Well, thank you once again for joining me in this verse-by-verse Bible study. I’m Randy Duncan, and in this episode we’re going to be covering Revelation, chapter 4. Now in this chapter, we’re going to be switching gears, as we spent the last couple of chapters covering the seven letters to seven churches and discussing the condition of the churches. But in the next couple of chapters we’re going to have a significant change of scenery as we move from John’s letters to the churches in the Roman province of Asia to his heavenly vision of God’s throne room, and so, in a sense, we move from earth to heaven, as John describes his vision of God on his throne and of the Lamb of God, who is, of course, jesus Christ. Now, with only 11 verses, this is a fairly short chapter. However, up until this point, the symbols used in Revelation have been pretty straightforward and in interpreting their meaning it’s not been too hard. But from here on, some of the symbols will get a little more difficult and complex, and so we begin with the first two verses, which read and 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. At once I was in the Spirit and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And so John begins by saying After this or after these things, I saw Well, after what things. After he has received word from Jesus Christ, the things he was to write to the churches, after receiving that information, he next receives this heavenly revelation. Now I will mention that some futurist views or dispensational views of revelation view this phrase after these things, the Greek words metatauda as meaning after the things of the church or after the church age, and so in their view, most of the material in Revelation will be fulfilled after the church is gone, via the rapture. Some even argue that John being transported to heaven here is a type or a foreshadowing of the rapture of the church. But I just wanted to mention that so I at least expose you to some of the differing views of biblical interpretation. But one more note on this phrase what must happen after this?
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This phrase is also seen in Daniel 2, where the prophet Daniel explains to Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of his dreams and coming empires. Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar that God has revealed to you the things that must happen. The things that Daniel predicted are now coming to pass. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was an overview of history, anticipating the coming empires, but now John is focused on the final days, the days when all prophecy will be fulfilled. But what does John see? A door opened in heaven Now. What do we know about open doors in heaven? They signify God’s revelation. God discloses his plans.
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For example, in Acts 10, peter sees the heavens open. This is where he saw the vision of the clean and unclean animals, where the unclean animals of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are now permitted for the people of God, signifying that the gospel message was for both Jew and Gentile. Another example of heaven being open is seen in Luke 3, where it tells us when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove, and a voice came from heaven. You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. In Acts 7, when Stephen is martyred, he sees heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And when Jesus returns, in Revelation 19, what do we read Then? I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. And so when heaven is open and Jesus returns, when the wicked are destroyed and the saints are vindicated, it again gives us a glimpse of God’s plan, his revelation. One interesting observation is that the Greek word for open that is used, anoigo, signifies that not only was the door to heaven open, but that it remains open.
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But notice that John says that the voice sounded like a trumpet, which, if you remember, was his description of the voice that first spoke to him regarding the seven letters to the seven churches. Now, the image of the trumpet signifies the urgency of the message, and trumpets are used in a variety of ways. In scripture it sounds the alarm for war. It signifies an awesome occasion, like when God spoke to Israel at Mount Sinai. The trumpet also calls the assembly together and, in Revelation, indicates God’s judgment of the wicked. And so it’s no surprise here that John describes this voice as a trumpet. But John says a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne, and he begins to describe what he saw in verses 3 through 6, which read 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. 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, from the throne and the one sitting on the throne. But how do you describe the absolute glory and magnificence of God? How can you find the words to adequately portray what you’re seeing Now?
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I’ve practiced Shaolin Kung Fu for a few years now and this reminds me of a story about a Shaolin monk and a young student. The master takes his student on a hike to the top of a mountain where he can view the sunrise. But when the student sees the sunrise over the mountains, he comments and he says Master, it’s so beautiful. And immediately the master expresses his displeasure at the student and returns back down the mountain. But why was the master so upset at his student? Because he knew, and had tried to teach his student, that there are some things in life that cannot be described with words. They must simply be experienced. And the student’s attempt to describe the majesty and the beauty of the sunrise using words actually diminished the reality of the event. It did a disservice to the actual beauty and wonder and awe of what they were experiencing beauty and wonder and awe of what they were experiencing. Because the truth is, there are simply some things in life that cannot be adequately described using words, and any attempt to describe them simply doesn’t do them justice, because, in order to truly understand and appreciate them, they must be experienced, and any attempt to describe them using words diminishes their reality. And so we see that finite languages are incapable of describing the infinite realities that John saw in heaven, and so he tries to convey what he’s seen by using earthly analogies, understanding that even these descriptions and these analogies will fall well short of the realities they’re intended to represent.
