The Sermon Text —Revelation 4:1 –11

After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! 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." At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, "Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come." And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, "You are worthy, 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."

A SCROOGE-LIKE DREAM

John, writing from the prison island of Patmos, tells us that he was in the Spirit when he wrote it, which was his way of saying he felt inspired. Perhaps it was the way a great musician like Bach felt when a song formed in his mind. Maybe a better example is the inspiration that a poet or artist feels. John saw life situations from the point of view of God.

What John does in Revelation is to share a vision. He takes his readers on a visionary journey. In her book on Revelation, Lutheran theologian Barbara Rossing suggests that the visionary journey in Revelation is similar to what other ancient writers used in similar literature, and not unlike the journey Charles Dickens wrote about in "A Christmas Carol." Rossing calls this book a morality play in which the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is taken on a visionary tour of his life by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley. The ghost gives Scrooge a warning of what might happen if he doesn’t change his life. The spirits of Christmas past and future show Scrooge what he has done and what the future will look like if he doesn’t change. They also share the warmth of love of the Crachit house. He pleads with the spirit saying, "Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?" Good question. The vision he sees, as well as the one John provides his audience, is intended to change lives. The change in the life of Scrooge takes place shortly after he sees his own lonely gave. There was no one there to mourn his death.

The books are surely different but in Revelation John reports that he was taken on a visionary journey on behalf of the seven churches. In last week’s sermon we witnessed the first part of this journey (Chapters 2 and 3) that described the situation of the seven churches and the challenges they faced. He told them that the world is a hostile and threatening place.

Now, in chapter four, John continues to share his vision. This vision is of a new city, a heavenly city where God sits on the throne and we are invited to visit. The throne sits at the heart of the city. Naturally the people who read this immediately compared this picture to what they knew of the throne of Rome. They quickly conclude that the throne room of God is far more grand, far more glorious. Twenty-four elders stood around the throne, far more than the advisors around the throne of Caesar. The 24 elders, two for each of the 12 tribes of Israel, are not advisers to God, because God needs no advise. The job of the 24 Elders was to praise (and consequently, so is ours).

In this vision John speaks frequently about the evil whore he calls Babylon, which sits on seven hills. You say, it isn’t Babylon that sits on seven hills; it is Rome. Right. When John writes Babylon he means Rome. Unable to expose Rome directly – he is in jail, and the censors would confiscate any subversive literature – John writes in code. He used many of the images found in similar Jewish literature such as the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament.

Other imprisoned people have done similar things. Many of what we call Negro Spirituals were coded songs that spoke of their hope for freedom. When they sang about heaven, they usually meant freedom in the north. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" was such a song. "Swing low, sweet chariot, coming forth to carry me home (to freedom). I looked over Jordan (the Mason Dixon line) and what did I see, a band of angels (liberators) coming after me. If you get there (the north) before I do tell all my friends I’m coming too." Singing kept hope alive, just as this book kept hope alive.

People needed hope because Babylon, read Rome, and the Beast (the emperor Domitian), who claimed to be a god, had begun a series of localized persecutions against Christianity, which he called the great superstition.

Many Christians said, "How can we fight against a power like Rome?" John’s answer, "God’s power is greater. God’s throne room is greater. God’s splendor is greater. You can’t compare this earthly power with the heavenly power."

John tells them that they should stay connected to God. Ignore the phony worship even if they are persecuted. I remember hearing stories of the persecution of Christians in China during the cultural revolution. All of the foreign missionaries were expelled from the country, and churches were closed. When this happened Christianity had but a few adherents. When the country reopened they discovered millions of Christians who had worshiped in secret. Persecution did not terminate the faith, it increased it.

Rome can do so little, John writes. They can’t even answer the deep questions of life. Rome may have the most artillery, and the most soldiers, but life is not about that kind of power. In our day we would add, it is not about who has the most money, or the most glamour. Rome appears to have it all, but it is an illusion.

If Rome doesn’t have the answers to life’s deep questions, who does? John tells us that the answers to the deep issues of life can be found in the scroll, which is in the right hand of the one seated on the heavenly throne. The problem is the scroll is sealed with seven seals. Now we have a new question. Who is worthy to open the scrolls and break the seals? (5.2) Translation: Who is worthy to answer the deep questions of life?

At first they can’t think of anyone. (5.3) Then a name was given. It was the Lamb who was slain. Immediately those around the altar knew this to be the right answer. The Four Living Creatures began to sing, as we sing on communion Sundays. Then thousands of voices joined in the chorus. They were joined by myriads of myriads. My dictionary defines a myriad as: a very large, indefinite number. In other words, innumerable upon innumerable voices, began to sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing (5.12). Ah yes, the one who knows real power, the one who has wisdom and honor and blessing is the Lamb who was slain.

The crucified one breaks open each seal, one by one. These seals represent the great threats to life. We see them in the four riders, the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The first rider is on a white horse, carrying a bow and wearing a crown. He represents military power and his goal is to conquer.

The second rider, the second threat to life is red (the color of blood). He is war, and he carries a great sword, the kind one uses in terror attacks. He takes peace from the earth.

Rider three rode a black horse. Black represents famine. He carried a balance.

Finally, the pale horse, death, accompanied by Hades, the god of the underworld.

If these are indeed the greatest threats that we humans face John suggests there is only one who can understand, and provide an answer. The Lamb who was slain, and was raised from the dead. Jesus Christ.

God does not fight power with power. God does not send a Lion, or a Tiger or a huge beast to break the seals. He sends a Lamb, a Lamb who was slain. Moral power is the greatest power. Spiritual power is greater than any power on earth.

You remember when Stalin scoffed at the power of the Papacy asking, "How many divisions does the Pope have?" Stalin and his fellow despots come and go and the office of the Pope remains.

We don’t mean to belittle the destruction that is waged on earth. Death, famine, war. All of those wreak great havoc on the people of the earth. Yet the claim made by this book is that there is one who can open the seals, one who can understand, one who was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of the world.

Disasters will not conquer God’s people. None of these rule or reign. Rather, the Lamb who is slain has begun is reign. The world came into being by the will and power of the Creator. The world does not have its origin in chance; Nor will the world end in chance.

In the face of the great persecution John says, there is great hope. God will not give up his world. God still sits on the throne. He has sent one to open the seals, to answer the questions.

In the face of the inevitable persecution John writes: Hang in there. Things are not as bleak as they seem...Rome will fall one day, like the great whore, Babylon. The Emperor is powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the Lamb.

To all of us who are not being persecuted he reminds us not to be dazzled by the glitter. Don’t get sucked up in the charm of this world, or the power of this world. It is all seductive. Remember, there is a power that is greater than any of this. God’s power. It is Lamb power. More about Lamb power in two weeks. Here is how chapter five ends:

To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!" And the four living creatures said. Amen. And the elders fell down and worship. And so should we. Amen.