The Far Side of Heaven
Originally posted on my Two Sparrows website on 3/29/2021

​Life brings times of reflection, and assessing. Of late, this has been going on for me.

Looking down the corridors, and pathways behind me on this journey, and taking stock of where it's brought me to this point.

Then, turning again to the road ahead, gazing over the horizon. I'm looking forward to seeing the shores of home, and heaven. Only God knows how much more time He's appointed for me here, but home is more and more, a part of my thoughts.

Paul talked at times of longing to put off his earthly body, and leave it behind, to be clothed with the new body made in heaven, waiting for him there.
Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
(Note: this verse answers the dispute on soul sleep-a false doctrine)
2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
​
When the journey has been long, the road full of rough trodding, with many dangers and toils-and the bend in the roads have wrought many perils-weariness sets in, and a longing to leave it behind.

The vanity and emptiness to achieve what we can't keep. A world of parading, boasting; full of empty, meaningless talk.

The selfishness, throw-away mentality- of things and people. What is of true value-is overlooked, and many times ridiculed.

These bodies begin to complain, and won't cooperate anymore-our minds may have all kinds of desires, and want to push our bodies to "get up and go"-but the body says "I'm out of gas, and repair".

Our minds may be as alert and keen as a school kid-but the world looks at you, and treats you as if your demented, because your face and body gives away your mileage, and age. The world promotes youth and beauty, and you no longer fit into that category. You begin to shut the door to the world-and keep it shut-or you waste money and energy trying to re-make yourself, and stay looking young to keep up the front, and be accepted by the world. It becomes a vicious circle-and the devil laughs at the entire scenario-and the futility of those who waste their lives like this.

The devil will make sure you keep wasting time and money on worthless things-to keep your eyes off of what really matters, and eternity. By all means, he doesn't want you thinking about what's beyond this world-because he owns this world right now, and he wants you to stay a prisoner of it-as long as he can use you.

But, back to the main subject.

At this bend in the road of my journey-I'm finding my soul longing for things that only heaven can give, this is some of them:
1. The thought is that when the spirit leaves the mortal clay, it lays off an old and worn-out clothing, and is to be clothed upon, or invested in, its divine clothing. To have a body that's full of youth, strength, that will never grow old again, nor decay. It's not that we want to be free from a body, but wish a better one; one that is immortal-then, we will be as John says "like Jesus" in his resurrected state.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

"Salvation isn’t just for the soul or spirit, but for the body also. Resurrection is how God saves our bodies. We have a glorious new body to come! “The righteous are put into their graves all weary and worn; but as such they will not rise. They go there with the furrowed brow, the hollowed cheek, the wrinkled skin; they shall wake up in beauty and glory.” ​(Spurgeon)

2. I'm looking for a home, that will never need repair, or rust. It's environment will never be contaminated or destroyed by careless, selfish hands-and best of all-it will be forever.

Jesus tells us:
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
oh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Perhaps, like I -you have known what's it's like to work, build up, and achieve great successes-but also great losses. With every loss, the reality that we keep nothing in this world, sinks in. God's promises of heaven, become more important, and precious to me, with each passing day. Scripture tells the result of those who only seek to achieve in this life:

Psa 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Riches and honors are fickle unstable things. Those who's lives are spent always to build up, achieve, and present to the world their accomplishments-are never satisfied, and know nothing of true contentment. Their souls are in relentless turmoil, striving to build a reputation and applause of men-who do not care, and the results are usually a yawn, and watching their backs as they walk away.

I've learned that whatever I do, just do it because the Lord has asked it of me, and leave the results to Him. Then, peace of mind remains.

3. Death will be swallowed up in victory- the moment my eyes close in death- eternity in the Presence of my Savior and Lord begins-
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

In His presence is fullness of joy, gladness, peace, wholeness. Words cannot fully express what it will be like-I've had glimpses of it, and long for the day, when it will be forever.

Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

4. All suffering, grief, pain, and regrets will be washed away-God Himself will wipe away our tears.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

In that abode-Satan will be banished forever. The accuser of the brethren will have no access to stand before God, and bring up every sin, wrong decision and mistake you've made-to condemn, and destroy you-in mind, body, and soul.

5. Evil, wickedness, and sin will not exist in heaven. Galatians gives us the description of this:
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Yes, I am looking forward to being in a place-where none of this exists, and never will again. I'm weary of it.

In heaven, when I come across someone and engage in conversation, I'll never have to wonder, if they are lying-or not.

Les Feldic talked about sin and lying in one of his bible studies that is true:
"You watch kids in the school yard, or inter-acting with other kids, you don't have to teach them to lie. They come by it naturally. But, you do have to teach them to tell the truth, why? Because it proves it is in us when we are born, we are born in sin. It's the same with every other sin; stealing, killing, and cruelty to other's."

In heaven, when doing something with another, I'll never have to wonder if they have evil intentions. Heaven will never have the sound of mocking laughter, people being brutalized, tormented, insulted, ridiculed, made to feel inferior. The devils works nor his deeds will be seen or heard in that abode.

Those who practice such will not be found in heaven:
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Heaven will only be inhabited by those who practice the virtues of the Holy Spirit, which are:
Isa 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

6. I'm looking forward to seeing many loved ones, and friends who are now there, and waiting. I've had the advantage of being able to talk to my parents before they died, and speak of things that were important to us-and express the fact that we would see each other again, and they made it clear- "We will be waiting for you."

There are other family members there now, that are dear to me, and am looking forward to seeing again-there, there will be no misunderstandings, we will then know, as we are known. The misunderstandings will be cleared up, by truth, and in our glorified state- we will see each other through new eyes. We will no longer be hindered by the bodies of sin we lived in. Sin will be banished there forever.​

The friends I loved, and spent many hours with, and did many precious things together, are also there-and I am looking forward to that reunion. Several said to me "When you get there, I'll show you around." It's going to be a tour like no other, because they've had time to do a lot of exploring, and I'm excited about where they'll want to take me, and the glorious things they'll show me.

When I get home-in that abode, there will be no more parting.

7. On that glorious shore-there will be no more memories of the former things-the evil, wickedness, the horror of this world. It will be gone, wiped away.

"No sorrow or travail of any kind shall ever enter within the walls of the city. The cry of anguish shall never be uttered, hearts shall never be broken, no tear shall ever dim the eye, and, most glorious of all, death shall be unknown. Death began his sway when man was expelled from Paradise; he ends it when the final judgment condemns Satan, death and hades to enter the lake of fire. The new Jerusalem will be painless, tearless, deathless, because it will be a sinless city. "The former things have passed away." John Gill

​Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful.

These are a few things I'm looking forward to when I first get there. But, the most important, is to see Jesus-kneel at His feet, and thank Him for His mercy, and forgiveness to me. For the years He's been with me here, and the things He's taught me, and brought me through. For His patience and ongoing forgiveness, when I've failed Him. For choosing me, and calling me to serve Him-I do not deserve it.

Scripture talks about the Great City, the New Jerusalem. It will be grand, I'm sure. But, for me, knowing who I am, and how much Jesus has forgiven me-I'm looking forward to whatever He has prepared for me.

My sights and my gaze are seeking a home, on the far side of heaven. Just being there, and in His presence is more than this redeemed sinner deserves.
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Then, to join the elders, angels, and saints around the throne-and worship the Father, and the Lamb forever, and ever-and sing the song of Moses, the song of victory.
Lorna Couillard
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Scripture and Commentary on Heaven:

​From David Guzik commentary:
Revelation 22:1-21

A. The interior of the New Jerusalem.
1. (Rev_22:1) A river flowing from the throne of God.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
a. A pure river of water of life: Through the Old Testament, prophets used the picture of a river as a powerful expression of richness, provision, and peace (Isa_48:18, Zec_14:8, Eze_47:1-9).
i. Or, as expressed by the Psalmist in Psa_46:4-5 : There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
ii. “One of the gladdest things on earth is water. There is nothing in all the world so precious to the eye and the imagination of the inhabitant of the dry, burning and thirsty East, as a plentiful supply of bright, pure, and living water.” (Seiss)
iii. Poole says that this point of this river is “To let us know, that in heaven there shall be no want of any thing that can make the saints happy.”
b. Clear as crystal: God’s provision in the New Jerusalem is described with pure, absolutely unpolluted waters. “Its waters are literal waters, of a nature and quality answering to that of the golden city to which they belong. Man on earth never knew such waters, as men on earth never knew such a city; but the city is a sublime reality.” (Seiss)
c. From the throne of God and of the Lamb: This river of provision comes right from God’s throne. Because it comes from God, it cannot be anything other than pure and abundant.
i. Ezekiel saw a glorious river (Ezekiel 47) flow down from the temple in Jerusalem and into the sea, but that river belongs to the millennial earth. It is perhaps the final preview of this heavenly river. This is a better river with better trees.
2. (Rev_22:2) The tree of life.
In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
a. The tree of life: The Bible begins with a tree of life (Gen_3:22-24) which man was not allowed to eat from after the sin at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now we see the tree of life again.
i. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river: It’s a little hard to picture this heavenly landscaping. John may be describing a large street with a river flowing down the middle, and a large tree - or series of trees - that grows
​with roots on either side of the river.
ii. This is how John Walvoord sees it: “The visual picture presented is that the river of life flows down through the middle of the city, and the tree is large enough to span the river, so that the river is in the midst of the street, and the tree is on both sides of the river.” Others see that the word tree is a collective reference, speaking of rows of trees that stand on either side of the river. “The picture presented to the mind’s eye would appear to be that of a wide street, with a river flowing down the center, like some of the broader canals of Holland, with trees growing on either side, all of them of the same kind, all called the tree of life. I do not know how we can make the figure out in any other way.” (Spurgeon)
iii. Seeing the tree of life again points to a restoration of all things. “Now at last, almost at the end of the great drama of the Bible, man may return and legitimately enjoy the blessing which he was banished for illegitimately desiring.” (Preston/Hanson)
b. Each tree yielding its fruit every month: From all indications, this describes the world of the new heaven and the new earth, yet we are given a time indicator. Apparently, heaven will still mark time, but not be subject to it in the same way we are on this side of eternity.
i. Some people wonder if we will eat in heaven. The best answer is that we can eat, but will not have to. In His resurrection body, Jesus enjoyed food (Luk_24:41-43, Joh_21:12-14). Angels ate with Abraham (Gen_18:6-8). The great heavenly “reunion” between Jesus and His people is described as a marriage supper (Rev_19:9). Even though man fell by what he ate, God will still allow us to eat in heaven.
ii. “Like the golden table of showbread which ever stood in the ancient Tabernacle and Temple for the priests to eat, so the Tree of Life stands in all the golden streets of the New Jerusalem, with its monthly fruit for the immortal king-priests of heaven.” (Seiss)
c. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations: Why do the nations need healing? In the ancient Greek language, the word for healing can also mean “health-giving,” and this may be the sense here.
i. “The word for ‘healing’ is therapeian, from which the English word therapeutic is derived, almost directly transliterated from the Greek. Rather than meaning ‘healing,’ it should be understood as ‘health-giving,’ as the word in its root meaning has the idea of serving or ministering.” (Walvoord)
d. Are these pictures of heaven literal or symbolic? It may be that you can’t describe another dimension like heaven without using symbols, but they are symbols connected to their reality. What John saw may or may not be exactly like a river on earth, but when we see it we will also say, “That looks like a river.”
i. Even though this great chapter of the Bible tells us of heaven, we should think deeply about it and take in now what we can. “We do not suppose that a man is shooting at a target if he does not look that way; nor can we imagine that a man’s ambition is fixed on heaven if he has no heavenward thoughts or aspirations.” (Spurgeon)
3. (Rev_22:3-5) What it will be like and what the saints will do.
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
a. There shall be no more curse: In heaven, the curse is gone. Since the fall, man and creation have lived with the effect of the curse described in Gen_3:16-19 : sorrow and pain in childbirth for women, friction between the sexes, the necessity of hard and often futile work for man’s sustenance, and most of all death.
i. These aspects of the curse will even be present during the Millennium, though they will be greatly mitigated by the perfect rule of Jesus. Isa_65:20 shows us that it is still possible for a sinner to be accursed in the millennial earth. But in the new heaven and new earth they are done away with forever. Instead of the curse, the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. That’s quite an exchange.
ii. The throne of God and of the Lamb: “Henceforth, eternal praises to his name, the throne of God is the throne of the Lamb. It is a throne of righteousness, but no less a throne of grace. There, on the throne of the Almighty, mercy reigns. According to the merit of the sacrifice and the virtue of the atonement all the statutes and decrees of the kingdom of heaven are issued. The altar and the throne have become identical. From that throne no fiery bolt can ever again be hurled against the believer, for it is the throne of the Lamb as well as the throne of God.” (Spurgeon)
b. His servants shall serve Him: Heaven will be a place of work and service for God’s people. However, this is a picture of the pure blessedness of service rather than arduous, curse-stained toil.
i. “Heaven is not a place of indolent leisure, but a place where service is done, centering on God.” (Morris)
c. They shall see His face: Heaven will be a place where God’s people see His face, a place of intimate, face to face fellowship with God. Moses was denied the privilege of seeing God face to face (Exo_33:20-23), but everyone in heaven shall see His face.
i. They shall see His face: “By which I understand two things: first, that they shall literally and physically, with their risen bodies, actually look into the face of Jesus; and secondly, that spiritually their mental faculties shall be enlarged, so that they shall he enabled to look into the very heart, and soul, and character of Christ, so as to understand him, his work, his love, his all in all, as they never understood him before.” (Spurgeon)
ii. Because of Jesus, we can know something of the face of God right now: For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2Co_4:6)
iii. Yet, Paul also anticipated a greater fulfillment of our seeing the face of God: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am also known (1Co_13:12). In that day there will be nothing that obscures our vision of Jesus:
• We see Jesus clearly because sin is done away with
• We see Jesus clearly because care and worry are done away with
• We see Jesus clearly because idols are done away with
iv. This will be the greatest glory of heaven: to know God, to know Jesus, more intimately and wonderfully than we ever could on earth. “It is the chief blessing of heaven, the cream of heaven, the heaven of heaven, that the saints shall there see Jesus.” (Spurgeon)
v. “To look into the face of Christ signifies to be well acquainted with his person, his office, his character, his work. So the saints in heaven shall have more knowledge of Christ than the most advanced below. As one has said, the babe in Christ admitted to heaven discovers more of Christ in a single hour than is known by all the divines of the assemblies of the church on earth.” (Spurgeon)
d. His name shall be on their foreheads: Heaven will be a place where God’s people will forever be identified with their God, and there will never be any doubt that they belong to Him.
e. There shall be no more night there: Heaven will be a place where the darkness of this age will be forever gone. The light is not artificial, even from the sun - God Himself is the light.
f. They shall reign forever and ever: Heaven will be a place where God’s people enjoy an eternal reign, in contrast to the limited duration of the Millennium. It will never end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus

