What
about when the things before us are full of such worldly pleasures that we are
drawn to turn from our hunger and thirst for righteousness to a hunger for
immediate, drive-through-window satisfaction (forgetting the spiritual
heartburn that is to follow)? We look before the throne and remember that, when
we delight ourselves in the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives
forever and ever,[2] that he will give us forever the desires of our hearts.[3] We fix our eyes on the heavenly throne room where our God makes
known to us “the path of life”; where we see that in
his presence “there is fullness of joy”;
and that, at his “right hand are pleasures forevermore.”[4]
Whatever
we see before us is overshadowed and overcome by what is before the throne of
God. Even if we cannot remember everything we are to picture before the throne
of God, we can remind ourselves that the picture is very different from
anything we see before us. Everyone and everything that is against us is
miniscule compared to the one who sits on the throne. Every pleasure is
fleeting and filled with regrets, while the pleasures at God’s right hand give
us the fullness of joy forever and ever.
What
is before the throne of God that stifles our fear of enemies, and silences our
interest in worldly pleasures? The Holy Spirit is there, complete in every way.[5] He is there searching the mind of God for his thoughts towards his
people,[6] and then ministering to his people all that the Father directs.[7] He is there interceding for the saints according to the will of
God, petitioning the Father in perfect knowledge of all the needs of the
church, and in perfect consciousness of all the plans and purposes of God.[8] He is the eyes of Jesus watching over his flock,[9] the presence of Jesus who is with any gathering of people who has
at least two or three coming together in his name.[10]
Before
the throne of God is the sea of glass, like crystal.[11] It reminds us of how the priests of old would wash themselves in the
bronze sea in preparation for their service in the Temple,[12] and how the children of God, a kingdom of priests,[13] are able to come before the throne of the Holy One in heaven
knowing that all their sins are forgiven, and all their unrighteousness cleansed
away.[14]
The
sea of glass, like crystal, also reminds us of baptism, which pictures the way
our confession of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ washes away our sins.[15]It reminds us of what we once “were” in our sinful condition,[16]and how we were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus
Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.[17] It calls to our attention the way Jesus gave himself up for his
church so he could sanctify her, “having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present
the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.”[18]
The
last chapter of the Revelation gives us a glimpse into one more way that
considering what things are like before the throne of God will weaken the power
of whatever fears or pleasures are dancing before our fleshly eyes.
14 Blessed are those who
wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that
they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers
and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves
and practices falsehood.[19]
What
is first presented before the throne of God as a sea of glass that eternally
reminds us that the washing away of our sins by the blood of Jesus gives us access
to the most holy place of God, is presented in the end as the blessing of
washed robes that give us access to enter into the New Jerusalem and finally
partake of the tree of life. Let us then take the counsel of God’s word to, “Set your minds on things
that are above, not on things
that are on earth.”[20]
From
my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Revelation 4:5,6,10
[2]
Revelation 4
[3]
Psalm 37:4
[4]
Psalm 16:11
[5]
The “seven spirits who are before his
throne” (1:3), the “seven
torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God” (4:5), and the “seven eyes”
of the Lamb, “which are the seven spirits
of God sent out into all the earth” (5:6), all speak of the Holy Spirit in
the seven of God’s completeness that matches the completeness of the seven churches
(the complete church through the completion of time).
[6]
“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in
him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts
of God except the Spirit of God.”
(I Corinthians 2:11)
[7]
“13 When the
Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not
speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will
declare to you the things that are to come.”
(John 16)
[8]
“26 Likewise
the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words. 27 And
he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8)
[9]
Revelation 5:6
[10]
“For where two or three
are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
[11]
Revelation 4:6
[12]
I Kings 7:23-26; II Chronicles 4:1-6
[13]
Revelation 1:6; 5:10
[14]
“If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
[15]
Acts 22:16.
[16]
“9 Or do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither
the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice
homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you.” (I
Corinthians 6)
[17]
“But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God.” (I Corinthians 6:11)
[18]
Ephesians 5:26-27
[19]
Revelation 22
[20]
Colossians 3:2
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