Introduction: In the Letters to the 7 churches, we saw the Church as it is on earth. In this section of Revelation, John takes his reader into the heavenly regions so that humans could have a view of history from the perspective of God's eternal purpose.

As John enters the heavenly regions, the actual vision now begins. And many readers who had felt pretty comfortable with this book until now, find themselves become hopelessly confused.

Against the backdrop of the throne of God (4 :l-8a) the songs of the creatures and the elders (4:8b-l1) the Sealed book and the Lamb come out (5:1-7) and more hymns are sung (5:8-14). This is the setting for the 7 scenes that follow.

The 7-sealed book contains a synopsis of God's plan for hymns in history. Scenes 1-4 show the rise and fall of human empires - and the emptiness and futility of human life when people are left to their resources.

In the midst of this empty futility the martyrs (the Church) pray for the time when their deaths will be avenged by the final accomplishment of God's plan, for whose sake they have sacrificed their lives. They are consoled with the gift of the white robe and told to wait until their number is complete. (Scene 5)

Scene 6 gives a brief look at what the future will bring (a picture that is to be expanded in parts III and V of Revelation).

The final scene gives us a picture of an entirely silent universe as all of God's creation meditates on the divine purpose of history as God has revealed it.

In Chapters 4 and 5 the Father is seen surrounded by his Worshipping hosts and angelic attendants. The Father gives the book of His will to Christ, the Lamb. The scenes in these 2 chapters are an assurance to Christian readers that the Father and Christ are shortly to intervene in the affairs of this age to deliver the faithful from Satan and his demonic powers: superhuman demons and the demonic forces of the Roman State and the priesthood of Emperor Worship.