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 shew thee things which must be hereafter. Rev 4:1

Come Up Hither

Hear this Divine command sounding in the starry firmament. The great universe is the domain of mind. “Come up hither,” immortal man, wing your flight from orb to orb, system to system; count our multitudes, mark our movements, gauge our dimensions, bathe in our brightness, rise beyond us, scale the wondrous heavens still far away, revel in the Infinite, be lost in God!

Hear the Divine command sounding through the biography of the sainted dead. Our nature speaks from heaven. There are the voices of the goodly fellowship of prophets and apostles, of the glorious army of martyrs and confessors. There are the voices of our favorite authors, the sacred poet, the holy sage and the learned divine.

Hear this Divine command sounding through the gospel of Christ.

Hear this Divine command sounding in the depths of our higher nature. Reason and conscience unite in urging us to ascend, and behold what John beheld. (Biblical Illustrator)

​“After this I looked.” He looks up for a vision. He is prepared and looking for a further revelation. Those who have seen heavenly things once will look twice. Oh, how much nearer than we commonly imagine, faith borders upon sight, and the spiritual upon the heavenly state.

The manner in which the vision was brought under the notice of John.

He saw a door open in heaven. He says not an open door merely, but a door that had been opened. It had not been always open. It had been once closed. A door opened in heaven signified to John that more of the counsels of heaven were about to be revealed. The door of the Church was closed against him, the door of ministerial usefulness was closed, the door of liberty, and every door of human hospitality, but a door was opened in heaven. In proportion as the people of God are precluded from the world, they have intercourse with heaven. They find readiness of access above, when hemmed in around; as water pressed on all sides rises in a fountain. To Isaiah visions were given in affliction, to Jeremiah in prison, to Ezekiel in captivity, to John in exile. This appearance to John may have been emblematical, in some degree, of renewed supplies of the Spirit of prophecy. In allusion to the manna which descended round the camp of the Israelites, God is said to have “opened the doors of heaven.” In Malachi you have these words: “Prove hie now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.” Compare this with “the heavens opened, and the Spirit descending” upon Christ at His baptism, and the descent of the Spirit upon the apostles and the primitive. Churches.

John informs us of what he heard. The tones of this voice were encouraging to John, and expressive at once of its design.

John tells us what he felt on this occasion. Heaven is first opened by God to sinful man. It is opened by His mercy, not by our prayers. We love Him because He first loved us. Having opened a door He invites us to come, and promises rich manifestations of His wisdom and grace to our souls. But how can we come to Him? How rise to the door of heaven? By the power that invites us. The invitation guarantees the ability to act, and the promise ensures success.  (G. Rogers)

John-The Seer has beheld the audience-chamber of the Godhead in itself. He has seen also the Divine Being who is there clothed with majesty, and those who wait upon Him. He next passes to another thought:
"And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sitteth on the throne, to Him that liveth forever and ever, the four-and-twenty elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth on the throne; and shall worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they were, and were created (Rev_4:9-11)."
​
In his beautiful comments upon the Revelation Isaac Williams says, "The four living creatures, or the Church of the redeemed, give thanksgiving to God for their redemption; and then the twenty-four elders fall down and attribute all glory to God alone, inasmuch as prophets, Apostles, and all the ministering priesthood, rejoicing in the salvation of the elect, attribute it not to their own instrumentality, but to God." (The Apocalypse, with Notes and Reflections, p. 69). In thus interpreting the passage, however, that commentator can hardly be regarded as correct. It is true that the living creatures are the representatives of redeemed creation, and the twenty-four elders representatives of the glorified Church. But in the song of praise here put into their mouths they have not yet advanced to the thought of salvation. That is reserved for the next chapter. Here they think of creation, with all its wonders; of the heavens which declare God’s glory, and the firmament which shows forth His handiwork; of sun, and moon, and stars in their manifold and resplendent glories; of the mountains and the valleys; of the rivers and the fountains of waters; of the rich exuberance of vegetable life, which covers the earth with a gorgeous carpet of every hue; and of all those animals upon its surface which "run races in their mirth: "and for them they praise. To God all creatures owe their origin. In Him they live, and move, and have their being. Because of His will they were let the reading be considered and remembered: "were," not "are" because of His will they were in His idea from eternity; and when the appointed moment came, they were created. Wherefore let them praise.   (Expositor's Bible)

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 
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. 
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. 
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. Rev 4:2-5
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The Vision of the Throne

Being in the Spirit.—He was in a rapture, as before (Rev_1:10), whether in the body or out of the body we cannot tell; perhaps he himself could not: however, all bodily actions and sensations were for a time suspended, and his spirit was possessed with a spirit of prophecy, and wholly under a Divine influence. The more we abstract ourselves from all corporeal things the more fit we are for communion with God; the body is a veil, a cloud, and a clog to the mind in its transactions with God. We should, as it were, forget it when we go in before the Lord in duty, and be willing to drop it, that we may go up to Him in heaven. (Matthew Henry)

The Eternal Throne and its Surroundings.—From the very first, and still, there will be found a side of peril in the very intensity with which the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to us. He may take our attention off from God, and seem to stand in front of Him. Our Lord Himself recognized this possible evil, during His earthly life. He might absorb too fully the interest of His disciples, and therefore we find Him, in His conversations with them, constantly putting His Father, as it were, in front of Himself. The apostles show precisely the same anxiety. They will not let the interest of men stay with Christ. He leads men to God. By Him they believe in God. Remembering how jealous the Jews were of the primary truth of the Divine unity, we can easily see that it would have been a fatal objection to Christianity if it could be reasonably shown that it put Christ in the place of God. Essentially Christ is God; but revelational, and for particular purposes of manifestation, He is apprehended as the Son of God, and as Son, He must not be confused with the Father, or, in any sense, put in His place. This important distinction explains this introductory vision of the eternal glory of God. The seer has brought the Lord Jesus Christ vividly before us as the Living, White One. He is going to deal with the present activities of that Living One in the Church, and in the world in which His Church is set. He will be filling all our thoughts with Christ. But there must be no possibility of mistake, no possibility of our even seeming to put dishonor on God, or showing Him any slight, or failing to recognize His supreme relations with the actual, present work of Christ. So the vision of this chapter is given, and God is seen receiving the absolutely sole worship of the representatives of all creation, animal and human. He is God alone. Heaven is visioned as the sublime palace of the eternal King, and a door is set open so that we may enter the audience-chamber; and we may well be awed by the magnificence, the sublimity, of the scene.

The throne.—To this much attention is given in Eastern Kingdoms. (For Solomon’s throne, see 1Ki_10:18-20). The stability of this throne is even more impressive than its splendor. However shifting and changing may be the panorama of events recorded in this book, that throne remains the same. Heaven and earth may pass away. That throne abides. It cannot be moved, because “righteousness and judgment are its habitation.” Carefully observe that no attempt is ever made in Scripture to describe Him who sitteth on the eternal throne. He must ever simply be to us the “I AM.” “Existence—uncaused, independent existence.”
The supports of the throne.—The four living creatures, as the representatives of all creation. The honor and dignity of God is the supreme concern of every living thing. His throne is upheld by their needs, which God alone can meet; by their trusting, which are its buttresses; and by their service in their spheres, which witnesses to their Master.
The front of the throne.—Two ideas are suggested in connection with the sea of glass. 1. The shining pavement is like solidified water. 2. The brazen sea, in front of the temple, indicated the need for purity in all who came to worship. The former idea is the more probable one, and only a figure of magnificence is intended. Or the idea of waving sea, settled into glassy stillness, may suggest the sublime peace of God’s eternal presence. “Where, beyond the voices, there is peace.”
The courtiers.—Four and twenty elders. Officers were always in the royal presence at Eastern Courts, and these often represented the provinces of the country, or dependent nations. The elders stand for the Church as at present redeemed. The full chorus of creation rises now to God; but the full chorus of humanity does not rise yet. It is but the chorus of a portion.
The worship.—The point to notice is, that God’s praise is begun by creation; taken up and ennobled by the redeemed Church, but perfected only when all are redeemed, and the completed Church can join the song of Nature, and so all the earth “praise God.”  (Preacher's Homiletical)
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​The nature of the throne. There is a manifold throne attributed to God: there is a throne of grace and mercy, of glory and majesty, of dominion and sovereignty.

