After John’s first vision from Jesus of “the things that are,” and being commanded to write letters to the seven churches in Asia, John immediately has a second vision of “the things that will be:
“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had 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, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne” (Rev 4:1-2).
Before describing what Jesus tells him concerning “what must take place after this,’ John describes the setting in the throne room of God in astonishing detail:
“And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal” (Rev 4:3-6a).
Jasper, carnelian, emerald rainbow, lightning, crystal! Sparkling and flashing in ways we cannot imagine. This is the room where Jesus will advocate for us in front of his Father for the forgiveness of our sins. I expect to enter that room unsure of what to expect, but the dazzling beauty of it should wash away any doubts. I will be like a child stunned by the beautiful, sparkling colors that denote power and peace.
“And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Rev 4:6b-8).
My purpose is not to interpret each of the features of each living creature and the symbolism they represent. There are plenty of references that do that, but none that I have seen do so in the context of perfect unity with God. I think it is a good summary that, represented in the throne room of God are all the creatures of God’s creation. They are all winged and able to see with many eyes in ways we cannot comprehend. But what we can comprehend is that this vision captures the perfect unity with God in heaven, where worship never ceases, and where preparations are being made for Jesus to return in order to lead his children to eternal life!
The vision continues with more perfect unity with God:
“And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who live forever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created’” (Rev 4:9-11).
So what does perfect unity with God/Christ look like in heaven?
- Giving glory and honor and thanks;
- Falling to our knees in worship;
- Acknowledging:
- His worthiness of glory and honor and power;
- That God/Jesus created all things; and
- That all creation existed because of his will.