Martyr Complex or Rejoicing in Suffering?

Something has been happening in our society that I have noticed has subtly crept into my own heart as I have imbibed the cultural waters we have been swimming in.  It's funny how certain things are very noticeable in societal movements as a whole and yet in your own heart are much harder to spot.

I'm talking about the rise of the "victim mentality."  Have you noticed it?

Suddenly, people receive bonus points of respect and credibility if they have been victimized in any number of ways.  Extra leeway is given and sometimes even a free pass on bad behaviors.  In a dramatic flip from ancient Greco-Roman values, the weak and vulnerable are applauded and the strong are despised as oppressors.

Now, in large part, that fits in with my Christian worldview.  And, though most would be loathe to admit it, I believe historian Tom Holland has put his finger on the idea that many of the social trends of our modern, western society are traceable back to the rise of Christianity.  Surely, we SHOULD have extra respect for the weak and vulnerable!  The Apostle Paul DID teach us to prefer our weaker brothers over ourselves.  Doubtless, the prophets of Israel condemned with fiery passion the strong oppressors who took advantage of the fatherless, widows, and strangers and assured us that God looks out for and defends these groups.

And yet, in many ways, I still feel uncomfortable with the elevating of this new class of victims, because our elevation of the weak, the vulnerable, and the victimized seems to have created a desire on the part of many to be part of that class.  

I notice it in people who claim minority status if they have any trace of minority ancestry in their blood because there have been benefits conferred on that group by the government.

I notice it in young people who complain of anxiety and a variety of mental illnesses because people in need of mental health are given special leeway and privileges.

I notice it in people proclaiming new sexual identities because with that new identity comes a sense of welcome and belonging from groups of people who are knit tightly together because of a feeling of being the outsiders.

And I have come to notice it in myself when ministry becomes difficult and people are hurtful towards me because of the message I preach.

When we are being mistreated, we are told to take it patiently, love our enemies, and pray for them.  But I have realized that I have been giving in to the temptation to tell people about just how much I am suffering as I'm trying to live out these commands.  In fact, I have been using it as a seal of authenticity, a badge of legitimacy, proof that I am a true minister of the gospel.  After all, doesn't the Bible tell us to rejoice in our suffering?

Unfortunately, I think that I haven't been rejoicing in suffering like the apostles did as much as reveling in it, expecting sympathy and respect.  How do we understand the difference between what the Bible speaks of when it talks about rejoicing in suffering and the victim mentality that people use as a get-out-of-jail-free card when they don't behave well?

C.S. Lewis wrote a profound book called Till We Have Faces.  Not at all the kind of book I generally expect from him with overtly Christian themes.  This is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche and set in a deliberately pagan context, told from the perspective of a queen whose sister, when she was young, was taken to be married to the god of the mountain.  That may sound very unChristian and pagan.  And it is.  Yet, by framing the story in that context, C.S. Lewis is able to slip under the locked doors of people's defenses against Christianity, and even for Christians, because the discussion is about pagan gods who aren't real, he is able to explore themes and ideas that people genuinely wrestle with but can't discuss without sounding blasphemous.  The book isn't for everyone, but it is one of the most profound books I have read in years, psychologically speaking.

In particular, in specific reference to the ideas I'm trying to trod out in this blog post, one aspect hit me hard.  The pagan queen retelling the story when she is old, feels very misused and abused by everyone.  As a girl, she was the ugly one of the king's daughters and he did not hesitate to let her know that.  She was not good for anything because she couldn't be married off to the prince of a neighboring kingdom to make an alliance.  She has a little sister whom she basically raised, and considers more as a daughter than a sister, who is taken off by the priest to be sacrificed, and she can never know the romantic love she craves in marriage because she is so ugly.  And yet somehow she becomes queen, and a very good queen.  Now, please keep in mind, that I am trying to summarize C. S. Lewis and can never do this story justice in a simple summary when his writing and themes are so rich and complex and for me, somewhat inexpressible.  I'm just trying to relay the necessary information needed to underscore my point.  I've also been listening to a discussion of the book by Corey Olsen, the Tolkien professor, who has been walking through it with an online class that anyone can listen to, which has been exploring the themes.

The part that prompted me along the line of thought in this blog post is that the first person narration of the queen gives us her perspective in such a relatable way that we are on her side, even if we recognize the root of some of her actions are due to jealousy and selfishness.  The reason we relate to her so much is that we are like her. (I'm using the first person plural so that I don't feel lonely when I talk about relating to a selfish, jealous, pagan queen haha.)  We have all felt that selfish jealousy at times, and have certainly all felt misused and hurt in all kinds of ways.  We are quick to point out all the ways we have been victimized and "ill-used," as she might say.  The frame of the story we are reading is in the form of a book she is writing in accusation against the gods, and I recognize many of her barbed accusations in what people have told me about God when they don't understand why they have suffered as much as they have in life.

What the queen doesn't seem to realize at first, though she comes to realize it through writing the book and through conversations she has as an old woman (you maybe should skip these paragraphs, if you're worried about spoilers, by the way), is that she has been guilty of the very thing of which she has accused the gods.  In her role as queen, she misused and hurt others, and her very feeling of being so victimized blinded her to the ways in which she was victimizing others!  The very belief she had that she was unloved and unloveable blinded her to the people who really DID love her very much (though maybe not in the ways she desired) and led her to be unloving towards them!  There are parts of the book where the irony is so palpable that it is almost painful!  There are many more parallels and themes that I could go into, but that would serve to bog down the blog, so to speak, so I have to move on before I start raving about how brilliant Lewis is in the way he writes this.