The properties of the throne. These are great and manifold. It is a throne high and lifted up; it is Divine, supreme, and universal; it is infinite, eternal, and immutable; it is from everlasting to everlasting; it is eternal in its date, and endless in duration; it has neither beginning nor end, succession nor change.

The position of the throne. It is “set in heaven.” The throne of judgment, the great white throne, is placed in the clouds; the throne of grace is erected in the Church; the throne of glory is placed within the vail; the throne of the universe is placed in the heavens. (Isa_66:1)

The stability of the throne. It is “established in the heavens.” It is ordered and arranged, guarded and disposed by infinite wisdom and unerring skill. It is firmly fixed, stable, and immutable.
​
The possessor of the throne: “One sat upon the throne.” He sits on the throne, in a state of deep repose, undisturbed felicity, and eternal blessedness.

The majesty of the throne. This is represented by two sacred emblems—sitting and similitude. He sat upon the throne, and He was to look upon like three sacred stones.
1. Here we behold the fulness of the Divine perfections. He is possessed of infinite, eternal, and immutable excellence—He is the source, the center, and the sum of all worth and glory.
2. Here we behold the variety of Divine perfections: “I am the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering”.
3. Here we behold the unity of Divine perfection. All these perfections are displayed in Immanuel, who is the image of the invisible God.
​
 The mercy of the throne.

The history of the rainbow is very remarkable. We first find it in the clouds; then established in the heavens, as the faithful witness of God’s eternal truth (Psa_89:39). It forms the glorious diadem of the angel of the covenant (Rev_10:1.); and in the verse before us it forms the gracious canopy of God the Father’s throne.
The rainbow round the throne was the blessed symbol of God’s glory and perfections; it was the token of His love, the emblem of His mercy, and the pledge of His faithfulness, His counsel and His covenant.

The position of the rainbow: “The rainbow was round about the throne.” It surrounds the seat of Divine majesty, above, below, and on every side. The majesty of Deity, the glories of the Godhead, and the splendors of the Trinity all beam benignantly through the rainbow of the covenant.

The likeness of the rainbow: “It was in sight like unto an emerald.” Amid the varied hues blended in the rainbow, green is the prevailing; and the color of the emerald is a deep, living green.
(1) The comparison implies the beauty of the covenant. God beholds His people enrobed in all the beauties of the rainbow, and the deep, living loveliness of the glowing emerald.
(2) It also implies the riches of the covenant.
(3) It likewise supposes the perpetuity of the covenant. The rainbow, like the emerald, is ever fresh and green.
(4) The comparison teaches the unity and variety of the blessings of the covenant.

The attendants on the throne.

Their names. They are called “elders.” This is the sign of their age, their honorable office, and dignified condition; their wisdom, experience, and venerable character.

The number of the elders: “They are four and twenty.” There is an enlargement of the Church implied in the number. He was then the God of Israel, but He is now the God of the whole earth.

Their posture and position: “There were four and twenty seats.” The saints sometimes stand; but here the elders sit, the emblem of dignity and undisturbed felicity, dominion and authority, rest and holy happiness, and their great reward.

Their glorious clothing: “They were clothed in white raiment.” White robes are beautiful, they are Zion’s loveliest garments—white robes are excellent, they form the best robe—white raiment is resplendent, it is both white and shining.

Their golden crowns: “They had on their heads crowns of gold.”  (James Young)

​"And when the living creatures give glory - the elders fall down - That is, as often as the living creatures give glory, immediately the elders fall down. The expression implies, that they did so at the same instant, and that they both did this frequently. The living creatures do not say directly, "Holy, holy, holy art thou;" but only bend a little, out of deep reverence, and say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord." But the elders, when they are fallen down, may say, "Worthy art thou, O Lord our God."  (John Wesley)

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne,
who liveth for ever and ever, 
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him
that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things,
​and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Rev 4:9-11

​Royal Homage

The four and twenty elders fall down … and cast their crowns before the throne.

​The saints in heaven are also all crowned. How is this?
1. They are all kings, Dei gratia. There is not a king in heaven that has his crown on any other terms than this, “by the sovereign grace of God.”
2. But, though it may seem astonishing, they are all kings by hereditary descent. They have been born again, and it is in their new nature that they are before the throne of God.
3. They are also kings by marriage alliance. There is many a crowned head that would not have been so by descent, but has come to be so by being given in wedlock to a royal consort.
4. They are kings by right of conquest and of victory. A crown should signify, and did signify in the olden times, battling and contending. They are kings, then, because they have fought with sin and with temptation. Yea, the brightest of them have had to bear the brunt of fiercest persecutions.
5. Then the crowned heads in heaven have their crowns, and their crowns befit them well, because of the nobility of their character. They are sanctified, delivered from every taint of corruption, and now they are like their Lord Himself in holiness of character. Well should they be crowned whose character has thus been made glorious by the work of the Spirit of God within them!
6. And, once more, they have another right to their crowns, because those crowns represent real possessions. All things are theirs—the gift of God—and God is theirs and Christ is theirs. They are clothed with honour and majesty—not outwardly only but inwardly—and they have all the concomitants that should go with royal dignity.

They all cast their crowns before the throne.
1. Solemn reverence. They see more of God than we do, therefore are they more filled with awe and thrilled with admiration. Our reverence will always make us feel in the lowliest state of self-abasement at the foot of the throne!
2. Moreover, they are no doubt actuated by sincere humility. Reverence to God always brings a humble opinion of one’s own self.
3. Doubtless, also, they do this for another reason, namely, because of their profound gratitude. They bless God that they are where they are, and what they are.
4. Above all, they are actuated by intense affection. They love their Lord, and loving their Lord they do anything to adore Him. They are glad to fling their richest goods, their choicest trophy, their most cherished treasure, at His feet: they love Him so.

Practical lessons.
1. By this text we can know whether we are on the way to heaven or not; because no man goes to heaven to learn for the first time heavenly things.
2. The next lesson is a lesson of unanimity. Our text says that all cast their crowns before the throne. There are no divided opinions in heaven, no sects and parties, no schisms there.

Once again, these redeemed ones in heaven teach us the true way of happiness. They set before us what perfect bliss is. There is no happiness beneath the clouds like the happiness of unselfishness. Strip yourself, and you clothe yourself. Throw, money away, and you grow rich—I mean in a spiritual sense. Happiness, again, consists in adoration, for these blessed spirits find it to be their happiness to adore God. The happiest days you ever spent are those in which you worshipped God most. But then they were not merely happy because they were self-denying and adoring, but because they were practical. They took off their crowns and laid them before the throne. And our joy on earth must lie in practically carrying out our principles. Cast your ability to do and to suffer, as well as the crown of your labor and patience, at the foot of your God; serve Him with all your heart and wisdom and strength, and thus, your self-denial and adoration being mixed therewith, you shall realize on earth as much as possible a foretaste of what the joy of heaven may be. (C. H. Spurgeon)

“A THRONE SET IN HEAVEN”
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things,
​and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Rev 4:11

The vision of the ascended Lord introduced the seven letters to the churches, so the visions of this and the next chapters introduce the seven seals. They resemble the frontispiece or illuminated capitals of the old missals. There is no form for the Divine Being. God is Spirit, and His glory can only be hinted at by appropriate imagery. His being should excite emotions in our spirit similar to those which these objects excite in our mind. The jasper with its transparent brilliance, the sardine or cornelian with its fiery red, the emerald with its refreshing beauty, are laid under contribution to describe what cannot be described. The throne bespeaks majestic authority and power. The worship of the elders reflects that of Israel and the Church, Rev_21:12; Rev_21:14; the thunder, God’s awful holiness; the seven lamps, the searching, cleansing purity of His Spirit; the glassy sea, the mystery of His ways; the four living creatures, the homage of creation.

Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 
Rev 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 
Rev 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 

Here is the song of creation, Rev_4:11. Originally all things did the will of God, and if creation is now subject to vanity, some day it will be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Notice that the will of God brought all things into existence, and that that will guarantees their ultimate redemption.   (F.B. Meyer)

Worship of Heaven: 
The Holy City - Jerome Hines--
https://youtu.be/m8RxsfX_JcI?si=ND8t--Re1UlrGMqG
REAL ANGELS SINGING PRAISES TO ALMIGHTY GOD--
https://youtu.be/5QtjEBcZR6M?si=Vswc7K8357nY6-TS
Around 1987, a group of seven (7) people went to clean a church in Kansas City, Kansas to prepare for a Christian revival.  As they were cleaning the church, they began to sing Capella (Hallelujah without instruments), and a man came into the church with a small tape recorder and taped their music.  He just bought a brand new tape, and he began to tape their singing because it sounded so beautiful.  After he recorded it, he played it back and discovered thousands and thousands of angels singing harmoniously with the seven.  The angels had instruments, but the seven human people did not.  The tape recording of this type is known as an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena). The sound was so awesome, they had it inspected (analyzed) by scientists at Oral Roberts University, and they concluded the voices were not human and the instruments were not earthly.
A Choir of Angels (Music Slowed 800%)--
https://youtu.be/hOVdjxtnsH8?si=VQKdzk8dd9sWcOlv
Choirs of Angels Singing Hallelujah in Heaven | Heavenly Music for Healing & Comfort
https://youtu.be/_5ycvk6Pw68?si=RmRREgcA7V193HTk
YESHUA/PROPHETIC VIOLIN WORSHIP INSTRUMENTAL/BACKGROUND PRAYER MUSIC--
https://youtu.be/KloiopEh5aY?si=hs8duvRblL-rbOBG

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 shew thee things
which must be hereafter. 
And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven,
and one sat on the throne. 
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. Rev 4:1-3
Heaven Near-Though Hidden

The division between earth and heaven. The fact that earth and heaven are divided by so wide a gulf seems to me one of the strangest facts in our experience, though long habit prevents the strangeness from striking us so much. We should have expected the very opposite. Allowing that men are unfit to enter heaven, yet it would have seemed most natural that we should have had the full evidence about it which direct communication could have given. Comparatively few cross the Atlantic to America, yet, though we may never see it, we require no act of faith to realize its existence and condition; but the world of heaven, the home of God, is so far removed beyond the range of our knowledge that we have need of faith to be convinced even that it exists, of faith which, though based on reason, sometimes fails. If only we could identify heaven with some distant star, that would be a handle for our confidence as we caught its glimmer in the night; but even such a satisfaction is withheld. Where heaven is, where God is, even that God is, we cannot demonstrate by our reason. God has so cut us off in space, in our little island world, from the rest of His dominions that we cannot cross the ocean or read or hear of others reaching His eternal shore.

The connection between earth and heaven. One point of connection between the two which at least helps to make heaven seem nearer to us is that life in heaven, just as much as our life here, is proceeding now. We think of heaven too much as a future state; we should remember that to countless multitudes it is a present state. Heaven is not a dim and distant promised vision merely which God may not call into existence for unknown ages yet; heaven is an actual, living world, whose inhabitants are conscious at this moment of life and joy. Its worship is ascending now to God. His servants there are busy with their noble work; their bliss is a present feeling arising from the presence of God now.

