Revelation Chapter Four

Revelation 4:1-2, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.”

I admit that I have difficulty interpreting this passage of Scripture, the entire chapter of Revelation four. But I will give it a shot. I have heard MANY preachers use verse one above to teach a pretribulation Rapture. I disagree with that interpretation. The apostle John was miraculously taken up in a vision of the heavenly city. This is not the Rapture! I have heard dispensational preachers teach that the church is no longer mentioned after Revelation chapter three, because the Church is removed from the world at the Rapture. As nice as that sounds, I don't see any Biblical basis for assuming that Revelation 4:1 is referring to a future Rapture. Where the Bible is silent we are best to remain silent.

Revelation 4:3-4, “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 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.”

I think it is safe to conclude that the twenty-four elders are definitely human beings, because in Revelation 5:9-10 we read that they are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Only human beings can make that wonderful claim of God's wondrous redemption! Some theologians believe that the significance of “twenty-four” is adding the twelve tribes of Israel to the twelve apostles. I simply do not know if that is accurate. I think a key word to consider is "elders." These 24 were ELDERS, leaders, whom everyone else looked up to. Please notice Revelation 5:14, “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.” I personally think these are 24 literal Jewish elders.

Revelation 4:5-6, “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. 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.”

I do not know exactly what the “seven Spirits of God” are. But we know from the preceding passage that the Spirits are the “seven lamps of fire.” Your guess is as good as mine what this means. We must be careful not to apply this to the fundamental doctrine of the Godhead. We know there is only one true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:4). That one God exists in three distinct persons of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). I don't think this verse means that the Holy Spirit is divided into seven Spirits. That would be a strange doctrine. I once heard TV evangelist Benny Hinn teach that the Godhead is divided into nine parts! That is absurd and unbiblical. 

Revelation 4:7-11, “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. 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. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 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, 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.”

The four beasts were created for the sole purpose of worshipping God day and night. I have no idea what the four different beasts signify. I told you this was a difficult chapter of the Bible to interpret. Revelation chapter four rivals the best science fiction man has ever written, and I love science fiction! The intriguing thing is that this is truth!

Revelation Chapter Three

Revelation 3:1-6, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The city of Sardis was a pagan place! The Bible teaches in 1st Corinthians 5:6-8, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” A little bit of heresy will spread in a church. False teaching spreads like stage 4 cancer! That is why every pastor should be as a Pit Bull dog walking guard around a church, rooting out any false teaching or immorality creeping its way into the group. The same holds true for Bible colleges and every Christian institution. A great evil of our generation is indifferent and complacent preachers who DON'T STAND!

The church at Sardis was dying the Bible says. Dr. Vance Havner (1901-1986) was a famous Southern Baptist preacher, highly sought after to speak in churches. Years ago, Pastor and author Vance Havner shared insights on the predictable and absolutely avoidable pathway of destruction for movements of God:

1. Movements of God start with a man.
2. God uses that man to start a movement.
3. The movement of God becomes a machine of men.
4. The machine of men becomes a monument to the man.
5. The monument to a man becomes a mausoleum.

That was very well said by Pastor Havner! We saw this trend with Evangelist Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968). Dr. Jones was greatly responsible for the success of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement (old IFB) across America and the world during the 1920s up until his graduation to Heaven in 1968. Bob Jones College (BJU) first opened its doors in 1927. Graduates of BJU became the foundation of several dozen other fundamentalist institutions; such as, Hyles-Anderson College, Pensacola Christian College, The Crown College in Tennessee, Maranatha Baptist University, et cetera. By 1980, the BJU movement had deteriorated into a machine, having lost its Holy Spirit power with God. Today in 2021 BJU is a cesspool of iniquity, preaching hardcore “Lordship” salvation and promoting John MacArthur.

