The Amazing Scene in Heaven before the breaking of the Seals
4:1 After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.”
Revelation 1:19 gives the outline of the Book of Revelation. Chapter one recorded "the things that were," or the past history of the church. Chapters 2-3 recorded "the things that are," or the present condition of the church. Chapters 4-22 records "the things to come," or the prophetic future of the church.
The Greek word for "after these things" is Μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta), meaning the events that follow the seven churches mentioned in chapters 2-3. Chapters 4-19 will deal with the events of the seven year Great Tribulation. Chapter 20 will deal with the Millennial Kingdom. Chapters 21-22 will deal with the eternal order.
John will be invited up to heaven to observe the prophetic future of the church, much like Ezekiel was invited to the temple to observe the present condition of Israel. This event will not be the rapture of the church. The church will be raptured out of the world before this time, but if this passage is taken literally and not spiritually, then this verse recorded a specific invitation to John, not the rapture of the church.
4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it!
John will be taken up to heaven in the Spirit. He will see God the Father sitting upon the throne.
4:3 And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne.
John gave a description of God the Father. His appearance will be like many shiny diamonds. There will be a rainbow-like glow around His throne.
4:4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads.
In 1 Chronicles 24, King David sub-divided the Levitical priesthood into 24 courses. Each branch of the priesthood had to serve the Temple during their course. The 24 courses of the priesthood stood for the entire Levitical priesthood because the Levites were divided into 24 courses. These 24 elders must be either angelic beings or human beings of the church. Since the term elder is used, this always referred to a human office of the church. The elders were wearing white garments. In the Book of Revelation, only humans who have gained salvation wear white garments. Since only humans, and not angels, obtain salvation, then these elders must be human representatives of the church.
The Greek word for "crowns" is στέφανος (stephanos), meaning a wreath awarded to the victors after they won an athletic contest. The στέφανος (stephanos) crown was promised to believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ after the Rapture of the church. This verse also gives evidence to the pre-tribulation rapture, as the church is already in heaven with Christ before the Great Tribulation. The church will not be seen on earth again until chapter 20, which is after the Great Tribulation and during the Millennial Kingdom.
4:5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne.
John will see the Holy Spirit. John has now seen two personalities of the Triune Godhead.
4:6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
Except for the Book of Revelation, these seraphim are only found in chapter six of the Book of Isaiah. The Hebrew word for seraph is "the burning one."
4:7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying.
Many commentators spiritualize this passage, teaching that the lion is the Lion of Judah, symbolizing the Book of Matthew. The Ox is a servant animal, symbolizing the Book of Mark. The man is the humanity of Christ, symbolizing the Book of Luke. The eagle is the deity of Christ, representing the Book of John. Students of the Word have to be careful of this type of hermeneutics. Unless typology is identified in Scripture, any speculation by man is strictly human viewpoint. Hermeneutically, this passage teaches the physical description of the seraphim. There is no reason to add in typology, unless it is designated and explained as a typology in Scripture.
4:8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”
There will be four seraphim that surround the throne of God. They will possess six wings, two to cover their feet, two to cover their faces, and two for flying. They will praise God continually by saying "holy, holy, holy." They cleansed Isaiah with hot coals. They will be full of eyes, so nothing passes their vision without them seeing it. The Greek word for holy is ἅγιος (hagios), meaning holy, set apart, and different from the world. Holy is repeated three times, honoring the Triune Creator God.
4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
John described the worship in heaven prior to the Great Tribulation judgment. The Greek word for glory is δόξα (doxa), meaning the value of one's opinion, which in this case, is a totally good opinion. The Greek word for honor is τιμή (timae), meaning the monetary or spiritual value of God. The Greek word for thanks is εὐχαριστία (eucharistia), meaning giving thanks to God for His kindness, or literally, giving thanks for His good grace. The Greek word for sits is κάθημαι (kathaemai). It is a present participle, meaning that God is continually sitting on the throne.
4:10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying:
The twenty-four elders will represent the church-age saints. When they hear "holy, holy, holy," then they will fall down before the throne of God and offer their crowns to God. The Greek word for worship is προσκυνέω (proskuneo), meaning to fall on your knees and kiss the feet of a superior being. Any time that the seraphim sing "holy, holy, holy," the elders kneel down and cast their crowns before the throne of God. The Greek word for "crowns" is στέφανος (stephanos), meaning a wreath awarded to the victors after they have won an athletic contest. The reason the elders throw down their crowns is because they could not have earned the crowns without the grace or kindness of God.
4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”
The 24 elders continued their praise. God is worthy of their praise. God is praised for his creating ability.
