What Does Heaven Look Like?

When John was banished to the island of Patmos, he was given a unique and life changing perspective. Not only did he see the unveiling of the true Jesus Christ, but also received letters to give to the seven churches in the region of Asia Minor. Today, John is given a unique look into heaven, the one place, we as believers are anxiously awaiting for one day but we get a glimpse of what awaits the believer of Jesus Christ today.

John, was the only apostle that died of natural causes in church history. It wasn't the plan, the Roman Empire had condemned him for proclaiming the gospel as had all the other apostles. According to church history, John was placed in a cauldron of boiling oil, and it didn't affect him. He was taken out of that and banished to the island of Patmos. John received from the LORD, the Book of Revelation, and gave him little snippets of heaven to get excited about. We serve a mighty God! Read Fox's Book of Martyrs to see just how God can act in the lives of those who die for Him. It encourages us to die for our faith because something more awaits us much like Stephen, who was stoned and saw into heaven before he died.

John is going to show us a preview of coming attractions when he gets a glimpse into heaven on a tour. We learned in the opening chapter of Revelation 4, that the Holy Spirit showed John what awaits those who died for Christ and also at the rapture of the church, where it was caught up into heaven and it not mentioned again until Revelation 19, when it appears with Jesus Christ at the Second Coming.

John now begins to describe for us what he sees as he begins his tour of heaven.

Revelation 4:4-11 ~ "Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peal of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night, they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the thrones and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you create all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

John is telling us what we will see when we get to heaven, what we will one day see. This is a sneak preview of where we are going. If you are a Christian, and that is not belonging to a special club or church, it simply means if you belong to Christ, if you have looked to Him and asked for forgiveness, if you believe that He was raised from the dead, that you have confessed this with your mouth, You are a Christian.

John is seeing heaven. What do you tell someone who is dying? One day you will encounter someone who is dying? Will you tell them how their portfolio looks like or how Wall Street is doing that day? They won't care. All they care about is their position with God! They are going to be departing from this world into the presence of eternity. They want to know about the Lord. The number one thing you can give to someone who is dying is the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior! Some might ask, "Shouldn't I pray for their healing first?" No! why take the chance, first pray for their salvation, then pray for their healing. It doesn't matter if a person is raised from their death bed, only to be healed and then go off living their Christ-less life. What is important is that they come to know Jesus first. So pray for their salvation and also give them the gospel. So we often get weak in those moments when we should be willing to step out and share the gospel with those in need. We need to speak with them in those moments and share that gift of salvation.

From that moment on whatever happens from that point on, they will awake knowing that Jesus is their Savior and heaven awaits! Or if the Lord decides to come today, we will see the glories that John is sharing with us today. Another thing we want to share with those who are dying is what John is sharing with us in Revelation 4, these sneak peeks into heaven as it were. Heaven! What it looks like, smells like, feels like...not much is given to us in the Scriptures in detail, but what he does share we can get excited about.

It will be a unique place! Heaven and what we're going to see, these 24 elders have a unique place before God. The word "elder" represents the word "church" here. That gets our attention immediately. 24, in the Old Testament, the order of priesthood was established, that the ministry was to take place 24/7 by 24 orders, or courses of priests. To always represent the ministry of God, to his people. So what some scholars believe is that the 24 number are actual representatives, they remain unnamed because they are not important, God is the only important one, that the represent the church age believers, meaning that it is in Christ that He has declared us to be kings and priests forever. And it could be, that they represent us or maybe its broader than that. Maybe they represent all of the Old Testament priesthood and all of the New Testament priesthood and in a symbolic manifestation they represent all believers. That is a unique thought. Pick one, it doesn't matter to me. We know this, that they represent the believer!!!

So why is that important to me? Number 1, is their proximity to God. That they are around the throne you can't get any closer than that. Do they always have a front row seat?I don't think so. In this world, we have time zones and time lines and in heaven, its much different. In this world, we have to deal with problems. In heaven, there won't be any problems. When John sees 24 elders seated in thrones before the throne of God with perfect access to God, and if they are representatives of all believers, then what does that mean? That all believers have immediate access to the close proximity of God. I like that because I don't like standing in line. No lines, that is a time issue. It is eternal there. What this is referring to is that we will have immediate access to God.

Revelation 4:4 ~ "Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads." 