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Notice also that John, in keeping in line with Jewish writers, he’s reluctant to picture God or even mention the revered name of God in his descriptions, but he begins by saying that he who sat there had the appearance of Jasasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
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Now, when John mentions jasper, we’re not certain exactly what color he’s referring to here, but he’s probably describing something that is translucent. Later on, in Revelation 21, he describes jasper as being clear as crystal, so what he may have in view here is something like a diamond. Again, this is not a literal stone but a description of the colors he was seeing. But this could also be a representation of the purity and the glory of God. When stones like this are cleaned and they’re polished, they sparkle and shine and have this sort of luminous splendor about them. But he also mentions the sardius, or carnelian as we know it today. This stone is red or ruby colored. It’s a deep red color. Ancients used to describe it as blood colored, and so it could possibly denote God’s wrath. But John also says that around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Remember, for the Jews, the rainbow was the sign of the covenant of God’s mercy, and so this may represent the fact that God is merciful.
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It’s interesting that Ezekiel also mentions a rainbow when describing the glory of God. In Ezekiel 128, he says Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God, and when I saw it I fell on my face. Now again, they’re not referencing literal stones, but simply these bright, translucent colors. Now, of course, this is a pale comparison, but it actually conjures up in my mind, being like someone who’s trying to describe the Northern Lights and all of their brilliance, these bright, colorful, moving, translucent colors that just emit radiance. And as one commentator, huber, has said, this image as a whole, combined with the fact that John avoids any direct description or anthropomorphic expression for God’s appearance, conveys the sense of God’s transcendence.
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But John continues in verse 4 by saying Now the identity of the 24 elders clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. Now, the identity of the 24 elders is disputed. Some people identify them as angels, some believe they are saints and others believe they represent all believers. The doubling of the 12 could represent both the Old and New Testament people of God, or the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and the 12 disciples in the New Testament. And it’s interesting that later in Revelation John says that the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are inscribed on the gates of the temple and the names of the 12 apostles are engraved on the foundation. And then there’s also the thought that these 24 represent the 24 courses of priests as they’re described in 1 Chronicles 24. But whoever the 24 elders are, they’re clothed in white garments and have golden crowns on their heads, which seems to anticipate the rewards that believers will receive, because the golden crowns represent ruling and reigning. Now, in biblical times, the elders were leaders of the people and stood as their representatives before God’s glory at Sinai. And so these elders may represent God’s people as a whole, who are together known as kingdom and priests. And remember in Matthew and Luke, jesus promised the disciples that they would sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
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But John continues in verses 5 and 6, saying From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal. The mentioning of thunder and lightning around God’s throne just speaks to his sovereignty. It recalls the revelation of God’s majesty when he gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, and it reminds us that God is still fearful and awe-inspiring. Now we don’t have to speculate what the seven torches or lamps of fire are, because they’re explained for us. They are the seven spirits of God. The number seven designates completion and here represents his perfection and self-sufficiency.
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But John also says that in front of the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal. Now this is another one that is disputed among commentators. Some believe the sea of glass represents the heavenly temple. Now, this thought has its root in referencing the bronze sea of Solomon’s temple that was used for priests to wash in, and the fact that it was crystal links it to the New Jerusalem. Others believe that the sea here refers to a vast expanse, pointing to the fact that God is separate from his creation, and that John is emphasizing the great distance, the vast gulf between God and man.
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But we continue with the rest of verse 6 through 8, which read and around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures full of eyes, in front and behind 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. 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. And so, as John continues describing what he was shown, he mentions these four living creatures who surround God’s throne. Now we’re going to see that these beings will appear often in Revelation as we move forward, and there’s a lot of speculation and opinion surrounding them. Now, just so you’re aware, and in case you’re not familiar with it, this is not the first time these four living creatures have been mentioned in the Bible. The prophet Ezekiel also described what he was shown in Ezekiel, chapter 1, but he described each of the creatures as having four faces, which included the face of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle. But here John begins by describing them as each being distinctive in appearance, with one having the appearance of a man, another like a lion, then an ox and the fourth as an eagle. Now this description has inspired all sorts of art in trying to capture what these creatures may have looked like. In fact, you can even see examples in church and cathedral architecture. But artists have oftentimes attempted this by using something called a tetramorph. That word is derived from the Greek tetra, meaning four, and morph, meaning shape, and so the word comes from the Greek for four forms or shapes. Now there are at least a couple of different thoughts as to what these appearances mean.
