Bible Study of Revelation
Chapter 4
Our last chapter centered around the Laodicean Church period.
Chapter 4 begins what is called the Heavenly Throne Room vision. It is interesting to note that from this point on until we get to chapter 19:11 we do not see or hear of the church being mentioned. It seems to have miraculously disappeared. While the words in verse1 “Come up hither” may or may not signify the rapture of the church. I do find it intriguing that the “trumpet voice” that John heard that ordered him up, is comparative to the “trumpet sound and the voice” of the arch-angel bidding all the dead in Christ and the living saints to rise and meet Jesus in the air. John may well have been representative of the church.
Here is something to think about; If the number seven is the number of completion, and if there are seven church periods from the time of the beginning of the church age until the time of the rapture, and if we are truly in the Laodicean Church period, we must be aware that Jesus could come at any time.
I have often said that God doesn’t reveal much about the heaven as we know it today. I remember a preacher saying that the reason being, that if He told us too much about it, it wouldn’t be a wonderful surprise when we get there. But here in this chapter, we find a glimpse of a small part of heaven, the heavenly throne room. It is the “Holiest of Holies.” It is the place where the true veil was rent and now stands open for all that would receive the grace of God.
Verse1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, ‘Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”
With the removal of the church at the end of chapter 3, we find that God now turns His attention back to the nation of Israel. His church is now safely home and now He must begin to deliver His nation and earthly people. So the words “after this” is referring to after the visions of the seven church ages, or after the rapture.
The words “I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven.” Notice that the word “was” is in italics, meaning that it was added by the interpreters, it wasn’t written in the original texts. So if we read this as was originally written, I looked and behold a door opened in heaven, we see that this door was either already opened [showing its position] or opened for John. Opened -- "standing open"; not as though John saw it in the act of being opened. Compare Ezekiel 1:1; Matthew 3:16; Acts 7:56; 10:11.
However here in this event, heaven, the temple of God, remains closed to those on earth; but John is transported in vision through an open door up into heaven, where he can see things passing on earth or in heaven, according as the scenes of the several visions require.
Then we see that John was told to “come up hither,” or come up here.
Notice the word “must.” These things that God shows John are inevitable. God says these things are going to happen because He says they must. They are unalterable. While the world is being blinded by Satan as to the coming judgment, God is making them known to His people, the church. It is imperative that we proclaim this coming judgment.
Ezekiel 3:17-21 “ Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.”
This warning is so important that it is repeated in chapter 33:1-9. These are grave warnings to the people or church that does not warn its people about approaching disaster or judgment. This is one reason for this Bible study, it is to give us the knowledge to share with lost people. It is to give us a burden for lost friends, relatives and neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances. People may laugh at us like we are crazy, but their blood will be upon their own heads. They will have been warned.
We also can understand the word “must” as meaning necessary or needful. For God to accomplish the completion of His ultimate plan, it is needful or necessary that these things occur in the order and manner given.
While there may some things in this book of the Bible that we do not understand, I assure you that they will happen just as God says they will, they must, it is necessary.
Notice the open door. We find that the church at Philadelphia was given an open door for revival, missionary, and evangelistic work. This open door shows the result of that effort.
Now we take notice of the voice. Notice that this was the first voice that John heard speaking with him upon entering this throne room; there would be many others. It sounded like a trumpet. In most instances, a trumpet is used to issue a command. In the Old Testament, it was used to gather the people, and then used for a signal for them to move out (Numbers 10:1-10). It was also used to herald important official news. Both applications are used here. The command was for John to come up hither. The important official news was about to be made known to John.
When the redeemed of the earth hear the trumpet sound it will be the sound to move out, the rapture has come.
“And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.”
I want to emphasize the quickness that the transaction took place. Immediately! This confirms what Paul said in 1Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
John said he was in the spirit. Many believe that John was transported to heaven. I am of the opinion, that this understanding is the proper one. Many believe that his “being in the spirit’” was a trance like condition, much like Daniel experienced when he received the visions and prophecies that he was to seal up. Daniel 8:2- 3 tells us that Daniel was in the palace at Shushan when the vision came to him. Then in verse.2 he says he was by the river of Ulai. He was still in the palace but his vision showed him the river.