The door is set open between earth and heaven. The division is maintained between the two in order that our discipline may not cease. But sometimes the door is opened that our faith may not fail. That has happened "in those sundry times and divers manners when God spoke unto the fathers by the prophets." The revelations they received of God and of man’s destiny were glimpses through a door opened in heaven, and were exceptions to the seclusion which God maintains; to them He broke the silence. A door was set open in heaven also when the Son of God passed through. And whenever a Christian pilgrim reaches his journey’s end, then, too, it may be said that the door between earth and heaven is set open to let the wanderer pass into his home.
(T. M. Herbert, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxv., p. 395)

​The form which both Prophet and Apostle saw seated on the heavenly throne was of a clear, brilliant flame color, partly red like the sardine, or, to use a modern term, the carnelian, and partly of the lighter hue of yellow amber. The truth symbolized in this appearance is thus set forth in plain terms by the Apostle to the Hebrews: "Our God is a consuming fire." The first attribute under which God presents Himself to a soul which He proposes to renew and sanctify is that of transcendently clear and brilliant holiness; He will be known in the first instance as a God with whom moral evil cannot dwell, who cannot endure, in those who approach to Him, a single stain of impurity. We cannot but grant that, awful as the spotless perfection of the Divine character is to a sinner’s gaze, it is yet exceeding brilliant and glorious. The jasper and the sardine stone, although the infirm eye of man cannot bear to gaze upon them when they flash and kindle up in the sunlight, are yet of a hue exceedingly beautiful and brilliant.

It is the Mediator between God and man, even the Lord Jesus Christ, "which is our hope," who is here symbolized to us under the lovely and appropriate emblem of an emerald rainbow. What sweet refreshment to the aching eyeballs to rest for a while upon an emerald green, the very color which, when the power of sight is enfeebled, is calculated to preserve it! In the existence of light, the existence of the rainbow is involved; for what is the rainbow but light reflected from the raindrops? And what is the Lord Jesus, considered as a Divine Person incarnate, but God reflected in the infirm medium of a manhood pure as crystal?

"Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne." Fire, we know, is a constant emblem of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is that Person in the Triune Jehovah whose office it is to sanctify the mind of man, not of one man, but of many, to abide in the Church, yet not in one local Church, but in all the branches of the Church-the Body of Christ. Contemplated in His office character as distinct from His essence, He is multiform; and to His multiformity the text certifies.   (E. M. Goulburn, Occasional Sermons, p. 267)

Look—At this wonderful throne. Of course we understand such a thing to be the symbol of government, of the Divine government in the universe, for that Being on the seat of royalty is God. But what do the other emblems mean? The whole chapter seems to glitter with a blaze of precious jewels, some of them with strange names.
(1) The exalted monarch is said to be like a jasper and a sardine stone. I find the soberest commentators agreed in declaring that what is here called jasper must be the diamond, and the sardine is only what we call a carnelian, that is, a flesh-colored gem in hue, as the name signifies. And hence these expositors would have us believe that this personage, with a Divine brightness and a human expression, is none other than the Lamb in the midst of the throne.
(2) The attendants. The very nobles are crowned, and wear royal raiment; their ordinary seats are thrones.
(3) This vision teaches that earth can always and everywhere be seen from heaven.
(4) Observe once more, this is an unimpeachable government. These living creatures are worshipping while watching.

The rainbow. This represents a covenant, as the other represented a rule. (1) The ancient covenant has in it the promise of the covenant of grace. (2) Its appearance just here in John’s vision is welcomed more for its graciousness than for its antiquity. (3) Observe how well this vision teaches us that God’s covenant is completed. This rainbow is a circlet; it goes around the throne. (4) The covenant is abiding; it will stand for ever. (5) This covenant is to each of us individual and personal.

Note the collocation of the two symbols:
​(1) God’s promise surrounds God’s majesty;
(2) God’s grace surrounds God’s justice;
(3) God’s love surrounds God’s power;
(4) God’s glory surrounds God’s children.
(C. S. Robinson, Sermons on Neglected Texts, p. 297)
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Rev. ch. 4:1-3
"After these things - As if he had said, After I had written these letters from the mouth of the Lord. By the particle and, the several parts of this prophecy are usually connected: by the expression, after these things, they are distinguished from each other, Rev 7:9; Rev 19:1. By that expression, and after these things, they are distinguished, and yet connected, Rev 7:1; Rev 15:5; Rev 18:1. St. John always saw and heard, and then immediately wrote down one part after another: and one part is constantly divided from another by some one of these expressions. I saw - Here begins the relation of the main vision, which is connected throughout; as it appears from "the throne, and him that sitteth thereon;" "the Lamb;" (who hitherto has appeared in the form of a man;) " the four living creatures;" and " the four and twenty elders," represented from this place to the end. From this place, it is absolutely necessary to keep in mind the genuine order of the texts, as it stands in the preceding table. A door opened in heaven - Several of these openings are successively mentioned. Here a door is opened; afterward, "the temple of God in heaven," Rev 11:19; Rev 15:5; and, at last, "heaven" itself, Rev 19:11. By each of these St. John gains a new and more extended prospect. And the first voice which I had heard - Namely, that of Christ: afterward, he heard the voices of many others. Said, Come up hither - Not in body, but in spirit; which was immediately done."

​​"​And immediately I was in the spirit - Even in an higher degree than before, Rev 1:10. And, behold, a throne was set in heaven - St. John is to write "things which shall be;" and, in order thereto, he is here shown, after an heavenly manner, how whatever "shall be," whether good or bad, flows out of invisible fountains; and how, after it is done on the visible theatre of the world and the church, it flows back again into the invisible world, as its proper and final scope. Here commentators divide: some proceed theologically; others, historically; whereas the right way is, to join both together.
​
The court of heaven is here laid open; and the throne of God is, as it were, the center from which everything in the visible world goes forth, and to which everything returns. Here, also, the kingdom of Satan is disclosed; and hence we may extract the most important things out of the most comprehensive and, at the same time, most secret history of the kingdom of hell and heaven. But herein we must be content to know only what is expressly revealed in this book. This describes, not barely what good or evil is successively transacted on earth, but how each springs from the kingdom of light or darkness, and continually tends to the source whence it sprung: So that no man can explain all that is contained therein, from the history of the church militant only."
​
"And yet the histories of past ages have their use, as this book is properly prophetical. The more, therefore, we observe the accomplishment of it, so much the more may we praise God, in his truth, wisdom, justice, and almighty power, and learn to suit ourselves to the time, according to the remarkable directions contained in the prophecy. And one sat on the throne - As a king, governor, and judge. Here is described God, the Almighty, the Father of heaven, in his majesty, glory, and dominion.

"And he that sat was in appearance - Shone with a visible luster, like that of sparkling precious stones, such as those which were of old on the high priest's breastplate, and those placed as the foundations of the new Jerusalem, Rev 21:19-20. If there is anything emblematical in the colors of these stones, possibly the jasper, which is transparent and of a glittering white, with an intermixture of beautiful colors, may be a symbol of God's purity, with various other perfections, which shine in all his dispensations. The sardine stone, of a blood - red color, may be an emblem of his justice, and the vengeance he was about to execute on his enemies. An emerald, being green, may betoken favor to the good; a rainbow, the everlasting covenant. See Gen 9:9. And this being round about the whole breadth of the throne, fixed the distance of those who stood or sat round it."   (John Wesley)

​The stability of this throne is even more impressive than its splendor. However shifting and changing may be the panorama of events recorded in this book, that throne remains the same. Heaven and earth may pass away. That throne abides. It cannot be moved, because “righteousness and judgment are its habitation.” Carefully observe that no attempt is ever made in Scripture to describe Him who sits on the eternal throne. He must ever simply be to us the “I AM.” “Existence—uncaused, independent existence.”

The supports of the throne.—The four living creatures, as the representatives of all creation. The honor and dignity of God is the supreme concern of every living thing. His throne is upheld by their needs, which God alone can meet; by their trusting, which are its buttresses; and by their service in their spheres, which witnesses to their Master.

The front of the throne.—Two ideas are suggested in connection with the sea of glass. 1. The shining pavement is like solidified water. 2. The brazen sea, in front of the temple, indicated the need for purity in all who came to worship. The former idea is the more probable one, and only a figure of magnificence is intended. Or the idea of waving sea, settled into glassy stillness, may suggest the sublime peace of God’s eternal presence. “Where, beyond the voices, there is peace.”

The courtiers.—Four and twenty elders. Officers were always in the royal presence at Eastern Courts, and these often represented the provinces of the country, or dependent nations. The elders stand for the Church as at present redeemed. The full chorus of creation rises now to God; but the full chorus of humanity does not rise yet. It is but the chorus of a portion.

The worship.—The point to notice is, that God’s praise is begun by creation; taken up and ennobled by the redeemed Church, but perfected only when all are redeemed, and the completed Church can join the song of Nature, and so all the earth “praise God.”   (Preacher's Homiletical)

The Rainbow Symbol.—The discovery made of the Divine mercy in the covenant of grace refreshes the mind as the green relieves the eye from the fatigue and glare of other colors. “In the arched iris spanning the Divine throne the ancient Church beheld an emblem of the Divine severity, blended with love; in it she saw the dark showers of His judgments, gilded by the bright beams of His mercy. The heavenly Bow spoke to her of the Deluge, the shipwreck of the world for sin; it spoke to her also of calm and sunshine after the storm.”—(Wordsworth)

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
​and the dragon fought and his angels,
 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ​
Rev 12:7-9
And There Was War in Heaven

​And there was war in heaven - Here Satan makes his grand opposition to the kingdom of God; but an end is now put to his accusing the saints before God. The cause goes against him, Rev 12:10-11, and Michael executes the sentence. That Michael is a created angel, appears from his not daring, in disputing with Satan, Jud 1:9, to bring a railing accusation; but only saying, "The Lord rebuke thee." And this modesty is implied in his very name; for Michael signifies, "Who is like God?" which implies also his deep reverence toward God, and distance from all self - exaltation. Satan would be like God: the very name of Michael asks, "Who is like God?" Not Satan; not the highest archangel. It is he likewise that is afterward employed to seize, bind, and imprison that proud spirit.  (John Wesley)
​​
Satan Thrown Down to Earth

"The spirit of evil waits to destroy each birth of good in our world. As soon as Mary had given birth to our Lord, Herod sought to destroy Him, and this is characteristic of all the ages. But God’s care is always at hand to deliver His own. He has His prepared places, where He hides those who trust in Him. He keeps them in the secret of His pavilion from the strife of men.
​
Sin has brought conflict, not on our earth only, but throughout the universe; but from the heavenly places it has been driven, and the last stand is made on our earth. Is it not possible that the awful war which has desolated mankind may be one of the last phases of this age-long conflict? There is but one talisman of victory. We overcome only in so far as we take shelter in the blood of the Lamb and wield as our weapon the Word of God. As darkness cannot resist the light, so evil cannot exist before the witness of the Church and the child of God, if only we care more for the honor and glory of Christ than for our own lives. To the end there must be war between the seed of the woman and the dragon, and there must be bruising. But the final outcome is sure. As Satan was cast out of heaven, so he shall be cast out of earth, and Christ shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied."  (F.B. Meyer)

