His people (1 John 4:21).
🌀 Reflection: Do you tend to think of God’s love as something you must earn? John reminds us that love starts with God, not with us. The cross is the clearest proof that God has loved us first.
💬 Mission Challenge: Show God’s love in a concrete way to another believer today — encourage them, pray for them, forgive them, or meet a need in a way that points to the love Christ has shown you.
John begins with wonder: the Father has loved us so greatly that we are called His children — and that is truly what we are (1 John 3:1). The world does not understand believers because it did not know Jesus either (1 John 3:1). But our identity is not just future; it is present. We are God’s children now, even though the fullness of what we will become has not yet been revealed (1 John 3:2). One day, when Christ appears, believers will be like Him in glory, purity, and freedom from sin, because we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2; cf. Phil. 3:20–21). This hope is not meant to make us passive. It moves us to pursue holiness now. Those who truly hope in Christ seek to be pure because He is pure (1 John 3:3).
John then draws a sharp contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil. Sin is not small or harmless; it is lawlessness, rebellion against God (1 John 3:4). Jesus appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin at all (1 John 3:5). Therefore, no one who truly abides in Christ can make a settled pattern of sinning (1 John 3:6, 9). John is not saying Christians never sin (cf. 1 John 1:8–2:1), but that a life marked by ongoing, unrepentant sin shows a person does not truly know Christ. By contrast, those born of God practice righteousness because God’s seed abides in them (1 John 3:7–10). Jesus came not only to forgive sin but to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). That means belonging to Christ changes how a person lives.
John then returns to one of his major themes: love for fellow believers. This is not a new idea but the message Christians have heard from the beginning — that we should love one another (1 John 3:11). Cain becomes the warning example. He hated his brother Abel because Abel’s deeds were righteous and his own were evil (1 John 3:12). In the same way, the world still hates those who belong to God (1 John 3:13). But believers know they have passed from death to life because they love the brothers (1 John 3:14). Hatred is not a minor issue; John says it is the heart of murder (1 John 3:15; cf. Matt. 5:21–22). Real love is seen most clearly in Jesus, who laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16). So Christian love must move beyond words into action. If someone sees a brother in need and refuses to help, John asks how God’s love can truly abide in that person (1 John 3:17–18).
John closes the chapter by showing that loving obedience brings assurance. When believers love in deed and truth, they can know they belong to the truth and can quiet their hearts before God (1 John 3:18–19). Even when our hearts trouble us, God is greater than our hearts and knows everything fully (1 John 3:20). As believers walk in obedient faith, they gain confidence before God in prayer (1 John 3:21–22). John summarizes God’s command simply and clearly: believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another (1 John 3:23). Faith in Christ and love for His people belong together. Those who keep His commandments abide in Him, and His abiding presence is confirmed by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us (1 John 3:24).
🌀 Reflection: Is your hope in Christ’s return making you more like Jesus now? John shows that real assurance is not found in empty claims but in a life shaped by righteousness, repentance, and practical love for others.
💬 Mission Challenge: Look for one tangible way to love a brother or sister in Christ today — meet a need, give encouragement, or make a sacrifice that reflects the self-giving love of Jesus.
John begins this chapter by reminding believers both of God’s call to holiness and of the grace provided when we fail. He writes so that believers may not sin, yet he also acknowledges that sin still occurs. When it does, Christians are not left without hope: “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). Jesus speaks on behalf of His people before the Father, and His work on the cross is the basis of that defense. John says that Christ is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2) — the sacrifice that satisfied God’s righteous judgment and turned His wrath into favor. This sacrifice is sufficient for the whole world, offered to people everywhere, though it is received only through faith in Christ (cf. John 3:16, 18). Because of Jesus’ work, believers can face their sin honestly while resting in the mercy of God.
