A Heavenly Scene This chapter is like a "heavenly scene" which inflames the heart of the Church. In spite of what she suffers of hardships, feelings of weakness and disgrace, her share is the Holy Trinity who is glorified by the celestials. For that reason the Apostle saw: 1. The open Heaven 1. 2. The divine throne 2-3. 3. What is around the divine throne 4-9. 1. The Open Heaven "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying: "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this"[1]. "After this," is often repeated, and it does not mean succession of time, but it means that he moved to a new vision. We find that some successive visions talk about one period of time in various visions for assurance, and clarification, or to reveal an aspect different from the preceding one. He concluded describing the state of the churches by the closed door in the face of the Lord, while the Lord is decided not to depart, but insists on knocking and soliciting the soul to open her heart for Him to enter and dine with her. We find that the Lord reveals to us that the gate of heaven is always "opened" in front of us. All those who ascend to Him, enter from that gate and will know the mystery of God's love for mankind, and realize the amount of glory which is prepared for him. Thus, his soul longs to empty herself of all that is earthly to be concerned only with the celestials. But who is the one who sees the highest heavens open? John who is exiled in Patmos; Jacob who ran away from his brother Esau (Gen. 28:12-13), Ezechiel the captive (Ez. 1:1), Stephen lying to be stoned (Acts 7). In the middle of tribulations and hardships, God reveals to the soul His comforting power that she may rejoice and find pleasure. What is the opened heaven? Bishop Victorianus says: [The open door in heaven is the New Testament. It is wide open, for the Lord Jesus went up to the Father in heaven with His humanity]. The Lord went up to heaven as a conqueror and victor and as St. Ambrose1, states that the Lord went up ornamented with wonderful benefits; for who enters there is not one person but all the believers in the Person of the Savior. For this reason, the Lord never stops blowing the trumpet very loudly calling "come up.” 2. The Divine Throne. "Immediately I was in the Spirit,: and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne" [2]. No sooner did the Lord pronounce the word "come up," then the Apostle was "in the Spirit.” Hence every soul that listens to the call of the Lord, will ascend immediately 1 The author: The Divine Love, p. 727-29 (in Arabic). 10 regardless of the ties and heaviness of the body. And what did the prophet see? He saw a throne and upon it sits, "The Glorified God." And because of the magnificence of His majesty he did not know how to call God, so he called Him, "One sat on..." and this what Isaiah (6:1), and Daniel (7:3) had done. No one could call God by a name for He is extremely dazzling. Before we get involved in the details of what the Apostle saw, it is worthy to stop, meditate on, and be amazed at the wonderful works of God. What he saw has shadows, symbols and similarities in the Old Testament; in the tabernacle, and the temple of Solomon etc. And we find it in conformity with the church in the New Testament, for she is the pledge of heaven! 1- The Apostle saw a throne in heaven and upon the throne "One sat on...” This picture had a certain significance in the past. The tabernacle in the Holy of Holies indicated the presence of God, but today we are enjoying the pledge. An altar is erected in our midst where the crucified Lord is sitting, and we eat His Body and drink His precious Blood. 2- He saw seven golden lamps of fire encountering the seven lamps of the candelabrum of the past. Now we use the candlestands in front of the Lord's altar, because He in fact is in our midst. 3- He saw in heaven, a sea of glass [6] in front of which is a sea of brass (1 Chro. 7:23). And today we have baptism, without which no man can have adoption, inherit the kingdom or behold it! 4- In heaven there are twenty-four presbyters, a celestial priesthood. Today God chooses His priests who offer incense and prayers in His name! 5- Four Living Creatures carry the throne, and in front of them the Cherubim giving shade to the tabernacle. Today the Church carries the four gospels, takes them up to His throne, and offers them to Him as a holy bride. 6- In heaven the Apostle heard hymns of Moses, and the Lamb, the Trisagion, and many other hymns. The church does not stop singing all these hymns everyday, and even some of them every hour of the “Canonical Hours,” such as the Trisagion, for she does not cease participating with the celestials in their hymns. 