Revelation 4 - The throne of God

Above chart from http://chrisedmondson.blogspot.com/2011/05/revelation-endings.html

   To begin to grasp what chapter 4 is about, we need to read chapters 4 & 5.

   Chapter 4 is a transition verse from "things that are now happening" to "the things that will happen later."

   All of the events in chapters 4 and 5 take place before a single seal of the book of Judgment is broken, before a single trumpet of judgment is sounded and before a single bowl of divine wrath is poured out on the earth. The events of chapters four and five take place before any of the terrible Judgments described in chapters six to nineteen are poured out on the earth. Chapter four concerns the setting up of a special throne of judgment for the tribulation and chapter five describes the little book and its seven seals. The breaking of the first seal ushers in the first Judgment. Logically then, the events of these two chapters must precede the great tribulation and its scenes of judgment because it is from the things here pictured that these Judgments proceed.

(1) Then as I looked, I saw a DOOR STANDING OPEN in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, "COME UP HERE, and I will show you what must happen AFTER these things."

• Door standing open in heaven:
• This appears to be a dimensional doorway outside of the space-time continuum. Notice the door was already open.
• The Ark had only one door to pass through to escape God’s terrible judgment. By faith, Noah and his family entered the Ark. Once they were all inside, the Lord shut them in (Genesis 7:16).
• There are several other instances in the Bible where the door in or to heaven was opened. Many prophets, also, have seen a vision of the heavenly:
• Jacob saw a ladder up to heaven:
• Genesis 28:12: As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from earth to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down on it.
• Elijah was taken up to heaven:
• 2 Kings 2:11: As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between them, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
• Ezekiel speaks of his look into heaven:
• Ezekiel 1:1: On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened to me, and I saw visions of God.
• Daniel had a glimpse into heaven:
• Daniel 7:9,13,16: I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, ... As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. ... So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this:
• The heavens split open when Jesus was baptized:
• Mark 1:10-11: And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you."
• Jesus was taken up to heaven in a cloud:
• Acts 1:9: It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud.
• Stephen saw into heaven when he was stoned to death:
• Acts 7:55: But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.
• Paul said he was caught up to heaven:
• 2 Corinthians 12:2-4: I was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether my body was there or just my spirit, I don't know; only God knows. But I do know that I was caught up into paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be told.
• Same voice:
• Revelation 1:10-11: It was the Lord's Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard a loud voice behind me, a voice that sounded like a trumpet blast. It said, "Write down what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."
• This is Jesus speaking.
• Trumpet blast: 
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words.
• 1 Corinthians 15:51-53: But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die.
• Trumpets are mentioned almost 100 times in the Bible. But in those more than 100 verses, there are no verses that say the last trump (the trump of God) is the same as the seventh trumpet that will be blown by the seventh angel during the Tribulation Period (Revelation11:15-19). Those who say the last trump (the trump of God) is the same as the seventh trumpet that will be blown by the seventh angel during the Tribulation Period just assume that they are the same. It’s their interpretation or probably something that they have heard others say. But it is not a verse of Scripture in the Bible.
• Jesus' voice like a trumpet is signaling the rapture. He is calling His people to assemble to Him, and sounding the alarm to announce the coming battle.
• Come up here:
• Through the open door. Sounds like the rapture to me!
• The scene changes suddenly. We are no longer on earth but are transported into heaven. The true Church is gone and the apostate Church, while still on earth to pass into the judgments of the great tribulation, is no longer owned by the Lord and, therefore, not mentioned. That is why the word “church” disappears entirely from the book after the third chapter. The open door and the voice which calls “come up here" and John’s presence in glory in the spirit, clearly indicate symbolically the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. That for which the faithful remnant waited, the blessed hope of the Church, has suddenly come to pass. The departure of the true Church from the earth will be as sudden as its beginning (Acts 2:1-2).
• The Second Coming is not the Rapture. The Rapture occurs at the beginning of the tribulation and the Second Coming comes at the end of the tribulation.
• Revelation 11:11-12: But after three and a half days, the spirit of life from God entered them, and they stood up! And terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice shouted from heaven, "Come up here!" And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
• Must:
• The "must" (dei) is emphatic. The future has already been determined and is in God's control - no person or thing will deter God's plans for creation.
• What must happen AFTER these things:
• John is now seeing into the future and has been catapulted into the future, after the believers in Christ are raptured into heaven, in this particular scene.
• “After these things” (meta tauta in Greek) signals the beginning of a new section of Revelation which reveals the events that will take place in the future. This is the same Greek phrase as in 1:19 translated there as "the things that will happen later".

