神的羔羊是配受称颂的
启示录四章1至11节
1此后，我观看，见天上有门开了。我初次听见好像吹号的声音，对我说：你上到这里来，我要将以后必成的事指示你。
2我立刻被圣灵感动，见有一个宝座安置在天上，又有一位坐在宝座上。
3看那坐着的，好像碧玉和红宝石；又有虹围着宝座，好像绿宝石。
4宝座的周围又有二十四个座位；其上坐着二十四位长老，身穿白衣，头上戴着金冠冕。
5有闪电、声音、雷轰从宝座中发出；又有七盏火灯在宝座前点着；这七灯就是神的七灵。
6宝座前好像一个玻璃海，如同水晶。宝座中和宝座周围有四个活物，前后遍体都满了眼睛。
7第一个活物像狮子，第二个像牛犊，第三个脸面像人，第四个像飞鹰。
8四活物各有六个翅膀，遍体内外都满了眼睛。他们昼夜不住的说：圣哉！圣哉！圣哉！主神是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者。
9每逢四活物将荣耀、尊贵、感谢归给那坐在宝座上、活到永永远远者的时候，
10那二十四位长老就俯伏在坐宝座的面前敬拜那活到永永远远的，又把他们的冠冕放在宝座前，说：
11我们的主，我们的神，你是配得荣耀、尊贵、权柄的；因为你创造了万物，并且万物是因你的旨意被创造而有的。信息分享
这段经文描绘了天上的美丽景象，是我们每位信徒借着神的恩典终可见到的。我们听过不少关于信徒来到天堂的大门口，将会有谁出来迎迓的故事或笑话。然而，根据圣经的记载，曾经有幸瞥见天堂的人，他们第一眼看见的，并非甚么大门或天使，而是坐在宝座上的基督。
约翰听见有声音呼唤他说：「你上到这里来」。因此，当基督再来要接走属祂的人时，神的儿女便会听见基督的呼唤。我们透过圣经知道主会从天上降临，发出大响声，我们将会听见祂说：「你上到这里来」。这将是何等奇妙的一刻啊！
约翰除了看见坐在宝座上的基督，还看见甚么呢？他看见活物和24位长老。按照一般的解释，这24位长老是代表新约的教会。自五旬节成立教会的那一刻开始，教会这时便完结了他的任务，首次齐集在天上；而且，无论是早已离世上了天堂，抑或那些仍然在地上活着的信徒，如今都一同齐集在天上。
那24位长老把他们的冠冕放在基督的脚前。他们承认祂是惟一配得尊贵和称颂的。圣经没有详述我们回天家之后，将会做些甚么；然而，能够面对面地与主见面，跟祂一起在天上同活，就已经是好得无比了。
那么，按照神的计划，祂下一步要对这世界采取甚么行动呢？祂并非要借着某一个国家来摧毁这个世界；反之，神要在祂所定的时间更新这个世界。但我们如今所等候的，乃是耶稣基督从天上降临，将祂的新妇──教会──接到天上与祂一起。祂会何时再来呢？我们不知道。可是，祂随时都有可能再来，所以，我们必须省察，看看自己有否听从圣经的吩咐，有一颗时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?