Revelation 4

March 2, 2013

Andrea Hutchinson

Recap: As we begin chapter 4 the telling of John’s visions and God’s showing him of “things that must happen”. Let’s recall that in Revelations 1, 2, & 3 John, the human writer, and Jesus Christ, the true author, finish their introductions. Jesus Christ dictates and commands John to write His letters to the 7 churches with His encouragements and warnings.

Now John begins experiencing the visions from God, through his entering into the Spirit. God is about to reveal to John the Revelation of Jesus ; or the Apocalypse.

The Throne in Heaven
4 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.”

After entering into the Spirit John looks and finds a door standing open. He hears the voice he heard the first time sounding loud, like a trumpet. Telling him to “come up here” … Imagine, a simple door that is open to heaven!

This verse is the beginning of a new section of the Book of Revelation. Here God tells John the he will show him the events that will occur in the future. This is the main section of the Apocalypse and it continues through to book 22 and verse 5.

God commands John to “Come up here”, calling him through the door, introducing John in the apocalyptic style, to the revelatory visions that John is about to enter, vs. 2.

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, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God.

“In the Spirit” describes both John’s state of spiritual receptiveness to the initial vision, as well as the visions he will experience later in Revelation. John sees someone sitting on a throne, in heaven, as he describes it, indicating that he is aware of his whereabouts, though doesn’t clearly indicate that he is aware of the identity of who is sitting on the throne.

The throne dominates this vision. He describes ‘the one who sits…” with a picture of precious jewels and an emerald rainbow surrounding the throne. We see a similar picture in Ezekiel’s prophesy.

Ezekiel 1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

The rainbow reminds the reader of God’s covenant never again to judge us by flood. (Genesis 9:8-17)

We know from the vision that 24 elders occupy the 24 thrones around the great throne. There is only speculation as to who the elders are (some like to speculate that they are angels). The white robes and crowns may refer to those who are confirmed in righteousness and ruling authority. The wearing of the crowns indicate that the elders had already been judged. Lightenings and thunders reflect the majesty of God and His divine authority to judge. The seven lamps represent the seven Spirits of God as indicated here and in the previous chapters. We see a similar description in Zechariah 4:2.
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in 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.

John continues his description of the throne room with gem-like imagery, indicating his awe of the vision. The 4 living creatures are very strikingly like the cherubim observed close to God’s throne (Ezekiel 10:1-20). John’s (as well as Ezekiel’s) reference to “eyes all around” allude to these creatures’ ability to see all.

The “lion”, “calf”, “man” and “eagle” have been described as referring to the 4 Gospels with their portrayals of Christ. Again, John’s vision supports the imagery of Ezekiel’s prophesy. (Ezekiel 1:4-10).
Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor 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 honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”

John writes about his vision of the creatures as saying “Holy, holy, holy …” and never stopping. Indicating the idea we’ve gathered from the bible that there is constant worship of God “day and night”. “Holy, holy, holy …” is reminiscent of Isaiah’s prophesy. See Isaiah 6:1-10.

“Was and is and is to come …” speaks to God’s eternal nature; past, present and future; as does the phrase “him who lives for ever and ever”.

The reference to the elders laying down their crowns, and worshiping continuously before the throne symbolizes the willingness of the elders to surrender their authority to God and His sovereignty in light of His worthiness of our praise as Creator. This causes us, as God’s people, to remember that He alone should be worshiped and recognized as sovereign.

It is noteworthy to be aware that Revelation is being backed up by the OT. Something that we’ve been taught: that scripture must support scripture from OT to NT and NT to OT. Thus far Revelation has been completely supported by the prophets of the OT. Indicating it’s biblical truth. Though the imagery in both remain not wholly explained or understood us, as God has not revealed it fully to us, as yet.
Footnotes:
a Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
b Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
end of footnotes end of crossrefs