Rev 4:1-2
John heard a voice telling him, “I will show you things which must take place after this.” These things were all recorded in the 7 seals, 7 bowls and 7 trumpets. We are often very interested in the things that must take place in the future, so we have a sense of urgency in trying to find out about them. We wonder which seal has been opened already. We wonder about the 7 trumpets. We try to speculate as to what the calamities and plagues that come with the 7 bowls will be like. But the Lord Jesus first allowed John to see a throne in heaven. v4 tells us that around the throne were 24 elders. v6 tells us that around the throne were four living creatures. v8-11 tell us the four living creatures and 24 elders were all together worshipping and praising the one on the throne. This scene was meant to depict worship in heaven. Not only chapter 4, but also chapters 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 19 depict the worship in heaven. All in all, if we were to count, there’re 7 records of the heavenly worship in heaven. Each worship has a different special point. The heavenly worship depicted in chapter 19 is the hallelujah chorus, which can be said to be the epitome of the worship in heaven. If we were to have a comprehensive look at the service devoted, we can have a full understanding of the worship in heaven. This is an important point of emphasis in heaven. The crux in the book of revelation isn’t in the 7 seals, 7 bowls and 7 trumpets, because there’re hidden mysteries behind them. Even when some of these mysteries are explained today, we may not understand them. Actually it doesn’t quite matter that we don’t, when the time comes, all these mysteries will automatically be revealed and we will come to understand. When that time comes, we will automatically understand what these mysteries refer to. The crux of the book of Revelation is hence not in the 7 seals, bowls and trumpets, but in the 7 churches. Because all the problems recorded in the 7 churches will also surface in the true church today. We see some people have fallen in these matters regarding the 7 churches. But others have been victorious in these matters. We remember what the Lord Jesus said - only he who overcomes will be given the fruit in paradise; only he who overcomes will be given the crown of life; only he who overcomes will be able to die and rise again.

The words of the Lord are very clear that only he who overcomes can be saved. If we are not one who overcomes/are victorious, just understanding the mysteries won’t bring us salvation. The crux of the book of Revelation is hence that we understand the problems the 7 churches face. At the same time we ought to seek to be victorious over these problems.

Another important emphasis in the book of Revelation is the heavenly worship. It’s important for us to understand what the heavenly worship is like, and what its context is. This is more important than seeking to understand the mysteries behind the 7 bowls, seals and trumpets. Because these mysteries are not eternal in themselves. There’ll come a time they come to pass. But the heavenly worship is eternal and will continue in the future. Lord Jesus instructed John to record this heavenly worship. This is to help us reflect on whether our own worship on earth is like the heavenly worship. The Lord Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer taught us to say, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

The worship in heaven is done according to the word of God. If the worship we have on earth is not similar to that in heaven, then it’s not in accordance to the will of God and won’t be pleasing to Him. Therefore our worship on earth must be like the worship in Heaven.

There’re a few points we need to understand from the heavenly worship and seek to emulate.

1. See that there is a door standing open in heaven

Rev 4:1
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.”

Only when the heavenly door is open can we see the glory in heaven. At that time, John was persecuted and placed in exile on the island of Patmos because he held fast to his faith. He led a life of solitude. He was unable to be with his family members and church members. He was only able to mingle with the unfriendly prisoners at that time. Looking out, he could only see the seas around him. He could see no way out. In such an environment, God allowed him to see a door to heaven. As a result, his vision switched from looking at things on earth to things of heaven. If John just looked at things on earth, he would be disappointed and worried. But he was moved by the spirit to see the heavenly door; to see the glory of God and the multitude of angels and saints worshipping God. One day he would join them in such a place to worship and he would be with God forever. In such a case, why would he even bother with the difficulties and sufferings he was facing on earth?

2 Cor 4:17-18
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In suffering, the believers only saw problems. They might ask, “Why are there afflictions? Why am I allowed to suffer in tears?” But Paul was able to see the answers even in the midst of suffering. He said, “All these afflictions are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” We often see the affliction which is before us but we do not see what will be fulfilled for us in the future. If there is no labour now, how can there be achievement in the future? Every athlete would want to win the gold medal. But the training they have to undergo is very laborious. Some people are unable to take it and give up. But some do not give up. Some take things lightly and go through the motions. But others put in the effort to continue to train because they know that the affliction for now is only temporary and is a relatively light affliction. These athletes know what they’re going to receive in the future is far weightier. The glory to receive in the future is so weighty, the entire nation will sing and clap for you. But even the glory the athletes hope to receive is temporary. Whereas the glory we will receive is eternal. Should we not hold on to our faith and try even harder than these athletes?