The uncomfortable part of reading the book for me was realizing that in many more ways than I would care to enumerate I am like her.  As we begin to see the ways in which Orual (the queen's name) is clearly in the wrong, like David listening to Nathan, I started to realize that I also have made the same mistake at times.

Ministry is hard.  No one who has really gotten into the trenches with people, teaching them the Bible, encouraging them to live a godly life, and seeing them turn on you after you have done so much for them would deny that.  It's easy to start to become bitter and see in yourself a martyr who is suffering for the Lord.  But is that rejoicing in suffering?  Or is that more like reveling, or perhaps wallowing in suffering?  When I tell others about how hard ministry is, am I seeking counsel and encouragement, or am I looking for pity and admiration for how much I have to put up with?  When people ask me how things are going, why do I tend to start out with a complaint about how hard things are?  In what way does that kind of answer glorify God?

When James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations, I don't think he means to relish the recounting of our sufferings and how badly we have been mistreated when we are just trying to do what is right.  I think he means that we should genuinely rejoice!  At some point I may write another post getting into this concept in more detail.

For now, I am aiming to not relish my sufferings as much as to rejoice in them.  God uses difficult things in our lives for our benefit AND for the benefit of others and that's a GOOD thing.  We don't need to have a martyr's complex in living for Him.  We, instead, need to "kiss the wave the casts us upon the rock of ages" as a Charles Spurgeon quote I heard from one of my coworkers says.  The reason we do is because it throws us on Him.  He is our consolation.  He is our joy!

Revelation 2:1-29: "The Seven Candlesticks of Asia"

One of the most important aspects of Revelation is the series of letters to the seven churches at the beginning of the book.  It's kinda funny--I've noticed that some people like to skim over these chapters because they're trying to get to the juicy, end-time-predictive elements later in the book, while others tend to focus only on these first couple of chapters and the last couple of chapters and skip the bizarre middle bit.  I find the letters to the seven churches to be some of the most relatable and convicting elements of the book, and no wonder, since it is addressed to the churches, and to those who have ears to hear.  I want to strongly urge every reader of Revelation to spend a lot of time at the beginning of the book here.  There's  a key phrase for this section which is repeated over and over:

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

I believe that is the most important phrase in these chapters, and possibly a key of Biblical interpretation for the whole book of Revelation, and even for the entire Bible!

Regardless of what your interpretation of these churches is, I would urge you to resist ANY interpretation that causes you to relegate the messages to these churches to other people without looking at how it applies to you.  In other words, if you think these churches represent different periods in the church age, do not ignore the earlier ones because we are in a different time period.  Similarly, if you think these are simply the churches who once lived in Asia Minor but are long gone, do not ignore the messages as if it has nothing to do with us today.  I believe these seven churches dealt with the exact same kinds of things we still deal with today and that Christians have dealt with throughout all of history, and it would be a huge mistake to ignore the message that Jesus Himself gives to each church.

Since the command is "he that has an hear, let him hear," that means that though these messages were to specific churches in the first century, which they were, it has application to anyone who has an ear to hear.  The phrase echoes other places in Scripture (like Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 6:10; Ezekiel 12:2; Matthew 11:14; Matthew 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23, 7:16; Luke 8:8, 14:35) often in reference to people hearing the words but being too rebellious and stubborn to Jesus, and invitations by Jesus to really understand what he is saying in a parable and apply it to their lives.  The fact that this phrase comes up so often in Revelation 2-3 tells me that we must search our own hearts and really see how these messages apply to us!

While these were messages to seven specific churches in the days of the Apostle John under the reign of the Emperor Domitian, there is also a symbolic aspect to these churches being chosen.  The number 7 is significant in the Bible, as I've mentioned in previous posts, representing completion, fulfillment, etc.  The fact that seven churches are chosen seems to be a nod to the fact that these messages are for the entire church.  After all, it wasn't as if each message was cut out of these chapters and sent to whatever church it was addressed to separately...all seven of these churches got the entire book of Revelation sent to them, and it is interesting to think about how the whole book would sound to a church that had left its first love, or began compromising with the world, or who were under intense persecution.  This is how Revelation is framed intentionally so that we can actually apply the message of Revelation to our lives rather than just feeling like we have a crystal ball and superior knowledge about future events.

When reading the letters to the seven churches, I think each congregation of saints needs to evaluate where they are in light of these messages, and each individual person also needs to evaluate themselves.  Though these messages describe characteristics of a group of people, I know that I have needed many of these lessons throughout my life at various times.  These letters are actually very comprehensive--don't just assume you're like the church at Philadelphia (the one who doesn't get a rebuke, per se), really search out each one and see which aspects apply to your life today.

There's a reason the Revelation of what is to come begins with instructions for how God's people need to correct themselves today.  One of the most powerful things about this part of Revelation is how the churches are described by John.  Do you remember?  As seven golden candlesticks.  They are lights in the darkness, representing God's Spirit and manifesting the seven spirits of God in different locations, though it is the same Spirit, the same oil, flowing through the entire thing.  However, Jesus makes it clear that a candlestick could be removed from its place.  These warnings, rebukes, corrections, and encouragements are designed to make sure that as God's plan for history unfolds, the seven churches will shine brightly, manifesting the Spirit of God in the darkness of this world.