7- And what would we say about the golden censers, the white robes, the temple and the altar, etc. I would sincerely say those who live in the true Church, the apostolic church of Christ, as our fathers did, will not find heaven with its hymns and all that is in it strange for them, because while they were here they tasted, experienced, saw, heard and enjoyed the pledge of what will be the state, later up there. Let us return again to Him who sits on the throne to see: "And He Who sat there was like a jasper and a sardines stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald" [3]. As the seer was dazzled, he could not express himself and used the words “like,” “as if,” or “same as.” He used these similes to express what preoccupies him as closely as he could. a) He saw the Lord as jasper and sardine stone, the first and last two precious stones that mounted the front vest of the high priest (Exod. 28:17-20). These stones point out to the tribes, as though God puts on His breast the smallest man and the largest man. 11 All humanity is kept in His heart, for it is the work of His hands. b) Jasper is extremely transparent, and it is the symbol of God's glory (Rev. 21:11). It shows His dazzling holiness and the simplicity of His love for human beings. He will not bear a grudge against man, nor does He like revenge. The sardine (stone) is red like fire, and indicates His fear and His justice. The rainbow surrounds the throne from every side. Wherever we meet with God, we see the covenant binding Him with man (Gen. 9). He always desires to reconcile all people with Himself. As the apostle says, "as if God preaches through us: be reconciled with God.” This rainbow has many colors, declaring God’s goodness and gifts which He bestows on His children. And it is as a bow, pointing to the bow used in war to defend us, yet without an arrow, because he does not like blood shedding; with it we conquer sin and tread upon Satan. This bow is like emerald, which is on the high priest’s vest, and points to the tribe of the Levites. This bow that surrounds the Lord points to His priestly work interceding for us through the honored Blood. The emerald is inclined to be green, and is not affected by the sun nor by the shade, and its greenish shade gives calmness and joy to the soul. Even Niro was putting it in front of him while he was persecuting the Christians, so that his feelings would not be affected. In the same way, every time our sight is lifted up to the throne, our souls calm down, are filled with peace, and we understand His evergreen in His work for us. 3. What is around the Divine Throne "And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four presbyters (elders) sitting clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal" [4-6]. John the apostle saw: 1- Twenty-four presbyters: The word “presbyter” in the Greek text means the priestly work. For this reason, and since the first centuries, the Church has never disagreed with their regard, but understood the height of their position as a heavenly and priestly host. Therefore, she arranged a special memorial feast and doxologies, or hymns of praise for them, and put them in a special rank among the heavenly hosts, after the four Living Creatures. But very lately when the idea of taking the Church up before the time of the apostate, and the apparition of the Antichrist started to appear, some started to try to confirm this thought by assuring that the twenty-four elders are the carried up Church. Moreover, they assume that what they do in heaven is the work of the Church, at the time of being taken up until her return with the Lord to reign for a thousand years on earth1. Some of our brothers the Protestants do not accept this way of thinking. As an example Rev. Ibrahim Said says2 that some see them as angels from an excellent party 1 T. Binns: The Revelation, translated by the Brethren's Meeting, p. 86, 87 (in Arabic). 2 Commentary on the Revelation, vol. 2, p. 26, 27 (in Arabic). 12 who lead worshipping in the heavenly holies, especially that John the Apostle addresses one of them saying, "My Lord" (Rev. 7:14). He calls the angels elders as in (Isaiah 24:23). We can feel their position in the early Church from what St. Cyril of Jerusalem has said about them, [The Fathers commanded that all Christians should keep their memorial, for what they have seen of their dignity and high glory. Those are the incorporeal, for they are close to God who controls everything, and they are always in front of Him, interceding for all the creation, crying together with the four Living Creatures saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” Great is their glory in the Lord’s sight, more than the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs and the saints. For all these are born from human seed, but those spiritual priests are heavenly, they do not have bodies defiled by sin like the human beings... How honorable is this rank they deserved! For while the angels and all the rest of the heavenly orders are standing in front of the just Judge; those are sitting on luminous thrones, wearing royal garments. On their heads there are crowns of honor, and in their hands golden censers filled with the prayers of the saints. They embrace golden bowls, kneeling in front of the true Lamb, and asking Him for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind! They do not cease praising and rejoicing in front of the Lord of Hosts together with the four Living Creatures...] Yet we should not, as St. Ambrose1 says, think of the thrones and sitting on them in a materialistic way; for it is only to express the highness of their dignity and happiness. As for the white robes, Ibn-el-Assal says that these robes point to their splendor, their glory, their righteousness and their holiness. Bishop Victorianus believes that these presbyters are heavenly