We proceed in our study with a verse by verse look at Revelation 4:5-8: “From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices” (NKJV).

         The throne of God is an active place! In Psalm 97:4, we are told that the Lord’s lightning lights up the world. This is usually symbolic of revelation that goes forth from the throne of God, or by His authority. Thunder is the audible response to lightning. Likewise, whenever there is a revelation given from the throne of God, there will be a great sound upon the earth. There will also be “voices,” or...

         Last week we began to address how “Jacob’s Ladder” is Jesus Himself, as we see in John 1:47-50. We are called to be the messengers who ascend on Him into the heavenly realm. The rungs on this Ladder are the progressive revelations of who Jesus is. We go up as we see Him as our Savior. We go higher as we come to know Him as our Lord. We go up when we see Him as the Good Shepherd, and we go higher when we know Him as the “Apostle and High Priest.” We go higher when we see...

         Last week we began to address the “high calling” of God in Christ, and what it takes to attain to it. We will cover this more as the message unfolds in the Book of Revelation. For now, we just need to know that there is one to make sense of the biblical prophecies we must cover.

         As we covered in Revelation 4:1-4, a door stands open in heaven with a voice calling us up. When we enter, we see the One on the throne. This door is open for each of us today. It should be a...

     As we also see throughout Revelation, as well as other biblical prophecies of the age to come, there are positions of authority in heaven. Many Christians are under the delusion that in eternity we will all be the same, but that is well-refuted in Scripture and in Jesus’ teachings about the age to come. In places like The Parable of the Talents, Jesus taught that those who are a better steward with what they are given in this life determine how much authority they will have in the age to come.

     We also see distinctions, such as the...

         Last week we covered the twenty-four elders around the Lord’s throne in Revelation 4 and what they represent. The twenty-four elders are mentioned four more times in Revelation, and each time they fall on their faces to worship the Lord. This is a crucial picture of godly authority—they are worshippers. The greatest prophetic model of the Messiah in the Old Testament is King David, also one of the greatest worshippers in Scripture. Being devoted to worship is fundamental to those who would walk in godly authority.

         These twenty-four elders are also humble before the Lord. They bow before...