神的羔羊是配受稱頌的
啟示錄四章1至11節
1此後，我觀看，見天上有門開了。我初次聽見好像吹號的聲音，對我說：你上到這裡來，我要將以後必成的事指示你。
2我立刻被聖靈感動，見有一個寶座安置在天上，又有一位坐在寶座上。
3看那坐著的，好像碧玉和紅寶石；又有虹圍著寶座，好像綠寶石。
4寶座的周圍又有二十四個座位；其上坐著二十四位長老，身穿白衣，頭上戴著金冠冕。
5有閃電、聲音、雷轟從寶座中發出；又有七盞火燈在寶座前點著；這七燈就是神的七靈。
6寶座前好像一個玻璃海，如同水晶。寶座中和寶座周圍有四個活物，前後遍體都滿了眼睛。
7第一個活物像獅子，第二個像牛犢，第三個臉面像人，第四個像飛鷹。
8四活物各有六個翅膀，遍體內外都滿了眼睛。他們晝夜不住的說：聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！主神是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。
9每逢四活物將榮耀、尊貴、感謝歸給那坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠者的時候，
10那二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的面前敬拜那活到永永遠遠的，又把他們的冠冕放在寶座前，說：
11我們的主，我們的神，你是配得榮耀、尊貴、權柄的；因為你創造了萬物，並且萬物是因你的旨意被創造而有的。信息分享
這段經文描繪了天上的美麗景象，是我們每位信徒藉著神的恩典終可見到的。我們聽過不少關於信徒來到天堂的大門口，將會有誰出來迎迓的故事或笑話。然而，根據聖經的記載，曾經有幸瞥見天堂的人，他們第一眼看見的，並非甚麼大門或天使，而是坐在寶座上的基督。
約翰聽見有聲音呼喚他說：「你上到這裡來」。因此，當基督再來要接走屬祂的人時，神的兒女便會聽見基督的呼喚。我們透過聖經知道主會從天上降臨，發出大響聲，我們將會聽見祂說：「你上到這裡來」。這將是何等奇妙的一刻啊！
約翰除了看見坐在寶座上的基督，還看見甚麼呢？他看見活物和24位長老。按照一般的解釋，這24位長老是代表新約的教會。自五旬節成立教會的那一刻開始，教會這時便完結了他的任務，首次齊集在天上；而且，無論是早已離世上了天堂，抑或那些仍然在地上活著的信徒，如今都一同齊集在天上。
那24位長老把他們的冠冕放在基督的腳前。他們承認祂是惟一配得尊貴和稱頌的。聖經沒有詳述我們回天家之後，將會做些甚麼；然而，能夠面對面地與主見面，跟祂一起在天上同活，就已經是好得無比了。
那麼，按照神的計劃，祂下一步要對這世界採取甚麼行動呢？祂並非要藉著某一個國家來摧毀這個世界；反之，神要在祂所定的時間更新這個世界。但我們如今所等候的，乃是耶穌基督從天上降臨，將祂的新婦──教會──接到天上與祂一起。祂會何時再來呢？我們不知道。可是，祂隨時都有可能再來，所以，我們必須省察，看看自己有否聽從聖經的吩咐，有一顆時刻警醒和等候主的心。
WORTHY IS THE LAMB
Revelation 4:1-11
1 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.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”Message
This is a beautiful picture of heaven and of what we will all see one day by the grace of God. Here Christ is seen upon his throne. There are many stories and jokes about who will meet us at the gate of heaven. But whenever anyone has had a glimpse of heaven, the first sight that has met their eyes is Christ on his throne-not the gate, not the people, but Christ himself.
John heard a voice saying 'Come up higher'. So God's family will hear Christ's voice when he comes again and takes away his own. We read that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout and we will hear him say 'Come'. What a wonderful moment that will be.
What did John see in heaven after he had seen -Christ on the throne? He saw living creatures, or beings and 24 elders. It is usually thought that these 24 elders represent the church of the New Testament. The Church will be there complete for the first time since it began on the day of Pentecost and we will all be there-those who have already gone on to heaven and those who remain alive until Jesus Christ comes.
This group cast their crowns down at the feet of Jesus Christ. They recognised him as the one-the only one worthy of their-honour and praise. We are not told all that we will be doing when we get home to glory, but it will be wonderful to be in the presence of Christ and to share in heaven with him.
What is the next great event in God's program for this world? It is not the entire destruction of the world by one country or another. God will renew this world in his own time, but the next great event is the return of Jesus Christ from heaven to take all his church-his bride-to be in heaven with him. When will he come? Any day? Any time? It could be today. Are you watching and waiting for him as he told us to do?