Revelation: In Heaven

Revelation: Righteousness by Faith

In Heaven

Revelation 4:1

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

The seven churches began with the temple in heaven. There we found Jesus walking among the seven lampstands. He was depicted as the Priest-King and as someone who walks among His church.
We are counted as if we are in heaven, but He is also with us through His Holy Spirit.
The seven seals, our next subject, begin no differently.
It again starts at the beginning and does not give us an orientation toward the world and its events, but toward heaven.
Here, a door was opened in heaven.
We also find this in the tabernacle. On one side, in the outer court, we find the base metal bronze, and here the offering was made.
But then in the temple itself, everything is made of gold, and ultimately we come to the throne of God Himself, the ark.
Paul referred to the tabernacle or temple here on earth as a symbol of what is in heaven:

Hebrews 9:9–11, 24
(9) which is symbolic for the present age. According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
(10) but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
(11) But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)...
(24) For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

If the golden tabernacle represents heaven, then it is not strange to think that the bronze outer court must represent the earth, where Jesus also made the offering for our sins.
Between this outer court and the tabernacle, there was also a door or veil:

Exodus 26:36–37
(36) “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.
(37) And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.”

Now, as it were, a door of heaven is opened for John, and he was told to come up. Then he would see things that must yet take place.
But before he would see the seven seals, he would get a glimpse into the heavenly tabernacle. No, he would even see the throne of God and the Lamb who has conquered.
From this perspective, we will need to interpret the seven seals. It must receive a heavenly orientation.
It will not concern an earthly tabernacle, an earthly Israel, an earthly Jerusalem, but a heavenly tabernacle, a heavenly Israel, and a heavenly city.
And everything that happens here on earth must be brought into the context of heaven, and not the other way around.
We must have a good understanding of what we will behold now in faith. This is the throne of the Most High, our Creator who stands far above all. When we hear this, it will be as if we are standing before that throne.
But we must not be proud and seek the highest place, for otherwise, we will see nothing of what God wants to show us.
The Revelation is for His servants.
John was told: "Come up here!"

Proverbs says:

Proverbs 25:6–7
(6) Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
(7) for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.