REVELATION 4
ENTERING HEAVEN
1) After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2) 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.
6) 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 honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, Who liveth forever 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 honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. (King James Version, public domain)
COMMENTARY
When Chapter 3 ends, so ends the age of the church. The church is raptured between chapter 3 and 4; and chapter 4 begins with the Apostle John being caught up into Heaven. The scenes in the first few chapters are how events are witnessed from Heaven. Then we will switch and see how those same events looked on earth. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Keep in mind that the word "Saint" from here on is distinct from the church. Israel comes into view, along with a great multitude of Gentiles saved through the tribulation; but there is no Holy Spirit left on earth from this point on, no Bride of Christ, there is no church.
So, if you don't have a relationship with my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, click here to learn how to be adopted into His family: 'https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html'
3) The jasper stone here is probably not the opaque stone that we are familiar with today, but a diamond, as described in 21:11. The sardine stone was probably a ruby. These two stones together give the idea of glory and sacrifice. The ruby red may also represent the wrath about to be poured out. To the Hebrew, these stones represent the first and last stones in the breastplate of the High Priest. These stones bore the names of the tribes of Judah. The first is Rueben (behold a Son); the last Benjamin (Son of my right hand). So, these stones name Jesus.
The rainbow is like an emerald (the stone of Judah - Praise). The rainbow symbolizes God's covenant faithfulness, mercy, and grace. (Genesis 9: 13-17) Even if the red ruby represents His wrath, His wrath never operates at the expense of His faithfulness; His judgments never abrogate His promises. That is why we don't live in abject terror of His power and holiness. The take-away of God sitting on His throne is not of someone who is resting, but One who is ruling! He rules in power and majesty!
4) There were twelve sons of Israel (Jacob), and twelve Apostles = 24. These are not the individual sons of Jacob and Apostles, but representatives. These are representatives of all the Old Covenant and New Covenant believers. Not all commentaries agree that this is who the twenty four are. Some say it is 24 angels, which is not substantiated elsewhere in scripture. Others say they represent the tribulation saints. Still others believe they represent the raptured, glorified, coronated church.
THE FOUR BEASTS: Ezekiel tried to describe these "beasts" as has John. It is difficult to describe those things that we are familiar with, much less, those things we have never encountered! The best guess is that these "beasts" are cherubim, an exalted order of angels frequently associated in Scripture with God's holy power. Their eyes in front and back symbolizes their awareness, alertness, and comprehensive knowledge, even though they are not omniscient. Nothing escapes their scrutiny pertaining to their duties.
The calf, the eagle, the lion, and the man represent the banners of the twelve tribes of Jacob: Reuben - man; Dan - eagle; Ephraim - the calf; Judah - a lion. This description, though, describes the creatures in relation to the created world: the lion represents wild creatures; the calf represents domestic animals; the eagle - flying creatures, and man - the pinnacle of creation. Also worthy of note, is that symbolically, the lion represents strength; the calf - service; the man - reason; and the eagle - speed.
10) Note that these Saints cast down their crowns. Nobody receives a crown until after the rapture: "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done." Revelation 22:12 (NIV)
11) Now, catch this: God created all things for His pleasure! That is talking about you and me! Oh, if only He takes delight in His creation! How often do I wonder if I make Him smile or if He gets fed up with me. I praise Him that He is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Psalm 103:8
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The rainbow is like an emerald (the stone of Judah - Praise). The rainbow symbolizes God's covenant faithfulness, mercy, and grace. (Genesis 9: 13-17) Even if the red ruby represents His wrath, His wrath never operates at the expense of His faithfulness; His judgments never abrogate His promises. That is why we don't live in abject terror of His power and holiness. The take-away of God sitting on His throne is not of someone who is resting, but One who is ruling! He rules in power and majesty!
4) There were twelve sons of Israel (Jacob), and twelve Apostles = 24. These are not the individual sons of Jacob and Apostles, but representatives. These are representatives of all the Old Covenant and New Covenant believers. Not all commentaries agree that this is who the twenty four are. Some say it is 24 angels, which is not substantiated elsewhere in scripture. Others say they represent the tribulation saints. Still others believe they represent the raptured, glorified, coronated church.
THE FOUR BEASTS: Ezekiel tried to describe these "beasts" as has John. It is difficult to describe those things that we are familiar with, much less, those things we have never encountered! The best guess is that these "beasts" are cherubim, an exalted order of angels frequently associated in Scripture with God's holy power. Their eyes in front and back symbolizes their awareness, alertness, and comprehensive knowledge, even though they are not omniscient. Nothing escapes their scrutiny pertaining to their duties.
The calf, the eagle, the lion, and the man represent the banners of the twelve tribes of Jacob: Reuben - man; Dan - eagle; Ephraim - the calf; Judah - a lion. This description, though, describes the creatures in relation to the created world: the lion represents wild creatures; the calf represents domestic animals; the eagle - flying creatures, and man - the pinnacle of creation. Also worthy of note, is that symbolically, the lion represents strength; the calf - service; the man - reason; and the eagle - speed.
10) Note that these Saints cast down their crowns. Nobody receives a crown until after the rapture: "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done." Revelation 22:12 (NIV)
11) Now, catch this: God created all things for His pleasure! That is talking about you and me! Oh, if only He takes delight in His creation! How often do I wonder if I make Him smile or if He gets fed up with me. I praise Him that He is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Psalm 103:8
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with the devastation going on with hurricane Harvey, if we had known a week in advance how bad it would be, we surely would have made other arrangements. how much more should we be preparing for the rapture to escape the wrath of our holy God? we have been given details of what is to come. he who has an ear, let him hear and respond, i pray
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