The Throne and the Lamb: Revelation 4-5

This Sunday, we stepped into what might be the most breathtaking scene in all of Scripture: the throne room of heaven. Pastor Dave reminded us that before Revelation gives us symbols, timelines, or battles, it pulls us into the center of everything — the throne where God reigns and the Lamb who is worthy.

John, the exiled apostle, is invited to “come up” — and what he sees stops him in his tracks. It’s not chaos. It’s not a war room. It’s not an emergency meeting in heaven trying to fix what’s broken. He sees a throne — and the throne is occupied. Thunder rolls. Lightning flashes. A rainbow encircles the throne. The sea — that ancient image of chaos — is glassy, still, transparent. Nothing stands between the Creator and His creation. No veil, no swirling disorder, no panic.

And that’s the center of it all:
There is a throne — and it is not empty.
There is a King — and He is not wringing His hands.
There is a plan — and it cannot fail.

John’s vision reminds us that God is not reactionary. He is not pacing the halls of heaven wondering how your story will work out. He reigns. Over kingdoms and time, over your heartbreak and your hope, over Monday mornings and midnight tears. There is a throne — and it is not yours. And that is the best news you will hear all week.

But the throne is not silent. It’s surrounded by unceasing worship. Day and night, the living creatures cry: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Around them, twenty-four elders — representing the people of God throughout all history — fall on their faces, casting down their crowns. They lay everything they have before the throne, because they know: nothing we hold compares to the One who holds us.

This isn’t polite worship. It’s not half-hearted humming. It’s not spiritual background music for when life is calm. This is thunderous, unstoppable, universe-shaking worship. Worship that doesn’t start with us — it starts with Him. His holiness. His worthiness. His power. His beauty. Worship is the only logical response to a God like this.

And yet the vision doesn’t stop at a throne. In Revelation 5, John sees a scroll — the scroll that holds God’s plan to judge evil, heal the world, and make all things new. But there’s a problem: no one is worthy to open it. And John breaks down in tears. Because if the scroll stays sealed, then evil wins. Justice never comes. Our suffering has no meaning. Hope stays buried.

But then an elder says, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of Judah has triumphed!” So John turns — expecting a roaring lion — but he sees a Lamb. Slain. Standing. The Lion is the Lamb. And the Lamb is worthy.

This is the gospel at the very center of the universe:
God’s power comes through sacrifice.
His victory is through the cross.
His worthiness is proven in wounds.
He conquers not by crushing but by being crushed for us.

And heaven erupts:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

The throne reminds us that God is sovereign. The Lamb reminds us that He is good. And together they draw forth a song that never stops.

So what does this mean for us — ordinary people trying to follow Jesus through fear, fatigue, and all our half-hearted worship?

It means you are not the center — and that’s a relief.
It means you can lay down your illusions of control — and bow before the One who truly holds your life.
It means you don’t have to earn your place before the throne — because the Lamb was slain so that dead people could be made alive.
It means our worship on earth is not just a Sunday activity — it’s an echo of the chorus that shakes the heavens right now.

When you sing in the car, when you pray in the dark, when you whisper thanks even when your heart is heavy — you are joining a song that started before you and will outlast you. You are aligning your life with the deepest reality in the universe: Jesus is worthy.

So as Pastor Dave reminded us: bring your fear, your failure, your questions, your distractions — bring it all before the throne. Bow low. Look up. And join the song.

There is a throne — and it is not empty.
There is a Lamb — and He is not silent.
There is a song — and it will never end.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.