Tag: throne

Seven Horns And Seven Eyes (Revelation 5)

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

By the time we reach Revelation chapter five John is writing in greater detail all of the glory unfolding in the throne room of God. The door to heaven was opened and the revelator was called through it by the trumpeting voice of the Lord. The theories and wildly different views on the book and it’s meaning for the modern Christian seem to become more prominent in this chapter as well. Let’s briefly work our way through some of the challenging sections. 

Seven Seals 

First, in the opening lines we read of a scroll with writing on the front and back. This seems to indicate that there was much to be revealed as scrolls were typically written on one side only. 

Some have taken the seven seals to mean seven different scrolls, but the text only indicates one scrolls with seven wax seals holding it together. 

Over the years scholars have debated the contents of the scroll, but Jesus could break the seals (5.3-4). While there are several opinions about what was contained on the scroll, it’s best seen as the final will for the affairs of the universe. As vague and frustrating as that may sound, there’s simply no textual evidence to assume otherwise. In ancient Rome it was common to have government wills and classified documents protected by seven seals. To open such an important scroll required a high ranking individual. 

A Mighty Angel 

Calling out in a loud voice the angel asks, “who can open the scroll?” John begins to weep. If this mighty angel is searching for someone worthy, surely there’s not another who could possibly open it. 

The Lamb With Seven Eyes & Seven Horns 

The lamb which is representing Christ here is depicted as having features not normally seen on these animals. Seven eyes, which symbolize God’s all seeing eye. Then there are the seven horns, representing God’s ultimate power. The number seven was God’s number and it represents perfection and completion. The seven spirits, then, indicating the fullness and completeness of God. 

Who can open the seals? Only Jesus with His perfect power and foresight is able to open this one. Revelation is the great revealing of Christ, and Christ is the only One able to reveal it’s secrets. 

The book in it’s entirety has a message from God for us, but we must be sure to understand His revelation— not man’s. 

A Door In The Sky & The Trumpet Of His Voice 

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

Revelation 1.3 

To prepare the mind for the door and the trumpet of chapter 4, let’s review the Revelator’s response. 

John Is Literally Paralyzed By Fear  

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid.I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”  1.17

The Trumpet Of His Voice 

“On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet..” 1.10 

“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 4.1 

Let’s take a second to appreciate this window into the heavenly realm. These precious details should make you hunger for more. 

Let’s Speculate For A Moment 

Roman cornu found at Pompeii, Public domain

While the “trumpet” is used metaphorically, there’s a particular kind of trumpet that John may have been thinking of. It’s called the Roman Cornu. 

This brass signal trumpet was around nine feet long, curved into a “G” shape, and supported by a crossbar. Recently, two of these horns were found by archeologists in the ruins of Pompeii. 

These trumpets were used to direct Roman troops on the Roman battlefield. One military strategist by the name Vegetius said, 

“The rules (given by blowing the horn) must be punctually observed in all exercises and reviews so that the soldiers may be ready to obey them in action without hesitation according to the general’s orders either to charge or halt, to pursue the enemy or to retire.”

A trumpet that could be heard over the din of battle? That had to be loud. 

Click hear to listen to a short example of a perfect replica of a Cornu horn being blown. It’s loud, exciting, and terrifying. 

That’ll raise the hair on your neck. 

Traveling Through The Door In The Sky 

The voice of the Lord was like that of trumpet, and it was calling John to come through a door in the sky (4.1). 

We read that John was in the Spirit in Revelation 1.10, but something else seems to be going on here. This is a new experience and even with the help of Inspiration, it’s difficult to describe in a  limited human language. 

Did John’s body travel through the door as well? That’s anybody’s guess and while on earth— a concrete answer is impossible to find. 

Paul hardly even tried to describe his journey into the spiritual world as descriptive terms don’t seem to do it justice (2 Cor. 12.1-4). 

The Meaning Of The Door 

Was it a portal? Did it have hinges and a knocker? Was it floating? 

Before the imagination runs wild, let’s look at a couple of the practical points. 

  1. The door, while both symbolic and physical in some respects, represents perspective. John is stranded on an island, but God gives him another vantage point. Seeing things from a spiritual high place can help reorient ourselves. How does God see our lives? What does the church look like from up there? That’s what Revelation 1-3 is all about. 
  2. There’s a plan being worked out behind the veil of eternity. Just like Job suffered without knowing the details (Job 1), we can take comfort in the fact that things down here always go according to His plan. 

While the details aren’t as colorful as we would like them to be, here’s 3 important facts He would want us to remember. 

  1. There’s definitely a way into heaven. 
  2. God’s the only one who can open that door. 
  3. We should focus on preparing our souls to step across that final threshold. 

If you couldn’t confidentially walk into His throne room right now, that should be your number one concern. 

“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

Ephesians 3.12