RevELATION: Glimpses of Heaven’s Elation in the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is full of opposing supernatural realities. In this Book, we see heaven and hell, blessings and curses, rewards and punishments. We also see living creatures and beasts, angels and demons, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Antichrist, God’s eternal throne and His archenemy’s ultimate devastation.

Reading Revelation is perplexing and mind-boggling. It can fill us with joy one minute and horror the next. We endeavor to unwrap its mysteries; then we push it away in frustration. The greatest minds have labored at comprehending it. Many have become convinced of their position only to abandon it later. I am sure there must have been competing interpretations even since the day it was penned.

While I say this humbly, knowing others have different ideas, here’s what I believe: I believe we are in the End Times and that these times are about to conclude. I see a world convulsing as it gets pulled like a fish on the line toward a globalism owned by the Antichrist. Of course, this wickedness will end in catastrophe and the horrors of God’s wrath seen in Revelation.

And so, what about 2019? I believe this could be a very difficult year. I also believe the Holy Spirit can use hard times to toughen His people and make them overcomers. It behooves us to prepare. We can do many things to this end. One is to encourage ourselves and each other with our eternal hope in Jesus Christ. The devil’s goal is to keep us looking down, unable to see heaven’s realities. We must lift our eyes and see God and His Kingdom as they are – unshakable and victorious. When the Apostle John saw his vision, he saw just that.

Revelation IS a revelation, not just of prophetic schedules but of the realities of heaven. No matter how things unfold on earth, heaven pulsates with glorious triumph. This knowledge should infuse us with hope.

With this in mind, I want to begin my first blog post of 2019 in the Book of Revelation by helping you to peer into what I call the Elation of Revelation – RevELATION. Heaven throbs with unquenchable joy and worship. The Holy Spirit invites you, through the following Scriptures, to sit in on heaven’s exultation and even to participate. We can only taste it here, but one day soon, we who are God’s children will be there, filled with indescribable joy. So let’s just catch a glimpse, letting heaven speak for itself, and letting it awaken our hope. Here is RevELATION:

The four living creatures worshiping around heaven’s throne . . .

“Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." (Rev. 4:8b)

The 24 elders, casting their crowns before the throne . . .

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Rev. 4:11)

The 4 living creatures and 24 elders, singing a joyous new song before the Lamb (Jesus Christ) . . .

"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9-10)

Multiplied millions of angels jubilantly singing loudly around heaven’s throne. . .

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Rev. 5:12)

A great multitude of people before the throne and in front of the Lamb, crying joyously in a loud voice . . .

"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (Rev. 7:10)

All the angels around the throne again, now on their faces in passionate worship . . .

"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Rev. 7:12)

The twenty-four elders falling on their faces in worship . . .

"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” (Rev. 11:17)

A loud voice in heaven . . .

"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!” (Rev. 12:10-12a)

The victors who overcame the beast and his image, exuberantly singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb . . .

"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

(Rev. 15:3-4)

The rapturous roar of a great multitude in heaven . . .

"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! . . .” (Rev. 19:1-3a)

Another roar of a great multitude in heaven, this time like rushing waters and loud peals of thunder. . .

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:6-7)

Am throwing these in for good measure:

Then the angel said to me, "Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’" And he added, "These are the true words of God." (Rev. 19:9)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 22:1-5)

Wow!! Just think of the ecstatic joy ahead! I pray that no matter what 2019 brings in the earthly realm, we will keep our spiritual eyes and ears open to heaven’s jubilation. May this be a year of heaven reigning in our hearts. Yes, there will be trials, tribulations, and battles to fight. I pray, however, that we will stay attuned to heaven’s frequency, that this will infuse us with the Holy Spirit’s transporting joy!

I have a few selected Scriptures for you to look up and pray over concerning joy and rejoicing. Let’s surprise everyone, even ourselves, as we press into a new level of confidence and joy.

Scriptures: Isaiah 52:12, Acts 13:52, Rom. 5:2-5, Rom. 14:17, Rom. 15:13, Gal. 5:22, Phil. 4:4, Col. 1:11, 1 Thes. 1:6, 1 Pet. 1:8