Scene in Heaven
Rev 4:1-2 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
God called John up to heaven and showed him what was to happen soon for a purpose. Somewhere along the line, Paul was caught up to heaven for the same purpose. They were men on a God-given mission.
2 Cor 12:4 how he (Paul) was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Note - many Christian leaders claimed (lied) to have visited heaven, yet by their fruit, they have blown their cover.
The New Covenant
Mat 26:27-28 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Jesus was a Jew on earth whose teachings were in line with the Law of Moses because to do otherwise, it would be sin. We are made to understand from Paul's epistles, that Jesus, having fulfilled the Mosaic Law and the Prophets, had made them obsolete with the New Covenant of His blood shed on the cross.
Heb 8:13 In that He says, "A new covenant ," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Love One Another
Rom 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
When we love one another as Jesus had loved us by dying on the cross for the remission of our sin, we have fulfilled the law.
Rev 4:3-4 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
Jasper - an aggregate of microgranular quartz is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red.
Sardine stone - sardion (Greek) from a root meaning "red", is a gem of a blood-red colour.
The colour of jasper and sardius stone is typically red which speaks for the blood of Jesus that was shed for our redemption.
The Love of God
Phi 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God... And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus gave up his divine privileges and humbly reincarnated as a man to save mankind. He was hung on the cross for the removal of our curses, His blood and death for our redemption and the stripes on His broken body for our healing.
The rainbow is a reminder of God's faithfulness in keeping His covenant.
Rev 4:5-6 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
God appeared before the Israelites on Mount Sinai accompanied by the appearance of lightnings, thunderings and voices.
The seven Spirits of God, or the seven lamps, or the Holy Spirit was given to Jesus in its entirety but to every Christian, it is poured out in measure in keeping with each calling.
