Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 292

October 19;   Revelation 4:5;      242/260(IV);      ‘Lightning & Thunder’

Revelation 4:5 And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven lampstands with burning flames. They are the seven spirits of God.

Chapter 4 of Revelation describes the rapture of the church and what are the immediate things those raptured will see.  All of this is brand new to those newly raptured and you can imagine the awe and wonder the raptured church will behold.  We know that this chapter is describing the rapture because chapters 2 and 3 are collectively describing the universal church.  Verse 1 of chapter 4 tells us, ‘After these things,’ what things?  The church age.  When the church age is over.  ‘A door standing open,’ is the entrance to heaven is opened for the church and the voice like a trumpet corresponds to I Thessalonians 4:16 ‘the Lord will descend from heaven…with the trumpet of God.’  The scene of God the Father, twenty four elders and magnificent angels together will be astounding.  In verse 5 lighting and thunder are seen and heard.  They represent the unequaled power of Almighty God.  The roll of the elders and the angels is worship.  In the presence of the Father what else would they want to do?  The ‘seven spirits of God’ are the attributes of the One, Holy Spirit. Severn represents seven aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry as taught in the Amplified Bible in John 14:16 and elsewhere.  Those aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry are Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby.  If you are a born again Christian, when the Lord determines that the church age is over, Jesus will rapture His church, take us away with Him. What we will behold and Their presence will overwhelm us.