(2) And INSTANTLY I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it!)

• INSTANTLY:
• 1 Corinthians 15:52:  It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die.
• I was in the Spirit:
• The Greek is "I became in the Spirit."
• As in a time machine, John found himself suddenly transported into the heavenly proceedings of the Day of the Lord, in realms of eternity beyond this Newtonian space-time continuum. John was inside the Day of the Lord and saw the heavens roll back as a scroll and Newtonian space-time unzipped to see the Ancient of Days, sitting and presiding over unfolding end-time events from His throne in the heavens.
• Throne in heaven:
• This throne is what first strikes John, and it is the centerpiece of this vision. John is fixated on the occupied throne and everything else is described in relation to this throne.
• This throne is "command central," the center of the universe, and the focal point of the book of Revelation, being mentioned 46 times. God Himself is sitting on the throne.
• Throne in Greek is Thronos. Occurs 61 times in the New Testament, 46 in Revelation, 14 times in this chapter!
• Job 26:9: He shrouds his throne with his clouds.
• 1 Kings 22:19: Then Micaiah continued, "Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
• Ezekiel 1:26: Above the surface over their heads was what looked like a throne made of blue sapphire. And high above this throne was a figure whose appearance was like that of a man.
• Ezekiel 10:1: As I looked, I saw what appeared to be a throne of blue sapphire above the crystal surface over the heads of the cherubim.
• Psalm 93:2: Your throne, O LORD, has been established from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past.
• Psalm 103:19: The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.
• Psalm 113:5: Who can be compared with the LORD our God, who is enthroned on high?
• Psalm 123:1: A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.
• Isaiah 6:1-2: In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew.
• Isaiah 66:1: This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that? Could you build a dwelling place for me?
• Daniel 7:9-27: I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn's boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. As for the other three beasts, their authority was taken from them, but they were allowed to live for a while longer. As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal -- it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: "These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever." Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, and it trampled what was left beneath its feet. I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast's head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This was the horn that seemed greater than the others and had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and was defeating them, until the Ancient One came and judged in favor of the holy people of the Most High. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom. Then he said to me, "This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time. "But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them."
• Matthew 19:28: And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Matthew 5:34: But I say, don't make any vows! If you say, 'By heaven!' it is a sacred vow because heaven is God's throne.
• Acts 7:49: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for me?
• Hebrews 4:16: So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.
• Revelation 3:21: I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
• Revelation 7:9-17: After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, "Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell face down before the throne and worshiped God. They said, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!" Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, "Who are these who are clothed in white? Where do they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you are the one who knows."Then he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. That is why they are standing in front of the throne of God, serving him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will live among them and shelter them. They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat. For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears."
• Revelation 20:4: Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God. And I saw the souls of those who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
• Revelation 21:3,5: I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. ... And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."
• Revelation 22:1: And the angel showed me a pure river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
• Someone: Since John 1:18 tells us that no man has seen the Father (except the Son) and that no man could see the Father and live, John could only have seen the Son of God. What is actually seen here by John is Jesus sitting on the Father's throne. Jesus is the express image of the Father. (Hebrews 1:3)
• Sitting: The word "sitting" is indicative that the work is complete. Remember, Stephen saw Jesus standing.