John then explains that genuine knowledge of God produces a transformed life. Those who claim to know God but refuse to keep His commands are deceiving themselves (1 John 2:3–4). Obedience does not earn salvation, but it does reveal that someone truly belongs to Christ. Those who abide in Him will seek to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:5–6). Central to that obedience is the command to love one another. John calls it both an old commandment — rooted in the message believers heard from the beginning — and a new commandment — made fresh through the life and love of Jesus Himself (1 John 2:7–8; cf. John 13:34). Anyone who claims to live in the light while hating a brother or sister is still in darkness, but those who love their fellow believers walk in the light and avoid stumbling (1 John 2:9–11).
John pauses to encourage his readers by reminding them who they are in Christ: their sins are forgiven, they know the Father, and they have overcome the evil one through the word of God (1 John 2:12–14). Because of this identity, they must guard their hearts from loving the world. John is not speaking of the created world or the people in it, but the sinful system that opposes God. The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life all pull people away from the Father (1 John 2:15–16). Yet this world is temporary and passing away, while those who do the will of God will abide forever (1 John 2:17).
Finally, John warns his readers about false teachers, whom he calls “antichrists.” These individuals had left the church and denied that Jesus is the Christ, revealing that they were never truly part of God’s people (1 John 2:18–19, 22). In contrast, believers have been anointed by the Holy Spirit, who helps them recognize the truth and resist deception (1 John 2:20–21, 27). John urges them to hold fast to the message they heard from the beginning and to abide in Christ so that they may stand confidently when He appears (1 John 2:24–28). Those who truly know the righteous Christ will show it by practicing righteousness, because they have been born of Him (1 John 2:29).
🌀 Reflection: When you think about your relationship with God, do you lean more toward ignoring sin or toward despair because of it? John calls believers to neither extreme. We are called to pursue holiness, yet when we fail, we look to our Advocate — Jesus Christ the righteous.
💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage another believer today by reminding them that Jesus not only died for their sins but now speaks for them before the Father as their Advocate.
John begins this letter by grounding everything in the real, historical Jesus Christ. He is not passing along rumors, theories, or private spiritual ideas. He says they heard Him, saw Him, looked upon Him, and even touched Him with their hands (1 John 1:1). The One he proclaims is “the word of life,” the eternal Son who was with the Father and was made manifest to us (1 John 1:1–2; cf. John 1:1, 14). This matters because our faith is built on the true Christ who really came in the flesh, really lived among His people, and really made the Father known. John writes so that his readers may share in fellowship with the apostles — and even more, fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). Christianity is not merely knowing facts about Jesus. It is being brought into real communion with God through the Son, and that fellowship leads to full joy (1 John 1:4; cf. John 15:11).
John then gives the message that shapes the rest of the letter: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). God is perfectly holy, perfectly true, and perfectly pure. That means no one can honestly claim to know Him while continuing to walk in darkness (1 John 1:6). A life marked by hidden sin, falsehood, and rebellion contradicts a profession of fellowship with God. But John does not call believers to pretend sin is absent. Instead, he says that those who walk in the light have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses them from all sin (1 John 1:7). Walking in the light does not mean sinless perfection. It means living openly before God, agreeing with His truth, and resting in the cleansing that comes only through Jesus’ atoning blood.
That is why John strongly warns against denying sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and if we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar (1 John 1:8, 10; cf. Rom. 3:23). The mark of genuine faith is not claiming to be beyond sin, but confessing sin honestly before God. And here is the sweet hope of the gospel: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God does not forgive because sin is small, but because Jesus is sufficient. He is faithful to His promises and just because Christ has paid for sin. So 1 John 1 calls us to live in the open — honest about our sin, confident in Christ, and joyful in fellowship with God.
🌀 Reflection: Are you more tempted to hide your sin, minimize it, or excuse it? Walking in the light means bringing your sin honestly before God and trusting that the blood of Jesus is enough to cleanse you completely.
💬 Mission Challenge: Be honest with God today about a specific sin you have been tempted to hide, and then encourage another believer with the hope that in Christ there is real forgiveness and cleansing.
