Throw Out the Lifeline

Bible Study Lessons

BIBLE CLASS NOTES

by Bill Thornhill

 

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Chapter Four

    In the 1st chapter we read about John in the “Throne Room” and the scenes from Isaiah six, Ezekiel one, as well as from Daniel chapters seven and ten.  The scene of Revelation four is made up of parts of those visions and constitutes a perception which allowed John to know assuredly God was  the author of all he was about to see, hear, and write.

    In reality, the “Throne Room Scene” beginning here in chapter four, continues through chapter eight and includes the opening of the seven seals, which in turn, dovetails into the sounding of the seven trumpets.  The seventh trumpet is sounded in 11:15 and the events continue throughout the pouring out of the seven chalices.  We find a vital relationship between the Revelation and the prophecy of Ezekiel.  One scholar has found no less than 130 separate references to Ezekiel.  Philip Carrington could say with only mild hyperbole:  “The Revelation is a Christian rewriting of Ezekiel.  Its fundamental structure is the same.  Its interpretation depends upon Ezekiel.  The first half of both books leads up to the destruction of earthly Jerusalem; in the second they describe a new and holy Jerusalem.  There is one significant difference.  Ezekiel’s lament over Tyre is transformed into a lament over Jerusalem, the reason being St. John wishes to transfer to Jerusalem the note of irrevocable doom found in the lament over Tyre.  Here lies the real difference in the message of the two books.  Jerusalem, like Tyre, is to go forever.”   Consider the more obvious parallels:                                                                             1.  The Throne-Vision (Rev. 4/Ez. 1)                                                                             2.  The Book (Rev. 5/Ez. 2-3)                                                                                 3.  The Four Plagues  (Rev 6:1-8/Ez. 5)                                                                         4.  The Slain under the Altar (Rev. 6:9-11/Ez. 6)                                                                       5.  The Wrath of God  (Rev. 6:12-17/Ez. 7)                                                                       6.  The Seal on the Saint’s Foreheads  (Rev. 7/Ez. 9)                                                                7.  The Coals from the Altar  (Rev. 8/Ez. 10)                                                                   8.  No More Delay  (Rev. 10:1-7/Ez. 12)                                                                       9.  The Eating of the Book  (Rev.  10:8-11/Ez. 2)                                                                10. The Measuring of the Temple  (Rev. 11:1-2/Ez. 40-43)                                                 11. Jerusalem and Sodom  (Rev. 11:8/Ez. 16)                                                            12. The Cup of Wrath  (Rev. 14/Ez. 23)                                                                       13. The Vine of the Land  (Rev 14:18-20/Ez. 15)                                                                    14. The Great Harlot  (Rev. 17-18/Ez. 16 &23)                                                                        15. The Lament over the City  (Rev. 18/Ez. 27)                                                                     16. The Scavenger’s Feast  (Rev. 19/Ez. 39)                                                            17. The First Resurrection  (Rev. 20”4-6/Ez. 37)                                                                18. The Battle of Gog and Magog  (Rev. 20:7-9/Ez. 38-39)                                             19. The New Jerusalem  (Rev. 21/Ez. 40-48)                                                              20. The River of Life  (Rev. 22/Ez. 47)

    There may be some disagreement regarding some of these parallels but there should not be any substantial disagreement over the uncanny similarity between the books of Revelation and Ezekiel.  The parallels existing between these two great symbolic books are a great aid in interpreting the Apocalypse.

    Of the awesome things revealed in this chapter John wrote in verses 1-2, After these things referred to what took place In the first three chapters.  Now John looked on the great theophany commonly called the throne-room scene of heaven.  After these things served as his transitional phrase from what he had heard and seen to what he was about to hear, see, and declare.

    John said, I looked, and behold a door standing open in heaven.  The first thing capturing his sight was a door standing ajar to what he calls “heaven.”  Nothing blocked his view of the wonderful things found in the vision.  The word “heaven” comes from ourano, and here it refers to the place where God chooses to dwell.  The word “heaven” found so often in this book can be translated “sky.”  It is sometimes difficult to know whether the writer was speaking of the place where God dwells, or is just giving a panoramic view of something projected, as it were, against the dome of the sky.  Compare this verse with Ezekiel 1:1 when Ezekiel says …that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 

    From the open door John heard voices; the first was like a trumpet.  The voice commanded him to Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this. This voice, either of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, a living creature, an elder, or some angel, commanded John to give his undivided attention to what he was about to hear and see.  “After this,” comes from metatanta, which means “hereafter,” with no particular stipulation regarding the time involved.

    In verse 2, John said Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.  This meant he had come under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit.  Thrones, in the Bible, are symbols for royalty, power, strength, dominion, and authority over life and death.  The language is based on Ezekiel 1:26-28, Isaiah 6:1 and Daniel 7:9-10.  In chapters four and five we find John using the word “throne” seventeen times, so these chapters are all about the royal authority of heaven.

