40 John Sung Revival Sermons

XIX.     THE GLORY TO COME

Rev. 4

These few days I have spoken on the everlasting life of a Christian.  To make it clearer, let me talk on the Glory to come, which we shall share with Jesus.

Vs   1   “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.”  We know Jesus is coming soon as we are in the end-times.  We have no hope here. Our hope is in heaven.  Behold, a door in heaven opens!  Waiting for us to enter. And there’s the sound of the trumpet.  Paul says, “We die in our body to the world; we die for Christ.  When Jesus comes again, our body will rise again.”  In that day there will be no male or female.  We’ll be like angels.  We’ll reign with Christ 1,000 years.  “John!  Come up here!  I’ll show you what’s up here.”  We shall enter this state in future. 

Vs   2   “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.”  Under the Spirit’s moving John saw God sitting on the throne, glorious, steadfast.  We shall see likewise.

Vs   3   “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”  John saw the glory of jasper and sardine stone.  Three colors, in fact.  Not only have the jasper and sardine stone, but also of the rainbow. The rainbow surrounding the throne represents God’s covenant with Noah.  Jasper represents loving kindness.  Around the throne the 24 white-robed elders, with crowns, represent us.  During the millennium, we who are reconciled to God become priests.  In the millennium every saint has power to rule the world.  Every one is an elder.  Will be crowned.  We reign with Christ from the air.

Vs   4   “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”  Don’t look at this earth, but up to heaven.  On earth there'll be murder, arson and tribulation. Heaven is a happy place. And there are seven lamps, God's seven Spirits, with authority. We'd have the authority of the Spirit in the millennium.

Vs    5   "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."  Not only with authority, there'll be a crystal sea, which is holiness in the millennium. First, we are kings. Second, we have the authority of the Spirit. Third, we have holiness like the crystal sea. Now we have not attained perfection in holiness. We are holy at heart but there is the weakness of the body. In the millennium we shall have the angel's power and wisdom. The four living creatures represent our fullness of wisdom. Only Jesus has authority to open the Book. This Book of Revelation is given to us.

Vs   6   "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind." In the midst of the 24 elders and four living creatures is the Lamb; Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and us. Without Jesus we go to hell. Fortunately for Jesus I can be saved. Jesus has seven horns, seven eyes, i.e. seven spirits --- His power to govern in the millennium.

Vs   7,8   "And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."  See! The four living creatures and 24 elders all kneel before Jesus with the Book. They play the harp to praise Him. We as priests and elders in days to come will thus praise God everyday.

Vs   9   "And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who lives for ever and ever." By His precious blood Jesus has redeemed us from every tribe and nation. That we can become priests and elders is due to Jesus' merit.

When I was young I saw a boy who caught a bird and put it in a cage. When the bird saw me it cried without ceasing as if to beg for mercy. I asked the boy to let it go.  He refused. But when I offered him ten cents he let it go. The bird flew into the air, and as it went, it seemed to say "thank you" to me.

Satan has taken us. We've committed all kinds of sin. Jesus has washed us by His precious blood. Now the Church seldom preaches the blood. How can men be saved?

Vs   7   "And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle." Four winged angelic beings surround the throne. We shall be like them. The lion represents majesty. The ox represents service. Man represents the form of angels. The eagle speaks of wisdom.

The Four Living Creatures speak of the Four Gospels Matthew for the Lord's majesty, Mark of Jesus as the ox, Luke of Jesus as man and John of the Lord as the eagle. We shall see unspeakable glory. Our present world in comparison should not attract us.

Vs   8   "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about them; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Six wings: two to cover the face, two to cover the feet and two to fly. We shall sing that hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty... "  Everyday we'll sing.  Very happy indeed, no tears.  Royal rulers!

Vs   9-11   "And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you has created all things, and for you pleasure they are and were created." Though we have glory, dare we become conceited? We'll be very humbled. We are God's creatures. All must give Him glory. We are His children. How happy! Though we are cast adrift in this present world, joy awaits us there.

There was a king who had an only son. He had the mark of His father on his body. At 9 years of age the prince was kidnapped. He became blind. He became a beggar. The king sent men everywhere to look for him but there was no trace of him. The prince had begged for 13 years. Nobody knew.

Finally the prime minister went to look for him. At the beggars' home he found one with a mark on his hand. He recognized the prince. He asked him to go back to his father the king. The beggar refused to believe. The prime minister exhorted him to return with many words. He took him first to the hospital to heal his eyes. His sight returned. The P.M. showed him his photo at 9 years. He believed. He no more begged. He wanted to return home to be the prince. Was he happy? God is our Father! Are we happy?

Rev.   5:1   "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals." What is the Book?  It is The Book of Revelation. The right hand of God is His Great Power. The Book is written inside and outside. That it is sealed with seven seals shows how precious it is. Revelation shows us the glory to come that we might disregard the pains we go through on earth.

Vs   2-5   "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look therein. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." No one in heaven or on earth could open it, so John became sorrowful for this. For this Book is very important. It reveals the future that we might spurn the present.

Vs   10   "And has made us unto our God kings and priests: we shall reign on the earth." Power will be given us to rule on earth. So our priesthood, eldership and rulership have come from His cleansing blood. The Church in China is not alive because little is preached on the blood. Praise the Lord; He has called me to preach His blood.

Vs   11,12   "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Look, three choirs! The elders sing “Glory to God". The angels sing "All glory to the precious blood of the Lord.”

Vs   13,14   "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives for ever and ever.” The third choir is of the whole creation. They echo, “All glory to the Lord."

There was an officer who hung on his wall the portrait of a woman holding a thread in her hand. Whenever he entered the room tears would flow from his eyes. I asked him what was the connection. He said, "That is my mother. When I was three months my father died. My mother labored to bring me up."

Mother and son went on a voyage. The boat caught fire. There were only four lifeboats. Mother, not caring for her own life, entrusted the son to some first class passengers. As mother and son parted, she gave him the portrait. She said to him, "Son, you are bought with my blood." When I heard this it reminded me have the Lord Jesus how He was crucified and shed His precious blood to buy us back to God. Can we forget Jesus --- Jesus' blood and Jesus' sufferings?  Beloved, never, never. We should love Jesus. But many still do not understand the meaning of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is the most important and precious ceremony --- that we might remember Jesus' death, that we might lift high the cross. Praise the Lord! He died for me. I must bear His cross all my life, preaching unto death. If we leave He can do nothing.