Who are these elders and why these thrones? It is that they represent the entire body of believers in heaven. 24 would represent the entire body of believers, their unique place = heaven. Heaven is a reality. As a Christian, do you ever feel like God is not near? You don't feel Him near. Sometimes we don't always need to feel anything, like others do. The just shall live by faith. But we want feelings, but feelings can come and go. When we pray, we don't hear anything, but we feel like He has left us. Do we have an emotionally based relationship with God or a faith based one? Are you going through a seasonal period in your life or what some call a desert experience, where you feel God is not listening to you or near you anymore? When you sin, in thought or in deed, you know, you have a bad thought, how long does it take for God to speak to you? Right away!!! How long does it take God to speak to you when you are blowing it? Instantly!!!

When you feel like you're in the wilderness, get on your knees and pray, "Lord, is there something wrong? What is going on, is there something going on? Have I sinned, have I erred, have I departed from You? You know how long it will take for Him to answer you? About a second! If nothing comes, then dust yourself off, and get up and go because you're in a trial and your faith is being tested. Keep going. You're not always going to see glimpses of heaven. This is given to us that we might know based upon faith, the revealed Word of God where we are going and the proximity is that where we are going to a place where we will see God face to face. This is our destiny. This is our destination. This is our eternity, that we, as a Christian, will be with God. The proximity is manifested before us through the 24 elders.

We won't have to wait in line to see God. Somehow in His eternity we will be in the proximity of Christ. It wouldn't be heaven if we had to wait in line. We will see Him face to face. There is a unique place the elders have that we shall have.

The 24 elders have a unique practice before God. They are sitting. The word "sitting" means to sit. It means to rest. It means to get off your feet. The word here in English, Greek, Hebrew or any other language means this, to sit down and to rest. Why is that important? It is very important because the elders are seen in heaven, having taken the seat of rest. They are sitting upon a throne, we will see what else they have, but they are sitting. When we come to Christ as Christians, what does the Bible command us to do? To rest in Christ. The book of Hebrews says that there is a rest, to those who believe in Christ. A rest. A rest, we might ask, from what? The elders, note, are sitting down. Do you see them up in heaven working? Nope! Do you see them up in heaven ringing their hands? What am I going to do? Sit down. No, I don't want to sit down. They are not doing that. We can also translate this word in the English language, "repose" We would say this in our modern tongue and I mean this reverently, they are kicking back! They are relaxed. How can they be relaxed? Because, before you come to Jesus this is how you live, you're religious, you're trying to do the best you can but you fail miserably so you are caught in this web, of trying, trying, trying and failing, failing and failing. You ask God to forgive you, and then you even make God promises, "I'll be better today God, I'll be better." God just shakes His head, "I don't want to see, there is no way." You can't do it, that is religion. When you come to Christ, you say, God I can't live this life. I can't do it! In fact, Paul said, the very thing I don't want to do, I do it and then thing I want to do, I don't do it. Oh Lord, deliver me from this body of sin and death.

Romans 8:1 ~ "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

How can this be? How can this be true? Because we go from a religious life to a relationship to God, to relational relationship with God, and He is your friend, day in and day out. Not based upon feeling but based upon fact and faith.

You just have to imagine this tour from John's perspective. The orders of priest were called to minister before the Lord, the 24 elders, the orders who were required to minister 24/7. You see John who is witnessing this. They are ministering before the Lord, representing the ministry of the church. They are also sitting. In the Old Testament wilderness tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem, there were no seats, there were no chairs. That is important, because earthly priests are to minister without stopping. But now we see heaven, Jesus is seated, the Father is seated upon the throne, and the 24 elders representing the church, they are seated. We are done!

There will come a time when no more pastors, no more missionaries, or no more evangelists any longer. There will be no more church so to speak, except for the fact that we will just be worshiping before the LORD! Our mission will be completed!

The Throne Book

The Book of Revelation is sometimes referred to as the Throne Book. In the first eleven verses of Chapter 4, the word "throne" appears 12 times in scripture. The Old Puritans used to refer to the Book of Revelation as The Throne Book because it deals with God's authority, it deals with God's position over the affairs of men over the face of the earth, it deals with God in His last eschatological movement, God is now dealing with the dwellers of earth, the nation of Israel, by the time we get to John in Chapter 4, we see that the church is now in heaven and the wrath of God is about to begin to be poured out on the earth, and so it's all about His authority, His judgment being brought before the earth. John opens up this chapter and gives us an eye witness report of what he is seeing as He is transported into Heaven. If we have any loved ones that are now in heaven, as we read what John is seeing in Heaven, that is what they are seeing as well. They are seeing these stones, this layer of glory, their looking at the streets and this emerald rainbow around the very throne of God.

