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
Long before the days of offset presses and electronic printing, I worked for a newspaper that used the old-style printing processes. On occasion, I would have to go downstairs to the press room, where the huge and noisy Goss press churned out the newspapers. Most of the time, the huge machine was silent, as the pressmen installed the printing plates for each page of the newspaper, or performed maintenance on the many rollers and gears. I can still recall the first time I entered that room as the press was running, as paper spun off huge newsprint rolls and was fed through the machine to emerge as stacks of folded newspapers at the end. Just as impressive as the sight of that great press churning out newspapers was the intense noise of that place. A heavy roar that could be felt through the soles of your feet on that concrete floor made it impossible to hear anything else, and made it difficult to think. It was one of the most intense and impressive noises I have ever encountered. But it was probably quiet compared to the volume of sound emerging from the throne that John describes in our text.
We have no idea how impressive the environment of Heaven is. John does his best to describe it, using the language available to him. But his description falls far short of the reality of that great sight that he was given. He uses references to thunder and lightning, which would be the most impressive display of power that he – and many of us – had ever seen. But the thunder and lightning of earth is not in the same league as the display of the majesty of the presence of God. If you are anything like me, you often wonder just what Heaven will be like. The look that John gives us into Heaven in Revelation 4 is as close as we are able to come. And this look, including today’s text, reminds us that we are considering the dwelling place of the Almighty.
There is something impressive about being in the presence of important people. I have had the privilege of interviewing several of our prime ministers and other holders of high positions, of spending time in the near proximity of members of the royal family, and hobnobbing with some of the wealthiest people in the world. I was impressed! These people radiated a power and influence that was very real. But they were just people, and they occupied positions on earth. How much more lofty is the presence of the Lord Jesus on His throne in glory! Many of the great people I have encountered are no longer in their seats of power and position. But the One Who sits on the throne in Heaven will never see His glory fade or diminish forever.
When we think of the Lord Jesus on His throne in Heaven, we can become very excited. Because we can look forward to the moment when we will actually be there, and will behold and appreciate His glory. And thank Him for saving us. -Jim MacIntosh