    In verse 3, John said, And he who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.  Here is presented the One on the throne as light radiating from beautiful and precious stones.  The word “jasper” is iaspidi, a Greek word taken from an old Persian word referring to different kinds of beautiful gems, some opaque like the opal , and some translucent like the diamond.  The word “jasper” is found only here and in 21:11 & 18, where it is described as a stone clear like crystal.  It appears to be what we call a white diamond.  Mixing another color into the vision, John said the like was like the sardius stone.  The sardius stone, or carnelian as it is sometimes called, was a blood red translucent stone very much like what we call a garnet.  These stones were called sardius because they were mined near the ancient city of Sardis.  Ezekiel described the same scene in Ezekiel 1:26-28.

    John said the great halo of light surrounding the throne and the One who sat on it was like a rainbow of emeralds.   Emeralds are stones of different shades of dazzling greens.   The word “emerald” is smaragdinon, referred in ancient times to a gleaming gem of pure green color.  The beauty of all the radiating light displays such awesome beauty that the magnificence boggles the mind.

    In verse 4, John said, Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.  As John’s vision widened, he saw twenty-four thrones surrounding the great throne.  In the mind’s eyes, these thrones are smaller because they do not represent dominion in the same sense as the one great eternal throne in the midst of the scene.  These thrones are places of honor, and whatever power and authority they possess have been granted by the One who sits on the eternal throne in the midst of the vision.  There are numerous speculations regarding the identity of these twenty-four beings called “elders.”  It is reasonable to assert that these beings were once residents of the earth, and while here they were leaders, or shepherd, of God’s people in both the Old and the New Testaments.  These “elders” must represent the leaders of God’s people down through the ages, including both the ancient nation of Israel and the spiritual nation of Israel, the church of Christ.

    These elders were arrayed in white, suggesting purity and righteousness of life.  This means they had experienced redemption through the blood of Christ.   They are also wearing on their heads golden crowns of victory, implying they had won a great struggle over evil, trial, and tribulation, and were in the place of ultimate safely and security.  They sit enthroned in the very presence of God.

In chapter 21:12-14 we read a description of the city of New Jerusalem which identifies the twenty-four elders.  Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.  Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  Based on this description of the eternal New Jerusalem, we have correctly identified the twenty-four elders.

In the 5th verse, John returned to a description of what proceeded from the throne and the One standing before it when he said, And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thundering, and voices.  Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.   The first part of this picture is based on what was seen and heard when God spoke to the children of Israel from Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19).  These sights and sounds were also manifested when Yahweh brought judgment upon his enemies in the Old Testament (Psalms 18:13-14; 144:6).  These sights and sounds are mentioned in other portions of Revelation (8:5; 11:19; 16:18) as symbols of the majesty and power of
Elohim when he was exercising, or about to exercise judgment upon his enemies.   The Revelation is about judgment coming on those who rejected the will of God, the Son of God, and the Gospel of God.

    John also saw seven lamps burning before the throne, and he said these lamps were the seven Spirits of God.  These lamps were flashing torches such as would be carried at night, and they sent out a blazing and fierce light.  This metaphor is drawn from the prophets Ezekiel (1:13) and Zechariah (4:2-3 & 12-14).  It is also found in 8:10 of the Revelation as well as 1:4 and 3:1.  Each time it is used to describe the Spirit of God.

    In the 6th verse we read, 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.  The sea of glass is mentioned four times in Revelation.  In addition to this reference, it is found in 15:2, 21:18 and 21.  The figure is drawn from Exodus 24:10, in which Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel saw a theophany of God after the covenant had been confirmed.  The word from which “glass” is here translated is ualine, the word for “translucent.”  The concept of a sea is sometimes used in the Bible, and in this very book, as a symbol of evil.  It is also used as a metaphor for people.  This sea, as is always the case in Revelation, is under the feet of God, suggesting no authority or power can challenge God, all are subject to him.

    Under and around the throne were four living creatures.  The text simply says that there were four “livings,” and the words “beasts,” and “creatures” have been supplied by the translators.  The noun comes from a verb (zoa) “to Live.”   Here in the Apocalypse these “living beings” are neither genuinely animal or human, but a special kind of being under and around the throne of God.  They are ever awake, ever watchful, ever looking in all directions at once, seeing everything at once and ready to move in any direction.  This part of John’s theophany is based on Ezekiel 1:5-15, and though the details vary as to the faces, the wings, etc., we may safely conclude these “creatures” represent the unlimited intelligence ad ceaseless vigilance of God. They represent his omniscience; his ability to see and know all things.  Such creatures in Ezekiel are called “cherubim,” while in Isaiah 6:2-3 they are called “seraphim.”  They are some sort of awesome and powerful beings, perhaps called angels because they serve as servants and messengers of God.  Some of the older commentators simply sue the Greek word to designate these beings, simply calling them the “Zoa.”