It also was like what Peter experienced when the Lord Jesus spoke with him before going to Joppa to the home of Cornelius. Acts 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision. A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners and it came even to me.”
Paul also experienced a heavenly vision when as he says “I was caught up (raptured) into the third heaven,” whether he was in the body or out of the body he couldn’t tell. Whether John was in the body or out of it we do not really know. The important thing is what he saw. However, in none of these instances, were any of them told to “come up hither.” He saw a majestic throne and someone sitting on it.
What John saw: we want to take note of seven things that John saw. This book is full of sevens. There are too many to relate at this point but we have already seen the seven candlesticks [churches and church ages], the seven stars which is the same as the angels [pastors]. When we consider that this prophecy begins the seventh week of Daniels prophecy we begin to see a pattern. It is usually considered the number seven is the number of completion. God created the world in six days and then rested on the seventh (the seventh day or the Lord’s day when this visitation occurred).
1. Verses 2-3 “And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”
The first thing that John reported seeing is the throne and the Almighty sitting on it. This must be God the Father, for Christ takes the scroll from His right hand in chapter.5:7. Notice how John did not describe God. He did not say that God had a long white beard, or any other physical characteristic. John could not relate to what God looks like because he saw no form. God is not man, He is Spirit and has no body like we think of today. He simply said that the one sitting on it was to look upon like a jasper and a sardis stone. The jasper stone is a brilliant stone like that of a diamond. The sardis stone is most likely the ruby, blood red. So what John saw was a sparkling bright light like that of a blue-white diamond mingled with the bright light from a blood-red stone like a ruby, producing a flashing blaze of glory (verse.). The brilliance of the sparkling light is to show the holiness and purity of God. The color red we associate with the sinless blood of Christ.
We also must note that this throne is not the “throne of grace” which is available today. The throne of grace is for the age of grace.
The church has been removed and that period has passed from the earth. This is the throne of judgment. This is evident by the lightning and thunder proceeding from it. It is a time of judgment for Satan and his followers; it is a time of judgment for a non-believing Jewish nation and people (Jacob’s trouble); it is a time of judgment for the nations of the earth that have bought into the Anti-Christs’ plan.
2. The second thing John saw was a rainbow. “and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (verse 2b). This rainbow was unlike any rainbow that John or anyone else had ever seen. This rainbow was a complete circle; not the half-circle that we see after a rain. This rainbow, like the one given to Noah and us today symbolizes the mercy and grace of God along with the covenant promises in the middle of divine judgment (verse.3). Even though the throne is a throne of judgment and not of grace, God wants the world to know that after the judgment (the storm of tribulation), His dealing with His people will again be with grace. We also note that unlike the rainbows of today which are made up of the seven primary colors, created by atmospheric conditions, this rainbow consisted of only one color, emerald green. Green is usually associated with life. This would remind us that God is an eternal God that ever lives and is the creator of all life.
3. The third thing that John saw in this throne room was twenty-four elders seated, clothed in white and wearing crowns of gold. Verse 4 “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”
4. John saw that out of the throne came lightnings and thundering and voices (verse 5).
This is reminiscent of the Mount of Sinai. This experience like that of Sinai was not indicative of God’s grace as was and is the rainbow. When we see lightning and hear thunder, we naturally think that a storm is approaching. This is what God was relating to John. There was and is a storm of judgment from God approaching the earth and its inhabitants. It must come. It doesn’t matter how man tries to avoid it, no matter how man tries to ignore it; no matter how much man will try to explain it away, it must be hereafter.
Nations will keep on trying to broker a peace agreement between Israel and her enemies, but will fail. Mankind will keep on trying to explain away God, but He will have the final say. Society will continue to try to reform the bad habits, behavior and ills of the day. They seek to reform and God says they need to be reborn. The storm is coming and we as Christians will not be affected by it, we need to warn as many people as we can so they can escape it too by accepting Jesus as Savior.