We’re back in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming, where we’re taking a verse-by-verse approach to see what the book truly reveals—Jesus Christ Himself. As always, I’m joined by Jamie Harrison, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to walk through this study together. Today, we’ll be moving out of the letters from Jesus to the churches and into the rest of the Revelation of Jesus Christ with Revelation 4:
4 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had 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 behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, 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!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”[1]
Keith Harris: Greetings, sojourners. We have a lot to dive into today, and frankly I am excited. I’m beside myself — and also beside Jamie. Jamie, talk to us about Revelation 4. Yes, yes — threw you off with that.
Jamie Harrison: Yes, yes you did. So we have here — just to get started — to remind you the timeline of Revelation from this point forward. So we finished the seven letters to the churches, and from here on out we have to understand that the timeline is what John saw next. So does this mean historically this is what did happen or will happen, or whatever is happening right now? No. It’s just what John saw next.
Keith: So does it mean it’s not?
Jamie: No — it’s just what John saw next.
And so it starts by[2], “After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door.” And we learned just a couple of weeks back that Jesus is the one who opens doors. So Jesus opens this door, and the first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet — now we know that that first voice he heard was Jesus way back in chapter 1, verse 10 — and he speaks to him again in a voice sounding like a trumpet. And he says, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
And so again, what John saw next — this is what’s going to take place after this. After what? We don’t know. We have no idea. But what we do know is what’s going to take place next — right, at some point.
And so just to hit real quick on the trumpet deal — because of what’s coming up in Revelation — the idea of a trumpet in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, would have been something that was used to signal a warning. Like a warning that maybe there was an enemy approaching and a war was about to happen. Sometimes they would blow a trumpet to signify that the Lord had delivered a message, and then they would deliver the message.
Keith: And so I know those are both really negative sounds, and this isn’t necessarily one of those, but it kind of makes me think about in today’s time like a tornado siren or the sound your phone makes when an emergency alert comes through. And again, I’m not saying that it’s exactly that — those are very negative in our minds — but they get your attention.
You know, when you hear those, stop what you’re doing. Listen.
Jamie: That’s right. And so that’s the idea here. And again, in every single letter that we read — all seven letters — it was “For those who have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
And so here again Jesus is saying — voice like a trumpet — you better listen. I’m trying to tell you.
And so immediately John is in the Spirit, and there’s a throne in heaven and someone was seated on it. So he is taken to the throne room, which is pretty awesome — somewhere that I look forward to seeing one day, whatever that’s going to look like. Jesus will be there. I’ll be there. It’s going to be pretty awesome.
And so what we do know is that from here on out the focal point of the book of Revelation is the throne room. Every time something happens we’re going to be taken back to the throne room. Something will happen — we’ll be taken back to the throne room.
Fourteen times in chapters 4 or 5 — fourteen times in just chapters 4 and 5 — the throne room is talked about. In the rest of the book of Revelation, forty-six times the throne room is mentioned, with God the Father of course being the one sitting on the throne.
And so again, just to help you understand that: what is the setting of the rest of this book of Revelation? It’s the throne room. It’s centered around the Godhead.
Keith: And one thing, just as you were describing that — you know a lot of times in literature or movies, if you’ve got a king and a battle is going to be waged, the throne room is kind of like that last resort, like a place of safety. But we also know the throne room is at risk.
None of those times in the book of Revelation is the Godhead in the throne room hiding. Nothing’s — there’s no catapult of hell, so to speak, in danger of reaching them. God is so high and lifted up and unapproachable.
And so God — this is a place of safety and security beyond our greatest fears. God’s in no danger whatsoever. And so in that case, even despite worldly danger, that tells us the things in here that frighten us — we’re safe in the arms of Christ.
Jamie: And so John goes into a description of what he sees. And again, so many times in Revelation we get descriptions of things, and it’s just the best John could do to describe what he saw. I think some of these things he probably didn’t have words for, and so this is the best thing he could compare it to.
And so he tells us that the one seated on the throne — verse 3 — had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone, and a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.
