Is heaven for real? That has been a millennium old question. Over the years thousands of books and many films have been produce about the subject. In fact back is 2010 a New York Times best-selling Christian book was titled, “Heaven is for Real”. It was a little boy’s story of his trip to heaven and how he left his body during surgery and went to heaven. Little Colton described events and people that seemed impossible for him to have known about. A variety of Christians have expressed questions regarding the book and the film. Pastor John MacArthur has criticized the book for presenting an un-Biblical perspective on the afterlife. Yes, heaven is for real and you don’t have wonder if heaven is real or reply on a little boy’s story. We know in fact heaven is real because the Bible tells us.

In our text of Revelation chapter 4 we are taken to heaven by the Apostle John to see the throne of God. This is an experience that very few have had; this was no real. Isaiah had a similar experience in a vision where he saw God on a throne high and lifted up. Ezekiel had such a vision which he records in the first chapter of his prophecy, and there he tells us the majesty and the wonder and the splendor and the glory of his vision of the throne and of God. It is Ezekiel who first gives description of the cherubim. They constitute the highest rank of angels. Two things prompt this conclusion. First, of all the angels, they seem to have the closest relationship to God. Second, the Bible refers to them more any other rank of angels. After God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He placed cherubim as guards at the east of the garden (Gen. 3:24).

Last week we laid the ground work for the following events of the book of Revelation, the Bride of Christ His Church is call up hither to heaven. “Will the Church of Jesus Christ be on earth during the Tribulation hour?” The answer is an emphatic, “NO!” The Church is mentioned sixteen times in the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation but is not found in chapters 6 through 18-the Tribulation period.
The Tribulation is Israel’s time of suffering it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble. This judgment ends with the Battle of Armageddon, at which time the door of heaven is again opened in order that the believer may exit heaven with Christ for the return trip to earth.

I. The Person on the Throne (4:2-3)

1. John mentions that he again is in the spirit; taken to the throne room in heaven. Paul had a similar experience. No corrupt or mortal flesh can enter thought these gates. One must possess a spiritual body like Christ or be in the spirit. Without it you cannot enter into the Heaven of God. – I John 3:2

Above all else, chapter four is a glimpse of the throne room of God in heaven… Therefore, the key word in this chapter is throne. All throughout the book of Revelation we learn that the throne is in a temple. It is associated with worship, not just with kingly sovereignty but with godly holiness. It is in a temple. It is the dwelling place of holy God who is not only to be obeyed, who is not only sovereign but is to be worshiped and adored.

2. We cannot deliberate rightly about much of anything in this life or hereafter until we settle in our hearts and minds that there is a God of the Bible who rules from this throne. Words do not have the power to adequately describe what God’s essence is like, so John can only use comparisons. The brilliance and beauty of the Shekinah glory of God is conveyed by the use of the jasper stone. However, jasper stone can come in various colors.
Here it suggests a translucent brightness, much like that of a bright, shiny diamond. The sardine stone, which is also known as a ruby, was ruby-red in color. These two stones were also the first and last of the 12 precious stones on the breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 28:17-2 1). Perhaps these two colors are meant to communicate the glory of the empty tomb white and the sacrificial love of Calvary (red, indicating blood).
3. The rainbow reminds us of the important covenant God made with Noah in Genesis 9:11-17. It is symbolic of God’s faithfulness. It is a shame that in our time this original concept of the rainbow has been twisted and malign by the gay community. A rainbow was the appointed token of God’s covenant with all flesh, and His people in particular. The rainbow was first reflected on the waters of the world ruins, and continues to be seen only when a cloud is brought over the earth. Only fire shall precede the new heavens and earth.

II. The Splendor around the Throne (4:4-7)
1. Magnificence is the proper word to describe the throne room because around the throne of God were … four and twenty seats …(4:4). The word seats in Greek (thro nos) means “thrones.” So, around God’s throne were 24 lesser thrones on which were … four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold (4:4).
2. Who are the 24 elders? There are several views as to their identity, one is; these elders are best understood in light of 1 Chronicles 24 & 25. In these chapters we find that King David divided the Leviticus priesthood into 24 courses, or groups, to serve in the temple because there were so many priests they could not all serve at once. However, when one of these 24 groups served, they represented the whole priesthood. I believe they represent possible the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel & 12 apostles or 12 patrons of O.T. and 12 apostles. Note verse 21: 12-14.

a) The majesty around the throne is enhanced by the … lightning’s and thundering’s … that proceeded out of the throne (4:5). The thundering’s express God’s wrath against Satan and the ungodly: there are voices in the thunders and speak to us about the impending judgment to come upon planet earth. The beauty of the light of the Holy Spirit is represented in seven lamps that surround the throne. John also hears the crashing of thunder exploding from the throne room reminding him of the power of God.

3. The additional magnificence of the throne expanse is seen in the fact that … before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal representative of calmness, peace and tranquility of heaven.

Have you ever been to a big sporting event when every seat was sold out and the game was intense? There are stadiums that can hold over 100,000 people and in a sell-out crowd of that size the cheering can be deafening. People gather and cheer for their team and you can look from a distance or see the crowd from the Goodyear blimp… and the crowd turns into a sea of that that team of color.

In the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full “of eyes before and behind (4:6). The word translated beasts is the Greek word that simply means “living ones or living creatures.” Therefore, these are not vicious, wild beasts; they are simply living angelic beings.

4. These four living creatures that John saw are described as four cherubim, each with a different face. These Cherubim mentioned 65 times in the bible have four faces and four & six wings whereas the Seraphim have six wings and a similar faces, main different being an ox and a cherub.

From comparison with Ezekiel 1:6-10, we can see that each of the cherubim have four faces, and at the moment, John saw each one of the four different faces pointed in his direction. The location and activity of the cherubim are significant.

These angelic beings are unique. They are prominent. We know there are ranks of angels and these are the highest orders of angels. In the third chapter in the book of Genesis when the man and woman were cast out of the Garden of Eden, it was cherubim who were placed on the east side of the Garden to guard and keep the tree of life, to keep man from eating the tree of life and living forever and ever in his felineness.

4. Revelation 4:7 reminds us all creation will be redeemed, not just the human race. All living things now on earth are under the curse caused by sin, but in heaven all will be redeemed.
Romans 8:22 -For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

III. The Praise Before the Throne (4:8-11)

1. The four living creatures were continually praising God, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come (4:8). These may be different angels then the ones he initially saw according to Isaiah 6:2-4 we learn it is the Seraphim that hover the throne and Praise God. Holy is used three times, perhaps one each for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

When the four living creatures sing their song of praise, the 24 elders … fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever … (4:10). These elders vacated their own thrones to cast their crowns before the Lord God Almighty, for He alone is … worthy… to receive glory and honour and power …. It is He who … hast created all things … and it is for His … pleasure they are and were created (4:10-11).

Before God can be known as one’s Redeemer, He must first be acknowledged as Creator of all things. Moreover, God cannot be praised as He should be unless He is acknowledged as Creator and Sustainer of all creation. Verse 11 makes clear the reason God created all things-for His pleasure. Thus, the doctrine of creation described in the first book of the Bible is reaffirmed in the last book of the Bible.

Conclusion:
God created all things for His pleasure, including YOU. The world is full of people who when confronted with the origin of things leave God out as creator. They rather worship the creation… Let sing a verse as a closing