Book or Revelation: Where can we find hope in times of uncertainty? (book excerpt)

This is an excerpt from Matt Chandler's upcoming book The Overcomers: How to Thrive in a Culture of Anxiety and Outrage.

In Revelation 4–5, we get to peer into what is most true in the universe. After the clear teaching of Revelation 1–3, the Spirit will show our brothers and sisters there in AD 96 and throughout the church age that there’s more to reality than we can see with our five senses.

The Spirit wants to show you that too. To get to the deeper part of us, He’ll use images and pictures meant to stir our souls and captivate our imaginations. A crucial part of being an Overcomer is seeing the ultimate reality for what it is. Revelation 4–5 shows us what sits at the center of reality — the most real of reals.

The first image John sees is that of a throne (4:2). It’s not just any throne; it’s a throne that all attention and all affection in the universe is moving toward. There are 24 other thrones around this throne. Twelve thrones represent the 12 tribes of Israel. The other twelve thrones represent the 12 apostles. What’s being shown to us? In the other thrones that surround the throne, we see God’s activity among humankind throughout history (v. 4).

They aren’t the only ones worshiping around this throne. Four strange living creatures are “full of eyes front and behind” (v. 6). The four figures are designed to be representative of the whole created order of animate life, and their eyes represent God’s sovereignty and faithfulness on earth. Everything in human history and all of creation is moving toward this throne with attention and affection. The most stunning part of the whole scene is that the throne isn’t empty.

The last few years have made many feel like the universe is random and chaotic. I know it has felt like that to me. Trying to navigate the constant waves of tragedy, danger, and political turmoil while trying to serve my family in these anxious times, lead the church I pastor, and be a good friend has left me wondering, What’s next? I can only imagine what things have been like for you. In Revelation 4–5, God is trying to put new lenses on our tired eyes: there is someone on the Throne.

This person is said to have “the appearance of jasper and carnelian” (v. 3). The key phrase here is “appearance of.” John was trying to help us understand what he was seeing. He told us the one on the throne is translucent and bright. You can see Him, but He’s still somewhat concealed. There are vibrant colors and brilliant light. The one on the throne is radiant.

The one on the throne is magnificent and gleaming. We read in verse 8 that the one on the throne is “The Lord God Almighty.” This title helps us make sense of some of the other images John saw. In verse 5, we read, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder.” In Exodus 19:16, we see something very similar. The presence of God settled on Mount Sinai, and His presence was represented by “thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast.”

His power is mixed in with the beauty and majesty of the one on the throne, and it is complete and terrifying. He is the Lord God Almighty. All might! He is all-powerful. Nothing can stay His hand. As the psalmist put it, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (115:3).

If this image of God unnerves you, that’s not a bad thing. The book of Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (1:7), leads to a hatred of evil (8:13), is the fountain of life (14:27), and in fear of the Lord we have strong confidence (v. 26). This should be of great comfort to the men and women among the seven churches and us. God is on His throne, and He is reigning and ruling. God isn’t blind to the pain, difficulty, and fear you and I endure in this fallen world. He isn’t naive or indifferent. In the right hand of God, who is seated on the throne, John saw a scroll (Revelation 5:1). The scroll contents represent God’s plan of salvation and judgment. The purpose of human history. Your story and mine. And how to make sense of all the brokenness and pain we see and experience.

There’s a problem, though. We see in verse 3 that “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.” This speaks to our inability to make sense of it all if we aren’t gazing upon this throne.

When we look for answers, comfort, and strength around other thrones, we’re bound to end up like John, who began to weep loudly because no one could open the meaning of it all (v. 4).