And so the jasper and carnelian stone of course were in the breastplate of the high priest back in Exodus 28 — you can see that. Jasper being a crystal-clear gem, diamond-looking, reflects all — refracts all — the colors of the spectrum in wonder. It’s brilliant.
So just think about that for a second — refracting all of these colors of the spectrum in this brilliance is what it looks like to him.
Keith: So more shiny and shining than the shiniest, brightest thing we can come up with.
Jamie: That’s right. And carnelian stone — or sardius stone — which is a fiery, bright ruby-looking red stone. So you put all that together, and so far that’s the description we have of what he sees when he looks at God.
And then you get this rainbow that has the appearance of an emerald — of course an emerald being like this cool green hue — dominates the rainbow that he sees that is surrounding the throne.
And remember that a rainbow back in Genesis is the sign of God’s faithfulness to keep His word and His promise that He gave to us then. And so I want to just kind of stop there for a minute and point out that what he’s seeing here is God’s glory. He is seeing the glory of God and describing it the best way that he possibly can.
But you have this rainbow that surrounds the throne. It’s not a half rainbow like we see — this is the full rainbow. This is the complete promise of God. This is the complete fulfillment. This is His mercy even in judgment. This is all of these things completed around Him.
And I’ve got Keith who’s going to read this cool deal from the Jesus Storybook Bible. And if you want to kind of talk about it and then read it.
Keith: Yeah. The Jesus Storybook Bible is not a translation of the Bible, but it’s where Sally Lloyd-Jones has tried to communicate through all the parts of the Bible to children who God is in Christ. And so this is from the chapter on the flood.
“The first thing Noah did was to thank God for rescuing them, just as He had promised. “And the first thing God did was to make another promise. ‘I won’t ever destroy the world again.’ And like a warrior who puts away his bow at the end of a great battle. God said, ‘See, I have hung up my bow in the clouds.’ “And there, in the clouds – just where the storm meets the sun – was a beautiful bow made of light. “It was a new beginning in God’s world. “It wasn’t long before everything went wrong again, but God wasn’t surprised; He knew this would happen. That’s why, before the beginning of time, He had another plan – a better plan. A plan not to destroy the world but to rescue it – a plan to one day send His own Son, the Rescuer. “God’s strong anger against hate and sadness and death would come down once more – but not on His people, or His world. No, God’s war bow was not pointing down at His people. “It was pointing up, into the heart of Heaven.”[3]
Jamie: So again, that rainbow signifying that promise — Jesus took the wrath for us so that we could be saved. And this is what we are seeing in the throne room — His complete promise, His glory.
So again, that rainbow signifying that promise — Jesus took the wrath for us so that we could be saved. And this is what we are seeing in the throne room: His complete promise, His glory.
And I want to read a little excerpt from a book by Paul David Tripp called Do You Believe? This is from pages 69 and 70. I think that covers us on copyright stuff. Is that accurate?
Keith: Yes. And then write this stuff — we’re quoting it.
Jamie: This is quotation marks.
