Do you remember the natural outline of the book of Revelation we spoke of earlier? The Bible is it’s own best commentary. If you have a problem understanding the Bible just continue to read and your questions will be answered. That is a fact. This is one of the keys to understanding Bible prophecy. "(Rev 1:19 KJV) Write the things which thou hast seen (this is the vision of chapter one), and the things which are (chapters two and three), and the things which shall be hereafter (what will happen after the Rapture of the church);" The true church will find completion in the Rapture.

John is a type of Spirit filled Christian fitting into the Philadelphia pattern. He has the victory. When the Rapture does take place John himself will raise up from the dead and be glorified. Do you understand when Christ returns He will bring the souls of our departed loved ones with Him? The bodies they left behind will raise up and be reshaped, reformed and glorified. Their souls will join their bodies once again. Have no fear if they were cremated. There are only so many molecules and atoms on this earth. God placed every single one of them. He knows where they all are. The Lord can put a body back together.

John will join the Rapture, but he becomes a type or shadow of the Rapture in this vision. John saw an open door in heaven and heard what sounded like a trumpet. The trumpet said "come up hither". Doesn’t this sound familiar? (1 Thes 4:16-17 KJV) 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: {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." John experienced a type or example of the Rapture. Upon John’s arrival in heaven the scripture says he will see "things which must be hereafter". This scripture supports the pre-Tribulation Rapture. John is raptured to see what must be hereafter. Hereafter what? After the Rapture, the events he sees will take place. We will find them in chapters 4-22.

A door was opened for John in heaven which he then went through. How fast did he go through the door? John said "And immediately I was in the spirit". Have you ever wondered what the Rapture will be like? One day you will immediately be in the spirit and you will leave this world. John was taken directly to the throne of God. He saw the throne and the one who sat upon it.

mercy in the midst of judgment. Many will still turn to Christ in the Tribulation. We will see this can be done throughout the Tribulation period providing the person has not taken the Mark of the Beast. In the White Throne Judgment there will be no rainbow because the time for mercy will have passed away.

The rainbow we see in the sky is an ever present reminder of God’s covenant with the earth as stated in Gen 9:13-15 KJV, "I do set my bow in the cloud. And it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh". God destroyed the world for it’s wickedness. Today the world is just as wicked if not more as it was then. Still, He will not wipe out man kind again. His plan to bring His righteousness to fruition is found in the book of Revelation.

The homosexual community has chosen the rainbow flag as a designator and banner. It is ironic in that much of the reason God destroyed the earth was because of homosexual activity. It is almost as if they know He will not destroy them again and they hold it over His head by waving His covenant in His face. They have turned from God and have a rude awakening coming to them.

were seated at the right hand of God as the scripture states- "(Col 3:1-4 KJV) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. {2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. {4} When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Who are the twenty four elders? In my opinion they are the heads of the Old Testament and New Testament churches. We will see in descriptions of New Jerusalem twelve gates with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel written above each of them. It seems logical to think the first twelve elders are the original leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. In further description of New Jerusalem we will see the twelve foundations of the city each represented by a precious stone. On each foundation the name of one of the twelve apostles is written. This leads me to believe the other twelve seats are filled by the twelve apostles. The first leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles are the senior elders in the Old and New Testament churches.

Thunderings and lightnings represent God’s presence coming near for judgment. When He brought the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai the same lightnings and thunderings were there. The Bible teaches the trinity. It does not teach anything other than the trinity. The trinity is the basis for orthodox theology. God is on the throne with the seven lamps of fire burning before Him. These seven lamps represent the Holy Spirit. The seven lamps burning are not seven individual spirits. It is the Jewish menorah- one candelabra with seven fires burning. Seven is a whole or complete unit. The Holy Ghost is before the throne of God and God is seated upon His throne. Jesus is there as well, but we can not see Him yet because God’s glory is so radiant. Jesus must step forward for us to see Him.

John is describing the throne room here. The throne sits on a sea of glass which looks like crystal. Round about the throne are four powerful cherubim which guard the throne of God. They are in the forms of four beasts full of eyes.

The first beast was like a lion. This beast represents the wild beasts of the earth. The lion also represents authority and power. The second beast was like a calf. This is a representation of the domesticated animals of the earth. It also represents strength. The third beast had the face of a man. This beast represents the men of the earth and also intelligence, moral choice and responsibility. The fourth beast was like an eagle representing the fouls of the air. Also representing majesty, swiftness and transcendence. These same creatures represent all of creation. Upon reading the creation story, God created the wild beast, the beasts of the field, the fouls of the air and then man.

Next John sees the scene shift to the others in the throne room as the Cherubim proclaim God’s Holiness and glorify His name.

The elders begin to glorify God bowing down before Him in worship. They take their crowns off of their heads and cast them before the throne. Why would they take their trophies of reward and place them before God? Without the grace of God, those trophies would have been impossible to obtain. Crowns will be awarded to God’s children, but they are only won by giving glory to God. They belong to God.

I will be overjoyed when I can cast my crown at His feet in utter tribute and worship. I will thank Him and give Him my crown with reverence as a minor token of how I feel about Him, how I served Him and what my life was like. I often meet people who are uncaring as to whether they receive a crown. They just want to be saved and make it to heaven. I can tell you I do not want to be the only one standing before God with empty hands. I want to obey the Lord in such a way that when all is said and done God will feel He received some measure of glory and honor, not just from my life, but from my ministries and my works. I want everyone to catch that vision and live their lives so that when men see them, God is glorified. People must have Christ in their lives to live in this manner. Without Christ anything man does is hay, wood and stubble.

God is the only one worthy to receive glory, and honor and power. All things were created by Him and for His pleasure were we created. We were created for His pleasure, but the human race has become an abomination. Look at your life. Ask yourself if God is pleased when He sees you and the things you do.