CHAPTER 4

Revelation 4:1

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking tome like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

The scene now changes and John is called by the same voice he heard in chapter one the voice of Jesus, to come up, come up were, to Heaven. This voice is as loud and as clear as the sound of a trumpet and it informs John that he is going to be shown things that are to take place in the future. From this point on the church is no longer mentioned and the call to 'Come up here' will be heard by all believers when Jesus calls His church home leading many to believe that the church will be Raptured before the judgments of God begin. It is interesting to note that the church in no longer mentioned from this point on.

Revelation 4:2

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and there before me wasa throne set in heaven, and One (God) sat on the throne.

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1 Kings 22:19

I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left.

Here John is ushered into the very throne room of Heaven and He sees One, God Himself, seated on the throne. There is only one throne in Heaven and it is the centerpiece around which everything else flows, it is the absolute seat of authority and power and the presence of God dominates the scene.

Revelation 4:3

And He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and asardius stone; resembling an emerald.

John sees God radiating in appearance as precious stones in all their brilliance and His throne was encircled by a rainbow of bright green as of a perfect emerald. John describes what he sees in terms of the most valuable of earthly treasures, beautiful, radiant jewels and emeralds.

Revelation 4:4

Around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting on them, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

The identity of the twenty four elders is still debated but we do know that they are human and not angelic because of the crowns they are wearing, angels are not crowned but God's saints are for we are promised a crown if we are faithful and are looking for His coming.

2 Timothy 4:8

Now there is in store for me the Crown of Righteousness,which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me onthat day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.

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Revelation 4:5

And from the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings of thundering, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

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Exodus 20:18

Now all the people heard the thundering, and they saw the lightning flashes, they heard the sound of the trumpet, and saw the mountain smoking; and when the people saw all of this, they trembled and stood afar off.

Once before God's people experienced such a scene as John was witnessing, it was fearful and impressive as they realized they were in the presence of Almighty God. The seven Spirits of God that we read about previously were also before God's throne and were represented by the seven burning lamps. The Holy Spirit throughout the Bible is represented to us in various forms such as a Dove, Tongues of fire, a Rushing mighty Wind and Oil. The seven Spirits we remember are The Spirit of the Lord, The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, The Spirit of Counsel and of Power, The Spirit of Knowledge and The Fear of the Lord.

Revelation 4:6-8

6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like aman, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

Whether the sea of glass was literal, physical or just appeared or looked like a sea of glass is still debated. The living creatures that John saw were Cherubims who were always around God s throne. They are described in Ezekiel 1:5-14 & 10:20-22 and they exist for and are continually praising and worshipping Almighty God around His throne. There has been and are many interpretations as to what the descriptions of these living creatures or Cherubims really means and I will not attempt to add another to the list. Needless to say they were around God s throne and their reason for existence is to praise and worship God and to bring to our attention the infinite, all powerful, and awesome holiness of the Lord God Almighty who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Revelation 4:9-11

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor andthanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will theyexist and were created."

We see here a picture of the twenty four elders sitting on their thrones and now they are falling on their faces before God and throwing their crowns down before His throne, they do this whenever the Cherubim's begin to give God glory and honor. They are acknowledging that God is the creator of all that exists and He alone is worthy and deserves all the honor and glory. This is what the world cannot accept and therefore rejects while we His chosen people know and embrace these truths and willing bow before Him as our Sovereign Lord.