Note: A bible movie of the vision John saw-an excellent presentation.
REVELATION: The Final Vision of John | Full 4K Cinematic Bible Movie
https://youtu.be/TXwXXOVtXH4?si=rzPqZaFxXRYov8lZ

​I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was,
and which is to come, the Almighty.  Rev 1:8
+++++++
​And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be. 
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Rev 22:12-13
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

In His capacity as mediator, our Lord receives from the Father and transmits to His servants, that they may in turn transmit to the world of men, the great panorama of the future, known to Him from before the foundation of the world. Let us not miss the special benediction which is attached to the patient reading and consideration of this wonderful book.
The seven churches represent the one Church under different phases and possibly in successive stages of its history; the letters addressed to them are therefore universally applicable. Notice the august reference to the Holy Trinity-the eternal Father, the sevenfold Spirit, and our Lord. Our Lord bore a faithful witness even to death; that death was a birth into the risen life, as ours may be; all kings are His vassals.
How wonderful it is to be told in the next verse that He loves us, and has not only washed, but loosed us, as though He had broken the terrible entail. “He breaks the power of canceled sin.” Jesus often comes with clouds. We cannot understand His dealings with us, yet those clouds are gold with His light. So He shall come at last. As Alpha He begins, but He never begins without carrying into full effect His purpose as our Omega.  (F.B. Meyer)

​"I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God - Alpha is the first, Omega, the last, letter in the Greek alphabet. Let his enemies boast and rage ever so much in the intermediate time, yet the Lord God is both the Alpha, or beginning, and the Omega, or end, of all things. God is the beginning, as he is the Author and Creator of all things, and as he proposes, declares, and promises so great things: he is the end, as he brings all the things which are here revealed to a complete and glorious conclusion. Again, the beginning and end of a thing is in scripture styled the whole thing. Therefore God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; that is, one who is all things, and always the same."
​(John Wesley)

Christ is the Alpha and Omega in relation to Christianity and providence. Christianity is at this day the great upholder of Theism in the world. It has unspeakably distanced Judaism, whose testimony against idolatry it has taken up, and also Mohammedanism, whose witness for the unity of God is nowhere going forth with visible conquering power. But Christianity is more than simple Theism. There is a Trinity in its unity, and this gives it a richness, a grandeur, an adaptability to the fallen state of man, of which mere Theism is incapable. Hence the Son shines in the Christian firmament as the true God along with the Father and the Holy Ghost, and thus the Divine works of creation and providence are connected with His name. Over the wide universe everything shall at last be found to be under Christ’s feet, not necessarily in the way of loyal subjection, but in the way of bearing witness to one ascendant will, which orders all things, even evil, for the best.

Christ is the Alpha and Omega in relation to redemption. He is the Alpha and Omega in regard to redemption—as a Divine saving plan. We cannot ascend to the origin of this plan, for it is from eternity. But, as far as we can rise, Christ is seen to be its fountain-head, and with His purpose of devotement it is bound up.

As a personal Christian experience. When is it that any One of us becomes a Christian? Is it not when Christ draws near and talks to us, as to the disciples on their way? We have no experimental Christianity apart from Him.

As a collective spiritual history. Christianity was never intended to be a solitary experience or a multitude of single experiences. It was to be a society, a Church. And He who bears up the Church so long in such a world must be nothing less than Divine. It was the saying of Voltaire that Christianity would not survive the nineteenth century; but what has the nineteenth century not done for Christianity? It has sent the Gospel anew into all the world. It has gathered in the islands of the South, and shaken the mighty pagan faiths of India, China, and Japan. It has stirred up its missionaries from the far West to preach the old faith in Egypt and in Palestine, and where the disciples first received the Christian name. It has devoted its noblest children to face death for Christ in depths of Africa which Voltaire never heard of; and it has even employed the press at Ferney that printed his own works, and, it may be, this very prophecy against the Gospel, to publish in new tongues the true oracles of God.

Considered as an endless development. When we speak of eternity, we feel that we are dealing with a quantity which, whether as applied to man’s natural endowments or destiny in Christ, overtasks all our powers alike of conception and description. Christ "openeth, and no man shutteth," holding in His hands "the golden key that opens the palace of eternity." 
​(J. Cairns, Christ the Morning Star, and Other Sermons, p. 18)

Still, four times repeated, implies the crystallization and permanence of character. The rewards mentioned here are for the faithful service of Christ’s stewards, as in Mat_25:21. For the fourth time, He who began the book and closes it, uses of Himself the divine monogram of Alpha and Omega, Rev_1:8; Rev_1:11; Rev_21:6.
​
​In the Authorized Version the way to the tree of life was opened to those who kept the commandments, but it is very comforting to read in the Revised Version that this blessed privilege is for those “who wash their robes.” Notice the combination of various titles in Christ: David’s Lord and David’s Son; the Morning Star and the Sun of Heaven’s Day; the Coming One, for whose quick return the whole creation waits; and the Water of Life, of which whosoever will may drink. The appeal of Rev_22:17 is to our Lord, asking Him to make haste to come, and it is answered in Rev_22:20.
Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

But who shall tell whether that cry may not, sooner than we think, be answered by a spiritual transformation of the things seen and temporal, so that without a break, in the twinkling of an eye, the veil of matter may be rent, and the whole imminent glory of the unseen and eternal swim into view! Let us be on the alert!  (F.B. Meyer)

The Spirit Calls the Bride-and the Bride Calls the Spirit

​"We are not to think of two separate voices: the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the bride. It is a characteristic of John’s style that where there is combined action, action, having both an inward and invisible and an outward and visible side, he often separates the two agencies by which it is produced. Many illustrations of this may be found in his mention of the actions of the Father and the Son, but it will be enough to refer to one more strictly parallel to that met with here. In chap.15 of the fourth Gospel we find Jesus saying to His disciples, "But when the Advocate is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall bear witness of Me; and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning." (Joh_15:26-27). In these words we have not two works of witnessing, the first that of the Advocate, the second that of the disciples. We have only one, - outwardly that of the disciples, inwardly that of the Advocate. In like manner now. The Spirit and the bride do not utter separate calls. The Spirit calls in the bride; the bride calls in the Spirit. The cry "Come" is therefore that of the spiritually enlightened Church as she answers the voice of her Lord and King. Her voice is the echo of His. He says, "I come;" she answers, "Come." John then adds the next clause himself: And let him that heareth say, Come; that is, let him that heareth with the hearing of faith; let him who has made his own the glorious prospects opened up in the visions of this book as to the Lord’s Second Coming add his individual cry to the cry of the universal Church. To this the Savior replies, And he that is athirst, let him come. He that will, let him take the water of life freely. The words appear to be addressed, not to the world, but to the Church. He that is "athirst" has already drunk of the living water, but he thirsts for deeper draughts from that river the streams whereof make glad the city of God. To partake more and more largely of these is the believer’s longing; and fullness of blessing is within his reach. Let him never say, "It is enough." Let him drink and drink again; let him drink "freely," until the water that Christ shall give him becomes in him "a fountain of springing water unto eternal life." (Joh_4:14) The statements and replies contained in these words are those of the glorified Lord, of the Church speaking in the Spirit, and of the individual believer, as they hold converse with one another in that moment of highest rapture when evil has been extinguished, when the struggle is over, when the victory has been gained, and when the Lord of the Church is at the door. He in them and they in Him, what can they do but speak to and answer one another in strains expressive of mutual longing and affection and joy?

Once more the Seer - for it seems to be he that speaks turns to the book which he has written.

In the Prologue he had said, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein." (Rev_1:3). In the same spirit he now denounces a woe upon him who adds to it: God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in the book; nor less upon him who takes from it: for God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. The book has come from Him who is the faithful and true Witness of God, and it has been written in obedience to His command and under the guidance of His Spirit St. John himself is nothing; Christ is all: and St John knows that the words of his great Master are fulfilled, "He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me."1 Therefore may he speak with all authority, for it is not he that speaks, but the Holy Spirit.2 (1 Mat_10:40; Mar_13:11)

Yet once again, before the parting salutation, Christ and the Church interchange their thoughts. The former speaks first: He which testifieth these things saith, Yea, I come quickly. It is the sum and substance of His message to His suffering people, for they can desire or need no more. The "I" is the Lord Himself as He is in glory, not in the feebleness of the flesh, not amidst the sins and sorrows of the world, not with the cup of trembling and astonishment in His hand, but in the unlimited fullness of His Divine power, clothed with the light of His heavenly abode, and anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Especially is the Church told that this revelation is all she needs, because throughout the book she is supposed to be in the midst of trials. To the troubled heart the Apocalypse is given; and by such a heart is it best understood.

Jesus has spoken; and the Church replies, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen to all that the Lord has promised; Amen to the thought of sin and sorrow banished, of wounded hearts healed, of tears of affliction wiped away, of the sting taken from death and victory from the grave, of darkness dissipated forever, of the light of the eternal day. Surely it cannot come too soon. "Why is His chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of His chariots?" (Jdg_5:28). "Yea, I quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints."    (Expositor's Bible)

​But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea,
​the deep things of God. 1Co 2:9-10
Heaven

The city of Corinth has been called the Paris of antiquity. Indeed, for splendor, the world holds no such wonder to-day. The commerce of all nations passed through her ports; the mirth of all people sported in her Isthmian games, and the beauty of all lands walked her porticos, and threw itself on the altar of her stupendous dissipations. Column and statue and temple bewildered the beholder. And the best music from the best instruments in the world resounded in her theatres. It was not to rustics who had never seen or heard anything grand that Paul uttered this text, and it was a bold thing for him to stand there amid all that and say, “All this is nothing; eye hath not seen,”- We can in this world get no idea of--

The health of heaven. When you were a child you had never felt sorrow or sickness. Perhaps later you felt a glow in your cheek, and a spring in your step, and an exuberance of spirits, and a clearness of eye, that made you thank God you were permitted to live. You thought that you knew what it was to be well, but the most elastic and robust health of earth, compared with that of heaven, is nothing but sickness and emaciation. Look at that soul standing before the throne. On earth she was a life-long invalid. See her step now, and hear her voice now. Health in all the pulses! Health of vision; health of spirits; immortal health. No racking cough, no consuming fevers, no exhausting pains, no hospitals of wounded men. That child that died in the agonies of croup, hear her voice now ringing in the anthem. That old man that went bowed down with the infirmities of age, see him walk now with the step of an immortal athlete—for ever young again. To have neither ache, nor pain, nor weakness, nor fatigue. “Eye hath not seen it—ear hath not heard it.”

The splendor of heaven. John tries to describe it, and as we look through his telescope we see a blaze of jewelry, a mountain of light, a cataract of color, a sea of glass, and a city like the sun. John bids us look again, and we see thrones; thrones of the prophets, patriarchs, angels, apostles, martyrs, throne of Jesus—throne of God. John bids us look again, and we see the great procession of the redeemed passing. “Eye hath not seen it, ear hath not heard it.” Skim from the summer waters the brightest sparkles, and you will get no idea of the sheen of the everlasting sea. Pile up the splendors of earthly cities and they would not make a stepping-stone by which you might mount to the city of God. Every house is a palace. Every step a triumph. Every meal is a banquet. Every day is a jubilee, every hour a rapture, and every moment an ecstasy.

The re-unions of heaven. If you have ever been across the seas, and met a friend in some strange city, you remember how your blood thrilled, and how glad you were to see him. What then will be our joy to meet in the bright city of the sun those from whom we have long been separated. In this world we only meet to part. It is good-bye, good-bye. But not so in heaven. Welcomes in the air, at the gates, at the house of many mansions—but no good-bye.