Pastor Jack Hyles' became the unofficial successor of Pastor J. Frank Norris (1877-1952), Pastor Norris being commonly held as the godfather of fundamentalism in America. Many of these once great soulwinning churches are dying today! They don't stand for the verbal (word for word) inspiration of the King James Bible anymore. They don't stand for door-to-door soulwinning anymore. They don't stand against deadly false teachers like Pastor John MacArthur. I could name one of the biggest Baptist churches in northern Illinois, pastored by consecutive Hyles-Anderson College graduates, whose pastors shamefully support John MacArthur. The machine of the old IFB movement is dying today! The new IFB is taking the lead. Our churches are dying because we have left tour first love and have stopped doing the first works! The great need of the hour is preaching preachers who walk with God.

The church at Sardis was dying. Every living organism has life, reproduces itself and has power. When these things are gone, a creature is dying. Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) preached a homerun sermon called: “Running Short On Authority,” in which he addresses the big problem in our churches today of having lost our authority (the inspired King James Bible). Preachers no longer preach with authority!!! Consider Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, Steven Furtick, T.D Jakes, Rick Warren and a host of other impotent pulpit predators today who have corrupted the churches! These are perilous times of woeful apostasy! All of the aforementioned conmen are self-made multi-millionaires who parasite off of Christianity, whose damnation slumbereth not (i.e., they are already damned in God's sight).

A church is dying when its leaders are more concerned about programs and what man can do than what God can do! The purpose of the local New Testament church is to win the lost to Christ with the Gospel, and then disciple the saved. Jesus told the church at Sardis to repent. Repentance is a matter of the heart, not of doing works. Many churches corrupt the meaning of Bible repentance, errantly requiring lost sinners to turn over a new leaf and commit to reform to receive God's free gift. Pacific Garden Mission (aka, Unshackled radio) is guilty of teaching this damnable heresy.

God gave us ears to HEAR! Think about that. God gave us TWO ears and ONE mouth to teach us that we ought to listen TWICE as much as we talk. Have you ever talked to someone for hours and then walked away feeling empty and unfulfilled? I have. Do you know why? It is because we selfishly do all the talking and fail to let the other person speak so we can learn from them. The most fulfilling conversations I have ever had was when I let the other person do MOST of the talking. If I do all the talking, then I will walk away full of myself. I learned a long time ago to let the other person do most of the talking. I encourage you to do the same and you will see, as I have, that listening makes us much more fulfilled and happy in life.

This small beautiful passage of Scripture in Revelation 3:1-6 is so rich in doctrine and life-changing truth. The Bible says there was a small handful of faithful believers in the church at Sardis. The majority of the Sardis churchgoers were shallow, dying and ineffective for God. Did you know that you can be dying and not even know it? Diabetes is commonly called: “The Silent Killer,” because you can be dying and not even know you have the dreaded disease! Diabetes can cause sudden blindness, a stroke or heart-attack.

Ironically, there are many parallels between spiritual disease and diabetes. A church can be dying spiritually and yet not even be aware of it. Revelation 3:1b, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” They were the living dead! The Lord said while they “livest” they were also “dead.” The church at Sardis was akin to a man dying of cancer, but had no symptoms yet. Prosperity in a church is “The Silent Killer.” Nothing destroys churches like prosperity. Adversity strengthens a church! That is why Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935) made this tremendous statement in 1914:

“It would be a godsend if the Church would suffer persecution today; she hasn't suffered it for hundreds of years. She is growing rich and lagging behind. Going back.” —Billy Sunday, “The Need for Revivals,” From “Billy Sunday: The Man and His Message”; by William T. Ellis, Philadelphia: John C. Winston Co., 1914

Billy Sunday had no idea of how right he would be proven even a century later! It is hard to believe that Billy Sunday saw the churches of his time as being apostate, when television didn't even arrive until 1946. That just evidences how much things and perceptions have changed over the past century. Today we would consider the apostate churches of Billy Sunday's generation as being among the best churches. 