One more thing to note before we look at a summary list...one of the cool ways each church's message from Jesus is framed is by an aspect of the description of Jesus at the beginning (usually drawn from chapter 1) and the reward if they overcome at the end.  These two things relate to whatever the church needs to hear in the middle.  Here's a list I compiled when I was studying this at some point:

1. Ephesus

Don’t forget your first love.  Ephesus was working hard, standing strong for doctrine and patiently enduring trials, but in the midst of that had left her first love, and was commanded to remember from where she had fallen, repent and do the first works.

Result: Tree of Life in Paradise.

I believe Ephesus was in a classic Mary and Martha situation--doing so much for Jesus that she forgot to be with Him. Jesus IS the tree of life--He's the source of life. If we forget Him, no matter how much we do for Him, we will end up in the situation of the people Jesus speaks of in Matthew 7, having done many wonderful works, but He says, "I never knew you." This is why there is a threat of their candlestick being removed. If the source of the oil is stopped, there will be no manifested light. He is the vine, we are the branches (which is interestingly what the candlesticks are called in Ephesus). When we are cut off from our source of life, of Jesus the Tree of Life in relationship, we will die, no matter how much we do for Him.

Attribute of Jesus: Holding 7 Stars; Walking in Midst of Candlesticks.

This is a reminder to Ephesus that Jesus Himself has them in His hand, and that He is right there in their midst, though they seem to be ignoring Him. Turn to the One who is in your midst, Ephesus, and remember that if you forget Him, you're forgetting the One who hold the stars, which give direction and mark signs and seasons, in His hand.

2. Smyrna

Don’t give up during tribulations. Smyrna was in danger of becoming like the seed that had fallen on the stones, poor and going through hard times, persecuted by the Jews. She is commanded to not be afraid of suffering--they would be tested by being cast into prison and some would even die, but they were enjoined to be faithful because it would just be a short time.

Result: Crown of Life; Not Hurt of Second Death.

What a beautiful promise of reward! The church at Smyrna was poor and in a much lower social class, but they are promised crowns if they endure. And not just crowns of death that will fade or be awarded posthumously, but crowns of life! They are told that some of them WILL die...there is no promise that they will not be hurt by death. But there IS a promise that they won't be hurt of the Second Death, which is much worse. Smyrna is encouraged to look beyond their present life to the one that is to come.

Attribute of Jesus: Alive but was Dead.

Again, what encouragement! They're not the first ones who will have to through death believing in something better. The One who is asking this of them has alreay been through death! He was there already, scouting it out, and it's going to be okay! He was dead, but now He's alive! If He can do it, and He's telling you to do it, you will make it through.

3. Pergamos

Don’t compromise in doctrine and holiness.  Pergamos was in the midst of a very hostile environment, a man named Antipas was even martyred holding fast to the name of Jesus and not denying the faith. However, possibly because of the pressure, compromise had slipped in--they were eating things sacrificed to idols and committing fornication; morality was being corrupted form within and they were allowing the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which apparently was a very licentious attitude. They are commanded to repent.

Result: Hidden Manna, White Stone with New Name.

I believe the Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes was associated with eating food to idols and committing fornication. I think an early form of this doctrine was very present in the Corinthian church and this is what 1 Corinthians is all about. The idea was that everything was spiritual so nothing in the physical world really matters and what we eat or how we use our bodies doesn't have any affect on us spiritually. The apostles fought against this doctrine vehemently. But it would be hard in a city like Pergamos, which was the center for many different religious cults, and was known for festivals which were full of all the fleshly pleasures one could imagine to maintain purity. But Jesus promises those who overcome will get something better than meat offered to idols...they will get the hidden manna. They will be satisfied from the secret source of God's heavenly bread. Like the Israelites with the manna in the wilderness, sometimes what God offers to satisfy us with doesn't seem as good as what Egypt offers, and it gets old and boring after awhile. Yet this is angel food, and it will ultimately satisfy us far more than anything in this world. Similarly fornication offers only a temporary, shallow intimacy of knowing another person...but there's a white stone with a new name written in it waiting on us. This represents an intimacy with Jesus that goes far beyond what is available in the cheap sex available at the Pergamos festivals.

Attribute of Jesus: Sharp Sword of Mouth.

What can we use to fight against this false doctrine? How can we resist compromise in our lives? We have an advocate with a powerful weapon on our side. But we have to understand this weapon in order to skillfully handle it. The sword comes from Jesus's mouth--it is His Word. This is the only tool that can pierce to the dividing of soul and spirit and discern our thoughts and the intentions of our hearts. Just like Jesus defeated Satan with the Word of God, we can defeat the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

4. Thyatira

Don’t allow immorality to run rampant.  There were a lot of good things about this church’s works, love, service, faith, patience and works. (And yes, "works" are mentioned twice in these verses.) However, they were allowing a self-proclaimed prophetess named Jezebel to seduce people to commit fornication and eat what was offered to idols. But God was going to take care of this false teacher because He searches the motivations and heart and will reward according to works. No other burden on the rest, though, who hadn’t bought into this doctrine. They were just told to hold fast. The distinction between Thyatira and Pergamos seems to be that in Pergamos, people in the church were holding to this false doctrine, though the leadership wasn't, but here, they are allowing this false teaching to be actively taught.

Result: Power Over Nations with Rod of Iron and the Morning Star.

