Revelation 4 – 7
So, where do I start?! Revelation 4:1-7:17. Even if I had begun reading this at the start of the year I still don’t think I would be much clearer on what is happening here! A few weeks ago I was on a weekend away where the theme of the weekend was ‘Heaven’. After a weekend of teaching my perception of heaven is a bit different now.
In my head heaven was where us as Christians went after we died. Our spirits floated up to the clouds and sang the same song over and over forever and ever in front of Jesus surround by other spirits we don’t know…
..This was a vision in my head that I got even though I have never read Revelation – the book filled with visions of heaven. Somehow a mixture of TV/Film/Music/Cartoons/Word on the street/Books has given me this perception of heaven.
It’s not completely wrong…I don’t think. I certainly do think there will be a load of singing and praise in heaven, but it’s not the entire picture.
Chapter 4 is where we really start to read about heaven and what it is like. The chapters before contain the introduction and some valuable letters to 7 churches encouraging them but also teaching them about what they are doing wrong.
There really is so much in these few passages. We get a glimpse of how beautiful heaven will be. Rare and precious gems used all over the place, emerald rainbows, glass as clear as crystal, crowns of gold – it all sounds amazing!
There is so much more in these few chapters (most of which I don’t understand!) but what I have taken out of this, is that we have a God who has prepared perfection for us in Heaven; where one day we will be there with him, ever growing in knowledge and love.
We won’t know the full extent of heavens brilliance until we get there, but for now we can do our best to show heaven here on earth. As we grow as Christians, we pray that God’s glory shines through us and that the people around us can catch a glimpse of God and what Heaven might be like. It’s our future home so we should be preparing ourselves for it and getting excited about it!
As always I’ll leave with a song! 🙂
“I hear Your voice and I catch my breath,
‘Well done my child, enter in and rest’,
Tears of joy roll down my cheek,
It’s beautiful beyond my wildest dreams”
