Have you given much consideration to the content of the Lord’s Prayer? I mean have you ever consider what is being asked for when this prayer is recited? Jesus said, “After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
That’s a pretty powerful prayer to pray, especially when you consider that God answers prayer. Whenever this prayer is prayed it’s a request to God asking that the activities of heaven be the activities on earth. I got thinking about this and wondered what is really happening in heaven at this very moment? Is there a similarity between what happens on earth and what happens in heaven? We know the sorts of things that take place on earth but heaven; well, we’re not so sure about. We can only imagine.
The truth is God didn’t just leave it to our imaginations; He gave us revelation to help our imagination; He gave us the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter four and five is really “an open door” to heaven. It’s God way of allowing us to see things without actually being there. It’s an open door that allows us to peer into heaven so we can get an idea of the sort of things that are taking place in the heavenly realms. The things that are happening there are to be expected to happen here on earth. Pray at this moment that the Holy Spirit will help us to see what is revealed in the scriptures concerning heaven.
Let us turn to the book of Revelation chapter four.
An Open Door to Heaven
John wrote in Revelation 4: 1 saying, “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven.” This statement is very similar to what the prophet, Ezekiel in chapter one and verse one, “The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.”
It’s my prayer that God will bring us into the opened heavens. My heart longs for His glory and His presence. I exhort you to seek His face and worship before His throne on a daily basis. Worship prepares the heart for revelation; it prepares us for the ecstatic; the supernatural and the prophetic.
John 4:1 says John heard a voice speaking to him like a trumpet saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this.” John appears to be in a trance and is seeing things that are beyond the natural boundaries of this world. We content ourselves to know and experience God within the boundaries of the natural world.
Revelation 4:2 John said, “At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.” The Spirit God will take us beyond the natural realm of this world and bring us into the realm of the heavenly. The Apostle Paul said. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heavens. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know this man...who was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.” (11 Corinthians 12:2)
You may be thinking this sounds a little stranger but have you consider 1 Corinthians 12:2 in light of Ephesians 2:6? It says “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms ...” This verse is written in the present tense. Paul is telling us that we are presently seated with him in the heavenly realm even though our feet are planted on earth. The reason is Paul can say this is because believers are linked or joined to Christ by Holy Spirit. Yes, we are on earth and Jesus is in heaven and yet we are with Him in the heavenly realm at the same time. The Word says we are in Christ and Christ is in us.
How is it that Christ is in heaven and we are on earth and yet it can be said that “we’re seated with Him in heaven.” It’s a supernatural mystery. It’s a dual citizenship that gives us the ability to live in the supernatural (heavenly) realm. Why would God do something like this for us? The scripture says He did it to show the “incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness”. God shows us what’s beyond the natural world because he loves us. He’s shows us these things because He has wonderful things stored up for us. Heaven is our destination.
Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:3 & 4) Church, we are to Rise into our Destiny! Our destiny is the heavenly realms of God’s glory.
Revelation 4:2 John said, “At once I was in the Spirit.” It’s amazing what happens to believers when they are in the Spirit. It’s glorious and it’s supernatural. There are some pretty powerful experiences awaiting those who are in the Spirit. The Spirit of God enabled John to see the future.
The Holy Spirit made Him a seer – a prophet! John heard a voice inviting him to “come to the door of heaven”. This is a door of revelation. Its metaphorical language designed to show that John had a vision of heaven. God opened the door so John could behold its wonders.
The Throne in Heaven
The first thing God sees in heaven is a throne. It symbols the absolute sovereignty of God. The one upon the throne is “the LORD God, the Almighty”, before him the twenty-four elders fall down and worship and all of creation joins in a doxology of praise and honor.
Psalm 47:8 says, “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.” F.F. Bruce said, “Since events on earth have their origin in heaven, the heavenly ascent is not unexpected. A true insight into history is gained only when we view all things from the advantage point of the heavenly throne.”Heaven and earth is eternally linked. They are inseparable. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it.” God has double ownership of earth; by creation and by redemption. The earth is bought with a price. It belongs to Christ. It’s His! The Scroll of chapter five is proof it belongs to Him!
