Revelation 4:1-3; An Open Door to Heaven

Revelation 4:1-3 After this I looked, and, behold, a door wasopened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard wasas it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and onesat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there wasa rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 

Our Lord said to the Apostle John in John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, thatshall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

This was fulfilled when the Apostle John, in the spirit, was ushered into heaven. He entered heaven through a door that he saw and was bidden by a voice beckoning him to behold its glory.

About 55 years earlier, Stephen, the deacon, beheld the same scene, our Lord Jesus Christ on the right hand of the Father in heaven before his martyrdom.

Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 

In the Old Testament, at Mount Sinai, the scene of heaven was opened to Moses, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel.

Exodus 24:9-10 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 

Ezekiel had a similar vision of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as John did here in verse 3.

Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth dayof the month, as I wasamong the captives by the river of Chebar, thatthe heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that wasover their heads wasthe likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne wasthe likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 

What was John called to see, that God is in charge of all matters on earth. The throne signifies divine authority. God ruling from His throne room in heaven. And He was about to unleash His tribulation judgment upon the earth after the church has been safely ushered to heaven!

Matthew 24:40-42 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.Two women shall begrinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

May God’s people be prepared! Amen.