Rev 4, In Heaven, a prelude to judgment starting

Rev 4: 1-11 (ESV) After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had 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 behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7  the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!"

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11  "Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created."


• Starting with verse 1, what are some of the implications?
• Something comes after the letters to the churches. Implication is that the churches do, in fact, represent ages in church history
• Invitation to come up to heaven
• The previous discussion took place on Patmos
• Now the discussion takes place in heaven
• The phrase, after this or meta tauta, is a chronological depiction
• What follows next, follows the time of the churches
• There is a clear sense in the scripture that chapters 2-3 take place before chapter 4 and following
• We are taken into the very throne room of God. John is not there but in the Spirit (as he says). What do we observed in the throne room?
1. A throne
• Flashes of lightning
• Rumblings and peals of thunder
2. A person whom John does not immediately identify or recognize
• Jasper apparently refers to a diamond, 21:11. (Also, Charles; Beasley-Murray; Mounce)
• Rev 21:11 …  (ESV) having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
• Carnelian (NIV) or sardis is a fiery red gem
• Also a rainbow (all colors encircle the throne)
3. Twenty-four elders
• Dressed in white -- white clothes represent salvation
• Crowns of gold -- grk stephanous, suggesting overcomers
• The fact that they have their crowns means that this occurs after the judgment seat of Christ and before the marriage feast (Fruchtenbaum -- note: understand judgment but not the marriage feast comment)
• Elders would imply humans and not celestial beings
4. Also, Twenty-four thrones
• Not sure on the identity of the 24
• Could be 24 church saints
• Could be 12 representing Old Covenant (OT Saints) and 12 representing the New Covenant (Church)
• Could be the 12 Apostles and 12 unidentified others
5. Seven lamps, also called the seven spirits of God
• One thought is that seven represents completeness
• Isa 11:2 identifies seven aspects of God's Spirit
• Isa 11:2 (NASB) The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, // The spirit of wisdom and understanding, // The spirit of counsel and strength, // The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
6. Sea of glass, clear as crystal
• One thought is that it represents a separation of God and his Holiness from his creation
• Another thought is that it just portrays the immensity of God's throne room where no walls are seen, only an endless sea
• Another is that it reflects God's glory and represents all his children
7. Four living creatures with six wings and eyes all around (Ezekiel and Revelation passage agree on number of wings and faces, but a slighter different viewpoint (Rev) seems to suggest faces were singular to a being), but might just be John's position)
• One like a lion -- wild beasts / Whatever is strongest
• One like an ox -- domesticated animals / Whatever is noblest (Service or servanthood)
• One with a face like a man -- human beings / Whatever is wisest
• One like a flying eagle -- flying creatures / Whatever is swiftest
8. Pattern
• Four living creatures repeating a statement
• Emphasizing God's holiness
• Interesting that the two most important attributes of God are his holiness and his eternity (do not mention his love)
• Twenty-four elders laying down their crowns and honoring God
• [PICTURE] Victorious athletes would offer their crown to their deity upon returning home
• Earn crowns by service in the kingdom (APPLICATION: what will we have to offer to God?)
• Crowns are cast before God. It is all that they have as result of the believer's judgment to show their thankfulness for their salvation
• Elders emphasize 3 things
• God's sovereignty
• God as creator (men exist because God gave them life, not because they deserve life)
• Possibly God's mercy (since by God's will we exist)
• APPLICATION: We will be judged and rewarded after the rapture. Why are rewards important?
• Rewards are indication of thankfulness, a recognition of what was paid for in our salvation
• Our rewards honor God. We can't work for our salvation, but we can work out our salvation such that God is pleased with our life (and honored because we recognize how worth he is and how unworthy we are)