The reward to those who overcome in this church is almost startling. Jesus is promising participation in titles that were specifically for the Messiah! Psalm 2 has the description of the Christ being the One who would rule the nations with a rod of iron, but Jesus extends that right which He has won through His victory on the cross to overcoming believers! I think there's a little 1 Corinthians 6 flavor coming through here, where Paul asks the Corinthians, "Don't you know you will rule the world? How much more things that pertain to this life!" The angel or star of the church needs to really lead and not allow Jezebel to spread her false teachings through the church. The Morning Star was the brightest star in the sky as night became day, and a signal that the night was passed and the day was now here. Jesus calls Himself the Morning Star later in the book. He will bring them into the daylight, if they will stay true.

Attribute of Jesus: Eyes Like Fire; Feet Like Fine Brass.

Jesus has eyes of fire, and He searches the innermost parts of us. Do not think that immorality or false teaching will escape His gaze, though He may have allowed a season so that repentance could come. Judgment will come and nothing is hidden from Him. Even brass has a connotation of judgment of sin in the Old Testament due to the connotations of the Bronze Altar and Brazen Laver. It's reflective and must be brought through fire and water for cleansing, just as the church of Thyatira needed to reflect on what they were allowing, and cleanse and purify.

A Conversation with God about the Beatitudes

Me: God, I want to be blessed!  How can I have a blessed life?

God: To be blessed, empty yourself of everything you hold onto as dear in your spirit. Sacrifice all you have and all you are and follow me.

Me: Wait, what? You want me to give up everything? So I have nothing of myself? You're asking me to give you everything that makes me who I am? If I give up everything, what will I have left to serve you with?

God: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Me: I can't! It would be too painful! I would grieve too much if I lost myself the way You are asking me to! It would send me into a depression!

God: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Me: But then who will I be? A lowly, empty shell of who I am now? How can I possibly serve you without all of these qualities and personality traits and assets that I've been so proud of?

God: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Me: But what about all the things that I've always wanted? Surely You know that I need some of these things to satisfy me and make me content!

God: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Me: But what about all these other people?  It seems like they are doing just fine without giving up all that stuff! Why don't You ask them to give up what You are asking me to give up? I won't be able to look at them without resentment now...

God: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Me: Okay, I can do it, but will You work this for my benefit? Surely, I can do it in such a way that will actually pay off for me, right?

God: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Me: You don't know what some of these people are like! I'll lose my friends and the people who understood me the best and people will be angry with me and think I'm self-righteous if I do this. How will I handle all the conflict?

God: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Me: Some of them will not be willing to make peace with me.  I know for a fact some of them will turn on me and start treating me badly if I take this path.

God: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness's sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Me: How can you say this is a blessing? You know what they will say and the rumors that will be spread!

God: Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Me: But if people really do turn on me like that...it will wreck me.  I'll become empty and lose myself.

God: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Revelation 1:19-20: "The Mystery of the Seven Stars"

"And he had in his right hand seven stars...The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand...The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches."

Revelation 1:19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 

Revelation 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 

We now come to another odd thing in the book of Revelation...what's the deal with the seven stars?  We will see many sevens. We already discussed the seven spirits of God in verse 4 and touched on the seven candlesticks in several posts.  But now we talk about seven stars?   Unlike some imagery, we get an explanation here.  But sometimes the explanations don't seem to explain as much as we'd like and open up even more questions than we would have hoped for.  The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. Here are some of the questions I have when I look at this:

First, why the imagery of stars at all?  What are stars supposed to represent?

Second, the word for "angel" in Greek means "messenger."  Are these the human messengers like pastors at these churches, or, like throughout the rest of this book, are they spiritual beings who are tasked to these seven churches?

Quite perplexing, isn't it?

It's interesting that John has this incredible vision of Jesus, but then he's told to write what he's seen, the things that are, and the things that shall be hereafter.  We have a little clue into the contents of this book, then.  He's supposed to write about this vision of Jesus, and the book reflects on both things which are, were present in John's day, and would come to pass later, so the book DOES reflect on future events. 

It's fascinating that the first information he is given after being told to write these things is the key to two elements of the vision.

I believe I've written about this before, but it bears repeating that the Revelation gives clarity through its symbolism.  We may feel that the symbols make things more confusing and more obscure, but the symbols are actually designed to do the exact opposite.  By covering everything with a layer of symbolism, it actually reveals what it really is.

The Seven Candlesticks

Take the candlestick first, then we can talk about the seven stars in more depth.  John sees seven golden candlesticks.  Well, as mentioned in previous posts, the Menorah from the Tabernacle is the first thing that should come to mind here.

There is so much that could be said about the golden lampstand from the Tabernacle, and I had so much fun when I studied the Tabernacle looking at each aspect of it.  Learning that here in Revelation the seven candlesticks are the seven churches brings so much depth!

Why this particular image to represent the churches?

1. The candlestick's purpose is to provide light. Jesus said we, as the church, are the light of the world! (Matthew 5:14)
2. The light was produced from the oil, which is symbolized by the Spirit of God. (Zechariah 4:1-6)
3. The candlestick was one work, just as the church is one body, but with seven different manifestations of light, just as each individual congregation manifests that same Spirit but in a different place. (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4)

Isn't that powerful?  We already talked about how the seven lamps represent the seven spirits of God from verse 4 and from chapter 4, which may be better described as different manifestations of the One Spirit of God.  The seven churches are designed to bring God's Light to the world as God's Spirit flows through each of them.

It gets even better when you realize Jesus is in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.  He is right in the midst of the seven churchs.  As He said, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)  Not only that, but there is an additional meaning when you realize that there was one candlestick that three branches proceeded from on both sides. Could there be an allusion to Jesus being the vine in the middle, that the branches proceed from? (John 15:1-6)

So far, so good, right?  It's a powerful picture and seems fairly straightforward to me.  But the baffling thing to ME has always been those seven stars and trying to figure out what they were...

