LECTURE IV
THE CHURCH TRANSLATED-"ROUND ABOUT THE THRONE" 4:1-11 We have seen, in our introductory lecture, that the book of Revelation falls logically into three main divisions, as out lined in 1:19. We have already considered the first vision of the glorified Son of Man, to which the risen Lord referred when He said to John, "Write the things which thou hast seen." We have observed that in chapters two and three the inspired writer gives us an outline view of all church history, from Pentecost to the translation of the church. And now we are ready to study about "the things which shall be here after"; that is, after the church meets the Lord "in the air." This is the subject of the third main division of the book, and it covers chapters four to twenty-two. In this series of studies we shall use these words of our risen Lord as the general theme of each lesson on this third and last division of this prophecy-"the things which shall be hereafter." Again, even a casual reading of this section will reveal definite sub-divisions of this remarkable portion of God's prophetic Word. These we shall try to present in sep arate lectures, seeking to follow the Holy Spirit's orderly unfolding of the startling events which are to begin to run their course after the church has been caught up to be with Christ. Before we consider in some detail chapter four, which is our lesson for today, let us try to get a bird's-eye-view of this division of the book. To do this we need to read the section as a whole. First we see the door "opened in heaven"; and we hear a voice, saying, "Come up hither," a remarkable prophecy of our Lord's call for His church at the rapture. The description of His glory, His throne, and His redeemed ones "round about the throne" creates within us an increased long ing for His soon return. This chapter we shall study today. But let us go on in our outline view of these remarkable
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