A Closer Walk
The Apostle John was granted a view of the heavenly realm in the Book of Revelation. "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.' Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance...And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and peals of thunder...And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come,'" Revelation 4:1-5, and 8 NASB.
First, we get a sense that the Apostle was grappling with the complete and total inadequacy of human language to express what he was being shown. How marvelous this experience must have been for John. We can easily imagine that he just stood there in amazement and awe. At the same time it must have been utterly overwhelming. But from this passage we learn some wonderful things. Heaven is a real place. Not a fairy tale or a myth. But a real place. In heaven there is a throne. And on this throne sits a being. Day and night this being is described as Holy; and not just holy, but Holy, Holy, Holy. He who sits on the throne is referred to as the Lord God, and the Almighty.
"And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, To receive glory and honor and power; For thou didst create all things, And because of Thy will they existed, and were created,'" Revelation 4:9-11 NASB. Our God is not only Holy, Holy, Holy, but He is worthy to receive all glory and honor and thanks. In fact, He is so worthy to receive glory and honor and thanks that the twenty-four elders fall down before Him and will worship Him, and cast their crowns before His throne.
"And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?'...And I saw..a Lamb standing, as if slain...And He came, and He took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And when He had taken the book the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb...And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; For Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; And they will reign upon the earth,'” Revelation 4:6-10 NASB.
Worthy is the Lamb! Besides God Almighty, the only being in heaven worthy enough to take the book, break its seals, and open it was the Lamb. Further, this Lamb did purchase for God with His blood, people from every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. Worthy is the Lamb indeed!
Jesus, the Lamb of God, whose resurrection we celebrated on Easter, had a purpose in leaving His rightful place in heaven and coming to earth. John the Baptist phrased it very well. "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" John 1:29 NASB. The Lamb of God! Indeed!