July 28 - The Throne Room

July 28 - The Throne Room
Revelation 4 – 5

There is probably no passage in scripture that holds my heart more than these two chapters. When I was young, the imagery of the throneroom entranced me.  I would close my eyes and begin to draw all of the colors out of the text, fill in the spaces with items described: the crowns of gold on the elders, the flashes of lightning coming from a glorious golden throne, an emerald rainbow, blazing lamps on stands, and a crystal sea of glass in front of the throne.

I continue to do the same thing today when I turn to this page in my Bible. I read a few verses and begin building the image all over again. I don’t ever want to miss anything, it is just so exciting!

Not only is there all of this vibrant imagery, there is exciting action around the throne.  There are creatures we can only begin to imagine and everyone is singing and worshiping.  Just when the action gets tense, as John waits for someone to open the scroll, a Lion is announced, who shows up looking like a Lamb who was slain.

There is not a moment in this passage where you can take a breath and relax. It propels you forward through the action, each time adding something new that adds to the density of the picture until you reach the last verse, “The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Rev. 5:14)

Breathe. Because the next thing that happens is the opening of the seals and you want to be prepared for that.

John had just received the seven letters to the churches in Asia.  Revelation 4 opens by saying, “After this I looked and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit …”

I’ve often envied him that vision of an open door.  I remember sitting beside my mother during the week before she died.  The two of us talked about heaven … a lot.  I asked her if she really believed that there was a heaven.  She was right up against it.  Now was the time to quit stalling and start talking about things that were important.  She had absolutely no doubt.  It was hard for me to say goodbye to her and we spent a great deal of time together letting me grieve with her still around to help me through it. I wanted to know with certainty that someday she and I would show up in the same place again. She gave me that certainty.

I don’t know where we’ll be in the throne room when we get there. I’m hoping that the place is packed with so many people it is difficult for us to find each other. I’m certain, though, that I’ll be gaping at the scene, trying to take it all in.  The things I see will no longer exist in my imagination, but will be right in front of me. I suspect I will be so overwhelmed that all I can do is drop to the floor and cry “Holy.”