Supreme Headquarters

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

Rev 4:2-3

John is allowed to see into heaven. The first thing he saw was a great throne and someone sitting on it. He was suddenly in Supreme Headquarters! Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, I took a ship to Hawaii. I went there while the battleships were still lying wrecked and joined the paint crew of an organization responsible for building facilities all over the islands for the Navy. One day I was assigned to paint Admiral Nimitz's office, the Commander-in-Chief's headquarters of the Pacific. I remember with what awe I entered that office. It was impressive to realize that here the Admiral with his captains actually were planning the events of the war. I was impressed and awed to be permitted into that secluded area. But that pales in comparison with what John must have felt when he found himself in the control center of the universe!

The first thing John saw was a throne. That throne is a central theme of the book of Revelation. It is very important to remember that behind all human events is the government of God. This runs directly contrary to the thought and spirit of the age in which we live. The fact that there is a throne means there are absolutes which cannot be altered or changed. They are guaranteed by the authority of the throne! There are scientific absolutes, and scientists have to work around these. They must discover the laws of what they are doing. There are also moral absolutes which cannot be altered, no matter how far society drifts from these standards. God maintains and enforces them constantly by the authority of his throne. John saw, too, that the throne was occupied. Someone was sitting on it. Immediately our expectations are heightened by that. At last we are going to find out what God looks like! Have you ever wondered what God looks like?

What John sees are simply colors — colored lights, flashing like jewels — burning, flashing, pure colors. No one could ever describe God's features, for God is more than a man. He manifests himself in these wonderfully significant colors, and they are full of meaning. The first one is jasper, which is really a diamond, the most beautiful of all gems because of its ability to capture light and flash it in brilliant displays of color. This reflects the dominant attribute of God the Father: his holiness, his perfection. The second stone is the carnelian, which is blood red in color — a glowing, beautiful, blood-red stone. This immediately suggests the Son and his willingness to shed his blood on our behalf, which is the wonder of the ages. He is the Lamb of God, slain from before the foundation of the world. The third color is the emerald. John saw a great rainbow circling the throne, green as an emerald. Green is the color of nature, of creation. This rainbow, with various shades of green circling the throne, speaks of the Holy Spirit administering the holiness and the redemption of God to all creation. It is a promise of grace in the midst of storm.

Thank you Father, that you are seated on the throne of heaven. Help me to trust that you are sovereign and rule over all, even when I cannot see it. Amen.