Remember John’s ‘now’. It is our distant past. For John it is awesome and also distressing. Yes! The door is open – and there remains enormous pain for the elect in John’s time. The future of the elect is secure but persecution and evil are present. In 2022 onwards the pain will get much worse in fact in my Book titled “ANTICHRIST REVEALED” I remembered that when the antichrist was born verse one two and five were fulfilled and that verse one warned of ominous events in the Amplified Bible repeated here for reference.
Revelation 12:1-2 AMP
1 And a great sign [warning of an ominous and frightening future events] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2 She was with child and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth
In verse 5 the boy is born this happened on the 23/04/2018 the alleged antichrist is in the Book ANTICHRIST REVEALED[1]
Returning to Revelation 4.
4:2 “…in the Spirit…” simply part of this vision. It is wonderful to quietly allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide (Ephesians 2:10) “…a throne…” – someone…” with no definition of the One on the throne.
4:3 Appearance “like … jasper (green), carnelian (red)” and an emerald-like rainbow, studies of Genesis 9:15, 16). A wonderful promise from God – as His promise.
4:4 12 thrones – Old Testament elders 12 thrones – Apostles – New Testament, in white, with crowns. Notice they are in the presence of God, which totally supports the truth of Philippians 1:23.
4:5 Again the “seven lamps” – the “seven spirits…”. The seven attributes of the Holy Spirit, seven symbolising perfection of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of Yahweh.
Interestingly, Holy Scripture translates (vs 5) “…Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing…”. The Greek is present tense. A wonderful reality that this is actually happening NOW!!! This is present tense for us – our lifetime – it is real – not past tense! This truth is happening in our time simultaneously in God’s eternity.
Again NOW!!!
When we pass from this life – our human life
– we see Jesus in the next breath (Philippians 1:23).
It’s about each believer’s journey in each believer’s lifetime.
4:6 “…sea of glass…” simply is the faithful believers who were victorious – faithful and obedient who did not yield to the temptations of the devil. And God knows, for we see “four living creatures …all covered with eyes…”. The “eye” is a symbol of the simple fact that God knows.
(Again Psalm139:1-8). God knows! God’s people are victorious in Jesus (Romans 3:23-26; Hebrews 9:15) and emerge to be with God. The symbols:
– like a lion – nobility
– like an ox – strength
– like a man – wisdom
– like a flying eagle – speed
– each – six wings – angelic
– full of eyes – insight
4:8 “saying…holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and is to come. (Greek – is coming)”.
1 “Holy” (Greek – hagios) means pure, sacred, no evil; (Hebrew – qodesh) means sacred, hallowed, praised, cut off -separate to/from evil. Lord God – is Almighty, Eternal.
2 The above is compared to the earthly rulers in John’s time. In John’s time the Roman emperors were:
Tiberius AD 14 – 37
Caligula AD 37 – 41
Claudius AD 41 – 54 The emperor Claudius will be discussed further in the book tilted “7 Trumpets” to be released late 2022.
Nero AD 54 – 68
Galba) Otho) Vitellius) AD 69
Vespasian AD 69 – 79
Titus AD 79 – 81
Domitian AD 81 – 96
Nerva AD 96 – 98
We know that Caligula was insane – so evil that he was murdered by his guard. Paul and Peter were martyred during the time of Nero. Nero began burning Christians as torches to give “bright light” for his evening evil orgies.
There was great persecution and tribulation by the devil at that time. Hence this glorious vision of the true home of those martyred! The Lord God is (present continuous tense) Almighty.
The Emperor for whom John uses symbols in Revelation was possibly Domitian. Revelation may have c67-70.
However, the Lord God is Almighty. The Lord God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit is all-powerful for all eternity. Earthly rulers are driven by evil power. This evil power has been given to the devil as seen in Pharoah’s heart being hardened and saw in chapter 1. After the fall man was separated from God (Romans 3:10-12).
As in Revelation 4:9, the creatures gave glory, honour and thanks to the Enthroned One – SO DO WE THE ELECT! And with the twenty-four elders – again Revelation 4:11. 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
We need to remember that in each lifetime in God’s history if God, through His will, removed the power for all things to breathe – we would not exist. He gives all creatures and the elect each breath!
[1] Book ANTICHRIST REVEALED Pages 413 – 431 Published January 2022