The Seven Stars

I've heard teaching that stars represent angels, as heavenly shining beings, and there are certainly some indications in the book of Job or here in Revelation in chapter 12, that might imply that.  And that's what it says here: they represent the seven angels of the seven churches.  But what's interesting is that what John writes in each message to each of the seven churches is to the angel of the church at Ephesus or wherever.  It seems odd that he would be writing to purely spiritual beings.  I've always taken it as the messengers being the human elder or pastor or bishop in that particular church, speaking to the people.  But, in that case, why not just say that?  Why use the term "angel"?  And why represent them as stars?  Maybe to get a better grasp, we can look at how stars are used in Scripture and in the ancient world.

The first reference to stars, in which we learn a little bit about their purpose comes, of course, in Genesis chapter 1.

Genesis 1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 

Genesis 1:15  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 

Genesis 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 

We see here the stars and other lights in the heavens like the sun and the moon were given as markers, and a point of division, so that we could keep and mark time.  We know the stars in particular were used for directions by mariners and others.  People throughout history have navigated by the stars.  They are lights in the heavens that point to greater truths like which direction we should go and what time of the year or season it is.  But it is also interesting to look at how stars are used symbolically in Scripture and what stars represent.

One of the key passages that I would think would be in most Jews' minds when they looked up at the heavens is this very visual image the Lord gave Abraham, when He made a covenant with Him and promised that he would have a son, would inherit the promised land, and be made into a great nation.  God brings Abram out at night to give him a visual aid to go along with the promise.

Genesis 15:5  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 

So in this passage, Abram's seed--his descendants--are compared to the stars.  I find that interesting.  They are also compared to the sand on the sea, but to take him outside at night and point to all the lights in the heavens shining in the darkness, and say his seed would be like that has a deep symbolic meaning to me.  This same image of the promise connected to stars is alluded back to in several other passages like Genesis 22:17; 26:4; Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:10; 10:22; 28:62; 1 Chronicles 27:23; Nehemiah 9:23; Hebrews 11:12.  Many of those passages speak of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt as already fulfilling that promise of being as numerous as the stars, just like God promised Abraham.

We see a possible allusion in Joseph's dream as well when he compares his brothers to stars.

Genesis 37:9  And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 

Genesis 37:10  And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 

We do also get some indications that stars are compared to spiritual beings at certain points, like Judges 5:2; Job 25:5; 38:7, and Isaiah 14:13, though often in poetic passages reflecting on the height and light of the stars. "The host of heaven" is an interesting phrase used throughout Scripture that sometimes seems to be used to refer to the stars and planets themselves, sometimes to the false gods people worshipped on their rooftops (probably because the physical stars were believed to represent the false gods), and sometimes even to angels in the presence of God, like in the vision Micaiah describes to Ahab or the "heavenly host" in Luke 2, famous because of children's Christmas pageants everywhere.

The children of Israel are commanded not to worship the stars as many of the nations did, and often descriptions of God's judgments involve the darkening of the stars. (Deuteronomy 4:19; Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 3:15)  This judgment is especially poignant for nations like Babylon who believed the stars directed the course of their lives and foretold the future, so they often looked to the stars for spiritual direction.  God's people, of course, should look to God's Word and His messengers like the prophets for direction, rather than astrological charts, but it is interesting that direction, whether for physical navigation or choices about life or troop movements or matters of state, is associated with the stars.

The idea of the stars giving directions comes into play in an even more direct sense in Matthew chapter 2 in particular...

Matthew 2:1  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 

Matthew 2:2  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 

Matthew 2:7  Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 

Matthew 2:8  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 

Matthew 2:9  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 

Matthew 2:10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 

Coming from a region that studied the stars and believed in information being written there, these magi or wise men come saying that they have seen the Star of the King of the Jews, and then that star appears to lead them to where Jesus is.

Now start to bring all this to bear in the statement that Jesus is holding the seven stars in his right hand.  Many ancient people, including the Romans, believed the gods were represented by visible heavenly bodies.  The sun, the moon, and the five visible wandering stars, or planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.  Jude makes a slighting reference to false teachers being like wandering stars.

Jude 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 

Jude 1:13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 

Our Bible study group studied Jude just before Revelation, and I thought these natural metaphors for false teachers were so telling.  They are clouds without water in that they make false promises, they are dead fruit trees in the sense that they do not bear good spiritual fruit, they are raging waves of the sea in that they are wild and make a big show but are transient, and I think perhaps they are wandering stars in that they do not have a fixed point, and thus provide faulty and misleading directions.  You can't take directions from them. (Possibly...obviously there is much more that could be said about that.)

Contrast the description of wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness to the stars in Jesus's hand.  One thing a Roman might take from it, thinking of the deities associated with the seven heavenly bodies mentioned above is that Jesus has control of all fates and is more powerful than any of the supposed deities.  But these seven stars are actually given a designation that we should pay attention to: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.

Obviously, it's no coincidence that angels and heavenly hosts be compared to stars or spiritual beings.  That would have been a thought in many an ancient person's mind, as I showed above.  But the angels of the seven churches who then receive messages from Jesus as if they are leading the churches brings this whole thing into a new light.  (Pun intended.)

The Greek word for "angel" refers to a messenger, as many people point out.  What kind of messenger?  An angel of the church should be bringing messages from Jesus and pointing people to Jesus, much like the Star that led the wise men brought them to Jesus, and very much unlike the wandering stars referred to by Jude who lead people astray.

