Revelation
4-6; 21:1-7;
AMBS July 2002 Nelson Kraybill and Loren Johns
Parts: John, Voice, Four living creatures,
Mighty Angel, Elder
John: 4:1 After
this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard
speaking to me like a trumpet, said,
Voice: Come up here, and I will show you what must take place
after this.
John: 4:2 At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven
stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 4:3 And
the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is
a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4:4 Around the
throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four
elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 4:5 Coming
from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder,
and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven
spirits of God; 4:6 and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of
glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on
each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
4:7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an
ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth
living creature like a flying eagle. 4:8 And the four
living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and
inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
All sing HWB 120: ["Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord
God Almighty"]
John: 4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and
honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and
ever, 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the
throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns
before the throne, singing,
All sing: [Thou art worthy; thou art worthy; thou art worthy O
Lord,
To receive glory, glory and
honor, glory and honor and pow'r.
For thou hast created, hast
all things created,
Thou hast created all
things!
And for thy pleasure, they
are created, Thou art worthy, O Lord!]
John: 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on
the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven
seals; 5:2 and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice,
Mighty angel: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its
seals?"
John: 5:3 And no one in heaven or on
earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 5:4
And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll
or to look into it. 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me,
Elder: Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the
Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven
seals.
John: 5:6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living
creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out
into all the earth. 5:7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the
one who was seated on the throne.
5:8 When
he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders
fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense,
which are the prayers of the saints. 5:9 They sing a
new song:
All
say: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its
seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints
from every tribe and language and people and nation; 5:10 you have made them to
be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth."
John:
All sing: [1. Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb! (2X)
2. Glory, glory, glory to
his name! (2X)
3. Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord! (2X)
4. Praise him, praise him, praise him evermore! (2X)]
John:
All say: To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be
blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!
John:
Four creatures: Amen!
John: . . . and the elders fell down
and worshipped.
6:1 Then I saw the Lamb open
one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out,
as with a voice of thunder,
First creature: Come!
John: 6:2 I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had
a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.
6:3 When
he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out,
Second creature: Come!
John: 6:4 And out came another horse,
bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that
people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.
6:5 When
he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out,
Third creature: Come!
John: I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a
pair of scales in his hand, 6:6 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the
midst of the four living creatures saying,
Voice: A quart of wheat for a day's pay, and three quarts of
barley for a day's pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!
John: 6:7
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of
the fourth living creature call out,
Fouth creature: Come!
John: 6:8 I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its
rider's name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority
over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by
the wild animals of the earth.
6:9 When he opened the fifth
seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the
word of God and for the testimony they had given;
All cry: Sovereign
Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood
on the inhabitants of the earth?
John:
John:
John: the
sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,
All cry: Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated
on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb;
All sing HBW 562: [Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
God alone is enough!]
[pause]
John: 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 21:2
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
Voice: See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell
with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with
them; 21:4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed
away.
John: And the one who was seated
on the throne said,
Voice: "See, I am making all things new. . . It is done! I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will
give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 21:7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be
their God and they will be my children.
All sing HWB 616: ["Children of the heavenly Father"]
John:
Chorus: Amen, come Lord Jesus!
John: The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.