| Revelation Chapter 4 Standing Before the Throne of God As we studied the first three chapters of this book, John shared with us the vision he had of Jesus Christ, describing the Glory of His person and the words He spoke which sounded as many waters. Now we see a new vision open to John. Revelation 4:1 �After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heardwas as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.� �After This�. This expression does not express that what John sees is in Revelation 4 and onward is to take place after the fulfillment of the events recorded in the three preceding chapters. It means simply that after John had seen and heard what is recorded in chapters 1-3, he now has a new vision and is introducing it. It should also be noted that there is no indication as to what period of time elapsed between the messages to the churches and this new vision John is being given. Being that there is no indication in the passage it should not be stated as an absolute fact that John went immediately into this vision of heaven and the throne of God. "A Door Was Opened in Heaven." Take note here that John said, "A door was opened in heaven", not that a door into heaven was opened. There are some that teach John was speaking of a door that opened into heaven, as to allow him access, but this is not what the writer said. Looking at the literal Greek translation we read, "Behold, a door open in heaven." This was not an opening of heaven itself before John, as Stephen saw while being stoned to death (Acts 7: 56). John wants us to understand that he is seeing a specific place �in� heaven, that was open before him, so that he would be able to see what was taking place within. As we study further into Revelation it will be made absolutely clear that what John was looking into is the heavenly sanctuary. "Things Which Must Be Hereafter." For a comparison of this phrase you can look at Revelation 1:1, to get an understanding of what this is meant to say. The entire object of the Revelation appears to be the presentation of future and past events which will inform, and comfort the church through the ages. Revelation 4:2-5 �And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. (3)And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. (4)And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. (5)And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. In the Spirit. Again in this book we are told John was �in the Spirit�, as we saw in Rev 1:10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day", where it was taken to express the fact that John was having a vision on the Sabbath, the true Lord's day. Being that it expressed John was having a vision, we will take it here to mean the same thing. This being understood shows us that the first vision ended with Revelation 3, and a new one began here. John was in such a spiritual state that he was able to look up and see a door open in heaven, and to hear a voice like a mighty trumpet calling him up closer so he could clearly observe these heavenly things. Stephen, as we mentioned before, was also full of the Holy Ghost when he looked up and saw the heavens open to reveal the Son of man on the right hand of God. Being, �in the Spirit�, indicates a high state of spiritual elevation. We were not informed as to what day this vision was given, unlike Rev 1:10 in which we were told. The Throne, and He who sits on it. John first looks to see a throne set in heaven with the Divine Being, God the Father, seated on it. The description John gives, of the appearance of our Creator, is stunning. John describes Him as being clothed in garments of mingled colors, which brings to the minds eye the vision of a monarch dressed in his royal robes. Around the throne he sees a rainbow, which not only adds a sense of grandeur to the scene, but reminds us that although He is an almighty and absolute ruler, He is also the covenant-keeping God. The Four and Twenty Elders. A lot of speculation has been made about these beings, but who are these Elders that are blessed with seats surrounding the throne of God? Note that they are clothed in white raiment and have on their heads crowns of gold, which are tokens of a conflict completed and of a victory. There is, in this, an indication that they were once participants in Christian warfare, and once walked the earth with the rest of the saints; but these have overcome, and in advance of the great multitude of the redeemed, are wearing their victory crowns in heaven. In Revelation 5:9 we will see them state this in the song they sing to the Lamb, �They sung a new song, saying, Thou are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou was slain, and has redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation�. This song, in chapter 5, is sung before any of the events in the prophecy of the seven seals, and it is sung to lay out the worthiness of the Lamb to take the book and to open the seals, on the grounds of what He has already accomplished by redeeming them. Those singing here are not anticipating a future event, but expressing a fact of their history that has been finished. These must be a group of redeemed from this earth that were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. But when did they receive this redemption? It appears Paul is speaking of this same group when he writes to the Ephesians, "Wherefore He said, When He [Christ] ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men�, Ephesians 4:8. The margin of most Bible�s reads He led a "multitude of captives�. But knowing that the dead are awaiting the great resurrection day of God, when did this event happen? Matthew 27:52,53 �The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Matthew records this amazing event that happened at the crucifixion of Christ and in doing so gives us the Scriptural answer to a Scriptural question. These are some of the ones who came out of their graves at the resurrection of Christ, and who were numbered among the multitude that Jesus led up from the captivity of death�s domain when He ascended in triumph. Matthew records their resurrection, Paul tells of their ascension, and John beholds them in heaven performing the sacred duties which they were raised up to accomplish. This view was also held by one of the great reformers of his time, the founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley. Concerning the four and twenty Elders Wesley wrote: " �Clothed in white raiment' This and their golden crowns show that they had already finished their course, and taken their places among the citizens of heaven. They are never termed souls, and hence it is probable that they had glorified bodies already. Compare Matthew 27: 52." John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament, p. 695, comment on Revelation 4: 4. Attention needs to be given to the fact that the four and twenty elders are seated on thrones. Our translation reads "seats;" but the original Greek word is, thronoi, which is thrones, and this is the same word that is used three times in verses 2 and 3 and once in verse 4. The Revised Version reads "Round about the throne were four and twenty thrones, and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting." This understanding now brings light on the expression found in Daniel 7: 9, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down." These appear to be the same thrones, and understand that the KJV of the Bible shows these thrones are being �cast down�, but a literal and more accurate translation shows that the thrones in question were �set� or �placed�. The figure is taken from an Eastern custom of placing mats or divans for distinguished guests to sit on. These four and twenty elders are evidently assistants of Christ in His work as a mediator for us in the heavenly Sanctuary. When the judgment scene described in Daniel 7: 9 began, in the Most Holy Place, their thrones were placed (or set up) there, according to the Scriptures. The Seven Lamps of Fire. These lamps of fire clearly represent the model that the golden candlesticks of the earthly sanctuary were made after, with it�s seven ever-burning lamps. This candlestick was placed by divine direction, in the first apartment (Holy Place) of the earthly sanctuary (Exodus 25:31,32,37; 26:35; 27:20). Now we see that when John tells us a door was open in heaven, and in the apartment he is looking at he sees the candlestick that was mimicked in the earthly sanctuary, it is substantial proof that he is looking into the first apartment (Holy Place) of the sanctuary in Heaven. Revelation 4:6-11 �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. (7)And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. (8)And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (9)And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, (10)the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11)Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. The Sea of Glass. This is not an attempt to say that this was literal glass, but of something that resembled it in its transparent nature. John compares it to crystal which is defined as anything solid and transparent, like ice or glass. It may be brought to our attention to show that it extends under the throne as its foundation, and in this, gives us the impression that from His seated throne above, nothing will block the view of the ever present, all knowing and seeing Creator. The Four Living Creatures. The translation we see above (KJV) calls them �beasts�, but it should be known that the Greek word was, zoon, and the proper translation of this word is "a living creature." To show the difference between them, the word �beast� that appears in this translation of Revelation chapter 13 is from the Greek word, therion, which means �wild beast�. John literally sees four �living creatures�, and they are not in any way comparable to the �beast� or �wild animal� he will see in a vision soon to come. We see a similar picture laid out by the prophet Ezekiel when he is shown these creatures around the throne of God. With their description we see several qualities such as strength, perseverance, reason, affection, perseverance, comprehension, and obedience. We are given the impression that these living beings are intimately connected (or part) of the throne of God, in comparison to the twenty-four Elders that are represented to be in the midst, or around, the throne. They Do Not Rest, Day or Night. When speaking on this point of Scripture, John Wesley stated, "O happy unrest!" Ever awake and alert they worship their Creator singing, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." How wonderful and awesome is their praise to the God of their creation, as they repeat it �day and night�. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a tired repetition of our testimony to God�s love and devotion to us, but here is a lesson to learn. These creatures which stand in the very presence of the Creator never tire of stating how Holy He is and how his reign has always been and always will be. There are times when we find ourselves tempted to say nothing at all because we have nothing new to say. Remember the words of Paul, Philippians 4:4 �Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, Rejoice�. This great Apostle never said to stop unless you can find something new to say. These heavenly beings never find it monotonous to declare the attributes of the Almighty God. "Thou Are Worthy, O Lord�. How worthy is our God to receive this praise from the heavenly beings? We will never know, never be able to understand, how truly worthy He is until we are presented to God, by His Son, "faultless before the presence of His glory." (Jude 24). "Thou Hast Created All Things." The works of creation are the very foundation for the honor, glory, and power attributed here to God. "For Thy pleasure they are, and were created." The phrase here that is translated �For Thy pleasure� was written �dia to thelema sou� in it�s original Greek form. The literal translation reads �through Thy will�. God willed it, and things came into being, and it is by this same power of the Lord that all things are preserved and sustained. Take some time to meditate on these Scriptures before you move into Chapter 5. Close your eyes and try to visualize what John saw, what he felt, as he was carried in vision to the very court of God. This awesome place will instill great reverence and awe in those who love the Father, and in a day soon to come, great fear in those who have chosen to ignore His patient loving plea to come to Him. Back to Revelation Index Revelation Chapter 5 Back to Navigation Page |
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