beings, and at the same time they symbolize the prophets of the Old Testament who surround the Lord. They prophesy His incarnation, His sufferings, His crucifixion, His resurrection and His ascension... I shall come back to the twenty-four presbyters more than once through this book. 2- Lightnings, thunderings and voices coming out of the throne: We should not understand their coming out of the throne in a materialistic way, for God shines on us with His heavenly promises which are the purpose of His word and its essence... The great promises that He declares through the Holy Spirit to the soul. This is followed by tears of repentance and the thunder of the contrite heart. God's promises or His word are like lightning that people see in the preacher's life before it thunders on his tongue. The thunder points to the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. He rebukes him, shakes his rejection and smashes his pride. Once the heart had thundered, crying to the Lord, the believer hears "voices" coming out of the throne. It is the voices of tenderness and love of God, revealed on the mouth of His priest: "The Lord has removed your sin from you.” All this takes place in the Church by the Holy Spirit. That is why the Apostle saw in front of the throne “there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits of God” 1 Of the Christian Faith, 5:73. 13 [5]. It is the Spirit of God that illuminates the Church and works in her through the seven sacraments, so that she may be reconciled with God and obtain the eternal glory. All that will not be realized except through baptism, therefore he says: 3- "And in front of the throne, a sea of glass like crystal." The symbol ended, the shadow vanished, and "the brazen basin and the brazen sea" (Exod. 30:18-20, 1 Chro. 7:39) do not exist any more. Now we are given "baptism," with which we get the adoption, and without which we do not cross to the divine throne. For in front of Him it is as a sea of glass like crystal, and without it no one can see the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Bishop Victorianus says that this sea points to "baptism" and everyone who desires to meet the One who is sitting on the throne, has to wade through it, so that the grace of God penetrates his soul to get him prepared for the kingdom. As for being like crystal, it is appropriate for the baptized to be firm and steady. It is like a sea of glass, for the radiation of the One sitting on the throne, luminous as the sun, reflexes on those who enter it. Thus he is illuminated by the Lord, and puts on Christ. It is like crystal which gives the colors of the spectrum when the rays of the sun fall on it, and gives to the baptized different kinds of gifts and virtues. They gather together to become transparent as the sun's rays. In the same way, the baptized believers gather together with different kinds of gifts and virtues giving a beautiful picture of One Christ, Holy and Pure. The most apparent colors of the spectrum which appear through the crystal are: a- The red color; for by baptism we are purified from all our sins by the blood of Jesus. b- The green color; we also bear by baptism many green fruits and numerous blessings. c- The blue color: by baptism we also become heavenly, as St. Macaruis the Great1 says, [God sends here His light, energetic, and heavenly Spirit who brings out the soul emerged in the water of sin. He makes her light, and lifts her up on His wings towards heaven]. 4 - The Four Living Creatures "And around the throne, were four Living Creatures.” It is delightful for the soul to talk about this heavenly rank, for it is talking about the divine vehicle that carries the divine throne. They are the two ranks of the Cherubim and the Seraphim, to whom the Church always requests their intercession, and celebrates their feast on the 8th of Hatour. It is a memorial feast and the Church calls them, "The incorporeal carriers of God's vehicle2.” a- Their honor: St. John Chrysostom says of them: [I tell you my dear children that nothing is like them in honor, neither in heaven nor on earth, because they are carrying God's throne, and they cannot look at the face of the Eternal Living One. They are created of light and fire. They are very strong and powerful. They appeal to God for the forgiveness of sins of mankind, and for having pity 1 The author: The Divine Love, p. 85. 2 Doxology of the four incorporeal Living Creatures. 14 on them... The prophet Isaiah saw their glory and spoke of their honor (6:1-3). The prophet Ezechiel as well saw their glory and spoke of their honor (1:4-28). Also David, the great and the father of the prophets, and the father of Christ in flesh, saw the honor of those spiritual creatures and spoke of their glory in the psalm saying, "He bowed the heavens and came down; and darkness was under His feet. And He ascended upon the cherub and He flew; He flew upon the wings of the winds" (Ps. 18:9,10).] b- Without thrones or crowns like the presbyters, for God is their crown and they are His chariot. c- "Full of eyes around and within" [6]. Ibn-el- Assal states that they point to their understanding of the present and future mysteries which the Lord reveals to them. d- "Each of them has six wings.” As we praise the Lord saying1, [You are the One