(3) The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones -- jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow

• Gemstones:
• Jasper may mean "diamond" (Revelation 21:11: It was filled with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious gem, crystal clear like jasper.)
• The jasper was the last and the carnelian the first stone in the breastplate worn by the high priest, Exodus 28:17-20. These stones are in the foundation of the new Jerusalem, Revelation 21:19-20.
• Exodus 28:16-17,20: This chestpiece will be made of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch nine inches square. Four rows of gemstones will be attached to it. The first row will contain a red carnelian, a chrysolite, and an emerald. ... The fourth row will contain a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. All these stones will be set in gold.
• Revelation 21:19-20: The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve gems: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
• Emerald:
• The emerald is another precious stone, green in color.  Green speaks of "earthly or of the earth".  The emerald was also part of the breastplate, and of the foundation of New Jerusalem.
• Circled: A rainbow that's a circle instead of an arc! It is a COMPLETE rainbow!
• Rainbow:
• Genesis 9:14-15: When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with everything that lives. Never again will there be a flood that will destroy all life.
• Ezekiel 1:28: All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining through the clouds. This was the way the glory of the LORD appeared to me. When I saw it, I fell face down in the dust, and I heard someone's voice speaking to me.
• Revelation 10:1: Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.
• In Old Testament times, the rainbow represented God’s faithfulness and covenant to never destroy the world again as He did with the flood (Genesis 9:13-15). Unlike the partial rainbows we generally see on earth, this one completely encircled the throne, perhaps resembling a halo. This unending rainbow means that God’s grace will endure forever.

(4) Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.