Here is some startling and disturbing information folks. A Pew Research Poll found out that 52% of professed Christians in America think there is more than one way to Heaven:

A majority of all American Christians (52%) think that at least some non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life. Indeed, among Christians who believe many religions can lead to eternal life, 80% name at least one non-Christian faith that can do so. These are among the key findings of a national survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life from July 31 to August 10, 2008, among 2,905 adults. SOURCE: Pew Research

That is tragic and makes me question if these are true Christians themselves. John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Christianity is very exclusive. There is ONLY ONE WAY to Heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ! Jesus said that Himself in John 14:6. I seriously doubt the salvation of any professed Christian who thinks there is another way to Heaven apart from the name of Jesus. What saith the Scripture? ...

Acts 4:10-12, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Dear friend, you either go to Heaven through FAITH ALONE in the precious name of Jesus, or else you go to Hell forever without rest or hope day and night (Revelation 14:11; 20:11-15; 21:8). John 14:6 teaches that salvation is found ONLY by faith in the name of Jesus!!!

One more notable mention from the church at Sardis. Verse 5, He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Since we know that salvation is a free gift from God which can never be forfeited or lost for any reason, then we know that a Christian's name can NEVER be blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life. That means everyone's name is already recorded in the Book of Life from birth, even before that person was conceived. This explains why all babies go to Heaven!

A common error that many Bible students make when studying the Bible is to look too deep. They “read between the lines” so-to-speak, finding things that God did not intend. The Bible speaks of white raiment and of being worthy. Friend, none of us are worthy! Only the sinless Lamb of God is worthy (Revelation 5:4-9). It is our faith in Christ that makes us worthy, because we are made wholly righteous by the imputed righteousness of God by faith. The only way to have your name removed from the Book of Life is to knowingly reject Jesus as your personal Savior. 1st John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” We are saved BY FAITH alone! This is the great truth to take away from Revelation 3:4-6. There were some unsaved people in the church, and the Lord wanted them to repent of their unbelief to be saved. Let us move forward now to the church at Philadelphia shall we.

Revelation 3:7-13, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The church at Philadelphia was located in the city of “brotherly love.” That is what the name “Philadelphia” literally means (Greek: phileo). The Lord opened a door so that no man could shut it. It love that! Friend, when God opens a door, NO MAN can shut it! Dear reader, when God opens a door our responsibility is to walk through that door. ...

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Here again we read about false Jews, the Synagogue of Satan! We still have this predator today in the churches, unsaved Jews who claim to be true Christians. Dear friend, only born-again believers are true spiritual Jews in God's sight. The Bible is very clear on this matter in Romans 2:28-29 and Galatians 3:26-29. One is only a Jew INWARDLY (circumcized of the heart by faith), not one who is born OUTWARDLY of the flesh. Those unsaved Jews who profess to be God's children without faith in Jesus Christ are the Synagogue of Satan. This has nothing to do with being Jewish, or antisemitism, it has to do with Christianity.

Revelation 3:10 speaks about the coming Tribulation period, a time so woeful that it will bean era of suffering unprecedented in human history. Billions of people will perish! The Tribulation will be a time of a holy God pouring our His wrath upon a wicked world. Even today we see how wicked the world has become. Abortion is nothing less than a total contempt and disregard for human life. One evil begets another. Because of the holocaust of abortion in America since 1972, this disregard for human life has spread into all reaches of society. Elderly people are not cared for properly, dumped in old folks homes to rot.

American children often forget about their parents, leaving them alone while they pursue their own selfish lives. Animal life is often esteemed as being more valuable than human life. Americans have their priorities wrong! Euthanasia has increasingly become legal across the nation. Can we really expect our children to grow up to value their neighbour and life in general, when we continue to murder the most weak and vulnerable among us in the womb? Every abortion is a blatant disregard for the sacredness of human life from God. We have brought God's judgment upon ourselves in the United States! We are long overdo!

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” —Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President (1801-1809)

Revelation 3:11-13 speaks about the saints. If you have accepted Jesus as Christ, as the only begotten Son of God, placing your trust in Him alone for salvation, then all these wonderful promises from God apply to you friend! You are the redeemed. Your faith in Christ is how you overcome the world. Isn't it wonderful to be a Christian?

