The Throne Room of Heaven

After the messages to the churches, a door stood open in heaven, and the trumpet voice called, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.' At once, John was in the Spirit.

Before him blazed a throne, and One seated on it gleaming like jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, emerald green, encircled the throne. Around it sat twenty-four elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven torches of fire burned before it—the seven spirits of God. Before the throne stretched something like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

Around the throne were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and behind—one like a lion, one like an ox, one with the face of a man, and one like a flying eagle. Day and night they never ceased to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!' And whenever they gave glory to Him who sits on the throne, the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped, casting their crowns before the throne and saying, 'Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.'

Then John saw a scroll in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, sealed with seven seals. A mighty angel proclaimed, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open it or even look into it. John began to weep loudly—until one of the elders said, 'Weep no more. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll.'

John looked and saw a Lamb standing as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes. He took the scroll, and when He did, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before Him, each holding a harp and golden bowls of incense—the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song: 'Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'

Then John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea—everything that exists—saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!' The living creatures said, 'Amen!' and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Here was the heart of all reality: the holy God on His throne, the Lamb who was slain standing victorious, and all creation giving Him endless praise. Whatever judgments and trials would follow, this scene anchored everything—God reigns, Christ has conquered, and He alone is worthy.