1 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.”
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
4 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.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumbling and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and back.
7 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.
8 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.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 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:
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.”
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.
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 (v5) “…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).
This is a great encouragement about our future in Jesus when we know that Agenda 21 Policy is to kill over 70% of world population so that there are less people for the global UN Government to control.
It’s about each believer’s journey in each believer’s lifetime.
4:6 “…sea of glass…” simply these are 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)”.
“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.
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
Nero AD 54 – 68
Galba )
Otho ) AD 69
Vitellius )
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 Domitian who was sane and totally evil.
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. 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 ELECT! And with the twenty-four elders – again Revelation 4:11:
Revelation 4:11
4:11
“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.”
Savage Kings today with their silent warfare technology take our breath away.
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!
Again, we will study another amazing reality in relation to:
- Daniel 7:10 to Revelation 5:11; and
- Daniel 7:14 to Revelation 5:5,6,12,13