• Twenty-four:
• The number 24 is used in the Old Testament in a similar way that we see its use in Revelation. There were twenty-four officers of the sanctuary representing the twenty-four courses of the Levitical priests (1 Chronicles 24:4-18), as well as twenty-four divisions of singers in the temple (1 Chronicles 25). We see in both instances in Chronicles, 24 was God’s choice to represent the Levitical priests and the Levitical musicians. Thus, 24 appears to be a representative number in Revelation 4 as the elders represent the church in heaven before God’s war council in preparation for the judgment of the world during the tribulation.
• In Revelation 5:9, the Scriptures tells us the 24 elders sang a new song: And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
• Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us his family was “of the first course of the four and twenty.” So there was one high priest, 24 orders of priests with 24 who served as representatives of the whole.
• Thrones:
• The only other mention of thrones (plural) in this book are those occupied by saints who take part in the first resurrection and rule and reign during the Millennium (Revelation 20:4).
• These are NOT angels or other heavenly beings - nowhere in Scripture do we find angels on thrones! Later, during the Millennial Kingdom, we find humans which sit upon thrones (Revelation 20:4).
• Elders:
• There are many opinions on who these elders are. My personal opinion is that these 24 elders are raptured believers in heaven.
• The Greek for this word "elders" is πρεσβυτέρους [presbyterous] , presbyters. Frequently translated ‘elders’ (67 times in the KJV). The term is never used of angelic beings. This term is used of humans in positions of authority either in the synagogue or church.
• One of the elders tells John that Jesus has prevailed to loose the seven-sealed scroll (Revelation 5:5). Later, an elder explains to John the identity of those coming out of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 7:13-14+). The 144,000 with the Father’s name on their foreheads sing a new song before these elders and the living creatures (Revelation 14:3+).
• The 24 elders are mentioned five times in the Book of Revelation as follows: 4:4, 10; 5:8; 11:16; and 19:4. That they represent the raptured church reflects what one would expect if the rapture has occurred before the tribulation has begun.
• In Revelation 5:9-10, the twenty-four elders sing a new song of praise to Jesus: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God's Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth." In that passage, the twenty-four elders are clearly speaking as representatives of all God's people, of the great company of the redeemed.
• Since the 24 elders of Revelation represent the church in heaven, this means that the church is complete, since she has received her rewards (i.e., the crowns) and is in a position of co-rulership with Christ (Revelation 3:21). This depiction supports a pre-trib rapture because from a chronological perspective of Revelation 4 the events of the tribulation have not yet begun. We know because Revelation 5 presents the plan for tribulation judgment as contained in the scroll that only the Lamb is worthy to open. Revelation 6 portrays the Lamb’s opening of each seal as the initiating cause of those judgments on earth. This would mean that since all 19 seal, trumpet and bowl judgments are contained in the scroll then none of these events of the tribulation could have transpired in Revelation 4.
• Another argument that these elders represent the raptured church is their absence prior to Revelation 4:4. Isaiah in his vision of chapter one did not see the twenty-four elders. Ezekiel in his vision of chapter one did not see the twenty-four elders, yet such details as the four living creatures are mentioned. Prior to Revelation 4:1, John exiled on Patmos saw a vision but the twenty-four elders are conspicuous by their absence. Why? Because they were not yet in heaven. These who occupy the twenty-four thrones are a new body and not present until the rapture of the Church and Revelation 4:4.
• These twenty-four elders who represent the Church are seen by the Apostle John in heaven, not on the earth, sitting on thrones, wearing stephanos crowns on their heads, and clothed in white raiment, all of which is proof that they have been resurrected, translated and rewarded. It is completely incongruous to conceive of a disembodied spirit crowned and rewarded apart from the resurrection and the rapture. We conclude therefore that the rapture has already taken place.
• The 24 elders cannot include tribulation saints, since their group of redeemed individuals is not complete until the second coming. The same would be true of Israel. It would appear that tribulation saints are grouped with other Gentile believers down through history from Adam until the church and then the tribulation saints. Thus, they are not yet complete. The church alone will be the only complete redeemed people group by the time Revelation 4 occurs in history.
• Notice that the 24 are not the 12 Jewish apostles plus 12 gentiles from the church as some teach. Otherwise, John would have seen himself there!
• Clothed in white:
• Christ promised the believers at Sardis that they would "be clothed in white garments" (3:5). He advised the apostate Laodiceans to "buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness" (3:18). At the marriage supper of the Lamb, His bride will "wear the finest white linen." (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.)" (19:8).
• Gold crowns:
• Stephanos στέφανος. This is the victor's (overcomer's) crown. However, the crowns of the 24 elders are made of incorruptible gold rather than a wreath (garland).
• Christ promised such a crown to the loyal believers at Smyrna: "Remain faithful even when facing death, and I will give you the crown of life." (2:10). Paul wrote "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 KJV). Paul wrote of that imperishable crown again in 2 Timothy 4:8: "And now the prize awaits me -- the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return." James wrote of "the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12), and Peter of "your reward (stephanos) will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor." (1 Peter 5:4).
• 2 Timothy 4:7-8: I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me -- the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.

(5) And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven lampstands with burning flames. They are the seven spirits of God.

• Lightning:
• Lightnings and voices and thunders indicate that it was to be a Throne of Judgment and that the wrath of God was about to proceed from it.
• Thunder:
• Exodus 19:16-17: On the morning of the third day, there was a powerful thunder and lightning storm, and a dense cloud came down upon the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram's horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

(6) In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.

• Shiny sea of glass:
• Exodus 24:9-10: Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel went up the mountain. There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a pavement of brilliant sapphire, as clear as the heavens.
• Revelation 15:2: I saw before me what seemed to be a crystal sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them.
• The sea of glass is a reminder of the great laver in Solomon’s temple in which the priests had to wash. Now it is solidified because no more water is needed for the cleansing of the saints.
• Four living beings (Greek-zoa):
• The Greek word "zoa" translated as "living beings" is where we get our English word zoo. In fact, this word in some other Bible versions is translated as "beasts," but could also be translated as "animals." As we will see in Revelation 4:7, these living creatures in Heaven take on characteristics like that of earthly creatures. However, we will discover in Revelation 4:8 that the living creatures are of an angelic order.
• Ezekiel 1:5-10: From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and two pairs of wings. Their legs were straight like human legs, but their feet were split like calves' feet and shone like burnished bronze. Beneath each of their wings I could see human hands. The wings of each living being touched the wings of the two beings beside it. The living beings were able to fly in any direction without turning around. Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back.
• From verse 8 and Isaiah 6:2, we learn these are seraphim. Seraphim literally means "burning ones."
• Covered with eyes:
• Their many eyes evidently symbolize their penetrating intelligence that makes them immediately aware of whatever is happening that affects their judicial responsibility. Covered with eyes means they see everything - a heavenly NSA!

