Revelation

Heavenly Liturgy 

After this, I looked up to the wall of heaven and saw an open door. The voice, which I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what will come in the future.”

Immediately, I was seized by the spirit. There, in heaven, was a throne, and one sitting on it. 

He who sat there looked like jasper and carnelian, and, around the throne, was a rainbow, resembling an emerald. 

In a circle, around the throne, are twenty-four thrones, and seated on these are twenty-four elders, dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads. 

Flashes of lightning come forth from the throne, with voices and thunderclaps. Seven flaming torches burn before the throne; these are the seven spirits of God. 

Before the throne, there is a platform, transparent like crystal. Around and beside the throne, stand four living creatures, full of eyes, both in front and behind. 

The first living creature is like a lion, the second, like a bull; the third has the face of a man, and the fourth looks like a flying eagle. 

Each of the four living creatures has six wings, full of eyes, all around as well as within; day and night, they sing without ceasing,

Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God,

master of the universe,

who was, and is, and is to come.

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one on the throne, he who lives for ever and ever, 

the twenty-four elders fall down before him and worship the one who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns in front of the throne and say,

Our LORD and God, worthy are you

to receive glory, honor, and power!

For you have created all things;

by your will, they came to be and were created.