The Heavenly Throne Room

The past week I've been reading Revelation 4 out loud 10 times per day. My plan is to continue this for 10 days, so I have a few more days to go. This challenge came to me while reading the book, "Praying The Bible" by Wesley & Stacey Campbell. The first chapter of the book is about praying the theophanies (God sightings) in scripture until heaven becomes as familiar to us as our earthy homes. The book suggested to read this particular passage in this way, so I decided to try it out.

I noticed quite a few things just on my first day of reading about the heavenly throne room. The first few times reading it I was trying to visualize the throne and the One who was on the throne, the 24 elders around the throne, the four creatures, the seven lamps of fire, and the sea of glass. The creatures with six wings and eyes covering it took a bit of imagination.

As I continued, all of a sudden I was struck with emotion as I read:

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

Revelation 4: 9-11

What stood out to me in this passage is when the elders cast their crown before the throne. I was convicted to repent and cast my own crown before the Lord. I would never consider myself to be an elder, but I believe my call is to do the same. Any "crown" the Lord has given me is only because of Him. As I cast my crown before the Lord I am acknowledging God's sovereignty, surrendering authority, recognizing God's grace, and owing all achievements to God. I'm repenting of pride, control, burden-bearing, fear of man, selfish ambition, and lack of faith and trust. Those are all things God hasn't designed for me to carry. As I lay down my crown, I am taking off all these things and in return God gives me His peace.

PRAISE IN THE HEAVENLY THRONE ROOM

In the throne room the living creatures and the twenty-four elders praise and worship day and night saying:

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

Revelation 4:8b

Praise is always, only all about God. It isn't about me or what God does for me. It is about Him. He is holy. He is the Lord God Almighty. He was, and is, and is to come. God is worthy to receive glory, and honor, and power. God created all things, and they exist because He willed them to be created. In what ways in my own life am I praising God like this? How do I take myself out of the equation and simply praise God for who He is? For me, I believe it begins by praying out this passage out loud.

Since I’ve been doing this, I've noticed that in my worship I'm recognizing and craving more of heaven through some of the songs I listen to either in our church service or on my playlist. The song "Victory In Jesus" talks about the crystal sea. Chris Tomlin's song "We Fall Down" is about laying our crowns to the feet of Jesus. And of course "Revelation Song" paints this picture of heaven.

I love how alive and new this scripture is to me, even though this is not my first time reading this passage. As I pray this passage out loud over and over , I am beginning to see heaven as a real place. I see myself bowing down before the throne of God and worshipping Him for who He is. I'm craving more of heaven in my life, and it's my desire to continue to pursue heaven until it becomes as real to me as my earthly home.

My challenge for you is to get your Bible out and read Revelation 4 out loud. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through this passage, and read it until He does.

WORSHIP IN THE HEAVENLY THRONE ROOM