The song of heaven. There is nothing more inspiriting to me than a whole congregation lifted up on the wave of holy melody. But, my friends, if music on earth is so sweet what will it be in heaven! They all know the tune there. All the best singers of all the ages will join it—choirs of white-robed children! choirs of patriarchs! choirs of apostles! Harpers with their harps. David of the harp will be there. Gabriel of the trumpet will be there. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)

The apostle here is quoting from Isa_64:4, and only intends to give the general sense of the passage. Both passages are generally used as referring to the heavenly state, but we can only apply them thus by accommodation. Yet this is a legitimate application. For if the text is true of our imperfect condition of privilege in this life, much more will it be true as applied to that perfection of bliss that awaits us in the life to come. You cannot judge of the real merits of a story till you see how it ends. You cannot decide about the value of a casket till it is opened and you see the jewels which it enshrines. You cannot pronounce on a campaign till you see what fruits result from its hard-fought battlefields. And so, in estimating the real worth of redemption, we can only form an approximate judgment of it in this life. There are three points of view from which we may contemplate our portion for the future, as set before us in the text.

The plain and positive view. “Things prepared.”
1. “Things” plural—not one element of joy, but many. It is a caricature of heaven when psalm-singing is represented as its chief occupation. A wonderful variety marks the imagery of the Bible as to the heavenly state—“a city that hath foundations,” “the marriage supper of the Lamb,” being “present with Christ, and beholding His glory,” is being made “like Him,” &c. These varied expressions suggest that our heaven will be a condition of being in which the mind, with its large desires, its deathless cravings, and the soul, with all the warmth of its affections and sympathies, will find the fullest scope for their development. As the vine puts forth its tendrils, and finds something to cling to for its support and growth; so, doubtless, will all the innocent tastes and longings of our renewed nature find in the heavenly state that which answers to their wants, “prepared,” as a trellis, to which they may cling, and in clinging to which they will find their delight.

2. And these are not things thrown together at haphazard. They are “prepared things.” How eloquent all nature is as to the teachings of this word! Note the wonderful care with which God has “prepared” for the wants of every tree, animal, bird, and fish; yea, for every worm; just that which will best meet its wants and minister to its comfort. Then, when we think of the souls God has redeemed at the price of His Son’s death, to whom His love has flowed out in a deeper channel than to any other of His creatures, whom He deigns to say that they are to be His portion; when we think of “the things prepared” for them in their final home, what shall we say? How shall we put limits to the extent to which His power, wisdom, and goodness will go in seeking to promote their happiness?

A negative or comparative view. Heaven’s happiness is such as “eye hath not seen,” or to which all the eye hath seen, bears no proportion.
1. It is clearly the inferential teaching of the text, that “the things prepared” exceed in glory all that we are familiar with in this outer creation.
(1) And the eye sees wondrous beauty as it ranges through the world of nature. But there is no comparison between what the eye sees here and “the things prepared” for God’s people in the future.
(2) And then the ear opens an avenue to another world of enjoyment peculiarly its own. Yet the highest rapture of the most gifted musician through the organ of hearing bears no comparison to the joy the redeemed will experience in “the things which God has prepared for them.”
(3) And then the imagination has a wondrous power to call into existence worlds of beauty and loveliness all its own. But when you put these things together—all that the eye can see, &c., of that which is beautiful or grand—they will be infinitely surpassed by “the things prepared” by God as the future portion of His people.

And there is something very sweet in the thought of this instituted connection, between these glories spread over the face of nature and that blessed home which Jesus is preparing for us. It shows how God means that the one should remind us of the other. The Jewish Rabbis inform us “that when Joseph had gathered much corn in Egypt he threw the chaff into the Nile, that so flowing down to the neighboring cities, and nations more remote, it might bear witness to them of the store of good things garnered up in the treasure cities of Egypt.” And so God, to make us know what glory there is in heaven, has thrown some husks to us here, that we might draw out our inferences. If we find so much of glory spread over earthly things, what may we expect to find in those that are heavenly? If He gives us so much in the land of our pilgrimage, what will He not give us in our own country? If He can lavish so much on His enemies what will He not reserve for His friends?

The personal view. “For them that love Him.”
​These things are designed for a “prepared” people. The preparation on the one side is just as necessary as that on the other. What is the use of preparing a feast unless you know that the guests those who are to be admitted to it can see; of preparing a grand concert unless will have appetites; of arranging the paintings of a splendid gallery unless the audience can hear? The glorious things of the future are prepared for a people who love God. The planting of this love in the heart is the great personal preparation for heaven that we need. The necessity for this is absolute. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” These two things—love to God, and a new birth—always go together. (Richard Newton, D. D.)

There is a Stream, which issues forth
From God’s eternal Throne,
And from the Lamb,—a living stream
Clear as the crystal stone.

The stream doth water Paradise;
It makes the Angels sing;
One cordial drop revives my heart;
Hence all my joys do spring.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
From fancy ’tis conceal’d,
What Thou, Lord, hast laid up for Thine,
And hast to me reveal’d.
​(John Mason)

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. 
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation; 
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Rev 5: 8-10 

There are songs which can only be learned in the valley. No art can teach them; no rules of voice can make them perfectly sung. Their music is in the heart. They are songs of memory, of personal experience. They bring out their burden from the shadow of the past; they mount on the wings of yesterday.
​
John says that even in Heaven there will be a song that can only be fully sung by the sons of earth-- the strain of redemption. Doubtless it is a song of triumph, a hymn of victory to the Christ who made us free. But the sense of triumph must come from the memory of the chain.

No angel, no archangel can sing it so sweetly as I can. To sing it as I sing it, they must pass through my exile, and this they cannot do. None can learn it but the children of the Cross.

And so, my soul, thou art receiving a music lesson from thy Father. Thou art being educated for the choir invisible. There are parts of the symphony that none can take but thee.

There are chords too minor for the angels. There may be heights in the symphony which are beyond the scale-- heights which angels alone can reach; but there are depths which belong to thee, and can only be touched by thee.

Thy Father is training thee for the part the angels cannot sing; and the school is sorrow. I have heard many say that He sends sorrow to prove thee; nay, He sends sorrow to educate thee, to train thee for the choir invisible.

In the night He is preparing thy song. In the valley He is tuning thy voice. In the cloud He is deepening thy chords. In the rain He is sweetening thy melody. In the cold He is molding thy expression. In the transition from hope to fear He is perfecting thy lights.
Despise not thy school of sorrow, O my soul; it will give thee a unique part in the universal song. -- (George Matheson--Streams in the Desert)

A Song of Triumph
​"Is the midnight closing round you?
Are the shadows dark and long?
Ask Him to come close beside you,
And He’ll give you a new, sweet song.
He’ll give it and sing it with you;
And when weakness lets it down,
He’ll take up the broken cadence,
And blend it with His own.

"And many a rapturous minstrel
Among those sons of light,
Will say of His sweetest music
’’I learned it in the night.’’
And many a rolling anthem,
That fills the Father’s home,
Sobbed out its first rehearsal,
In the shade of a darkened room."
Anonymous
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​​The New Song

“They sing” are the opening words of the text. Who are “they”? If we look back at the preceding verse, we shall see that those who swelled the chorus of the new song are divisible into two companies, two types of life. There are, first, “the living creatures,” the representatives of nature animate and inanimate, now “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.” Then there is redeemed manhood. These united together to swell the new song, which extolled the accomplishment of human redemption. As such it was the continuation and final close of the hymn to the incarnate and suffering Redeemer which had ruled the psalmody of heaven and earth from the Fall. When it began in heaven we know not; but we hear it throughout the Scriptures which testify of His coming. It is the melody which the Bible makes everywhere in its heart to the Lord. It first proclaimed from age to age a coming Deliverer; that song became old, and a new one extolled His Advent; and now the hymn of the Incarnation, which indeed can never become old, receives its perfection when it glorifies the attainment of the great end of the Incarnation—the redemption of the human race. That song began in heaven; for only a few upon earth knew the mystery of the Passion, and none knew it in all its meaning, when the Redeemer left the earth. Nor can we extol the finished work of the eternal wisdom and justice and mercy with the same insight into its glory as is vouchsafed above. The song of creation can be magnified worthily only in heaven. Much more is the song of redemption reserved for that higher scene. There only can it be set to fitting music; and hence the new song, “Thou wast slain and didst purchase with thy blood” remains the standard and text of our feebler echoes upon earth.

We know not upon how many points Redemption touches; what unseen worlds, what unborn generations, what undeveloped forms of being it embraces. We know not to what Warfare, to what Accomplishment our Lord referred when He spoke those words, “It is finished.” We know not, in short, as Butler says, what in the works and counsels of God are ends, and what means to a further end, or how what appears to us as final may be initial with Him. But we see enough around us, and within us, to show that it was necessary that Christ should suffer many things, and after that enter into His glory. Enough to learn that we shall find no higher thing above, shall pierce to no deeper thing below, than the Cross and its solemn and tender teachings. If we would climb up into heaven, it is there; if we would go down into hell, it is there also. He alone among men who has clasped this great mystery of grief and love to his bosom sees, if it be as yet but through a glass darkly, how pain and love, yes, joy also, all things that have a living root in humanity, come to bloom under its shadow; how love that cannot die and faith that grows to certainty, and hope that maketh not ashamed, root themselves about it, with all fair things that wither in life, and noble things for which it has no room.  
​(Note: Dora Greenwell, The Patience of Hope (ed. 1894), 33)

Corresponding verses:
​Psa 33:3  Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 
Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 
​​Psa 96:1  O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 
Psa 98:1  A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 
​Psa 144:9  I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. 
​Psa 149:1  Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 
​Isa 42:10  Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 
​Rev 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 

​The Song Of Moses with Lyrics by Paul Wilbur
https://youtu.be/Rwx0NxMX3bQ?si=QlTY7EMnoE4e26NB

Wherein consists the value of man as man? The text calls our attention to two salient points which are to be found in that valuation, two capacities that belong to us all.

​Man can think; man can pray; man can live; man can will. That power of thought, that power of will, above all that capacity for affection, leads you to a truth of your nature which is witnessed in the Passion of the Lord. The Passion of Jesus was never more majestic, although it may have been more moving, than at the moment when He stood before the insolent impudence of Herod or the miserable cowardice of Pilate, speechless in the one case, speaking in the other; and as He spoke in the majesty of His sorrow He witnessed to the capacity of sovereignty in man. Man was born a king: "He hath made us kings unto God."

