Previous Lesson -- Next Lesson
1. One Sitting on the Throne (Revelation 4:1-3)
John does not testify such detailed statements of faith, but he rather describes what he saw and gives no interpretation of his vision. He spluttered that he who was sitting on the throne was in appearance as if the glowing of jewels proceeds out of him: God, however, is not like a cold stone, even if it would be as precious and valuable as possible. He is not like a lifeless statue of Buddha made of pure jade standing in a temple in Bangkok and upon whose shoulders the reigning king puts a precious scarf every winter so as to prevent that "their God" does not get a cold. Our God is not created out of matter. He is fire, power, light, spirit, love (Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; Isaiah 60:1.19; Ezekiel 1:26-27; Matthew 26:64; John 4:24; 1 John 4:16 Hebrews 12:29; Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
John saw the Holy One in the brightness of the jewels jasper and sardine. Jasper, as we know it nowadays, is an opaque (non-transparent) quartz crystal with a range of colors between reddish white and brownish green. In Revelation 21:11 the light of New Jerusalem coming down from heaven is compared with the color of "the most precious jewel, like a jasper", which is gleaming like a crystal. It may be that in the times of John the jewel jasper was a bright, translucent, spotless, and clear crystal, which glittered and gleamed in the light of the sun.
With such a jasper the seer compared the holiness of God, which is the judging power in the history of the world and the indispensable standard for the cosmos. Everything which is not holy is sinful. The sinless majesty of the eternal God is the fundament of his righteousness and our aim.
Yet God is not only holy, moreover, he is also love! The jewel sardine, also called carnelian, is blazing red. It is glowing bloody red, if light falls upon it. This glowing color wants to remind us that God loves his fallen world and is prepared to sacrifice his best for it. In the color of the jewel carnelian lies a hidden hint of the atoning sacrifice given for us and the suffering of the father during the time of the martyrdom of his son on the cross.
Crystal clear glory combined with bloody red passion of a holy love – that is the appearance of our Father in heaven. John does not interpret this vision. The colors, however, speak of themselves, and the gospel confirms this message.
John saw around the throne an intensively glowing corona like a completely developed circular rain bow with the exception that this rain bow in heaven was not glowing with all hues but only in a bright green color. Does this color indicate to an excess of energy, strength and power and look like the protuberances in the corona of the sun? The root "El" in the Hebraic word Elohim means strength and power!
The rain bow around the throne of God may also remind us of his mercy in the time of judgment of which he assured Noah and his offspring by this covenant sign.
The transparent crystal clear white color and the bloody red glowing in the bright green corona want to reveal us who he is who is sitting on the throne: The Holy One is love. He is the power which upholds all things.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we magnify You because the universe is in Your hand and it is our right to lift our eyes toward You and mumble shyly, "Thank You, Father, because You love and edify us for Christ's redemption, and have poured Your Holy Spirit in us. Help us to glorify You by word and deed forever.
QUESTION:
- In which colors did the Holy God appear to the seer? What do these colors mean?