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One interpretation is that these creatures represent the four gospels. Proponents of this view argue that when you study the four gospels Matthew, mark, luke and John that each portray and focus on a slightly different aspect of Jesus, and this is an interpretation that dates all the way back to the second century, so it isn’t just something made up recently, but the most common of these interpretations it associates the face of the man with the gospel of Matthew, because Matthew’s gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus and focuses on his humanity. The gospel of Mark is associated with the lion roaring with power. Luke is associated with the ox, focusing on Jesus as the suffering servant, and then John is linked to the eagle, focusing on his divinity and his ascension. Now, there are a few variations of this and different people throughout history have linked the different faces of the creatures with different gospels. But that at least gives you an idea of the thought process.
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But there’s another interpretation that argues these four living creatures don’t represent the four gospels, but that they represent God’s created world. In short, what they represent are the fact that man is exalted among creatures, the eagle as the most majestic flying creature, the ox as the mightiest among domesticated animals, and the lion among wild beasts, and so together they represent the whole of creation on earth. All of them have received dominion. And when John describes them as being full of eyes, front and behind, it signifies that, as God’s servants, they watch over the created order on his behalf. And even if these creatures are more angelic-like creatures, the mentioning of them being full of eyes simply refers to them being ever watchful, never sleeping. They see and perceive everything. Nothing evades them. And so, again, those are just a couple of different interpretations concerning these mysterious four living creatures that John describes.
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But the most important thing, I think, is not exactly what they represent, or who they represent, or even their splendor, but their message and what they’re doing. And what does John say that they’re doing? He tells us, day and night, they never cease to say holy, holy, holy is the Lord, god Almighty, who was and is and is to come. Now, when it says that they never cease, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this is their sole activity, but rather that it’s their constant disposition, meaning that every action is an expression of adoration and reverence and awe toward God. And you know, it’s interesting All beings who directly witness God’s presence and his greatness, they all give him glory, and by doing so, it should definitely give us pause and reflection that maybe we should be doing the same, and as great and splendid as these creatures no doubt were. It should also remind us that God alone is worthy of worship to receive all glory and honor. And they remind us also that God is the eternal one, who was and is and is to come. No beginning, no end, the self-existent one.
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And I realize it’s easy to sometimes get caught up in the details and potential interpretations of this chapter, but don’t miss the more important point here. The primary purpose of this chapter is to focus on and communicate the greatness of God and of his throne. And when these four creatures say holy, holy, holy, that threefold repetition designates the superlative degree, reiterating that God is maximally holy, infinitely holy, holy, beyond human conception. But we finish with the last three verses, beginning with verse 9, which reads and whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated, which reads. So we briefly discussed the four living creatures giving glory to God, but here John says that when they do, the 24 elders fall down before him and they cast their crowns before him.
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Now we also discussed the possible identity of the 24 elders, but if they do represent the church and, honestly, even if they don’t here bowing before God and casting their crowns before God’s throne, they offer God not only their words of praise but their own glory. And here they are seen casting those crowns before God because they recognize God as the only one truly worthy of this kind of glory and honor. He’s the reason and purpose for all existence and certainly for their being in his presence. And they also say, as we see in the last verse Worthy are you, o Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power. And like I mentioned before, those who have been in God’s presence understand the glory and holiness of God. And even many throughout history have admitted that God is God and that to him alone belongs glory and honor. King Nebuchadnezzar admitted this in the book of Daniel, so did King Darius, and it’s strange and sad that even in our modern times many people still will rebel against God. Many will never see what these two great ancient pagan kings realized that God’s sovereignty and his rule are eternal and everlasting.
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You know, sometimes it takes getting humbled by God, as was the case with each of those great kings, but nothing removes pride and a supposed moral superiority better than a taste of the greatness and splendor and glory of God. And once you’ve experienced it or come to realize it for yourself, it’s not enough to just admit it, it’s not enough to just give intellectual assent to God being God. It can’t just end there. It needs to be converted into worship. But worship isn’t just saying nice things about your idea of God.
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As Craig Keener says, worship is the recognition of who God is, what he’s already done, what he’s promised to do, and how worthy he is of our praise and worship. It’s not just gaining more theological or philosophical information. Those things are great. In fact it’s part of why I do these podcasts to help people learn more in those areas and to encourage believers in Jesus Christ.
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But mere knowledge isn’t enough. Jl Packer says that you have to turn that knowledge about God into knowledge of God, by turning every truth we learn about God into a matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise. And so my prayer for you is that you find some time, you make some time, pause and reflect on who God actually is, understand that God is the author of all of creation and realize how far short of His glory and his holiness we fall. Pray that God would reveal to you just a glimpse of his glory, and I pray that you will come to the same conclusion as the four living creatures and, like them, that you will also declare holy, holy, holy is the Lord, god Almighty, who was and is and is to come, holy holy, holy is the Lord, God Almighty, who was and is and is to come With all creation.