“Glory is not a thing like a shoe, a steak, a candle, or a cottage. Those are particular physical things that can be carefully described by words so that you would immediately have an accurate picture in your mind of what is being talked about. One could draw a picture or take a photograph of a shoe, and you could see it and know what it was, but glory is not like that. No single picture could ever capture glory. Glory simply cannot be photographed. Glory is not so much a thing as it is a description of a thing. Glory is not a part of God; it is all that God is. Every aspect of who God is and every part of what God does is glorious. But that’s not even enough of a description of God’s glory. Not only is He glorious in every way, but His glory is glorious. “Scripture does, however, put the hugeness of the glory of God into the smallness of human language so that we can at least get some sense of what it’s like. For example, the prophet Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 40, stretches human language in order to give us a little glimpse of God’s glory. ‘Who has measured the water in the hollow of his hand?’ Imagine how much water you could hold in the palm of your hand, then consider that God could hold all of the liquid in the universe in His hand and not spill a drop! ‘Who has…weighed the mountains in scales? … Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket [to God]. … He spreads [the heavens] like a tent to dwell in’ (Isa. 40:12, 15, 22). Isaiah is employing incalculably huge word pictures to help us to have even a twinge of understanding of how glorious God is. Yet even these very picturesque and helpful descriptions fall miserably short of capturing the awesome glory of God. “We cannot gain a full understanding of the glory of God from a few passages, because the reason glory is glory is because it lives above and beyond that kind of description and definition. You can say for sure that God is glorious, because your Bible declares He is, but you cannot accurately and fully describe in words the glory that Scripture declares. Perhaps the only workable path 9into some understanding of the grandeur of the glory of God is to read the entire Word of God again and again, looking for divine glory. Why? Because the glory of God isn’t hidden in His Word; no, His glory is so grand that it splashes across every page of His book.”[4]
Keith: One thing’s for sure — there’s awe in everything John writes. Like, this is John, good friend to Jesus on earth. And he’s not saying, “Hey, that’s my buddy.” That’s my God. That’s the throne. That’s — it’s amazing, glorious.
And again, there’s nothing we can say that’s going to do it justice.
Jamie: That’s right. And you can go to Revelation 21:9–27 and look at New Jerusalem. That’s what heaven will be — what it will look like. And it talks about God’s glory and how glorious it is.
But again, it’s something that is indescribable — or undescribable? Is that the — it’s both of them.
Keith: It’s both of them.
Jamie: Yes, it is. I wasn’t sure if that was even a word until just then. So John moves on and he says in verse 4:
“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads.”
And these twenty-four elders throw a lot of people off. You know — who are they? What are they? What do they represent? Are they really twenty-four people?
And the answer is: we don’t know. Because it doesn’t tell us.
You know, I can tell you that in Revelation 21:12–14 the Bible talks about the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. And it could be that these twenty-four elders are literally those people. It could be that they’re representation of those people. It could be that they represent the fact that every human being — despite race, despite ethnicity, despite whatever you want to fill in the blank with — will be in heaven if they have a relationship with Christ.
It could represent that — so to speak — the complete church.
Keith: It could be representatives from the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: If you’ve got that many “could be’s,” then we need to look at what can we know for sure.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: That’s the big deal with the study of Revelation — or any sort of prophetic book like this. We want to find our favorite preacher guys or writers to tell us definitively, because we get comfort from it.
I get comfort from having a God who’s so big that He doesn’t need me to know everything. That kind of tells me in some cases — if you’ve got something that’s completely explainable by the mind of man, some dude made it up, right?
And this is so otherworldly that, like Jamie said, John’s doing the best he can.
Jamie: The absolute best he can.
And now on that thought, we do know in Daniel chapter 7 and verse 9 where God sits down on His throne, and you look around — there’s other empty thrones around Him in Daniel. And now when John sees them, there are twenty-four people sitting on them.
Keith: So what was empty is, at this point, going to be full.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: Now full with who?
Jamie: Again, we don’t know. And I think that’s okay.
Keith: Well — and well, I know that’s okay.
When you look at this, the point of them — just like when you see angels in Scripture — they’re very quick to say, “Hey, don’t worship me. I worship the One worthy of worship.”
Their whole everything is to say, “Look — look to the throne. Look to Jesus.” They’re not in any sense saying, “Hey, we’ve arrived. Look at how good we are.” They lay their crowns down. They are continually in worship of the One.
So who the twenty-four are — they would say very clearly, “We point to Him.”
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: And so I think that’s enough for me.
Jamie: And when we see them, we see that they lay their crowns down before the throne.
Keith: That’s exactly right — which the only reason we know they have crowns is because it tells us they have them.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: And then it tells us they lay them down.
Jamie: That’s right.
And so it goes on from there in verse 5: flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne.
And this reminds me of Exodus 19 and Exodus 20 where God speaks through the thunder right before He gives the laws and punishments. So kind of another idea of God speaking here.
Flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder come from the throne. And then if you look further in Revelation — Revelation 8:5, 11:19, and 16:18 — that lightning and thunder is a sign of the fury of the judgment to come.
So it’s kind of like God is about to speak, or God is speaking through this to help us understand, to get ready for the fact that His judgment is coming. His judgment is going to be complete, and it is going to be furious.
And we’ll get there in a few chapters. But it is — it’s intense, I think may be the best word I can think of.
And it goes on — same verse, verse 5 — seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And we know that to be the Holy Spirit, as we’ve talked about before.
Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne.
And notice he says “something like a sea of glass.” So is it a sea of glass? No, it’s not. It’s something like that — meaning that it’s some type of crystal-clear pavement that’s around God’s throne that looks like some kind of glistening sea.
A lot of the commentaries that you read say that this is a symbol of God’s holiness. And I’m — you know — I’ll go with those guys. They’re a lot smarter than me.
But we do know that Revelation 15:2 and 21:1 say there’s no sea in heaven. So it’s not a literal sea, but it is some type of idea of His holiness and that it’s around His throne.
But again, I think it just goes to the fact that there are these things that are indescribable that John’s doing the best he can to describe.
Keith: Well, and employing language that we use — and again this is an English translation of the Greek — but that’s the language we use when we don’t know how to describe something. We use similes.
And he says, “as it were a sea of glass like crystal.” He’s literally trying to describe this.
But again he keeps making a beeline back to the throne, back to God, back to the praises — because a lot of the stuff that we very easily get caught up on are trappings, wall hangings, adornments, decorations. Jesus is the main thing.
Jamie: That’s exactly right. And so he goes on again in verse 6 to talk about four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back, and they’re around the throne on each side. And that’s kind of a freaky—
Keith: Yeah.
Jamie: —I wouldn’t think about these as Precious Moments cherubim. And then he describes the four living creatures. And now remember, before we go into this, that we’ve already got the rainbow surrounding the throne, which is going to be your Noahic covenant.
And now here we go. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
Now if you’ve got your Bible with us, turn to Genesis 9 — going almost all the way back to the beginning here — Genesis chapter 9. And we look at verses 8 through 11 and it says:
8 Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, 9 “Understand that I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark. 11 I establish my covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by floodwaters; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And you notice every single thing that is listed here is exactly who these four living creatures appear to be in Revelation. So it tells us in Revelation that one looked like a lion, and this covenant is with the beast of the earth — or the wildlife of the earth. In Revelation it says one looks like a calf. Well here you have that — it tells us livestock or cattle. And in Revelation it says the face of a man. Well it tells us that with you, Noah, and your descendants after you — that’s man. And then you have like a flying eagle, and it tells us with the birds or the fowl.
And so it appears as though these four living creatures would be representative of this Noahic covenant. In other words, His promises that He is not going to flood the earth again. In fact, He’s going to send His Son to die on a cross, to be raised again three days later so that we could be saved.
And so all of this again going back to Jesus — every bit of it. Did you have something you wanted to add there?
Keith: No, just a thought — or take away. I thought of a phrase from Scripture. I don’t have the address right off the top of my head, but it says, “The whole earth is full of His glory.” He’s not going to flood in wrath anymore, but instead with His glory.
And we’ve already said that it’s incalculable, indescribable. But at this point we just see Him better. Again, if you can look in Revelation 4 and go back and see ties to Genesis, there’s a reason God does that — and it’s to show us He’s got this.
He knows what He’s doing. He’s not saying stuff by accident. He’s got a definite plan that has already been fulfilled and victorious while we’re waiting for it to pan out. He’s 100% sure on it. He sat down, right?
If we’re looking at creation — seventh day is a day of rest. We’re reading about Revelation wondering what’s going to happen this day, that day, this year, that year. God’s already said it and sat down.It’s finished.
Jamie: And I think on that note it’s cool to point out — which I feel like this is related here — but in the temple, the Holy of Holies, all of these things that they built in the Old Testament and performed sacrifices in… what’s the one piece of furniture that wasn’t there?
