Revelation Chapter 5, The Seven Seals, Seven Eyes, Seven horns, and a Severed Lamb

There's two videos I'd like to point out today, the first is a National Geographic special on Revelation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hk9VqP0AH4&feature=fvwrel
The second is Revelation 5 narrated
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TqqNSp-7xw&feature=player_embedded#at=115

• In God's right hand there was a scroll, written on both sides and stamped with 7 seals.
• John wept because no one was able to open the scroll

5 “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

• A lamb, appearing slain (representing Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice) stood at the center of the throne with elders and the four creatures from chapter 4. 
• the lamb had 7 horns and eyes representing the lights unto the world (the 7 churches)
• when the lamb took the scroll, those around him fell to their hands and feet. They sang:

9-10 “You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
   and with your blood you purchased for God
   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
   and they will reign on the earth.” 

And the four creatures and the elders worshiped.
art found at: http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs38/i/2008/321/3/3/Revelation_5_6_by_Nimfalas.jpg

Revelation Chapter 4- When creatures talk

 I hate to be the person to just paste the bible into my blog, but this chapter was quite detailed and self explanatory. Its also beautiful how it is written and I would hate to twist the beauty of the truth. After a day of having my internship get dropped for the summer, and hearing about my grandma's diagnosis that she had a stroke, I can't see there being any more truth to live by than this.
Check out these videos:
Video, no sound; acting: If you don't want to watch the whole thing, start at 4 minutes in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVhG9ynQCDE
Audio for Revelation Chapter 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TMIft5ydpA
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

   “‘Holy, holy, holy

   is the Lord God Almighty,’

   who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
   to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
   and by your will they were created
   and have their being.”

Does God Speak?

Since the coming of Christ, we are not aware that God speaks verbally to man. Believers in Christ however, ARE given the Holy Spirit.

New Testament-post Christ
1 Corinthians 2:14
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Old Testament
Deuteronomy 5:24
And you said, “The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them."

Genesis 28:13-15
There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Psalm 67:1-2
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Numbers 11:16-17
The LORD said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

Image: courtesy of Joe Warnstrom