Fall 2002
Transparency
Wade E Taylor

“And before the throne there was a sea of glass like
unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and
round about the throne, were four beasts full of
eyes before and behind.” Rev 4:6.

This speaks of the “overcomers” who are in the midst of, and round about the Throne. These are seen as being a “sea of glass,” or as being totally transparent in the presence of the Lord.

There is a “quality” which relates to our becoming an overcomer. It is “transparency” in our lives. If we think back over the last months of our lives, can we say that we are willing to become totally transparent?

The Lord is calling those who earnestly seek Him, into this place “in the midst of, and round about the Throne.”

“To he who overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My
throne, even as I overcame and am set down with My
Father in His throne.” Rev 3:21.

Some say that the Sermon on the Mount applies to the millennium, rather than to the church age. This because the requirements are so strict that no one could live up to them, as the Sermon on the Mount goes beyond the act to deal with the motive. But there is a present application that applies. The Sermon on the Mount sets forth the method by which we become an overcomer.

In the Sermon on the Mount, when someone slaps us on the face, we are to turn our face to have the other side slapped also. And, we are not to become angry or retaliate in any way. This relates to an inner purity within our lives, and to sacrificial giving in which we have totally died to ourselves. This means that Jesus has to come forth within us, as the human is totally incapable of this.

We are not called to just become “polished” on the outside. But rather, to be so changed within, that we become the expression of the life of Jesus. If we squeeze a grape, grape juice results. When we are squeezed, Jesus should result; not an angry response or a threat.

Those who have unconditionally submitted their lives to the Lord are being prepared for the Kingdom, and this requires that they become transparent, that Jesus will be clearly seen. Thus, the Sermon on the Mount is the basis for our becoming an overcomer.

A persons “goat” cannot be gotten, unless they have one. If we were teased by other children, when growing up, and we reacted, others enjoyed the reaction and sought to produce even more reaction. But if there was no reaction, they sought out another to tease.

The Lord is taking all this out of us. In order do this, these things must surface, or be exposed. The Lord has unique ways to bring these things to the surface and expose them, so we can become transparent in His presence.

Thus, on the human level of life, we are in “the midst of, and round about” many pressures and problems, so our need might surface and dealt with. When rightly responded to, we will be lifted into the place where as an over-comer, we will be in “the midst of and round about” the Throne.

“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant;
you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler
over many things: enter into the joy of your lord.” Matt 25:23.

Recently, I have been very specifically asking the Lord about my life in relation to this “sea of glass.” I have been giving the Lord permission to so work in my life, that I might become as transparent as this sea of glass. There are those things within that react, but I see the Lord at work in order to remove them.

In each of us, reactions will come, but like the baby’s diapers, we remove the mess and clean up the baby, because we know that this means the child is healthy and will grow. We must realize that the Lord is not after the person who wronged us. Rather, He used that person to expose the need in us. We will never be able to rule over others, until the Lord has first been able to rule us.

When I was in the army in 1943, there was a common term that related to many officers. They were called “ninety day wonders.” This meant that they had gone through a short time of training and were made officers, but they had never been under authority within the army. The enlisted men knew this and despised them.

The Lord is making us unto our God, “kings and priests, and we will reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:10). But before we will ever be able to rule others, we must qualify.

The Sermon on the Mount expresses the rules of qualification for the Kingdom age, which must be experienced at this present time, in preparation for the Kingdom age.