Before the Throne

1. Beauty

1) We see beauty around us in various forms: art, people, music, foods, nature, etc.

2) There is a deeper beauty that we appreciate associated with spirituality; a morally pure life is a thing of beauty.

3) In that regard, there are some truly beautiful people in the world.

2. The beauty of God.

1) We haven’t seen true beauty, however, until we’ve seen God.

2) God’s beauty surpasses the works of man’s hands.

3) God’s beauty surpasses the world of creation.

4) God’s beauty surpasses the purest of lives.

5) Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”

3. Revelation 4:3 “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.”

1) Jasper and Sardius stones are deeply red in color.

2) Emeralds are deeply green.

3) The picture is of One Whose beauty is deep and brilliant.

4) Dictionary.com defines beauty as follows: “The quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).”

5) God is the One who gives us intense spiritual pleasure and deep satisfaction to the mind.

1. Exalted

1) The word exalted means to be raised, elevated, or lifted up.

2) We think of a king on his throne as being exalted.

3) He is above it all; his place and station lifts him above the mundane and average; he is above such things.

4) Not only is he above all things physically, but in authority, power, prestige, honor, and magnificence.

2. God is exalted.

1) God is that King sitting on His throne in the throne room of heaven.

2) Psalm 57:5, 11 both say, “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.”

3) Isaiah 25:1 “O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”

3. Revelation 4:4-6 gives us a picture of God’s exaltation: “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. 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.”

1) We see a picture of exaltation here.

2) There is the sea of glass surrounding the throne.

3) Then 24 elders on chairs surrounding the throne.

4) Around the throne are the four beasts full of eyes.

5) Out of the thone comes lightning, thunder, and voices.

6) On the throne is God, the exalted one.

1. Holiness is not something that is honored in the world.

1) In the world, holiness is denigrated; nothing is sacred.

2) Speech is corrupt, filthy, and crass.

3) Sexual morals are loose, vulgar, and adulterated.

4) Many develop personal relationships for intensely selfish purposes.

5) Personal entertainment consists of nothing more than a romp through the proverbial pig pen.

6) Psalm 14:1 summarizes such attitudes: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

2. Before the throne, however, holiness is honored.

1) Holiness is that sacredness and purity of words, deeds, and thoughts which cannot be condemned.

2) To be holy is to be like God, for God is holy.

3) 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [behavior]; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

3. Revelation 4:8 “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.”

1) There are nine “holies” pronounced here in the original Greek; three sets of three.

2) Our Bibles only record three.

3) Three is the number of holiness and God is three times three holy.

4) Holiness is honored.

1. Humility

1) Humility is not to think or behave more highly than we ought.

2) Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

2. Man is humbled.

1) In consideration of the throne room of God and Who God is, man has no avenue but humility.

2) Consider the Psalmists words in Psalm 144:3-4 “LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.”

3. Notice Revelation 4:9-10 “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…”

1) The 24 elders fall down before the throne of God.

2) They cast their golden crowns before His throne.

3) They and all that they have are humbled before God’s magnificence.

1. Praise

1) Praise is the act of lauding, commending, approving, honoring, and admiring another.

2) Psalm 145:21 “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

2. Praise is lifted.

1) In the presence of God, praise leaps forth from our lips and resounds.

2) Psalm 148:13 “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.”

3. Revelation 4:11 “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.”

1) God is worthy to receive our praise.

2) Hebrews 13:5 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

1. Authority

1) To respect authority is to do things as the One in authority deems necessary.

2) Jesus never went beyond God’s authority.

3) John 12:49-50 “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”

2. Authority is respected.

1) You see no picture of rebellion or disrespect before the throne of God.

2) God’s worship is conducted according to His pleasure as He has authorized.

3) Man’s inventions are absent.

4) There exists only the will of God and man’s yielding to God’s will.

3. Again, Revelation 4:11 “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.”

1) It is for God’s pleasure that we and all things were created.

2) We exist to please Him.

3) We must worship as He has authorized, in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

1. Worship

1) Worship is the total and complete adoration and devotion to another.

2) God is the only One worthy of worship.

2. Worship is Consummated.

1) In worship there is the worshipper and the one who is worshipped.

2) Together, worship is accomplished.

3) Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:9 admonish us to worship God and no other.

3. Revelation 4:10 “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…”

1) We cannot help but worship before God’s throne.

2) We owe worship to God.

3) It is the penultimate act of man to worship the One True God.

4) Psalm 29:2 states, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”