We are going to get a new resurrected body in the moment the rapture takes place, and those that are in heaven now, will get their resurrected bodies as well when the rapture occurs. We need our heavenly bodies to dwell in heaven just like we had earthly suits while we were on the earth. It will be our march into eternity and we will be changed by the power of God.

John says in verse 2, "Immediately I was in the Spirit," that doesn't mean he was Pentecostal, it doesn't mean he got into some kind of trance, the word means he was transported by the power of God, from that moment on, what he heard, what he saw, what he experienced, was in heaven. He was changed, transformed.

1 Corinthians 15:49-50 ~ " And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, not does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of any eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. "

We are made of dirt, it is referring to the earthly body. Right now we have the earth suit, we will get our heaven suit when the rapture happens. We have to remember that when it says we shall not all sleep, it doesn't mean you sleep in the grave. For the Bible says "that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,"  as long as you are a believer in Jesus Christ. So why is the word sleep used? Because it is in reference to the body, when you see a dead person, it looks like they are sleeping. This the Bible's way of telling you it talking about the body, the resurrection, the context in which it is written, the body being resurrected. Even though our consciousness and our presence is before the Lord. We shall not all sleep which means we shall not all die. But we will all need to be changed in order to obtain our glorified bodies. So how do we get them?

Jesus says in Matthew 22:2-13, for the bulk of that chapter, talks about how we need to get our suits changed for heaven. He taught them a parable that you can read later, but He basically taught them that there is an invitation made to all people to come and experience a celebration, a wedding feast, but you have to get a garment to wear to get in. The garment by the way is given by the owner or the one who is presenting the wedding. Jesus says you have to have a garment. The festivities are underway and people are coming in and you can almost see the music is playing and people are having a great time in this setting, and the record needle suddenly scratches across the record and stops, and there is silence. The custodian of the service comes over and says, "my friend, what are you doing in here? You don't have the right garment on. You're not wearing the proper attire for heaven for the wedding."  Jesus says, that attendant will remove that person. He will be cast out to a place where they is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Most scholars believe that an attempt to put a garment on and to be in a religious setting is in fact that, a religious act. Not a personal relationship with God. Have you been clothed in the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ? By faith only? You can't buy it. It won't get you any clothes. He gives it freely all we have to do is ask, but we also have to shed the clothing we have worked all our lives to put on. Maybe it's a good reputation, you have a blue blood name. It will only be the name Jesus gives us, new garments, clothed in His righteousness in heaven.

It will be our entrance into eternity when we see the Lord, face to face. Can you imagine?

Revelation 4:2 ~ "and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne!" 

Why does he say that? Why won't he tell us who it is. He is looking, completely impressed by what he sees. An awesome sight to behold.  I've always wondered, the Bible tells us that no man can look upon the face of God, and live. Did you know that? That is why God took Moses and stuffed him into the crack of a rock and then God didn't exactly physically pass by, He let His afterglow go by. And Moses took a peek and remember what happened? He got zapped. I don't know what it looked like, either he was burned, suntanned or glowed, so bright and remember he put a bag over his head when he came down from Mount Sinai, so that the people wouldn't see the glory of God fade from Moses' face. Can you imagine that? Moses saying I want to see you. God saying, "Well you can see Me, because I am totally different, it would kill you! Moses still cries that He wants to see God! God finally relents and stuffs Moses in a rock and tells him, that when I come by I'll cover you with My hand and when I am gone, I will move My hand away and then you'll take a peek at Me, and it will completely blow your mind. But it will answer your question. And it happened.

The Bible says you can't look upon God and live. How in the world are we going to see God? John sees Him, so how does that happen? Because we have to be changed? That will happen at the rapture. We're changed. What a great hope in heaven! No matter how hot it gets here on earth, that is as hot as it will be for Christians, because we are going to heaven!

Matthew 5:8 ~ "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Is there a contradiction in the Bible? No, a change!

