John’s First Glimpse into the Heavenly Realms, the Throne of God, and the Worship of Him Who Was, Who Is Being, and Who is Now Choosing to be Coming. John saw a door that had previously been opened by God and was remaining open. Jesus was calling John or commanding him to come up to His great Assembly and get His perspective of things, to come up before Him that he might understand how things function in the heavenly realms and how the spiritual impacts us in our natural realms.
Jesus commanded John to “come up here” but John still had to make a choice to obey this command. John then sees Jesus sitting on His throne—His seat of ultimate authority. The color of the throne alludes to both sacrifice and promise and reiterates the truth that He is the first and the last, the one who prophetically declares what will be and then ensures that it all comes to fruition, exactly as He said.
Surrounding the throne of God, John saw 24-thrones and 24-elders. The imagery describing these thrones and elders is composed of all the elements we were shown in the letters to the churches. This image of God’s heavenly council represents the full and complete witness of God to all of creation, the completed bride of Christ where the two nations, both Gentiles and Jews, become one in Christ while still retaining their unique differences.
Around the throne, there is also “something like a sea of glass”, like crystal, is an image of the cleansing of God’s Chosen ones, those who are even now overcoming, having been purified through judgment and fire.
