Revelation 4 contains the throne room of God, where Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. It is also known as the beauty realm, or the Father’s court. This chapter is one of many given to strengthen the end-time church, by connecting them with the reality of heaven and the age to come. Each verse is an invitation to an experience in the knowledge of God. The beauty realm gives us much insight into God’s beauty, both of His person and the beauty in the court scene around His throne. There are intriguing items and persons around the throne. He could have put anything He wanted there, that which is there, He chose intentionally, as an expression of Himself to His creation.
The Lord is also raising up prophetic songwriters to make songs out of these verses and phrases, even meditating/singing one phrase to Him is so powerful, the word of God is powerful, living and active, and singing and meditating on Rev 4 opens our eyes to the beauty realm (Eph 1:18).
2 I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 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. 4 Around the Throne were twenty-four thrones … I saw twenty-four elders sitting … in white robes; and they had crowns of gold … 5 From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal … around the throne, were four living creatures. (Rev. 4:2-6)
Rev. 4:2-7 outlines 4 categories of God’s beauty, with each having 3 specific themes (total:12).
1. The beauty of God’s person: how God looks, feels, and acts (Rev. 4:3)
2. The beauty of God’s partners: the Church enthroned, robed, and crowned (Rev. 4:4)
3. The beauty of God’s power: manifestations of power in lightning, thunder, voices (Rev. 4:5a)
4. The beauty of God’s presence (fire): on lamps, seraphim, and the sea (Rev. 4:5b-7; 15:2)
The point here give you just a brief picture to meditate on when you are worshiping and to make you hungry to go after these subjects.
Over the years many at ihop-kc have spent a lot of time developing each one of these themes. All twelve of these themes are huge subjects in themselves relating to the beauty of God. Many worship with the word sets have spent so much time on even just one verse.
THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S PERSON
In Revelation 4:2-3, John says, “I was in the spirit and behold. . . ” He sees a throne and He sees the One who sits upon the throne. He describes God’s person, he says, “He who sat there was like a jasper.” That is like a bright brilliant diamond and it tells us what God looks like—the brilliance of a diamond and far, far beyond! “And He is like a sardius stone.” A sardius stone is a deep red gem which depicts the burning passion in God’s heart. It tells us what God feels like. We were created in the image of God, and He has emotions, just we do.
Then John notices the rainbow around the throne which has an emerald green color. That is how God acts because the emerald rainbow is a statement of God’s covenant mercy in relation to His creation. We know He is beautiful in His brightness, He has burning desire—the sardius stone—and He acts in covenant mercy and tenderness toward all who approach Him on His terms.
THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S PARTNERS
In verse 4 John sees the partners whom God has brought into relationship with Him. They are the saints—the twenty-four elders. They are the top government of the saints in eternity. John notices that God is sharing His leadership and His government with people. Obviously all these people were at one time broken, sinful human beings. This gives us insight into what God does.
God has all the power and all the wisdom. What does He do with it? He brings us into partnership and exaltation with Him.
In Verse 4 he says that he sees twenty-four thrones around the throne. God is making a statement. He is saying, “I am sharing My leadership and the government of My empire with My people who are dear to My heart.”
These elders are the leading governmental ministries of the redeemed in eternity. Can you imagine being one of these elders? These elders are enthroned, they are robed, and they are crowned.
Each one of those descriptions has massive meaning, depicting the beauty of God, what His heart is like, and the plans that He has for His people. This is about the beauty of God’s partners or the beauty of God’s people, because it is people who are partnering with Him—that is the point.
THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S POWER
In verse 5 the next things John sees are the power manifestations around the throne in. There is thunder and there is lightening and there are voices—all kinds of sounds and music breaking out from the throne. This thunder and lightening is imparting His power to the rest of creation.
THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Finally, John sees the beauty of God’s presence. He sees seven lamps of fire. These are not little table lamps. These are massive lamps—the burning manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Then he sees the sea of glass right before the throne. This sea of glass is where we will stand when we have the great gatherings in the age to come. All the saints will gather on the sea of glass. That sea will be able to hold billions of people and it says in Revelation 5 that the fire of God is mingled with the sea. As we will be standing there and worshiping, the fire of God will be on the sea.
Even now, when you are worshiping, in the most quiet or most energetic way, you are before God on that sea with that fire. I know you do not feel it in the natural, but that is where your worship ascends before the throne of God.
When I worship, I try to quiet my spirit, focus on God in the jasper, sardius glory, with the rainbow around the throne and with the twenty-four elders. Then I see myself on the sea of glass mingled with fire before this massive throne, with lightening and thunder coming out and hitting me with the glory of God. It is actually real.
The Key of David 