But the Passion witnessed to one point more. The Passion, as the world would phrase it, was a failure; it was the witness of the tremendous failure apparently of a matchless mission. Why? Because it was the consummation of that most fruitful and eloquent act of which man is capable: the act of sacrifice. It is a commonplace to repeat that by sacrifice you are born, by sacrifice you are educated, by sacrifice you succeed; but remember that to limit your success to the horizon of time is to cramp that capacity. The Passion appeared to be a failure because the reach of its achievement went further than the horizon of time. Man, in full view of the Passion, is reading the lesson of his great humanity; he is expounding the principle of self-sacrifice; he is acting as a priest to God. Act as a king, conquering self, ruling your passions; act as a priest, sacrifice self rather than give way to what is wrong; and you will ever see before you the witnessing picture of your Divine Redeemer, strengthening you by example and grace.  (W. J. Knox-Little, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiii., p. 257)

​The End of the Redeemed

Such a vision as that of the text is intended, we cannot doubt, to form a ground of hope and of encouragement in the progressive advancement of our spiritual life. Our nature is possessed of an instinct ever looking forward to the end of our course, with power to brighten the scenes with imaginative pictures. It is the life of hope, and every faculty is stimulated and sustained by its influences. The Revelation is the one book of Scripture that specially feeds the yearnings of souls who live on the promised inheritance of the redeemed. When a man is returning home after long wanderings, he anticipates the scene, the old haunts, the faces, the voices, of early days; and his heart springs up and burns within him. The revelations of John were intended to tell us of this far home of faith and to quicken a similar spring of exulting anticipation, to cause the same glow of hope to spring within every one who is disciplining himself patiently in the midst of these earthly trials, waiting for the fulness of the manifestation of Christ.

These visions, moreover, involve the existence in disembodied souls of active, living energies. There are those who tell us that souls separate from the body pass into an unconscious sleep; that the dead are consequently losers in comparison with those who remain on earth. But the saints are represented in the visions of John as no less actively engaged than the angels who appear in the same visions. This may in part explain the calling away of many whom we think we can ill spare, leaving us in their full strength and spiritual maturity. They have other service in higher worlds; they are needed where alone more blessed tasks of love can be accomplished.

These visions raise us to a higher view of human life. The outward scene around us deceives us; the thought of the faithful who are gone before us is calculated to counteract our fearful downward tendency. They trusted all to God, and they have found Him true. We may have many ends; they had one: we may have divided hearts; they had given all their heart. This unity and consistency distinguished their course; and as they lived, so they died, in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. The standard of our earthly life rises as we look on their present existence with God.  (T. T. Carter, Sermons, p. 31)

Rev 19:1  And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 
Rev 19:2  For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 
Rev 19:3  And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 
Rev 19:4  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 
Rev 19:5  And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 
Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 

The Rider on a White Horse
Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

The Millennial Reign: 1000 Years of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom on Earth
https://youtu.be/8T22AygdBVQ?si=nLPNTMggMmzQrOYh

​We have in these two words (which sum up and condense the whole spirit and tenour of the adoration of the saints in bliss) a marvelous simplicity of perfected intelligence, blending in one eternity of love and infinity of thought. It would not be heaven if either of these words were wanting; it must be heaven where both are felt. For what is Amen? The perfect receiving of every dispensation from God. And what is Alleluia? The perfect giving back of all praise in every dispensation to the bosom of God. Amen is the open breast to receive; Alleluia is the full heart to return the ray: for Amen gathers all, and Alleluia reflects all: Amen sits still and endures; but Alleluia soars away in praise. The one sets to its seal that God is true; but the other encircles the confession with a crown of glory: and the passing and repassing of their crossing rays is heaven. But let us look for a moment at each component part in the whole, which is not to be divided.

Amen is nothing else but the ratification of another’s will. Thus Christ, being the ratification, in the counsels of the adorable Trinity, of His Father’s will, and perfectly performing it, is called the true “Amen.” The promises of our redemption in God are said to be “Yea and Amen.” God Himself is called in Isaiah the “God of Truth,” or (in the original) the “God of Amen.” Thus man’s truth comes from God’s truth. They who desire to say a full Amen in prayer, must thereby understand that they not only ask or appropriate to themselves all that the mouth of the interceding priest or of the petitioner desires; but far more than this; that there may be on all points agreement between their mind and the mind of God; that whether the prayer be granted or denied, they may equally subscribe with the heart, and say “Amen,” and desire that all the mind of God, expressed or unexpressed, may be fulfilled in them. This is indeed to say “Amen.” And who can estimate the peace of a mind thus at one with God, which should never turn over a leaf of time before subscribing an Amen to the last? Would you gain such a mind? You must recognise the ever-present care of God. You must seek to acquaint yourself with Him whom you seek to obey. You must not only connect the event with God, and God with love; but you must connect God and all events in one great scheme, of which you see only the outline: you must look on to the grand result of all this complicated work: you must live much in the distant future; and there—not in this preparatory scene, but in that grand development—must learn to ponder reverently on the being, the character, the design of God, till you are able to bring back with you to this lower world your firm Amen.

Now consider the word “Alleluia.” It is one which, in the letter, is found only in this chapter, where it is several times repeated as the native language of heaven. But that it is known too upon earth, David shows: for in all those Psalms which begin “Praise the Lord,” the word is “Alleluia”; yet, doubtless, we shall pronounce it as a foreign word, till we have learnt the accents of our home. Still, even upon earth, we can associate and connect it with our nearest approaches to the future bliss. It is when no cloud comes in between to obscure the light of God’s countenance; it is when we read Him in His full and overflowing mercy; it is when we kneel in lowly adoration at the altar, and the Lord whom we seek comes to His temple; it is when we most feel, as then, “This God is our God for ever and ever,” that Alleluia, unprompted and untaught, is wont to flow. Had we to define Alleluia as it regards God, we should say it is admiration of God, affection to Him, joy in Him. Had we to define it as regards man, we should call it a present bliss, the earnest of a bliss future, and deeper still.

It is not needful to consider whether of the two is the sweeter sound, the Amen or the Alleluia. Let us not so love the one as to forget the other. Sometimes the thought of past mercies will give us preparation of heart, and the Amen will grow up out of the Alleluia.  (J. S. Bartlett, M. A.)

HALLELUYAH HINE MA TOV (ft. Joshua Aaron, Nizar Francis), LIVE Harp Worship at Sea of Galilee
https://youtu.be/1iPqjQRqgGA?si=6G3T3USDjZbKVDx4
SHEMA & WAYMAKER (ft. Joshua Aaron, Nizar Francis), Hebrew, Arabic LIVE Harp worship Sea of Galilee   https://youtu.be/YD85zv7o7DY?si=UuVnLyGLrJzERC5-

Stunning Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Revelation, Glorious Return of the King
https://youtu.be/8faM75uWWp8?si=B2zB9pByGTZwMA1-

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

"And I saw - A representation of that great day of the Lord. A great white throne - How great, who can say? White with the glory of God, of him that sat upon it, - Jesus Christ. The apostle does not attempt to describe him here; only adds that circumstance, far above all description, From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away - Probably both the aerial and the starry heaven; which "shall pass away with a great noise." And there was found no place for them - But they were wholly dissolved, the very "elements melting with fervent heat." It is not said, they were thrown into great commotions, but they fled entirely away; not, they started from their foundations, but they " fell into dissolution;" not, they removed to a distant place, but there was found no place for them; they ceased to exist; they were no more. And all this, not at the strict command of the Lord Jesus; not at his awful presence, or before his fiery indignation; but at the bare presence of his Majesty, sitting with severe but adorable dignity on his throne."   (John Wesley)

"And the Books were Opened."
What are the books to be read? We are not told their title, but I think we may make some conjecture.
I. The first book will be the book of the law of God. Just as in our courts of justice the laws of the realm are always near at hand, that in any doubtful case they may be appealed to, so, I think, the first book will be the book of the revealed will of the holy and just God, a record of the laws and measures by which men will be tried.
II. The next book will be the book of the Gospel. Side by side with the volume of the law will stand the volume of God’s love contained in the Gospel, the wondrous record of all that is done by God for man.
III. The third book will be the book of the dealings of God’s Holy Spirit with the fallen family of man. Some of us may have already lost sight of the striving of the Holy Spirit with us; but God does not forget it: God does not lose sight of it.
IV. The book of God’s providence will be opened. In it is kept, without any possibility of mistake, a record of all God’s dealings with us externally. God is ever seeking by His providential dealings to bring us to Him.
V. The book of our life will be opened. Every one of us is writing a book; we are every one of us authors, although we may never have written a book, not even a line, in our lives. Though we may never have dreamt of printing a book, yet we are dictating to the recording angel the whole of our life from moment to moment, from hour to hour.
VI. The book of life. Jesus Christ is the Author of it. From beginning to end it is His. From the first page to the end, it is life all through: life as it first entered the soul; life as it grew and was fed and nourished and sustained, and the glorious results of life, the glorious harvest reaped by the soul; life which triumphs over our dead selves, which brings the dry bones together out of the gloomy sepulcher—the book of life, written by the Lord of life, Jesus Christ Himself.
(W. Hay Aitken, Penny Pulpit, New Series, No. 881)

The Kingdom of God & The New Jerusalem
https://youtu.be/zO8t2L9TcAU?si=Z--gvMprwFs1kTqn
In this broadcast we bring to life the last few chapters of the Book of Revelation. From the setting up of Christ's Kingdom on earth, to the coming of the New Jerusalem. Please share with others,
​Jesus is Coming Soon.

 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are
many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
​that where I am, there ye may be also. Joh 14:1-3

It's not possible to fully describe or explain what Jesus is conveying in these scriptures, but, some commentary, and some quotes from notable saints from the past will be posted, to give some comfort, encouragment, and a glimpse of what the believer in Christ has to look forward to, when this life is done. As Jesus was getting ready to face the hour of his own suffering, He thought of his disciples, and us, as he spoke these words to the troubled men sitting with him. Jesus was well acquainted with the hardships and suffering of this world, and gave us these verses to remind them and us, that this world is not the end. For those who believe and trust in Him, it is just closing the door to this world of woe's, and going through the door to heaven where Christ, and His kingdom dwells. There our abode awaits us, where we will join him and the myriad of millions who've gone before us. Jesus' words bring hope, and faith to our hearts, while we keep going on this pilgrim journey.

"One of the best tests of the truth and reality and vigour of our Christian life lies in this, that when we anticipate the great life to come, however far speculation may endeavour to trace its course in the province of that mysterious land, we return to this thought, which satisfies completely all the deepest and best desires of our hearts,—that where Christ is, we are to be also. But there is a personal delight in these words of Christ’s: His joy would be incomplete if we were not with Him in the Father’s house. It would diminish our gladness, our anticipation of supreme bliss, if we did not know that our presence with Him would heighten His own happiness. He is not so absorbed in the splendours of His Eternal Throne, or in the great tasks which belong to Him as the Lord of the heaven and the earth, as to be indifferent to the affection that binds Him to us and to God. Nor is He so absorbed even in the blessedness of His eternal fellowship with the Father. If on the one side of His nature He is eternally one with God, on the other side of His nature He is eternally one with us; and fellowship with us, in the perfection of our righteousness and the perfection of our blessedness, is as necessary to the heavenly glory of Christ as His fellowship with the Father Himself. The joy that was set before Him when He endured the Cross, despising the shame, was this,—that He might redeem us from sin; and knowing as only He knows the blessedness of living in the eternal love of God, He wanted us in our measure to know that blessedness likewise.

Heaven is the Father’s house, where we shall be young again, the ideal home life here revived and sanctified, where friend will meet with friend, where the many mansions will extend their ample hospitality to people of every kindred and tongue and nation; yet even this is not the chief feature of that life to come. Its chief feature is the fellowship not of friend with friend, but of all with Christ—“That where I am, there ye may be also.” The Father’s house is not a perfect place to Christ until He gathers into its mansions all those for whom He died. Not until He has His loved ones beside Him where He is, and has made them what He is, will He be satisfied. That is heaven,—to be with Christ, to see Him as He is, to be as He is. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
​
The Tannese called Heaven by the name Aneai; and we afterwards discovered that this was the name of the highest and most beautifully situated village on the island. Their best bit of Earth was to them the symbol and type of Heaven; their Canaan, too, was a kind of prophecy of another country, even a heavenly Canaan. The fact that they had an Aneai, a promised land, opened their minds naturally to our idea of the promised land of the future, the Aneai of the Gospel hope and faith.
(Note: John G. Paton, i. 121)

The Bright Forever
Breaking through the clouds that gather,
O'er the Christian's natal skies,
Distant beams, like floods of glory,
Fill the soul with glad surprise;
And we almost hear the echo
Of the pure and holy throng,
In the bright, the bright forever,
In the summer land of song.

