PART 3 A HEAVENLY VISION REVELATION 4

TEXT - REVELATION 4:1-11

INTRODUCTION

IN CHAPTER FOUR WE BEGIN THE LAST PORTION OF WHAT JOHN WAS TO WRITE ABOUT.

REVELATION 1:19 "WRITE THEREFORE THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN, AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE, AND THE THINGS WHICH SHALL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.

HERE JOHN IS WRITING CONCERNING THE THINGS THAT SHALL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE THINGS HE WROTE ABOUT IN CHAPTERS 2 AND 3.

THE BASIC THEMES OF THESE END TIMES ARE:

• THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
• THE MILLENNIAL AGE
• THE ETERNAL AGE

IT IS IMPORTANT ALSO TO NOTICE THAT CHAPTER FOUR DOES NOT OCCUR CHRONOLOGICALLY BETWEEN CHAPTERS 3 AND 5.

IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER THIS CHAPTER WOULD OCCUR AFTER THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

AS WE BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR STUDY FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE COME TO THE THIRD DIVISION FOUND WITHIN THIS BOOK.

KEEP IN MIND THAT REVELATION IS DIVIDED INTO THREE DISTINCT PARTS.

JESUS OUTLINED THESE FOR US IN REVELATION 1:19 WHEN HE TOLD JOHN TO WRITE ABOUT:

A. THE THINGS WHICH HE HAD SEEN. (CH 1)
B. THE THINGS WHICH ARE. (CH 2,3)
C. THE THINGS WHICH SHALL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS. (CH 4-22)

AS WE STUDY THIS CHAPTER WE FIND A CHANGE IN THE SCENE FROM BEING AN EARTHLY ONE TO A HEAVENLY ONE.

IN THIS HEAVENLY SCENE JOHN IS IMPRESSED WITH A THRONE WHICH HE SEES STANDING IN HEAVEN.

THE WORD "THRONE" IS USED A TOTAL OF 16 TIMES WITHIN CHAPTERS 4 AND 5.

IT IS USED 12 TIMES IN CHAPTER 4 ALONE.

THREE THINGS ARE IMPRESSED UPON JOHN'S MIND IN CHAPTER 4 AS HE SEES THIS THRONE IN HEAVEN.

LET'S LOOK NOW AT WHAT JOHN SAYS ABOUT THESE THREE THINGS.