He Saw and Beheld

He Saw and Beheld

This is what John experienced. If God has given us enlightened eyes of the heart, we need to be surrendered to God so that we can see. John beheld an open door in heaven and heard a voice that said, “Come up here.” Rev. 4:1.

Heaven will be closed over us if we think only of ourselves and our own concerns without thinking of building the house of the Lord. Hag. 1:9-10. But if we seek that which is above with all our heart, so that our life and interests are engaged in that which is eternal, then we will also get to know that open door in heaven.

John beheld the very center of heaven where God’s throne is. “And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance . . . .” He who sat there was the firstborn of many brethren—of many living stones. Now He is waiting for all these living stones to be sat together with Him on His throne. These stones display the greatest variety of radiance and glory.

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Rev. 3:21; 1 Pet. 2:4-5. If we can see ourselves in this flock with eyes of faith, we will become more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Rom. 8:37. Then we will do our utmost to be preserved in an overcoming life to obtain such a place.

This throne of glory is highly exalted above all evil spirit powers. If we are not raised above all these sinful powers now, we will not receive a place above them later. Paul wrote that we have already been raised up and have been seated in the heavenly places in Christ. Eph. 2:6.

Those who sat around the throne had crowns of gold on their heads. By God’s grace and power they had overcome this evil and dark world, to the glory of God.

John saw a tremendous amount of action going on around God’s throne. From it proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. This is a throne that is protected by the fire of the Lord, and no evil can enter into its presence.

These lamps of fire must burn in our lives now. They must proceed from the thrones of our hearts. One of these flames of fire is the Spirit of wisdom. Isa. 11:2. This Spirit is first and foremost pure. Jas. 3:17. It clearly separates the evil from the good and keeps the evil at a great distance. Another flame of fire is the Spirit of counsel and might. All other powers are inferior to this might, with the result that nothing foreign can darken this counsel. The Spirit of the fear of the Lord is also a consuming fire against all sin and impurity. Thus these seven flames of fire continue to burn, and they preserve us in intimate fellowship with the Father and the Son and the saints in the midst of the battle against all evil.

John also looked and beheld the victorious flock of one hundred and forty-four thousand who stood on Mount Zion together with the Lamb. They had the name of the Lamb and of the Father written on their foreheads. This means that the life of the Father and the Son was impressed on their minds and lives. Can we see the glory of being together with them?

When John looked into the open heaven, he also beheld Christ, whose name is Faithful and True, riding on a white horse, followed by the holy, victorious flock who were also riding on white horses. White horses signify purity and might. They had followed Christ in His humiliation with this purity and might, and now they shared in His exaltation. Can we see the glory of being along there? They will destroy the beast and the false prophet and establish the millennium in righteousness and peace. They also bore this personal righteousness and peace with them here on earth in everything they said and did.

John also beheld the bride, the wife of the Lamb, standing on a high mountain, and he beheld the holy city Jerusalem descending out of heaven to the new earth. The city possessed the glory of God, and her light was like a most precious stone—like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Can we see the glory of being part of this city?

We must pray for enlightened eyes of the heart so that we can understand our high and holy calling and our election. Then we will be able to endure anything, and we will overcome by being faithful, for the great joy that awaits us, just like Jesus did.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’”