(7) The first of these living beings had the form of a lion; the second looked like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth had the form of an eagle with wings spread out as though in flight.

• Lion:
• An Old Testament name for Jesus is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah".  This title is used in Revelation 5:5 to describe Jesus. God promised the Israelites that their Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.  The symbol of Judah is a lion (Genesis 49:49). Of the four Gospels, Matthew emphasizes Jesus' "Messiah-ship" more than the others. The most common phrase of Matthew’s Gospel is "as it was written" to show Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. Matthew’s Gospel has Jesus' genealogy from the first Jew, Abraham to Jesus, which is also used to prove Jesus’ proper genealogy as the promised Messiah to Israel.
• Ox:
• The ox is the greatest of the domesticated animals. The emphasis is on servitude. Mark’s Gospel has more miracles than any other gospels, again to emphasize Jesus as the great servant. There is no genealogy in Mark’s Gospel because the genealogy of a servant is irrelevant.
• Human face:
• Luke’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus' "humanity".  Luke emphasized how Jesus felt far more than the other three Gospels. Luke’s genealogy started with the first human Adam, and worked to Jesus. Jesus is "fully God and fully man" and is the greatest of all humans.
• Eagle:
• The eagle is the greatest of all creatures flying "in the heavens". John’s Gospel emphasized Jesus as God. It has a genealogy, but it is more subtle. The idea of "In the beginning was the word…word was God" is (John 1:1) is John’s genealogy of Jesus as the Son of God.

(8) Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty -- the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come."

• Six wings:
• Isaiah 6:2: Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew.
• Holy, holy, holy:
• Isaiah 6:3: In a great chorus they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!"
• They are leading worship.
• Lord God Almighty:
• The term "almighty" (Greek pantokrator)is best translated to mean, "God is in charge of everything."

(9) Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever,

(10) the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

• Fall down and worship:
• The four creatures start to worship God and then the 24 elders follow along.
• If you don’t enjoy worshiping God now, you’ll be bored in heaven.
• Lay their crowns:
• There is also an allusion to a practice in the Roman Empire. The Emperor of Rome ruled over many lesser kings (such as king Herod), and these kings were at times commanded to come before the Emperor and lay their crowns down before him in homage. Then he would give them back, as a demonstration that their crowns, their right to rule, their victory, came from him.
• This process is not a one-time event, but goes on “Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne”. Each time the rewarded believer approaches the throne, he will remove his crown and lay it before the feet of Jesus Christ and worship.

(11) "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created

• Created everything:
• John 1:3: He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make.
• Colossians 1:16-17: Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see -- kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
• For your pleasure:
• The wonderful phrase for your pleasure that they exist and were created reminds us that we each exist to give glory and pleasure to God. Until we do that, we don't fulfill our created purpose.

   Because they represent all the people of God, the worship, the crown, the robes, the heart of these twenty-four elders belongs to us also. "There is a throne in heaven that no one can occupy but you, and there is a crown in heaven that no other head can wear but yours, and there is a part in the eternal song that no voice can ever compass but yours, and there is a glory to God that would be wanting if you did not come to render it, and there is a part of infinite majesty and glory that would never be reflected unless you should be there to reflect it!" (Spurgeon)

NOTES:

• Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
• Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-of-revelation-references.html
• Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/