The Rapture and the Opening of Heaven
Immediately the church age ended, the door of heaven opened and in a moment, twinkling of an eyes, the saints were caught up. John saw a throne, set in heaven.
‘After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as 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 one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind’ (Revelation 4:1-6).
The Heaven Described in Scripture
The heaven referred to is not the atmosphere which surround the globe.
‘But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you’ (Deuteronomy 11:11).
‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it’ (Isaiah 55:9-11).
‘Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains’ (Psalm 147:8).
Neither is it the sphere in which the sun and moon and stars appear.
‘And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years’ (Genesis 1:14).
‘And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be’ (Genesis 15:5).
‘And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands’ (Hebrews 1:10).
The Throne of God
This heaven is the place where God and the holy angels were set in heaven and one sat on the throne. There was a rainbow round about the throne. And round were 24 seats (thrones). And out of the throne proceeded lightning… And before the throne, there was a sea of glass. And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were.
‘After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as 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 one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind’ (Revelation 4:1-6).
The throne is mentioned more than ten times in this chapter. This throne attracted John’s attention. All other things centered on the throne. This is God’s throne.
‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre’ (Psalms 45:6).
‘But the LORD shall endure forever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness’ (Psalms 9:7-8).
‘The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all’ (Psalm 103:19).
‘Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest?’ (Isaiah 66:1).
‘But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne’ (Mathew 5:34).
‘And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne’ (Revelation 4:2).
‘And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them’ (Revelation 20:11).
‘And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald’ (Revelation 4:2-3).
‘And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God’ (Revelation 4:5).
‘And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come’ (Revelation 4: 8).
‘Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created’ (Revelation 4: 11).
Who is this person that sat on the throne that attracted the whole attention of John and dominated his whole being? Who is this personality that he said looked like a Jasper and a Sardine stone and rainbow about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald? Who is this person that had the power to sit on a throne that produced lightning and thundering, voices with seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are seven spirits of God?