The Lord promises to make every believer A PILLAR in the house of God. I love that! To be honest I do not know what this means. I was reminded of this Old Testament passage:

Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Could it be that Jesus was speaking about Himself, that He has overcome the world and He Himself if the One Who never leaves us! John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ” Read again this passage:

Revelation 3:11-13, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Since we are the temple of God (1st Corinthians 3:16-17), this Bible passage to me is about Jesus. He never leaves or forsake the saint (Hebrews 13:5). The Lord Jesus and our heavenly Father have made their abode (home) in every believer (John 14:23). I could be wrong in my interpretation here, but this is what I thought about. Regardless, it is clear from this passage that God gives us stability in His work and presence. Just as the psalmist said in Psalms 1, the believer who abides in the Word of God is like a strong tree with deep nourished roots along a river. The glory all goes to God, but we get the blessings!

During the Tribulation period, there will be 144,000 saved Jews. They will be soulwinners, preaching the Gospel throughout the world. God will protect them. There will also be two witnesses, protected by God. They won't be able to be killed until God says so. We are quickly headed for a cashless society. Already, credit cards are used for just about everything. I hardly ever pay cash anymore. Dealing with a bunch of change is annoying. I would be surprised if paper and coin money hasn't completely disappeared within the next 20 years.

I just read that atheism has doubled in the past decade. With ungodly reprobates like Marty Herron, Steve Pettit and Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, I can see why. People are sick and tired of the shallow, fake and rotten Bob Jones University crowd who hurt people. They are the reason why the Devil is winning the battle over the churches today!

Revelation 3:14-22, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The church at Laodicea thought everything was good, but it wasn't! God called them naked, wretched and blind. The Bob Jones University cult today is particularly alarming, teaching a perverse heresy of “Lordship” salvation in their college and churches. If that's not bad enough, then you've got institutions like Pensacola Christian College (PCC) who won't take a stand against them. What a mess! No wonder America is going to Hell. Heresy is everywhere and no one wants to expose it! The average Baptist church is either corrupt and teaching the Devil's lie of Calvinism, or else they are cowards and refuse to expose other bad churches. That is why false teachings are thriving today, because of pastors who love money more than truth. Jesus warned in Luke 16:13 that no man can serve God and mammon.

The Laodiceans made eyesalve and pharmaceuticals. The church at Laodicea were like Elsie, the contented cow. We stop growing as a Christian when we become content. When you are as good a Christian as you want to be, you're as good a Christian as you're going to get! Most believers don't want to be closer to the Lord than they already are. That is because of today's lukewarm and lame pastors, like Marty Herron and Steve Pettit, imposters in the pulpit.

The church at Laodicea thought they were rich and self-sufficient, but they were destitute. The Lord didn't have even one good think to say about them! Some theologians believe that the churches of Asia represent ages, or time periods. I disagree with that view, simply because the Bible does not teach that. I don't think we ought to ever spiritualize the Word of God. But if the church of Laodicea did represent these last days, it is spot on accurate!

In Revelation 3:20 God is speaking to the church. Jesus had been locked out of His own church of which He is the Head. Most churches today lack the Lord's presence!!! You can visit most churches are you won't feel the presence of God's Holy Spirit there. They may be a friendly church and generous, but if THE TRUTH is not being preached the Holy Spirit is not there. 

God is not an absent parent. The Lord chastens whom He loves (Hebrews 11:6-8). If you are saved, the Lord WILL convict you about your sins. The Lord said that He would come quickly. There is debate over whether He meant soon or fast when He does return. I tend to think the Lord meant soon. It has been 2,000 years, but that is nothing in God's time system. With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. So the past 2,000 years in God's mind has only been 2 days! That truth is hard for me to grasp. When things are wrong in my life, a day seems like a week, and every week like a month, and I just want life to hurry up and finish. I feel like God doesn't understand my pain. By faith I choose to believe that Jesus does understand my pain, loneliness and frustration (Hebrews 4:15-16; 1st Peter 5:7). Remember, the Christian life MUST be lived by faith. We walk by faith, not by sight (2nd Corinthians 5:7). That means trusting God's written Word when I feel like things are hopeless.