The Open Heaven (Revelation 4)

1. The Open Heaven(Revelation 4)

2. Open Door • 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” • Man’s door is closed to God: • “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door…” (3:20) • God’s door is always open to man

3. One sat on the throne • 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. • Because of the magnificence of His majesty he did not know how to call God, so he called Him, "One sat..." • No one could call God by a name for He is extremely dazzling. • Isaiah (6:1): “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” • Daniel (7:3): “ I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated;”

4. One sat on the throne • 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. • He could not express himself and used the words “like,” “as if”…

5. Jasper and Sardine • The first and last two precious stones that were mounted the front vest of the high priest (Exod. 28:17-20). • The tribes, • On God’s chest (heart) is the smallest man and the largest man. • All humanity is kept in His heart.

6. Jasper and Sardine • Jasper is extremely transparent • Symbol of God's glory (Rev. 21:11) • It shows His dazzling holiness and the simplicity of His (unconditional) love • The sardine (stone) is red like fire • Indicates His fear and His justice • Love and Justice at the same time • Rainbow: covenant binding Him with man (Gen. 9) • Has many colors, declaring God’s goodness and gifts • Through His love, he bestows gifts to us

7. Rainbow Like an Emerald • On the high priest’s vest, points to the tribe of the Levites. • This bow that surrounds the Lord points to His priestly work interceding for us through the honored Blood. • Green, and is not affected by sun nor shade • Greenish shade gives calmness and joy • Every time our sight is lifted up to the throne, our souls calm down, are filled with peace, and we understand His glorious priestly work (salvation) for us.

8. Twenty-Four Presbyters • 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four presbyters sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. • Heavenly and priestly host • St. Cyril of Jerusalem: • Those are the incorporeal, for they are close to God who controls everything, and they are always in front of Him, interceding for all the creation, crying together with the four Living Creatures saying, “Holy, holy, holy.”

10. Twenty-Four Presbyters • St. Cyril of Jerusalem: • Great is their glory in the Lord’s sight, more than the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs and the saints.How honorable is this rank they deserved! For while the angels and all the rest of the heavenly orders are standing in front of the just Judge; those are sitting on luminous thrones, wearing royal garments. On their heads there are crowns of honor, and in their hands golden censers filled with the prayers of the saints..

11. Twenty-Four Presbyters • White robes: their splendor, their glory, their righteousness and their holiness. • Symbolize the prophets of the Old Testament who prophesied about the Lord • Symbolize the entire Church: • Old Testament: 12 tribes • New Testament: 12 disciples

12. Lightnings, Thunderings, and Voices • 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. • God's word is like lightning that people see in the preacher's life before it thunders on his tongue. • The thunder points to the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. • He rebukes him, shakes his rejection and smashes his pride.

13. Lightnings, Thunderings, and Voices • Once the heart had thundered, crying to the Lord, the believer hears "voices" coming out of the throne. • It is the voices of tenderness and love of God, revealed on the mouth of His priest: Absolution • All this takes place in the Church by the Holy Spirit: • Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. • The Spirit of God illuminates the Church and works in her through the seven sacraments

14. Sea of Glass • All that will not be realized except through Baptism: • 6 Before the throne there wasa sea of glass, like crystal. • Without baptism: • we do not cross to the divine throne. • no one can see the kingdom of God (John 3:5). • Crystal: firm, strong, white • baptized person is to be firm in faith and pure

15. The Four Living Creatures • And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. • St. John Chrysostom: • I tell you my dear children that nothing is like them in honor, neither in heaven nor on earth, because they are carrying God's throne, and they cannot look at the face of the Eternal Living One. They are created of light and fire. They are very strong and powerful. They appeal to God for the forgiveness of sins of mankind, and for having pity on them...

17. The Four Living Creatures • Without thrones or crowns, unlike the 24 presbyters • God is their crown and they are His chariot. • 8The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. • Eyes: Their understanding of the present and future mysteries which the Lord reveals to them. • Six Wings: respect and awe • “Each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.” (Isaiah 6:2)

18. The Four Living Creatures • St. John Chrysostom: • Even for those orders, God is truly beyond reach. They cannot approach Him. Therefore, He condescends…out of love for them • And when He appeared sitting on the throne, surrounded by those powers, they could not see Him, nor look at His dazzling light. They covered their eyes with two wings… • Hence if anyone dares to test the providence of a God that the heavenly powers cannot touch or describe, he had better disappear under the hills!

19. The Four Living Creatures • 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. • “As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.” (Ezk 1:10, 10:14)

20. The Four Living Creatures • St. John Chrysostom: • They intercede for the creation: • beasts of the wilderness • animals of the field • Human beings • birds • No intercessor for: • Reptiles: the serpent that the Lord had cursed • Aquatic animals: for the sea points to the disturbances , while heaven is quiet and peaceful, and to Satan’s realm.

21. The Four Living Creatures • St. Gregory Nazianzus and Origen: • The four forces of the soul, which are sanctified by carrying God within: • Lion: The forces of rage • Calf: The carnal desires • Man: The gift of logic • Eagle: The spiritual energies

22. The Four Living Creatures • St. Jerome: • The redeeming works of the Lord: • Man: incarnation • Calf: slaughter on the cross • Lion: resurrection • Eagle: ascension • St. Irenaeus: • The redeeming works of the Lord: • Man: incarnation • Calf: rites of the sacrifices and priesthood • Lion: power, royal dominion and leadership • Eagle: sending of the Holy Spirit

23. The Four Living Creatures • St. Irenaeus and Bishop Victorianus: • Point to the four gospels: • Lion: Mark in whom you hear the voice of the lion “crying in the wilderness”(Mark 1:3). • Man: Matthew, who did his best to make known the Virgin Mary's genealogy, from whom the Lord Jesus took the body. • Calf: Luke, who relates Zachariah's priesthood, who presents a sacrifice on behalf of the people. • Eagle: John, who is fluttering his wings up to the great heights speaking about the Word of God.

24. Unceasing Praises • And they do not rest day or night, saying:       “ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,       Who was and is and is to come!” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four presbyters fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “ You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

25. Unceasing Praises • They glorify Him unceasingly • The twenty-four presbyters cannot endure this view until they stand up for their chairs, take off their crowns, cast them at the Lord's feet and kneel in front of Him for His greatness, His holiness, His love and His care.

26. Unceasing Praises • The Book of Revelation unveiled to us: • The amount of love the heavenly creatures have for us, for they praise God on our behalf • The Book of Revelation mentioned about twenty praises, as if it was blowing the trumpet for us "learn the language of heaven. Prepare yourselvesfor the communion with the heavenly in their deeds."