John saw a door in heaven open for him and a voice bidding him to “Come up here!” John was then taken up into heaven, which is portrayed, throughout the revelations to follow, as the control room of history. Though the church on earth was embattled and struggling at the time, John sees here the immense heavenly power behind the humble movement of which he was a leader. Moreover, he sees the course of history right through into the new heavens and the new earth, including the ultimate victory of Christ through his church. As we shall see in the next eighteen chapters, he will see the future conveyed in cryptic visions designed to convey the meaning without giving away the specific content. Jesus does not want us to know the future in all its details. He does, however, want us to be ready for what will take place and assured of the outcome. This is the purpose of the visions to follow. God is in control. The things that are happening around you, however chaotic and evil, are not outside the sovereign authority of God. In some incomprehensible way, God will bring about his perfect purposes through all the chaos and evil of world events. God does not cause chaos and evil, but he will ultimately master the forces that do cause these things and use every circumstance to the advantage of his purpose. When your circumstances are in disarray, remember what is happening up there in the heavenly control room. God neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121). The heavenly council is on your case if you are on God’s case.
Ask God to align your heart to the priorities of this heavenly court.
Read Revelation 4