Yet a little while we linger,
Ere we reach our journey's end;
Yet a little while of labor,
Ere the evening shades descend;
Then we'll lay us down to slumber,
But the night will soon be o'er;
In the bright, the bright forever,
We shall wake, to weep no more.

O the bliss of life eternal!
O the long unbroken rest!
In the golden fields of pleasure,
In the region of the blessed;
But, to see our dear Redeemer,
And before His throne to fall,
There to bear His gracious welcome,
Will be sweeter far than all.
Fanny Crosby

"Some have asked whether we shall know one another in heaven? Surely, our knowledge will not be diminished, but increased. The judgement of Luther and Anselm, and many other divines is, that we shall know one another; yea, the saints of all ages, whose faces we never saw; and, when we shall see the saints in glory without their infirmities of pride and passion, it will be a glorious sight."
(Thomas Watson)

​"And when I shall have gone and prepared a place for you - opened the kingdom of an eternal glory for your reception, and for the reception of all that shall die in the faith, I will come again, after my resurrection, and give you the fullest assurances of this state of blessedness; and confirm you in the faith, by my grace and the effusion of my Spirit." (Adam Clarke)

"Jesus was consoling his disciples, who were affected with grief at the idea of his separation. To comfort them he addresses them in this language: “The universe is the dwelling-place of my Father. All is his house. Whether on earth or in heaven, we are still in his habitation. In that vast abode of God there are many mansions. The earth is one of them, heaven is another. Whether here or there, we are still in the house, in one of the mansions of our Father, in one of the apartments of his vast abode. This we ought continually to feel, and to rejoice that we are permitted to occupy any part of his dwelling-place. Nor does it differ much whether we are in this mansion or another. It should not be a matter of grief when we are called to pass from one part of this vast habitation of God to another. I am indeed about to leave you, but I am going only to another part of the vast dwelling-place of God. I shall still be in the same universal habitation with you; still in the house of the same God; and am going for an important purpose - to fit up another abode for your eternal dwelling.” If this be the meaning, then there is in the discourse true consolation. We see that the death of a Christian is not to be dreaded, nor is it an event over which we should immoderately weep. It is but removing from one apartment of God’s universal dwelling-place to another - one where we shall still be in his house, and still feel the same interest in all that pertains to his kingdom. And especially the removal of the Saviour from the earth was an event over which Christians should rejoice, for he is still in the house of God, and still preparing mansions of rest for His people.

If it were not so ... - I have concealed from you no truth. You have been cherishing this hope of a future abode with God. Had it been ill founded I would have told you plainly, as I have told you other things. Had any of you been deceived, as Judas was, I would have made it known to you, as I did to him.”

I go to prepare a place for you - By his going is meant his death and ascent to heaven. The figure here is taken from one who is on a journey, who goes before his companions to provide a place to lodge in, and to make the necessary preparations for their entertainment. It evidently means that he, by the work he was yet to perform in heaven, would secure their admission there, and obtain for them the blessings of eternal life. That work would consist mainly in his intercession, Heb_10:12-13, Heb_10:19-22; Heb_7:25-27; Heb_4:14, Heb_4:16.

That where I am - This language could be used by no one who was not then in the place of which he was speaking, and it is just such language as one would naturally use who was both God and man - in reference to his human nature, speaking of his going to his Father; and in reference to his divine nature, speaking as if he was then with God.

Ye may be also - This was language eminently fitted to comfort them. Though about to leave them, yet he would not always be absent. He would come again at the day of judgment and gather all his friends to himself, and they should be ever with him, Heb_9:28.
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

​So shall all Christians be with him. And so, when we part with a beloved Christian friend by death, we may feel assured that the separation will not be eternal. We shall meet again, and dwell in a place where there shall be no more separation and no more tears.  (Albert Barnes)

​This does not express uncertainty. “The fact that He goes away to realise for them the kingdom of God, i.e. that His going away is for them such a realisation, forms the presupposition (ἐάν, if) of His return to receive His own ‘into His kingdom’ ” (Luthardt). Whether καί, and, be omitted or not, the sense is the same. I am coming again.—Even if this clause does not refer primarily to our Lord’s second coming, it includes a reference to that event. It must evidently be connected with Rev_22:7; Rev_22:12; Rev_22:20; Rev_1:8.

​Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 
​Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

​He is ever coming until the end—in His resurrection glory, by His Spirit at Pentecost, in judgment on the nations. All these lead up to His final appearing. And shall receive you unto Myself, etc.—Whether in death, as He received His martyred servant (Act_7:56); or those who are alive and remain when He comes to judgment (1Th_4:17).
​1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Sometime He will surely stand once more
On the earth which His own hand hath made--
Only never as before,
Weary, lonely, and in pain,
As the Lamb on whom our sin was laid--
Stretching out His hands in vain,
All the day,
To a people gone astray.

He will come again!
O, the word
Which our joyful ears have heard
Cannot fail, nor pass away.
He hath spoken! It shall be!
Our expectant eyes shall see
Him for whom we watch and wait,
Coming soon to claim
All whose trust is in His name--
For the hour is growing late;
Time wears on,
And the little while is almost gone.

He will come again!
In the hope our hearts grow strong--
Strong to bear the watching and the strain
Of the time between--
Strong to bear His cross—to undertake,
For His sake,
All the burdens of the day--
All the roughness of the way--
Reaching out toward the things unseen--
Finding not our rest below--
Counting all the joys of earth,
All things here,
Sometime dear,
Of but little worth,
Since we know
That at His appearing we shall see
All the glory, and the light--
Hidden now from human sight--
Of the risen One,
And, beholding, in His likeness be,
While eternal ages run.
(E. H. Divall, A Believer’s Rest, 68)

Christ’s going away would naturally seem to them pure loss. Death, as a natural event, always seems so. But Christ says death is not a closing so much as an opening—not a going away so much as a coming home. It is the passing of a pilgrim from one mansion to another, from the winter to the summer residence, from one of the outlying provinces up nearer the central home. This is not a chance expression, far less a mere figure of speech. There are many others. “The third heavens”; Christ has “passed through all heavens”; “heaven, even the heaven of heavens,” a place evidently of inconceivable grandeur, for even that cannot contain the infinite presence of God. This idea of immense capacity is a real relief from some of the more popular conceptions of the future life, as that of a temple, etc. The population of this world is something tremendous. It has been yielding immense numbers to heaven in every age. Thus “a great multitude which no man can number,” has been passing, and will pass, in ceaseless procession. And we cannot help wondering how they are all to be provided for!

Out of the idea of vastness arises that of an endless variety. The variety existing in God’s works here is one of the principal charms of the natural world. So as there are “many mansions,” the adorning of them will be very various. One will not be as another. We do not go to heaven to lose our natural tastes, our sinless preferences, but rather to have all these gratified in a far higher degree. Otherwise heaven would be plainer, poorer, and less interesting than earth. And unless our own nature were pressed down into some kind of mechanical exactness and shape, weariness would ensue. There would be a sighing for the lost seasons of the earth, its withered flowers, its light and shade, its many countries, and its encircling seas. But no! There will be places, pursuits, and enjoyments for all.

Then, lest this vastness and variety should seem too large to our thought, we have also in these words a sweet assurance as to the all the comforts of home, that one can dream of in heaven.

REALITY. “If it were not so, I would have told you.” This life in itself is shadowy enough. We speak of “long days,” and of “long years.” But when the awakened immortal soul looks at those spaces of time in the light of its own eternity, how short and shadowy they seem I In those times we feel that everything depends on the reality and permanence of the future life! No man who has not long been untrue to himself and to his God can be pleased with the thought of annihilation. But who can tell him firmly where lies the realm of life, or whether anywhere? He asks philosophy, and she answers, “I see something like it, but I cannot surely tell. It may be land or it may be cloud.” He asks his own reason, and the instincts of his heart, and they answer “yes” today and “no” tomorrow, according to the mood, and the aspects of outward life. Then, turning to Jesus Christ, he asks by his sorrow, by his hopes, by all the struggling instincts that will not die, by that upward look in which the soul is “seeking a city with foundations,” whether such a city is builded—whether such a life is secure. And the answer is here. Conclusion: The love of heaven has been derided by some as a selfish passion. No doubt heaven may be represented and desired by the mind as a place of escape from conflict, of mere ignoble rest. But if we take it just as it is projected to our view in the Scriptures—in its relations to earthly labour, and suffering, and desire; and as the place where our higher toils and nobler enjoyments shall begin:—then the desire of heaven is the noblest and purest passion we cherish. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)

It is a touching evidence of Christ’s truthfulness and fidelity to His people that is given in the words, "If it were not so, I would have told you"--that is to say, if it had not been possible for you to follow Me into the Father’s presence and find a favourable reception there, I would have told you this long ago. I would not have taught you to love Me, only to have given you the grief of separation. I would not have encouraged you to hope for what I was not sure you are to receive. 

​​Neither will the Lord leave His disciples, and his saints to find their own way to the Father’s home: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Present separation was but the first step towards abiding union. And as each disciple was summoned to follow Christ in death, he recognised that this was the summons, not of an earthly power, but of his Lord; he recognised that to him the Lord’s promise was being kept, and that he was being taken into eternal union with Jesus Christ. From many all the pain and darkness of death have been taken away by this assurance. They have accepted death as the needful transition from a state in which much hinders fellowship with Christ to a state in which that fellowship is all in all.

​Heaven is the Father’s house, where we shall be young again, the ideal home life here revived and sanctified, where friend will meet with friend, where the many mansions will extend their ample hospitality to people of every kindred and tongue and nation; yet even this is not the chief feature of that life to come. Its chief feature is the fellowship not of friend with friend, but of all with Christ—“That where I am, there ye may be also.” The Father’s house is not a perfect place to Christ until He gathers into its mansions all those for whom He died. Not until He has His loved ones beside Him where He is, and has made them what He is, will He be satisfied. That is heaven,—to be with Christ, to see Him as He is, to be as He is. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (Great Texts)

On the Threshold
I'm returning, not departing;
My steps are homeward bound,
I quit the land of strangers
For a home on native ground.

I am rising and not setting;
This is not night but day,
Not in darkness, but in sunshine,
Like a star, I fade away.

All is well with me for ever;
I do not fear to go,
My tide is but beginning
Its bright eternal flow.

I am leaving only shadows
For the true and fair and good,
I must not, cannot, linger;
I would not, though I could.

This is not death's dark portal,
'Tis life's golden gate to me,
Link after link is broken,
And I at last am free.

I am going to the angels,
I am going to my God;
I know the hand that beckons,
I see the holy road.

Why grieve me with your weeping?
Your tears are all in vain,
An hour's farewell, beloved,
And we shall meet again.

Jesus, Thou wilt receive me
And welcome me above;
This sunshine which now fills me
Is Thine own smile of love.
Horatius Bonar