Revelation 20:11 ~ "Then I saw a great while throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them."

Revelation 22:3-4 ~ "No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." 

1 Corinthians 13:12 ~ "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

God knows everything about you. In heaven we will have absolute knowledge, and we will know. It will be like nothing we have ever seen before when we see the Almighty God.

Revelation 4:3 ~ "And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald encircled the throne."

 Here is that symbolic talk. Is he sitting there a Jasper? No, "was like" means it wasn't but was like. John is doing his best to describe what he is seeing. There is an emerald around the throne. It is green and it is unbroken. When we see a rainbow today and it's what? It's multi-colored and at best a half a rainbow. But if you are a pilot and looking around, you have a neat meteorological vantage point as you are looking down at the earth, have you ever seen a rainbow that is in a complete circle? When you get up in the atmosphere, you look down and you'll see a rainbow, based on certain meteorological conditions, and you look down at the ground, or near the earth and you'll see a rainbow that is in a complete circle! If the conditions are right! In heaven, there is an unending rainbow, about the throne. It will be like nothing we have ever seen before. The first thing is that we will see Almighty God.

When you read the Bible, you always have to ask yourself, Why? How come? Why just these two stone-like appearances?

Revelation 4:3a ~ "He who sat there was like jasper and carnelian (sardis)." 

In the Old Testament, the twelve tribes of Israel were represented by twelve stones, which appeared on the breastplate of the High Priest. Each stone was given a name, the name of each of the 12 sons of Jacob, according to birth. The first stone was Jasper = The Tribe of Reuben. The last stone was Sardis or Carnelian = The Tribe of Benjamin. They are the first and last stones! But it gets better!

Reuben's name means "Behold This Son."

Benjamin's name means "The Son of Righteousness."

"Behold This Son." "The Son of Righteousness."

Proverbs 30:4 ~ "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!"

I know, "Behold This Son." "The Son of Righteousness!" Jesus, God's only begotten Son.

It will be like nothing we have ever seen before, when we see the throne room of Heaven.

Revelation 4:3 ~ " And there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald."

In Chapter 4 of Revelation, in the first 11 verses, the word "Throne" is mentioned 12 times. The word "throne" is mentioned more in this book than other. That is why the book of Revelation is referred to as The Throne Book!

1 Timothy 6:16 ~ "Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."

Psalm 103:19 ~ "The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all."

Hebrews 4: 16 ~ "Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. "

The Throne of God:

1. Is where God, the Father is.
2. The Holy angels are there.
3. All the Old Testament saints are around the throne.
4. Seraphim and Cherubim are there in worship.
5. It is where Jesus is enthroned until He comes again.
6. There is a sound like thunder there and there is a flashing of light.
7. There are scenes of glory that cannot be humanly communicated.

It is where we are going!!!

John 14:1-3 ~ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there 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 also may be where I am."

2 Corinthians 12:4 ~ "Paul was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell."

1 Corinthians 2:9 ~ "However, as it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

When this happens it will fulfilled this verse in Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ~ "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And do we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words."

I believe what Paul wrote. We have hope that believe in Jesus that when this life ends, it is just the beginning. Paul believed he was going to be raptured any day. He lived what he believed that it could happen at any time. This promise will be fulfilled one day. You will never be separated from God. Do you believe? 

You need Jesus to save you. If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will have that same opportunity. Are you ready to give your life to Jesus? Simply say this prayer, right where you are at.

Father, 

“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. Jesus, I repent of my sin and turn to you. Please come into my life, forgive my sins and save me. I trust in You for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life. In Jesus Name, AMEN!”

If you have prayed that prayer and meant in your heart, YOU have the gift of eternal salvation. It's a gift. You don't have to do anything to earn it. Jesus paid the price for you, by giving His life for your old sin filled one.  Now you simply need to spend some time, getting to know Jesus by picking up a Bible and reading about all that He has done for you, to restore and redeem you. I'd start in the Book of John in the New Testament first.

This is not a fairy tale, although it may seem like it. Some people watch movies and act out their lives by what they see. Jesus is coming back. He will appear in the atmosphere to collect his church. For 2000 years, He's been preparing a place for us. How does the church get to heaven? The Rapture! There is no other way to read these scriptures and think anything differently. Time is running out.

Join me on tomorrow, when we take a look at Heaven!