around whom stands the Cherubim and the Seraphim, six wings to one and six wings to the other. With two wings they cover their faces, with two they cover their legs, and they fly with two. With a voice full of glory, they shout one in front of the other, sending the praise of victory and of our salvation.] Thus, it is proper for the priest to be like them; covering his face with modesty and tremblence and his legs with hope and trust. His heart being full of love, and singing before the Lord who is slain on our behalf. St. Chrysostom advises us saying, [I, your father, John the poor, ask you my dear children the priests and the deacons not to approach the altar when you are not clean; so keep your bodies and souls pure if you want to approach the pure service. For you are like the heavenly Seraphim. They do not dare looking at the face of the Living God, but they are standing faces down covered with their wings! You, servants of God, see the Body of the Son of God and His pure Blood, which are put in front of you on the pure altar. You touch Him and eat Him, and you know the greatness and honor they deserve, so you have to stand with happy faces, fearful hearts, eyes looking at the ground, and heads bowed, for you are like the Cherubim and the Seraphim who are carrying the throne of Majesty.] He also says,2 [When you hear that the Seraphim are flying around the throne, in its highness and dignity covering their faces with two wings, hiding their legs with two, and shouting with a trembling voice, do not think that they have feathers, legs and wings for they are invisible powers... Even for those orders, God is truly beyond reach. They cannot approach Him. Therefore, He condescends in the way mentioned in Revelation, for God is not limited to a place and does not sit on a throne. Yet His sitting on the throne and being surrounded by the heavenly powers is out of love for them... And when He appeared sitting on the throne, surrounded by those powers, they could not see Him, nor look at His dazzling light. They covered their eyes with two wings, and they had nothing to do, but to praise and sing hymns full of holy, trembling and wonderful songs, witnessing for the holiness of the One who is sitting on the throne. Hence if anyone dares to test the providence of a God that the heavenly powers cannot 1 The Eucharist of St. Gregory. 2 God's Providence, chapter3, translated by Aida Hanna Basta, (in Arabic). 15 touch or describe, he had better disappear under the hills!] e- Their likeness: They are incorporeal and invisible powers, but they appeared to the beloved John and to the prophet Ezechiel in the following way: "The first Living Creature was like a lion, the second Living Creature like a calf, the third Living Creature had a face like a man, and the fourth Living Creature was like a flying eagle" [7]. First: The Church believes that the first Living Creature intercedes for the beasts of the wilderness, the second for the animals of the field, the third for human beings, and the fourth for birds. As for the reptiles they have none in their likeness, for, from them comes the snake that the Lord had cursed, nor the aquatic animals, for the sea points to the disturbances, while heaven is quiet and peaceful. St. Chrysostom says, [They are spiritual creatures, God created them, raised them and crowned them with splendor and light. He made them ask on behalf of human beings and the whole creation ,beasts, animals, and birds of the sky, for they are more close to Him than all the heavenly spiritual creatures.] Second: St. Gregory Nazianzus and Origen believe that this creation that carries the throne carries the meaning of the four forces of the soul, which is sanctified by carrying God within, namely: a. The forces of rage, which are referred to by the likeness of a lion. b. The carnal desires are referred to by the likeness of a calf. c. The gift of logic is referred to as one who has the likeness of man's face. d. The spiritual energies are referred to by the likeness of a flying eagle. Third: St. Jerome believes that it also points to the redeeming works of the Lord. a. The one who has the likeness of man's face points to the incarnation. b. The one who is like the calf points to the slaughter on the cross. c. The one who is like the lion points to the resurrection. d. The one who is like a flying eagle points to the ascension. Fourth: St. Irenaeus1 thinks that it also points to the redeeming work from another side: a. The one who has the likeness of man's face points to the incarnation. b. The one who is like the calf points to the rites of the sacrifices and priesthood, as He intercedes for us. c.The one who is like the lion, points to the power of His work, royal dominion and leadership. d.The one who is like a flying eagle points to the sending of the Holy Spirit to flutter over His church. Fifth: St. Irenaeus also believes that it points to the four gospels. Bishop Victorianus also says, [The Living Creature that is like the lion points to Mark in whom you hear the voice of the lion shouting in the desert (Mark 1:3). The one in the likeness of a man is Matthew, who did his best to make known the Virgin Mary's genealogy, from whom the Lord Jesus took the body. Luke relates Zachariah's priesthood, who presents a sacrifice on behalf of the people. He carries the calf. 1 Irenaeus: Adv. Haer., 11:8. 