What does heaven look like?

Read Revelation 4.

The Apostle John was caught up into the very throne room of heaven.  Isaiah and Ezekiel were given similar experiences.  What John saw and heard sets the stage for chapter five.  This truly awesome view of the Lord sets the tone for the rest of this book.

1. The calling. (v.1)
It was a personal, commanding voice from heaven that sounded like a trumpet blast.  According to 1 Thessalonians 4, one day all who have placed personal faith in Christ will hear the real one and be caught up "to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

2. The Throne. (vv.2-3)
The appearance of the King of Kings was visually breathtaking.  The rainbow of vivid colors alone would cause one to stand in absolute awe.

3. The 24 Elders. (v.4)
We are not told in this passage who these 24 are.  The strongest answer seems to be found in Revelation 21:10-14.  The New Jerusalem will have 12 gates for the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 foundation stones for the 12 Apostles.  These then would represent the leadership of both the Old and New Testaments.

4. The Spirit. (v.5) The person of the Holy Spirit is often described in terms of His various empowerments.  He is one person of the Godhead, yet He manifests Himself in different ways.  Isaiah 11:2 foretells of His multiple ministry to Jesus.  This also is consistent with Revelation 1:4 and 5:6.

5. The Living Creatures. (vv.6-8a)
These unusual heavenly beings resemble what was seen before in the visions of Ezekiel 1:1-14 and Isaiah 6:1-3.  "Day and night they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'"

6. The Response. (vv.9-11)
With such a glorious presentation of sight and sound, there could only be one acceptable response.  They fell down in humility to worship the One on the throne.  He alone is worthy.  We are given two eternally valid reasons for such worship and worthiness of Jesus.  The first is here and the second is in chapter five.

He is worthy of universal worship because He created all things.  Those who relegate creation to an argument of process in Genesis 1, fail to deal with the truth.  It is not a process but a person.  Jesus is the Creator (Colossians 1:15-17).  And, in Revelation 21, He will reveal a new heaven and a new earth.  In this glimpse of heaven, acknowledging His power, glory and honor in creation is the first act of worshipping Jesus.