Oddbean

Woke up early this morning and remembered something about red, blue and green stones in the throne room of God. I had a dream a few years ago where I was standing in front of God on a highly polished white marble floor. It was so highly polished that it reflected. It reflected so clearly you didn't even want to stand on it and leave your footprints. The floor was also somewhat transparent, you could see beneath it. Far below the floor was the lake of fire and the bottomless pit with many petrified souls in the lake. The room above spanned further than you could see in three directions, behind me was a white wall with a door. The floor transitioned to stair-steps up, about three that also stretched to the left and right further than you can see. With the door behind me a few steps, there in front of me about 20 feet, is God sitting on his legs on the second step looking in my direction somewhat over my head. Surrounding him are silk pillows with gold fringes, each pillow was one of deep red, royal blue, or emerald green. In front of him, at his knees and resting on the first step are a stack of about 7 books. The books were for me to take and were there to answer questions about what I should do in my life at the time. They were a selection of books that I had on my shelf in my office. I could recognize two of them from their bindings, one was a dummies' book. God motioned with his right arm to sit next to him on the pillows, but I refused thinking I wasn't worthy. I then moved to take the books and go back to the physical world, but then I was filled with fear that these books might not be for me. God laughed at my piousness, and I immediately woke up. Today when I woke up, I began to re-read Revelation, chapters 1 through 3. Never before did those books make sense to me, that our standard for perfection is so high, even as Christians. Then I read chapter 4, where John is brought to the throne room of God. He says in front of God's throne is a "sea of glass like crystal." John says "He that sat was to look upon like a Jasper (deep blue) and a sardine stone (blood red), and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald (green)." If I know anything about biblical translations, its that its often twisted, with improper linking of nouns and verbs. Particularly in important verses. Knowing what I saw in this dream, Rev 4 makes much more sense. So you're wondering what God looked like. I believe this image is likely a reflection of something written in my genes and it may be different for everyone. Is what I saw absolutely what God looks like? Likely not, and it was apparent that the purpose of the dream wasn't to show me exactly what God looks like. What I saw was a person who seemed to be about 10ft tall, similar in shape to my biological father. His face was aged, but without wrinkles. At first glance you might guess him to be a very healthy 70 years old. He was dressed in a thin linen robe (light taupe fibers), sleeves to the elbows. He wore it somewhat open at the chest, a large and strong looking chest like an athlete. He had long white wavy hair to his neck and a long light gray curly beard, no wider than his face, down to his belly. He sat in complete stillness and appeared to be comfortable kneeling on the hard surface. His expression conveyed a strength from authority, but kindness and fatherly love.