This is part of the 3rd "painting" in the book of Revelation I'm addressing. These are: 1) The Coming of Jesus with the Clouds,
2) the appearance of the Son of Man, which includes the messages to the 7 churches in Asia, and
3) the throne room of God in heaven.
All of these can be found in Daniel...
Dan 7: 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
Here are critical elements involved with the Return of Christ.
1) Christ's Kingdom is not a humanly devised movement on the earth--false kingdoms, political and religious, precede Christ's return.
2) Christ comes from the throne of God, who had ruled in favor of Christ and his People.
3) Christ comes to destroy the Antichrist, who in Dan 7 is described as a "Little Horn." Christ comes to establish his Kingdom upon the earth, to replace false kingdoms.
Rev 5.1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
It is clear, in verse 10, that the purpose of the opening of this scroll is to establish the rights to effect God's Kingdom on earth, together with Christians. The Kingdom could not come unless Christ paved the way for this to happen. It is by his suffering and death that the door was opened for Christians to have a place in this Kingdom, and in order to bring about this Kingdom on the earth.
Again, this is in reference to Daniel...
Dan 7.9 “As I looked,
“thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.
This heavenly throne room, which establishes the authority of Christ to have his Kingdom, opens the contents of this commission, and with each seal that is broken, the results forecast the judgmental forces that precede the coming of this Kingdom.
So in all reality, the throne room scene encompasses the 1st half of the book of Revelation, because the contents of the scroll are opened in these chapters. They seem to represent judgments of the kind that ancient Israel and her foes experienced when their sins became exceedingly wicked. God's word became extremely strong, and held the world accountable for its sins.
2) the appearance of the Son of Man, which includes the messages to the 7 churches in Asia, and
3) the throne room of God in heaven.
All of these can be found in Daniel...
Dan 7: 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
Here are critical elements involved with the Return of Christ.
1) Christ's Kingdom is not a humanly devised movement on the earth--false kingdoms, political and religious, precede Christ's return.
2) Christ comes from the throne of God, who had ruled in favor of Christ and his People.
3) Christ comes to destroy the Antichrist, who in Dan 7 is described as a "Little Horn." Christ comes to establish his Kingdom upon the earth, to replace false kingdoms.
Rev 5.1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
It is clear, in verse 10, that the purpose of the opening of this scroll is to establish the rights to effect God's Kingdom on earth, together with Christians. The Kingdom could not come unless Christ paved the way for this to happen. It is by his suffering and death that the door was opened for Christians to have a place in this Kingdom, and in order to bring about this Kingdom on the earth.
Again, this is in reference to Daniel...
Dan 7.9 “As I looked,
“thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.
This heavenly throne room, which establishes the authority of Christ to have his Kingdom, opens the contents of this commission, and with each seal that is broken, the results forecast the judgmental forces that precede the coming of this Kingdom.
So in all reality, the throne room scene encompasses the 1st half of the book of Revelation, because the contents of the scroll are opened in these chapters. They seem to represent judgments of the kind that ancient Israel and her foes experienced when their sins became exceedingly wicked. God's word became extremely strong, and held the world accountable for its sins.