16 John the Evangelist like a flying bird is fluttering his wings up to the great heights speaking about the Word of God.] These creatures are distinguished by the wings, similarly the four gospels have many wings to carry mankind and fly with it up before the divine throne, to present it as a bride risen towards heaven. The priests are around the throne, and the Living Creatures carry the throne. In the same way the books of the prophets surround us to tell us about the salvation, but the gospels lift us up, and take us to the atmosphere of heavens, to the divine throne. We cannot do without either of both1. f- Their unceasing praise: "And they do not rest day or night, saying: Holy, holy, holy Lord God, Almighty, Who was and is and is to come. Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four presbyters fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they exist, and were created" [8-11]. What a wonderful view! Lord, when are we going to enjoy it and see it?! As St. Chrysostom says: [The Living Creatures shout ceaselessly day and night. They praise the eternal living One saying, Holy, holy, holy.] They glorify Him for His might and His works with them and with all His creation, especially mankind. The twenty-four presbyters cannot endure this view until they stand up for their chairs. Take off their crowns, cast them at the Lord's feet and kneel in front of Him for His greatness, His holiness, His love and His care. The view is repeated not once or twice or one thousand or two thousand times, but it remains the same forever. All the creation falls in love with God and does not know what to offer Him for His splendor, His many deeds and His love for us. The amazing thing is that the subject of the praise of the heavenly creatures “is our victory and our salvation2.” How wonderful! The Book of Revelation unveiled to us the amount of love the heavenly creatures have for us, for they praise God on our behalf, or praise Him for His deeds for us. The Book of Revelation opened a new door for the Church, behind which it hides all her works, which is the teaching of her children, "the life of praise," for it is the melody of the Book of Revelation, the language of all heaven. The Book of Revelation mentioned about twenty praises, as if it was blowing the trumpet for us "learn the language of heaven. Prepare yourselves for the communion with the celestials in their deeds." I would not be exaggerating on saying that all that is in the church is nothing but thanksgiving and praise: a- She does not allow us to celebrate "the Holy Eucharist,” which is the reward of God to us while we are on earth, unless we offer long praises all night and offer incense in the matins. This being as an entry to sharing of His suffering, and confirmation through holy communion, eating His Body and drinking the Cup of salvation. 1 Cf. Fr. Victorianus’ interpretation of this text. 2 The Eucharist of St. Gregory. 17 b- The Eucharist is celebrated as a sacrifice of thanksgiving, for it is "the Sacrament of Thanksgiving,” in which we receive the divine grace, even more the grace- Giver, to abide in Him and He in us. All the Eucharist is a diversity of praises. For this reason the priest shouts at the end of the Eucharist saying, "O angel of this offering, rising to the highest with this praise, remember us in front of the Lord.” c- The people end the Eucharist with singing the psalm of praise, "Praise God all His saints..." d- After Communion, the people say silently, "Our mouth is filled with joy and our tongue with praise for partaking of your holy sacraments.” e- After the priest dismisses the people, he goes to the altar and kisses it at its four corners saying, "Clap your hands for the Lord, all nations and may all people bless Him." As if he is entering clapping with his hands and praising with his heart, for God's deed for the sake of all mankind. f- In every hour we pray, we offer a praise of joy and thanksgiving to the Lord, for example, we sing saying, "Praise of the... hour of the blessed day, I offer to Christ my King and God beseeching Him to forgive me my sins.” What we find in the psalms of the book of the Canonical Hours is nothing but rejoicing, happiness, clapping, thanksgiving, and singing. g- Even in the ritual of sad occasions as the HolyWeek and the prayer of the dead, the Church presents hymns extremely sublime, and praises which gladdens the inner soul, filling it with consolation and peace in spite of its sad tune! h- The victorious Church in Paradise offers prayers and praises of gratitude and thanksgiving to God, with litanies for us and for the future generations! Therefore let us behave in the spirit of our church, and always offer praises of thanksgiving she taught us. They are all taken from the Holy Bible with its two Testaments, or from the book of praises and songs "Psalms," or from the praises of heaven recorded in the Book of Revelation, or from the writings of the Fathers under the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, etc. Thus, heaven and its praises are not alien to us, we have already practiced its language and touched its spirit and lived in its atmosphere.
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