THOU ART WORTHY, O LORD, TO RECIEVE GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER-Revelation 4

Chesswood Baptist Church

Where Everybody is Somebody

Pastor Howard Daniel, Jr.

4357 US Hwy 59 South

P.O. Box 343

Livingston, Texas 77351

936-327-8870

MINISTRY OF THE WORD

THOU ART WORTHY, O LORD,

TO RECIEVE GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER

PASTOR HOWARD DANIEL, JR.

SUNDAY EVENING, APRIL 3, 2016

SCRIPTURE READING: REVELATION 4: 4-11

Revelation 4:9-11, And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10: The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

1.	BACKGROUND
	a.	Please refer to the February 28, 2016 Evening Message for the Background

2.	INTRODUCTION
	a.	Please refer to the April 3, 2016 Morning Message for the Introduction

3.	POINTS TO THE MESSAGE
	d.	And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:
		1.	Revelation 4:4, *And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:* and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
		2.	There has been much speculation about this verse. However, there is no need to speculate, God says exactly what He intends to say.
		3.	As we review the Scriptures we will find out that Israel had elders and they were appointed in the early Church. They represent the congregation. Exodus 3:16, Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
		4.	Their role was clearly understood by the people in John’s day. Titus 1:5, For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
		5.	The twenty four elders stand for the total church from Pentecost to the Rapture.
		6.	We conclude that the true church is in Heaven and will not be going through the Tribulation period that is taking place on the earth.
		7.	“clothed in white raiment;”– this represent the righteousness of Christ and the saints of Israel. 2 Corinthians 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
		8.	and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” – this indicates that the church will rule with Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3: Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? The crowns are also given for rewards. That is the purpose of us going to the Judgment Seat of Christ. Which will also determine our position in the future kingdom.
		9.	2 Timothy 4:8, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. James 1:12, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 1 Peter 5:4, And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
		10.	This gives us a picture of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

e.	And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices:
	1.	Revelation 4:5, *And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices:* and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
	2.	Again we see lightning and thunder which precedes a storm generally speaking.
	3.	The Mercy Seat is no longer, now it is a seat of judgment.
	4.	The voices indicated are a direct judgment and not a haphazard one. I firmly believe that we will all stand before God and give an account for those things done in our bodies whether good or bad.
	5.	2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
	6.	The Seven Spirits of God, we looked at in Chapter 1 and are clearly outlined in Isaiah 11:2-3, And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3: And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: Colossians 2:10, And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
	7.	Remember seven in the Word of God is the number of completeness. We are complete in Christ. We have nothing else that can be provided. We praise God for this.

f.	And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:
	1.	Revelation 4:6, *And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:* and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
	2.	God gives us some indication as to what is before the Throne. “a sea of glass like unto crystal:” A sea of glass is a clear product. The emphasis here is on the holiness and righteousness of God.
	3.	This is the only way we can obtain a place in Heaven; to be in Christ and take on His righteousness. Romans 3:25, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
	4.	The sea is before the throne which indicates the position of the Church.
	5.	The Church is the Bride of Christ. We come to Heaven on one basis: the blood and righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:14, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Romans 5:1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
	6.	This is a result of knowing Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. 1 Thessalonians 3:13, To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
	7.	I believe the sea of glass indicates the position that the Church has now arrived; a position of rest. No longer tossed to and fro with the storms of life. Matthew 11:28-29, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. *29:* Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
	8.	The Bible says there will be a place of rest. Acts 7:49, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Notice the Church is no longer as sheep among wolves; it is in the position of being before the throne.
	9.	The four beasts that are there are living creatures. They have eyes before and behind.
	10.	There is no indication of any wild animals. We will see the wild beast as we approach Chapter 13 of this book.
	11.	The four beasts full of eyes speak of the attention, awareness and the alertness.
	12.	I firmly believe this is a resemblance of the Cherubims and Saraphims. Ezekiel 1:5-10, Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 2: In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3: The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. 4: And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5: Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 6: And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 7: And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 8: And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 9: Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10: As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Ezekiel 10:20, This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
	13.	The Saraphims are mentioned in Isaiah 6:2-3, Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3: And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. These four beasts are in the midst of the throne and round about the throne.