I find it a compelling thought that Jesus would refer to the leaders of each of these churches as both angels and stars.  They are messengers who are supposed to give direction to the church, ultimately pointing them to the One who holds them in His hand.  They are a means of His authority, representatives, to declare His message and give His direction to the church, and they are given specific directions designed to point people to Jesus in the next two chapters.  This seems fitting with the idea that Abraham's descendants are to be like the stars in the heavens.  Little lights that shine in the darkness, giving direction.  Especially in reference to a prophecy in Daniel that plays on this concept:

Daniel 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 

The bishops or pastors of the seven churches in Asia should fit in the categories of "wise" and "those who turn many to righteousness".  They have a tough job in the darkening times, but, as Paul wrote in Philippians:

Philippians 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 

Philippians 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 

Philippians 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 

I love this portrayal of the church and its leaders right at the beginning of Revelation.  Light metaphors are so appropriate, and Jesus's presence and authority in relation to His lights are so comforting. Like the burning bush got Moses's attention so God could talk to him, our lights should get the world's attention so that God can talk to them!

So are you part of the church?  

Then let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven!

Are you a preacher of the gospel or a messenger of the truth of God's Word?

Then twinkle, twinkle, little star! Lead the nations to Jesus!

Revelation 4:9-11: "The Issue is Worship"

Revelation 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 

Revelation 4:10  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, 

Revelation 4:11  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. 

In the last two posts, we examined the images of the four beasts who are flying around the throne, the twenty-four elders who are seated around the throne, and most importantly The One who is sitting on the throne.  We have looked at what Old Testament passages this description references back to and some possible significances of what some of the descriptions mean.

But as we were finishing up the last Bible study, this ending section jumped out at me as the most important part of the chapter, and one that could possibly set the trajectory for and change someone's life and perspective.  I realized through people's comments as we were ending the study that what is said in worship here is the key to whether or not we are going to go the way of the Lamb and of the four beasts who fly around the Throne, or the way of the Dragon and the many-headed beast that appears later in the book.  The whole issue comes down to who is worthy.

We discussed in the last post how incredible it is that these magnificent, incredible creatures (whom I identify as the cherubim from Ezekiel's visions) are completely in tune with where the spirit wants to go.  And in this chapter that is especially emphasized.  These beasts realize that the truly worthy one is the One on the throne who lives forever and ever.  They are created--He is the Creator!  And they give glory, honor, and thanks to Him!

But we know that not every spiritual being or even every cherub has always reflected that attitude.

Ezekiel 28:11  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Ezekiel 28:12  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 

Ezekiel 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 

Ezekiel 28:14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 

Ezekiel 28:15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 

Ezekiel 28:16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 

Ezekiel 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 

Ezekiel 28:18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 

Ezekiel 28:19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. 

Notice what happened in the heart of this anointed, covering cherub.  What are some things we can pull out of this section that drew away this perfect, beautiful creature from what it was created to do?  What iniquity was found in him?

Now this can be a difficult passage to parse out, because we seem to be talking about the fall of an angelic being, but also the king of Tyre, but also the city of Tyre.  But try to enter into what the prophet is doing.  He is conflating these three concepts, and by doing so, he can show the spiritual similarities between the city of Tyre and the spiritual being who is behind the governing of the city, which is also behind the governing of many cities and nations in our world, and maybe even in our own heart.  But what are the things that the prophet identifies as problems?

• The multitude of merchandise led to violence
• Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty
• Your wisdom is corrupted by reason of YOUR brightness

This creature is incredible.  Beautiful stones, musical instruments, wisdom, etc.  But all those benefits, all that significance, all that busyness and merchandise...that can make us start to think that it is all about us.  If it happened to the covering cherub, it can happen to us.

But what about the attitude of the cherubim who didn't fall?  Who weren't obsessed with their own worthiness, and instead recognized the worthiness of the One who sits on the Throne?  Why, when the four beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, look what happens!

Revelation 4:10  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,

It's as if one act of worship inspires another!  I've seen this in church services, myself!  Extravagant, genuine praise tends to be contagious.  I've felt it!  When I see a heartfelt, sincere act of worship, it makes me want to worship!  I remember seeing people in a church in Nicaragua with no air conditioning, just open windows to let in the breeze, and they were all dancing before the Lord in such an enthusiastic way, that I fell down in my suit on the dirty, concrete floor and began praising God with my face to the ground, just because of the worship I saw being given to Him.  Isn't it amazing that our praise can have that kind of an effect?

The elders are in their rightful places, after all.  They have overcome, and now they are a royal priesthood, ruling and reigning with Christ, just as He promised.  These crowns were given to them by Him, after all!  But in His presence, all they can do is take those crowns that were given and throw them before the throne.  As my wife said in the Bible study, how can we wear these crowns when we know it was all because of Him that we even have them in the first place?  All we have to offer is what He has given, so we throw the crowns before Him. 

Many haven't been willing to throw their crowns before Him though...  Saul and Herod come to mind.  The question is who is worthy of those crowns?  The twenty-four elders have an answer.

Revelation 4:11  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. 

It all comes to the question of who is worthy and what we were created for.  Who do we consider worthy to receive glory and honor and power?  Do we think that WE are worthy of those things?  The issue really does come down to what has the most worth in our lives.  This will determine our eternal destiny.  You may have heard that the word "worship" comes from the idea of "worth-ship."

