“Look” he tells us again and again. It’s the second most frequent  command in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The first is “Do not fear.” “Turns out we obey the first by doing the second.” (Darrell Johnson)

Yesterday we looked at the throne and what can I possibly share that is more important than this? This one thing that the pastor said, this one look at the throne, it shows me how looking can calm our fears. It reminds me that perfect love does cast out fear, and it teaches me how we can all begin to enter the experience of Abba Antony, our desert brother who preceded us by some 1700 years and who testified: “I no longer fear God; I love Him.”

Ezekiel and Micaiah and Daniel all saw the throne of God. Isaiah looked and cried “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)

But between then and when John saw the throne, something changed in heaven and the people around the throne no longer cry “Woe is me!” but “Worthy are you!” (Rev. 5:9-14) In the center of the throne now stands the Lamb, still marked with the signs of his slaying, and the sin that made Isaiah cower and cry out in fear in God’s presence is taken, removed, gone, and  we are free to enter the throne room and fall on our faces in worship rather than fear.

Of all the doors that God may open before us in our lives, this is the first and most important, this door into his own holy presence.  For the Shepherd became the Lamb and the end became the way and his torn body became the door into life with His Father (John 10; Heb 10:19-23) What he opens no one can shut (Rev 3:7-8), so this door stands open forever and as long as we have entered through him we need not fear. For when we entered through the door of his body, the gracious host removed our mud-caked shoes and dusty coats and clothed us in his own bright righteousness.

So next time that little voice tells you you’re too sinful, too unworthy to belong in his holy presence, just look! Look at the open door through which you have walked and the Lamb who sits forever on the throne of grace and try trading in the old song “Woe is me!” for the new song being sung around the throne “Worthy is the Lamb!”