Keith: Nothing to sit on — except for the mercy seat.
Jamie: That’s right. There’s no chair for the priest — the high priest — because those sacrifices were never ending. They continued on and on and on. But once Jesus raises again three days later, what does He do?
Keith: Sits down.
Jamie: Sits down.
Keith: Well, I know this doesn’t directly tie, but thinking about who’s sitting on those twenty-four thrones — we ain’t got to worry about it. We don’t need to be looking for a place to sit down. It’s occupied.
Jamie: That’s accurate. And so what are these four living creatures doing while they’re in heaven? Verse 8 says each of the four living creatures has six wings. They’re covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop saying:
Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying,
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God, the Almighty,
who was, who is, and who is to come.
Keith: And that’s the address I was looking for earlier — Isaiah 6. That’s what the angels there are saying in the throne room.
And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Jamie: And to what Keith spoke about earlier, the next couple of verses say that whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne — the One who lives forever and ever — which we know is day and night, they never stop saying it.
It says the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever. And they cast their crowns before the throne and say:
10 …the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say,
11 Our Lord and God,
you are worthy to receive
glory and honor and power,
because you have created all things,
and by your will
they exist and were created.
And so I think it’s just awesome to think about heaven for a second, right? This throne room — you’ve got these four living creatures constantly crying out to the Lord. You’ve got these twenty-four elders constantly crying out to the Lord and worshiping the Lord and praising the Lord. And His glory and His brilliance is there, and this rainbow is there. Just how awesome it’s going to be if we have a relationship with Him.
Keith: And again that’s the kicker. When we look at these things, a lot of time is spent in the world today — more “Christian” books written on the end times than any other particular subject — because people want to know what Jesus says cannot be known. He doesn’t know the day or the hour. And if Jesus isn’t read in on it, there’s not a soul on the earth who’s going to be like, “You know…”
Because here’s the thing: what we can know is Jesus is worthy. Jesus is God. And when we see these descriptions we should be moved, at the very least, to be like Isaiah in his vision of the throne room:
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
When we look at these we need to be moved to worship. It should drive us to our faces. It should drive us toward His throne. It should drive us — for all the things that we think we have that are of worth, which is nothing comparable to a crown of an elder with a throne around His throne — to focus on the worthiness of Him.
When we move forward in Revelation that is a consistent theme: the glory of God on full display. Him being God, being all powerful, not being in danger. War being made against Him and Him being able to fell all the forces of evil with a word. It’s not going to be a battle. It’s not going to be a fight. We’ve got a toothless lion seeking to devour and destroy. But as we’ll see next week, seated on the throne—
Jamie: —Is the Lion.
And I want to just say this before we close out, kind of to piggyback on what Keith said. I think it’s important to note that these elders and these living creatures aren’t worshiping God because of what He did for them. They’re not worshiping Him because of what He can offer. They’re not worshiping Him because He filled their bank accounts up or He did this or did that or whatever. A lot of times as believers — I’m not going to say a lot of times — sometimes we get caught up in that. “Well, God blessed me with this,” or “God’s given me that.” But we worship Him because He is who He is.
Keith: And the Bible does describe being thankful and grateful in our worship to Him for what He’s done — yes. But if He had done nothing for us, He’s still worthy.
Earlier we mentioned Philippians 2 — that because Jesus is who He is and He’s done what He’s done, God has bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
These are people who didn’t want Jesus, don’t want to fool with Him, aren’t bowing in worship — they’re bowing in submission and subjection because He is the King. And when it’s time to bow, you bow.
So whether it be like the elders casting their crowns before the throne, or those under the earth bowing in subjection — Jesus is Lord. Jesus is God. He lives forever and ever. He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. He created everything. It’s by His will they exist. It’s by His will that we were created. By the word of His power that it’s all held together.
And He is thrice holy. Holy, holy, holy.
How will you stand — or kneel — in response to the King?
Just Keith Harris 