Old English worðscip, wurðscip (Anglian), weorðscipe (West Saxon) "condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown," from weorð "worthy" (see worth) + -scipe (see -ship). Sense of "reverence paid to a supernatural or divine being" is first recorded c. 1300. The original sense is preserved in the title worshipful "honorable" (c. 1300).

(https://www.etymonline.com/word/worship)

This is the Greek word...

G4352 προσκυνέω proskuneō 

Thayer Definition:

1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence

2) among the Orientals, especially the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence

3) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication

3a) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank

Part of Speech: verb; A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G4314 and a probable derivative of G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand)

Do you recoil at the idea of worship being like a dog licking it's master's hand?  The Syro-Phonecian woman in Matthew 15 may have some things to teach us about that mindset...

The end of Romans chapter 1 describes society off the rails, listing every kind of sin and perversion you can imagine.  How did it all get this way?  You have to trace it back in Romans chapter 1 and realize that ultimately, it is a problem with worship.

Romans 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

Romans 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Romans 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

Romans 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 

Romans 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Romans 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 

Romans 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 

Romans 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 

Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

Romans 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Romans 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Romans 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 

Romans 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

All the sins of the last several verses come from the root problem of worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator.  We have to get a revelation of what we were created for!  What is the answer in Revelation 4:11?

Revelation 4:11  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. 

I'll be honest, it's tempting to recoil at this.  Why were we created?  Just for God's pleasure?  How self-absorbed!  But we don't understand what brings God pleasure.  When we think of pleasure, oftentimes our minds go to self-indulgent, selfish pleasures.  (At least that's my initial thought...you readers are probably better people than me!)  But what gives God pleasure?  Let's look at a couple of verses that discuss what pleases the Lord.

Numbers 24:1  And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 

Judges 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. 

1st Samuel 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 

1st Kings 3:9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 

1st Kings 3:10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 

1st Chronicles 29:17  I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. 

Ezra 10:11  Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 

Psalm 5:4  For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 

Psalm 35:27  Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 

Psalm 51:16  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 
Psalm 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 
Psalm 51:18  Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 
Psalm 51:19  Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. 

Psalm 69:30  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 

Psalm 147:11  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. 

Psalm 149:4  For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 

I could go on, but are you getting the picture of what really pleases the Lord, of what it really means that God created us for His pleasure?  When will we realize that when we seek His pleasure rather than our own, it really has the best outcome for us?

We were made for Him, not the other way around.  It is time that we ascribed more worth to our Creator than to ourselves and recognize that His pleasure is far more important than ours.  That revelation will set the tone for the rest of our lives.

Revelation 4:6-8: "The Carriers of God's Glory"

 As we continue to explore the throne room scene in Revelation chapter 4, things start getting weirder.  But only if you don't know the Old Testament prophets very well.  The images that John sees would be very familiar to people who were familiar with Isaiah and Ezekiel and any time one of the Hebrew prophets sees God on His Throne, really.  If you're already familiar, you may be able to skip this post, and just read the text and feel the scene.  But if you don't know what I'm talking about, let's explore this scene a little bit more.

Revelation 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 

A sea of glass like unto crystal is before the Throne.  This might seem odd, but, again, it's calling to mind other experiences people have had with God on His Throne.  We just read that there are 24 elders around the throne.  Well, when Israel was becoming a nation, after the covenant had been made, and the blood of the covenant had been sprinkled on the people, God invited seventy of the elders of the children of Israel partway up the mountain, and we see something powerful.

Exodus 24:9  Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 

Exodus 24:10  And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 

Exodus 24:11  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. 

You might say, well that is not the same description!  Maybe not, but it is interesting that before the throne of God the elders of Israel saw a paved work like sapphire, so we get this idea of a blueish stone, but the word for "paved work" is interesting.  This is the only time in the Hebrew Bible the word is used, and this is how Strong's defines it...

H3840 לִבְנָה libnâh lib-naw'

From H3835; properly whiteness, that is, (by implication) transparency: - paved.

Total KJV occurrences: 1

So even though it's described as a paved work, it has the idea of transparency associated with it...as does glass and crystal in John's description in Revelation.  And Exodus goes on to make a direct parallel with this and the sky in its "clearness" (a word, which in other places is translated in a way that has to do with purity and glory).  Where is God's throne?  Heaven is God's throne, right?  It is fitting that His throne is on something that represents the sky.  And I can't help but feel that Solomon's Bronze Sea and the laver that was before the Tabernacle had some kind of reminiscence of what was seen here.  Clear, but blueish...what does that make you think of?  Like glass or crystal...  The sky?  Water?  God's Throne sits on this Pavement.  There is also a platform that God's Throne sits on in Ezekiel's vision, which is referred to as a "firmament", and described in Ezekiel 1:22 as the color of a "terrible crystal."

Ezekiel 1:22  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 

Ezekiel 1:26  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 

And if you're wondering about the bit about the firmament being on the heads of living creatures, we are just coming to that now.  In addition to the 24 elders, we also see in Revelation four beasts full of eyes that are apparently in the midst of and around the throne.  Well, Ezekiel also describes some creatures associated with God's throne that are full of eyes, but he also identifies them.

Ezekiel 10:12  And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. 

So we see a "full of eyes" reference in Ezekiel and in Revelation.  But Revelation has more description.  Let's look at that and then jump back into the book of Ezekiel to find more parallels.