What John saw when he John looked to the throne can only be described in term of brilliance of precious stones. John saw brilliance, like jasper, a transparent crystal-like stone, and a carnelian, a fiery red stone. The throne with its brilliance was surrounded by a rainbow which is as emerald green.
The Psalmist spoke of God as one who covered himself “with light as with a garment.” (47:8) and Paul described the Lord as “dwelling in unapproachable light, whom man has not seen or can see.” (1 Tim 6:16) We are reminded by the stones of the different manifestations of light often used in the Bible to represent the presence and glory of God.
Israel was led by a pillar of fire at night; the presence of God and glory of God in the Holy of Holies was as represented by the Shekinah glory. What John beheld was so great and indescribable that he resorted to stones to convey what he saw. John is simply trying to portray the majesty of God, resplendent and clothed in unapproachable light. Around the throne of God was twenty-four other thrones occupied by twenty-four elders dressed in white and wearing crowns of God. They have eyes in front and in behind which speaks of alertness and knowledge. Nothing escapes their notice. Keep in mind that the description of eyes is metaphorical language. They have the strength of a lion, the ability of an ox, the intelligence of man and the swiftness of an eagle. They are featured as falling down in worship. On one occasion they join the four living creatures in presenting the prayers of the saints to God. (5:8)
Adoration and praise are continuously on their lips. They are leaders in worship. The four living creatures of Revelation also suggest the seraphim (angels) of Isaiah 6:2-3 who lifted up their voices in praise singing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of host. They living creatures lead the heavenly hosts in worship and adoration of God. His holiness and power stretch from eternity to eternity; He is the One “who was and who is and who is to come.”
To fall down is the proper and appropriate response to the majesty to God: to worship is appropriate for His eternal being. In casting down their crowns before the throne the elders acknowledged that their authority comes from Him. The honor given them is freely returned to the One alone is worthy of universal honor.
The Blazing Lamps in Heaven
May the fire of God burn on earth as it burning in heaven! When we pray, “Thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth” we are literally asking for the fire of God to burn in our midst. The presence of the Holy Spirit is represented by the seven burning lamps of fire which is before the throne which denotes the fullness of God’s Spirit.
Fire has always been associated with Holy Spirit in both Old and New Testaments; on Mount Sinai in the giving of the law and the day of Pentecostal. There was fire on Mount Sinai and there was fire in the Upper Room.
On the day of Pentecostal it says, “They saw what seemed to be tonques of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” The menorah burned 24/7 in the Holy of Holies. It burned 24/7 in the synagogues of Israel and it has to burn 24/7 in the church.
Paul said, “Pray without ceasing for this is the will of God.” He also said, “Be filled with the Spirit” which means that you are to be filled over and over and over and over again. Keep replenishing the oil of your lamps. “Fan it into full flame.” It’s power for ministry. It’s the power for service. It’s the power for worship. It’s the light that illuminates the scriptures. We need the fire of God in the church!
In the book of Exodus chapter 25 we read that God showed Moses on Mount Sinai the exact pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture and he was told to make it according to the pattern. The Ark of the Covenant, the Table for Bread and the Golden Lamp Stand, the Bronze Altar, the Court of the Tabernacle and even the Oil for the Lamp was to be made according to the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain. It is the patter for acceptable and successful ministry.
John on the Isle of Patmos was taken into the presence of God and a door to the Throne Room was opened and he was shown a pattern for worshipper on earth. “From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God...” (Revelation 4:5&6)
The fire of the Spirit burns before the throne of God. The worship before the throne of God is the pattern for the church. The fire of the Spirit is the pattern for earth dwellers. The church has taken the pattern of heaven and replaced it with a hymn sing or with a melody of choruses. But worship can only be worship with the blazing fire of heaven. When our lives are consumed with this blazing fire we will fall before Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever. Crowns were cast before the throne saying “Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you are created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.
My Lord, let the pattern of heaven be restore to the church. The fire and wind that came into the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost is according to the heavenly pattern and it must remain the pattern for the modern day church.
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