“The Elders and the Four Living Creatures”

Revelation 4:1-11

Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. ³ The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. ⁴ Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. ⁶ In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ⁷ The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

⁹ Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

¹¹ “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about a 90-year-old man who went for a physical and all of his tests came back normal. The doctor said, “Larry, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally? Are you at peace with God?” Larry replied, “God and I are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so He’s fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, poof! The light goes on. When I’m done, poof! The light goes off.” “Wow, that’s incredible,” the doctor said. A little later in the day, the doctor called Larry’s wife. “Bonnie,” he said, “Larry is doing fine! But I had to call you because I’m in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night, and poof, the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he’s done, poof, the light goes off?” “Oh sweet Jesus,” exclaimed Bonnie. “He’s peeing in the refrigerator again!”

I suppose a guy could fix it so his bathroom lights were motion-activated and thus wouldn’t necessarily need God’s help with the middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks. But I like to think that Larry believed he had a special relationship with God. He no doubt had a special relationship with God for having made it to his 90s with a clean bill of health! I can only imagine getting up there with such luck having lived the life I’ve lived so far. Let’s just say I’ve pushed this body a little hard at times. Regardless, the doctor was in awe of Larry’s relationship with God and rightly so. I say it at most of the funerals I preside over in which the person lived a long, full life. Surely God’s goodness and mercy had followed them all the days of their lives as Psalm 23 spoke of. It is a relationship with God to be in awe of, but I think the wording of it is a little off. I think rather than being in awe of the relationship with God, it is a relationship with God of awe. I think that the key to a long, full life is having a relationship of awe with God.

And I think John, the author of the book of Revelation, would agree. For 65 books, the various authors of the Bible lay out a pretty convincing portrayal of the awesomeness of God. God does some pretty amazing things in Scripture from creating the world in seven days to almost destroying it with a mighty flood to helping countless people to rise above their situations to allowing miracles to occur to amazingly conquering death itself. Our God is an awesome God, worthy of our utmost praise and adoration! He’s done some pretty amazing things and continues to do some pretty amazing things in the world today. Heck, it’s a miracle that He holds us all together despite our eagerness to fight and tear each other down! It’s a miracle that this world keeps turning, barreling through the vast emptiness of our part of space! God must have a purpose for us being here. I don’t have the slightest idea what it is, but scripture teaches us some fundamental truths about our God that we can rely on and trust. Our God is actively involved in our world. Our God is a God of promise. He is a God who makes promises and more importantly keeps those promises. Our God is a mighty God capable of doing the impossible. Our God is a God of hope and life and love. Even death itself is used by him to create new life. Friends, these are some fundamental truths about God that are pretty accurately conveyed through 65 books of the Bible.

So we get to the final book of the Bible and we get a glimpse of who God is in his heavenly realm. As if the God of his earthly realm wasn’t enough to convince us of his awesomeness, we get a glimpse his awesomeness in his heavenly realm. There has been much said about the imagery and symbolism of John’s vision, but I think it’s missing the point of the vision. John’s vision is meant to simply convey God’s awesomeness and power in the next world. Be assured, our God rules over this world and the next world, the heavenly world. Our God is in control of it all and thank heavens He is! Those fundamental truths we just lifted up portray a God worthy of our praise and adoration. Faithful, powerful, loving, hopeful, life-giving…these are qualities worthy of our praise and adoration!

In today’s reading, we heard of our God seated on his heavenly throne, surrounded by the 24 elders and 4 living creatures. Everyone agrees the elders consist of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel and Jesus’ 12 disciples. The living creatures, on the other hand, are less easily understood. Regardless, they are all steadfastly worshipping God on his throne. They are in awe of his power and might. Considering all that He has done in this world and all that He continues to do in this world, we ought to be in awe as well. And scripture helps us maintain our awe. David sang in his 33^rd psalm, “Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.” (vs. 8) And Hebrews reminds us, “Since we are receiving a kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe.” (12:28)

As we set about reflecting on John’s vision or revelation, let us be mindful of its purpose to keep us in a relationship of awe with God. Who knows, such a relationship might be the secret to a long, full life! Let us be inspired by John’s powerful imagery to give God our praise and adoration. Let us heed David’s words in his 22^nd psalm, “Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!” (vs. 23) And let us give thanks…thanks be to God!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.