Revelation 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

So these creatures are compared to four specific things...a lion, a calf, a man, and a flying eagle.  Well, when we turn back to the book of Ezekiel, we see something quite similar.  And this is where we come back to this "firmament" that is over the heads of the living creatures.  To set the stage, Ezekiel is one of the captives that has been carried away from Jerusalem into Babylon.  The people of God are going through a crisis.  God said He would set His name in Jerusalem forever and this is where His Temple was located, where His presence would dwell.  He also made promises to the descendants of David and declared that one of David's descendants would always sit on the throne in Judah and that the kingdom of David would be everlasting.  But when Babylon comes in, the people are taken away from God's Presence at the Temple, and the descendant of David is carried off.  What are God's people supposed to make of this?  Later on, the Temple will be destroyed!  What about God's promised Presence?  Well, when the book of Ezekiel opens, we see him in Babylon by the river Chebar, and he sees some strange things.  He sees an amber-colored whirlwind with lightning and fire associated with it.  Coming out of the whirlwind he sees four living creatures.  Look at his description:

Ezekiel 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 

Ezekiel 1:6  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 

Ezekiel 1:7  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 

Ezekiel 1:8  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 

Ezekiel 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 

Ezekiel 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 

Ezekiel 1:11  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 

Ezekiel 1:12  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. 

Ezekiel 1:13  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 

Ezekiel 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.  

If you thought the description in Revelation 4 was odd, get a load of this! What a strange experience Ezekiel is having!  Though not as strange to him as you might suppose at first glance.  He goes on to describe how each creature also has a wheel associated with it, full of eyes, with a wheel within the wheel.  Then we get to the part I mentioned earlier.  These four creatures aren't simply coming alone.  SomeOne Else is with them.

Ezekiel 1:22  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 

Ezekiel 1:23  And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies. 

Ezekiel 1:24  And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. 

Ezekiel 1:25  And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. 

Ezekiel 1:26  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 

Ezekiel 1:27  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 

Ezekiel 1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. 

In some strange way, these creatures are carriers of the glory of God.  They appear to be carrying the platform that the Throne of God is on.  What's amazing for the people Ezekiel is with is that the Throne of God is coming to THEM in Babylon.  They don't have to go to the Temple to interact with Him.  He is mobile, not stationary.  Ezekiel sees these same creatures in chapter 10, and describes them again, but there, in that chapter, he identifies what they are.

Ezekiel 10:14  And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 

Ezekiel 10:15  And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. 

Now that these things are associated with cherubim, some other Biblical passages may pop into your mind.  You may remember, for example, that there are cherubim on top of the ark of the covenant, which by no coincidence, is a symbol for the mobile throne of God, the carrier of God's glory.  But they aren't just on the Tabernacle.  They are also on the vail or curtain you have to go through to get to the Holy of Holies where the ark of the covenant was usually kept.  But they are also on the curtains of the Holy Place and the door that leads in there.  And if that wasn't enough, they're even depicted on the door that gains you access to the outer court where the sacrifices are made.  They're all over Solomon's Temple.  In other words, when you went to the Temple or the Tabernacle, the closest you got to God's glory, to His Presence, the more cherubim you would encounter.  Even the first place they are mentioned, as guardians at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, guarding the way to the Tree of Life, gives you a similar impression. These are magnificent, intimidating, powerful beings that are associated with God's Presence in a powerful way.  In Ezekiel they are used to show God's Presence as mobile (riding the chariot of the cherubim, as it's called in 1 Chronicles 28), leaving the Temple in Jerusalem and reaching the captives in Babylon.  But in Revelation, the platform and the Throne are at rest, and the living creatures are flying around the throne.  What do they do when they are not transporting God's Presence?

Revelation 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 

Now, this is a little different from the description in Ezekiel.  In Ezekiel, the cherubim are described as having four wings.  Here, these creatures have six.  Could they be different creatures in heaven that the cherubim of Ezekiel are represented as?  Possibly.  This verse, however, should call to mind another scene from a prophet who is ushered into the throne room of God.

Isaiah 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 

Isaiah 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 

Isaiah 6:3  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 

Isaiah 6:4  And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 

The seraphim and cherubim are generally classified as different kinds of angelic or spiritual beings, but it is so interesting that the descriptions seem to be combined in Revelation chapter 4.  I think one of the significant things about these creatures is that they are completely devoted and focused on their service to God.  What they cry out is fascinating as well.  In Hebrew, if you want to emphasize something you say it twice.  So in the KJV, if you see that the altar is "most holy" or that the room is the "most holy place" it is usually just the word "holy" repeated twice.  The altar is holy, holy.  And that's the way that it is usually emphasized.  There are holy things, and there are holy, holy things.  But two is the highest it goes...except for these passages.  Because the Lord God Almighty is not just holy, or even holy, holy, but He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!  This is the highest degree of holiness imaginable, and the entire description of the Throne Room should give us that understanding even before we reach this phrase.  This is praising God as He is, the I AM THAT I AM, the One Who Is, and Was, and Is To Come!  Eternal and Holy--God in His fulness.

As we reflect on these verses consider how amazing it is that God invites us to come boldly before the throne of grace.  Consider how amazing it is that He has the option of His glory being conveyed by these creatures which are compared with what are probably the creatures we think of as most majestic, powerful, and mighty (man, ox, eagle, lion), who never cease from praising Him, and who go only where the Spirit directs them to go, and yet, He chooses to have His glory carried by us.  That's a sobering and beautiful thought and one that we should think about and dwell on very carefully.

Proverbs 30:30  A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 

Proverbs 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Job 39:27  Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? 

Job 39:28  She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. 

Genesis 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.