g.	And the first beast was like a lion,
	1.	Revelation 4:7, *And the first beast was like a lion,* and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
	2.	There is some indication that it can be aligned with the gospel. It is amazing how the identification here would be similar to the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
	3.	The first living creature was like a lion and the Gospel in the Book of Matthew presents the Lord Jesus Christ as King. He was born a King, He lived a King, He died a King, He was raised a King and He is coming again as King of kings and Lord of lords.
	4.	We have studied the Book of Matthew extensively and we know that it is all about the Kingdom of Heaven, where Jesus will sit on the Throne of David and rule and reign for a thousand years.
	5.	The tribe of Judah was like a lion and the ruler would come from that tribe and is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Genesis 49:9-10, Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? *10:* The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Revelation 5:5, And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
	6.	The second living creature is like a calf. The Book of Mark presents the Lord Jesus Christ as a servant. He is a perfect servant indeed. The calf represents the domesticated animal that is a beast of burden. There is no genealogy in the Book of Mark because a servant does not need those kinds of credentials. The only thing a servant needs to do is to do the job and the Lord Jesus Christ was able to do the job supremely.
	7.	The third living creature had a face like a man. The Gospel of Luke presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of Man. His humanity is emphasized in this book.
	8.	The fourth creature was like a flying eagle. This indicates Deity. We know the eagle soars above all the animals of the earth. This is the Deity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
	9.	The true church, the Church of Philadelphia had the Deity of Christ right, they had the Preserved Word of God right and they had justification by faith right.
	10.	These creatures represent the animal world as well.
	11.	The lion represents the wild beasts, the calf represents the domesticated beast, the eagle represents the bird and man is the head of all creation. As we know, God gave man that position when he was created.
	12.	In the New Heaven and the New Earth, there will be no more sea. Revelation 21:1, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
	13.	Therefore, we see this sea of glass was not of water.

h.	And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him;
	1.	Revelation 4:8, *And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him;* and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
	2.	We have concluded that only God is worthy of our worship. The Lord Jesus Christ is God.
	3.	The six wings correspond to the Seraphim of Isaiah 6:2, Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
	4.	The term “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,”– The context of this is continued in Isaiah 6:3, And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
	5.	Notice, “the whole earth is full of his glory.”- because we will make reference to this later.
	6.	“which was, and is, and is to come.” – This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
	7.	He identifies Himself this way in Revelation 1:8, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
	8.	This indicates His full mission as He came and laid down His life for our sin. We do not need to wonder who this is.

i.	Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:
	1.	Revelation 4:9-11, And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, *10:* The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, *11:* Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
	2.	This scene is in Heaven and is an act of worship.
	3.	As indicated before only God is worthy of our worship.
	4.	This is praise, adoration, and is eternal activity of the creatures in Heaven.
	5.	They worship the Creator; the Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
	6.	“and cast their crowns before the throne,” – The crowns of the Church are laid at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.
	7.	He is the only one who is authorized and entitled to crowns and thrones because He is the Eternal God. Jesus is given His rightful place – “for thou hast created all things,”
	8.	As we look at the Bible we find out that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator. John 1:1-5, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2: The same was in the beginning with God. 3: All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4: In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
	9.	The four and twenty elders represent the church worshipping Him because He is the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
	10.	“for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” – In order to bring glory to God we must realize His exalted position.
	11.	Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Also notice for His pleasure they were created.
	12.	God is the sole Creator of this Earth and He created it the way He wanted to. It is so amazing that man has not entered into any of these processes. The Bible emphatically says “In the beginning God created” John 1:3-5, All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4: In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
	13.	We are glad that the earth was created by Him and we worship Him because He is entitled to it.
	14.	This has been a great ride through Chapter 4; let’s look at Chapter 5 and dig deeper into God’s precious Word.

4.	CONCLUSION
	a.	My sinner friend, if you don’t know Jesus as personal Saviour, none of this is possible for you.
	b.	Would you come to the side of the living Saviour today?
	c.	Regardless of the fact that we have projected ourselves into eternity, the present is we must come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in this life.
	d.	If we don’t know Him, we will be subjected to the wrath of God.
	e.	The Bible says in Romans 3:23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
	f.	Romans 3:10, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
	g.	Romans 10:9-10, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
	h.	Matthew 11:28-29, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
	i.	Would you come to the side of the living Saviour today and be saved.
	j.	Please stand.

THOU ART WORTHY, O LORD, TO RECIEVE GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER-Revelation 4

Author: Daniel

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