Perhaps we need a predicament like John. Perhaps we might suffer and be on a sickbed for a long time. Perhaps our entire lives are spent in solitude and we’re always lonely. In such times whether in physical suffering or solitude, turn our vision from the earth to heaven. We must see this door in heaven open. How’re we going to see this door in heaven open? It shouldn’t be to ask God to show us a vision to see this but to open the door of our hearts. So the eyes of our hearts can see the door of heaven open, just like Abraham who saw a better heavenly home. That made him willing to just be a sojourner. Because of that he wasn’t bothered by the light affliction on earth. We must be like Abraham to hold fast to the faith right to the end. So while we are still alive in this physical/visible world, we’re able to live a life believing in the invisible. This is the faith that overcomes the world.

2. We must come right before the Lord

Rev 4:1
A voice said to John, “Come up here.” John saw a door standing open in heaven. But if he did not listen to these words of the Lord when He said to come up, he wouldn’t have been able to see all the glory and joys behind the door of heaven. So not only do we need to see the door of heaven open, we also have to listen to the words of the Lord.

John was lifted up to the Lord in the spirit. Today we may not be lifted up in a vision to the Lord. But our spirituality should be lifted to where the Lord is. Just like the opening Hymn 395:
I’m pressing on the upward way,
new heights I’m gaining everyday /
Lord, lift me up and let me stand
by faith, on heaven’s table land,
a higher plane than I have found;
Lord plant my feet on higher ground

Only when standing on a higher ground can we see more clearly and see heaven more closely. Have we lifted up our spiritual lives to higher ground? Worship services, reading the Bible and prayer can be said to be our daily habits. But our spiritual state may not have moved and is still in the same place; our spiritual state may not have been uplifted to higher ground.

Higher ground is where the Lord is. There’s nowhere on earth higher. Ask ourselves whether our relationship with the Lord is closer. Is our image one step more like the Lord; are we one step closer to being closer to the matters of the Lord?

In our entire worship we hence ought to seek to improve ourselves to where the Lord is. Let us not just seek to always get to a higher ground on earth. We must seek the higher ground in heaven. Because the largest issue one must handle in life is the end of our lives - where our souls go to after death. We won’t receive any answers from men. There’re some western philosophers who say this, some eastern philosophers who say that. They will say that what they say is the truth. But there’s only one version of the truth. There’s no way 2 different answers are right. If 2 different answers are deemed to be truth, who actually has the absolute truth? Only what the Lord Jesus has said is the absolute truth because He is the true God in heaven who came down to earth to save men. He is the absolute truth. He is the eternal life. He is the way of salvation. No one can come to the Father except through Him. So when Jesus was preaching on earth, He kept on calling out to people to come to Him. The Lord said, “He who labours and is heavy laden, come to Me, and I will give you rest. He who comes to Me, on the Last Day, I will raise you up.”

We must come to the Lord. Only then can we have the absolute answer to the issue of the end of life.

How are we able to go to the Lord?
John 5:39-40
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

The Lord Jesus tells us that we must search the Scriptures, because it is the Scriptures that bears testimony of the Lord. Through the Scriptures we can understand who Jesus indeed is. We can understand how we ought to go forward on the way to eternal life. But Jesus said, “You are not willing to come to Me.” We should reflect on His words. Is the objective of our lives to receive money or to receive life? If we want to receive money, we ought to go to the world. There’s so much money in the world. If you have talent and ability, you’d be able to make money. But today with the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, even if we have money, we may not be able to access it. We might be someone with a network to millions, but what can it do to save our lives? This crisis allows us to reflect on our lives. After it’s over, would we still spend so much effort to earn money? Or will we realise that the objective of life is not to earn money? What is the true objective of life? It is to receive life. When our physical lives come to an end, are we able to go to where the Lord is? If we want to receive life, we must go to where the Lord is. We are so willing to spend our time to go here and there. But we are unwilling to spend more time to go to where the Lord is. So much so that we don’t even have time to go to where the Lord is. As a result we drift further and further away from the Lord. With the Circuit Breaker in place, isn’t it an opportunity where we have a lot more time to spend with the Lord? Perhaps our relationship with our families has become colder because we have been busy with work. Isn’t this a good opportunity to rebuild our relationships now?

The Circuit Breaker where we have to stay home is not a punishment but a measure taken to protect us and avert further disaster. All the more, it’s a lesson we can learn from. A lesson where we can learn to improve our relationship with the Lord and our family members. So that we no longer murmur and grumble against each other but overcome this challenge before us.

The Circuit Breaker keeping us home is also not intended to keep us bored. Rather it is to temporarily suspend the busyness in our lives, so we can quieten our hearts and reflect on the salvation of our souls. When our lives come to an end, are we able to enter the heavenly kingdom with the Lord?

The heavenly worship tells us that we must see the door in heaven open in the spirit. In our worship, lift up our spiritual state to be able to go where the Lord is. If our worship can be like this heavenly worship, then when we end our worship on earth, the heavenly worship will surely be a place for us to continue.