4. John saw twenty-four seated elders wearing crowns and dressed in white raiment, probably robes. “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”
Many believe and explain that these twenty-four elders are the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. However, there is an argument against this because it is explained that the twelve heads of Israel have not received their glorified bodies as yet, and the rapture has not occurred so these could not be the twelve sons of Jacob. But it must be pointed out that John was seeing things that “must be hereafter,” and these things occur after the rapture, so these twenty-four elders could well be as described. The white robes, or raiment and crowns of gold indicate that these were indeed representative of the redeemed of the earth, both Jew and Gentile.
In this verse, we also see that John was given the vision of seven lamps which are the seven spirits of God. We find these seven spirits identified in Isaiah 11:2 as the Holy Spirit, the spirit of
Wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and the spirit of might, the spirit of knowledge and the spirit of fear of the Lord.
5. John saw a sea of glass like unto crystal [verse 6a.]. Have you ever been standing on the bank of a lake when it was so calm that the water looked like glass and reflected the clouds in the sky, and trees and plants on the bank? This is the picture I get. This sea of glass before the throne of God with all its lightings and thunders was calm. God was showing John that even though the storms of tribulation was approaching the earth, God was not at unrest. He is still in control. It also shows that while much turmoil was beginning on earth, the saints in heaven were at peace, unmolested by what was going on. And just as the calm lake surface reflected the sun, trees and plants on the bank, this sea of glass reflected all the glory, beauty, splendor of God in its surface.
6. God gave John a vision of four beasts full of eyes before and behind [verse 6b-11].
“And round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for has created all things and for thy pleasure are and were created.”
There is some misunderstanding about these four “beasts.” The usual word for beast in the New Testament is the word “therion’ and most often signifies a wild beast. The word used here in this chapter is “zoa” meaning a living creature, or living creation of God. Certainly, God can create any form of life of which He chooses. These four were created it seems for one purpose; to praise Him day and night without cease. Notice the last part of verse 11 where it says that God has created all things and for His pleasure they are and were created.
These four living creatures are the same as seen by Isaiah in chapter 6:1-2 “In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims, each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.”
I do not believe these beasts are symbolic only. I believe that these exist literally. Just because we have never seen anything like that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We need to remember that in the day of Noah, the earth and its people had never seen rain fall from the sky; yet it did just as God told Noah it would. We also need to remember that John had never seen anything like this, so he described it in the best words he had. These beasts were not a lion, calf, man or eagle. They only resembled them in some ways. They all had six wings, and were full of eyes. They also had a voice that John could understand. We don’t need to spiritualize these beasts for any more than what we read and are to know; they are or were created for the purpose of praising, thanking, glorifying God. The six wings were full of eyes, showing that they had all intelligence.
John heard two songs being sung in heaven [verses 9-11].
“And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou has created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
The first was sung and is being sung and will be sung by the four created creatures.
The first song praised God for His righteousness and holiness. They also acknowledged God’s power by singing “Lord God Almighty.” He is the omnipotent Sovereign of the universe.
Then they also praised God for His being the Eternal God, having no beginning or end, no past or future; everything is in the present to Him. They also gave endless praise, meaning “glory, honor and thanks to Him.
“Which was, and is, and is to come.” This no doubt speaks of Jesus [1:7-8] and His Deity.
Their second song was sung by the twenty-four elders. In this song, they not only praised Him for His worthiness, but also for His mighty work in creation. They also worshipped Him by falling down on their faces before Him. Then we also see that they worshipped Him by casting their crowns before Him. These crowns typify the rewards given at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This shows that they realized that without Christ and His work on the cross and His indwelling Holy Spirit there would be no rewards, and that in reality, He is the One who deserves the rewards.
Verse 11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
This ought to stand as an open rebuke for all the evolutionists and gap theology apologists. This verse gives no room for argument for either position.
It seems that today too many people are creating their gods for their own pleasure. The day is coming soon when “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.