Rev. 4:1-6; 5:6-141After 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 show thee things which must be hereafter. 2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3And 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. 4And 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. 5And 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. 6And 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. (Revelation 4:1‑6)
6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8And 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. 9And 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; 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:6‑14)
"In the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts [living creatures], and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb." I hesitate to say anything about a scene like this lest I should detract from its glory, and hinder our own joy in contemplating it. My thought concentrates on what links us with the scene. It is nothing less than He who is the central Object of it all, the One around whom we are gathered. In reading chapter 4 you cannot fail to feel that in all the glory of it-wonderful as it is -there is a lack, something wanting to fix the heart. John finds in it no single object, but this lack is more than filled in chapter 5 when we get for the first time the center of all these circles of glory. They said to John, "Behold, the Lion," and he looked and beheld a Lamb! and a Lamb as slain. John recognized Him as the very One he had known and loved on earth. His first sight of Him in heaven was in the same character as that which had first attracted him away from all else, to follow Jesus on earth.
It was at the testimony of the Baptist, "Behold the Lamb of God," that his two disciples dropped off from him, and followed Jesus. We know that Peter's brother Andrew was one of them, and possibly the nameless one was John himself, for he avoids mentioning himself in writing the Gospel. Jesus heard the question, "Master, where dwellest Thou?" and replied, "Come and see." They came and saw where He dwelt and abode with Him that day. This was precious unison with the heart of God that found all its delight in that lowly One on earth. Later, at Patmos, John saw this same Lamb in heaven, as having been slain. This linked him with the scene and it links us too with the Lamb in glory.
It is true we have our own place in these chapters, and although we are not yet in that scene, the Lamb in the midst of it all is the summation of all our blessing, even here below. He has redeemed us by His blood. All in heaven fall down before Him and worship, but we lead the song. We are able to say as angels cannot, "Thou art worthy... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood."
Here around His table we have the same Object before us and the same occupation, which is worship. In John 3:34-3634For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:34‑36) we find how this brings us into communion with the Father. "The Father loveth the Son." All His delight is in the Son, and in this we have common thoughts with Him, for He has become the Object of our delight too. All the Father's counsels are for Him. When once He is put forth, everything is decided in reference to Him. This is the connection of verse 36, "He that believeth," etc. Those who honor the Son by believing on Him, the Father will bless; those who do not, the wrath of God abides on them. We see here that He was the Father's Object upon earth, as in Rev. 5, we find He is His Object in heaven.
John 12 gives us. a new center of attraction, yet the same Jesus. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." It is the cross. There He was lifted up between earth and heaven to be the center to which everything that is of God on earth must flow. But further, He is exalted to the Father's right hand. It is there that we know Him who was made a little lower than the angels and who is now crowned with glory and honor. The day is coming when all things shall be put in subjection under Him. But "we see not yet all things put under Him. But [as we gaze into the open heaven] we see Jesus." (See Heb. 2:6-96But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:6‑9).)
Eph. 1 connects us with Him there. He is Head over all things to His Church, which is His body. When He ascended, the Holy Spirit came down to earth. Was it that the object of the Father's interest was changed? Had the Holy Spirit come down to take the place of Christ on earth, or to be a new center for our hearts? No, the Holy Spirit is here to associate us with Him there and to lead our hearts into constant occupation with Him. He would unfold all His perfections to us that we may love Him better and count Him to be the One who alone is worthy of our adoration on earth.
Now we are prepared for such a word as Heb. 13:1313Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:13), "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp." The camp was the earthly system of religion, once ordained by God, but now set aside. We are to go forth to Him, and that will necessarily lead us outside all that is recognized among men as religion-all accredited systems. For as truly as He is the center and gathering point in heaven, so truly is He the only divine center and gathering point on earth, and to follow Him must take us outside all that is owned by men.
2 Thess. 2 is most interesting from this point of view. "We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and... our gathering together unto Him." It is shown as impossible that He should come, and we not be gathered to Him! His place always decides ours. If He is "outside the camp," we must go forth unto Him. If He comes, we must be gathered to Him. When He moves, we move. When He moves from the throne on which He sits, to the air, we move from the earth to the air-our new gathering point, where He is coming to take us back with Him to the Father's house. Think what the Father's house will be! The home of such a heart as Christ's, where all His divine affections flow out, and are fully answered! That is where He is going to take us, where He is at home! Truly our blessing and joy will be full then!
Then the worship will be unrestrained, unhindered by the flesh and in the full energy of the Spirit of God. Now we so often have to mourn over failure-to grieve that our hearts are so slow to lay hold of what is before us. Then, blessed be God, there will be no failure to mourn over- nothing to turn us aside from absorbing occupation with Christ.