    John continued his description of the Zoa in the 7th verse, The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.  John used similes; he did not say the creatures were lions, calves, men and angels, but they were like each of these creatures.  Of the Zoa Moses Stuart (commentator) correctly stated,

The first has the appearance of a lion; and the lion is the king of wild beast, and an image borrowed from him is indicative of power, strength, and sway.  The second is like an ox; and this is the most valuable of tame beasts, and the image of patient and useful labor.  The third has the face of a man; and this is indicative of reason or intelligence.  The fourth is like to an eagle; and this indicates velocity and far-sighted and penetrating vision …These living bearers of the Almighty’s throne, as the author represents the matter, serve him with great power, with patient obedience, with quickness of intelligence and reason, and with the rapidity and perspicacity which may be compared to that of the eagle, but of which this king of birds is after all only a faint image.  The same may be said of the other symbols.

    Ezekiel’s Cherubim go forth as burning coals and flashes of lightning to carry out the divine will, bringing judgment on ancient Jerusalem for her sins, especially the sin of rejecting Elohim for other gods.  Isaiah’s Seraphim cried to one another proclaiming the holiness and glory of God symbolizing he can do no wrong.

    In the 8th verse John continued his description of the Zoa, 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! Again, we draw from the wisdom and eloquence of Stuart, who wrote,

Add to all this, that each is furnished with six wings (v8), i.e. three pairs of wings (see Is.  6:2); plainly to heighten the idea that they execute the divine commands with the greatest possible speed.  These beings, moreover, endowed with such amazing powers, are employed without cessation in adoring and praising God, seem to take the lead in the worship of heaven, as being nearest of all to the divine Majesty, i.e. supporters of his throne.

    In the book of Isaiah (6:2-3) the Zoa had six wings: two covered their feet, indicating humility; two covered their eye suggesting their reverence for the Almighty; and with two they flew, implying their swiftness in doing the will of God.  In Isaiah 6:3, the Zoa cried to one another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory, while here in Revelation they worship God saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 

    This anthem of praise is raised to Elohim who is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each venerated with “holy, holy, holy.”  According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high; therefore, he shares the throne of the Father himself.  The Holy Spirit stands before the throne (1:4). Thus we have Elohim.  Just as the vision of Isaiah 6 showed God had a right to bring judgment upon the ancient people of Judah because of their unfaithfulness to him, so in this theophany, John showed Christ, who also is Lord God omnipotent, had a right to bring judgment upon the city that rejected and crucified him and made every effort to destroy his religion.  It was Jesus who came in the “cloud” of the Roman army to take vengeance on those who knew not God, and who obeyed not the Gospel.

    In verse 9 through 11, John continued his description of the praise and adoration of Elohim saying, Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 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: You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.

    The adverb “whenever” indicates all the worship and praise given to Elohim is offered by the Zoa and the twenty-four elders simultaneously.  The twenty-four elders “fall down  before the One who sits on the eternal throne, showing their complete surrender to the One who was, is, and is to come.  The little doxology begins by stating Elohim is “worthy,” from axios, meaning deserving, to receive the glory, honor and power.  He deserved to receive the glory, honor, and power due to his overcoming his enemies.  This is the significance of the use of the future tense earlier in the 10th verse when John said the twenty-four elders “will” fall down before the throne, and they “will cast before the Fountain of Living Light their crowns of victory.  However, some say the future tense simply indicates what is usually done and will be done by those in the presence of God.

    We know that the physical creation exists by the power of God, but we believe the elders, in this context, is speaking of the spiritual creation.  The “all” created and sustained by the power of Elohim is the spiritual creation, not the physical. Hebrews 1:1-4 plainly teaches that Jesus is he creator of the “ages” in which mankind has lived.  It is unfortunate the word “ages” has been translated “worlds” in the Hebrews passage because it leaves the wrong impression.  The “ages” of Hebrews clearly denotes the spiritual ages of the Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian eras.  Through these ages, God has worked to bring redemption to the world, which is the subject under discussion in Hebrews one.  Consequently, the “all” created and sustained by the will of God refers to all spiritual things created for the redemption  of the saints of God in the Christian age.  It is because of God’s overwhelming love these “ages” came into existence.  His redeeming work through a period of some four thousand years, culminating in the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, was finally set totally free by the destruction of the persecuting power of Judaism.  After the crumble of Jerusalem and Judaism, not even pagan Rome could shackle the glorious Gospel of Christ and keep it from speaking to the souls of profaned men.