Revelation Chapter Four Introduction · Revelation chapter 4 introduces a new vision · This vision involves God’s throne room and a judgment process · This same scene was described by Daniel: · Thrones were placed (Dan. 7:9) · God was seated on His throne (Dan. 7:9) · The court sat in judgment (Dan. 7:10) · The books were opened (Dan.7:10)
Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, ‘Come up hither, and I will show you what must first take place after this’”.
Revelation 4:1 “after this” · is mentioned twice in this verse
Really is after this where it is after 1844. The Laodicean church precedes this verse and historically it began in the 1840’s The Laodicean church represents God’s people after 1844, is the seventh church, and will exist at the 2nd Coming Since the prophecy of Revelation chapter 4 begins after 1844 it is truly “after this” Bible commentary: Just means after John had seen the vision. The words after this do not imply any chronological relationship between the closing events of the preceding vision and the one about to be related.
“I looked” · Or I saw. An expression used repeatedly to introduce new scenes or new symbols see rev 1:2 “in heaven” · John is now going to see the heavenly counterpart to the earthly cleansing of the sanctuary · John is now going to see the judgment process which is the first angel’s message begin “open door” exclamation point · This “door” represents the veil in the O. T. sanctuary between the holy place and most holy place · This door or veil was only opened once a year on the Day of Atonement · The Day of Atonement involved the cleansing of the sanctuary of sin on earth · The Day of Atonement represents the same cleansing of sin and restoring of the heavenly temple · The most holy place represents God’s throne room in heaven · The ark represents God’s throne · Just as the earthly sanctuary required restoration after sin contaminated it, so the heavenly temple must be restored · The process of restoring the heavenly temple to its pre-sin state is called the investigative judgment · The Day of Atonement on earth represents the investigative judgment in heaven · This cleansing or restoring of the heavenly sanctuary (temple) began in 1844 (see Daniel 8:14) “the first voice” · This refers to Jesus’ voice which he heard in Rev. 1:10 “speaking to me like a trumpet” · Loud voice “come up hither” · John is told to focus on the heavenly vision “I will show you what must first take place after this’’ · These events will follow the end of chapter 3 · These events will occur with the Ladicean church
Bible Commentary: Just from the standpoint of John’s own time, not after the fulfillment of the previous vision
Revelation 4:2 “At once I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne!”
Revelation 4:2 “in the Spirit” · means John was taken into vision “one seated on the throne!” · John now sees God’s throne room with God seated on His throne · This is the same scene that Daniel described in Daniel 7:9,10 · This is the room where Daniel saw “the court sat in judgment” (Dan. 7:10) · This throne room was represented by the most holy place in the earthly sanctuary and the ark represented the throne ps 99:1
Revelation 4:3 “And he who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.”
Revelation 4:3 · John is now trying to describe the God of the Universe · God’s beauty and brightness cannot be described · God is described as beautiful colors emanating from His throne · God’s throne is surrounded by a rainbow the color of emeralds
Revelation 4:4 “Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads.”
Revelation 4:4 “twenty-four thrones”
“on the thrones were twenty-four elders”
“clad in white garments” · The white robes also apply to the unfallen worlds because they have never sinned and remain pure “golden crowns upon their heads”
Revelation 4:5 “From the throne issue flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder, and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God”.
Revelation 4:5 “flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder”
“seven torches of fire”
Revelation 4:6 “and before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind”
Revelation 4:6 “as it were a sea of glass, like crystal” · God’s throne is described as sitting above a sea of glass clear as crystal (see Ezekiel 1:26) · Crystal is known for its transparency · This transparency suggests that nothing will be hidden during this judgment process · God is allowing the universe to view His dealings with mankind “four living creatures” · Around God’s throne are seen “four living creatures” · These four creatures are similar to but different from the four creatures described in Ezekiel 1:6 · Ezekiel’s creatures each had 4 faces and had 4 wings (Ezekiel 1:6) and he called them “cherubim” (Ezekiel 10:6) · John’s 4 creatures each have only one face and they have six wings and resemble Isaiah’s seraphim (Isaiah 6:2) “full of eyes” · Eyes suggest intelligence and vigilance “in front and behind” · Eyes “in front and behind” suggest that nothing goes unseen and that they can look forward and backward in time · These four creatures are involved in the judgment process which will involve looking back at the past as well as the future · Each of these creatures will be associated with one of the first four seals or horsemen
Revelation 4:7 “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 a flying eagle."
Revelation 4:7 · John sees a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle in that order · Each of these 4 creatures is associated with events described later in the book of Revelation “the first living creature like a lion” · The first creature (lion) is associated with the first seal (Rev. 6:1,2) · This lion is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” who has conquered (Rev. 5:5) and will continue to conquer (Rev. 6:2) · This lion represents the conquering spread of Jesus’ gospel throughout the world after 1844 as seen in the worldwide reformations of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s · This gospel of Jesus will conquer until the end · The time period of the “lion” conquering extends from 1844 to the 2nd Coming “the second living creature like an ox” · The 2nd creature is the “ox” or calf (KJV) · These creatures feet are calf like (Eze. 1:7) · The ox or calf (KJV) is associated with the 2nd seal (Rev. 6:3) · The calf was associated with worship of false gods (Exodus 32:4-8) · False gods replaced the gospel in the early 1900’s (science, evolution, reason, etc.) · The second seal involves warfare which would follow the first seal and take peace from the earth · This was fulfilled beginning in 1914 · The time period of the “ox” is from 1914 onward to the 2nd Coming · The ox or calf of Ezekiel 1:10 is described as a cherub in Ezekiel 10:14,20-22 · The “ox” is symbolic of Satan who will cause warfare, both spiritual and literal, until the 2nd Coming “the third living creature with the face of a man” · The third creature is a “man” · This creature represents the “man of sin” (II Thess. 2:3) · This man of sin is called “the lawless one” who will be “revealed” (II Thess. 2:8) and who will come with “all power and with pretended signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception” (II Thess. 2:9,10) · This “man of sin” will take “his seat in the temple of God , proclaiming himself to be God” (II Thess. 2:4) · Satan is this man of sin who will reign as the false Christ in the last days · This “man” is connected to the 3rd seal which involves a yoke representing the church-state union that develops during this time period · The time period of the “man” begins with the church- state union and extends to the 2nd Coming · The “man” is symbolic of Satan and the famine ,both spiritual and literal, which he will cause until the end “and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle” · The fourth creature is the eagle · The eagle represents God’s protection (Exodus 19:4) · The eagle is associated with last-day events in the book of Revelation: · Rev. 6:7 --- the fourth seal · Rev. 8:13 --- the last 3 trumpets (woes) · Rev. 12:14 --- the last 3 ½ years · The eagle is described as protecting God’s church at the end of time (Rev. 12:14) · The eagle protects God’s church during the woes (Rev. 8:13) which occur after Satan reigns · The eagle is connected to the 4th seal · The 4th seal involves a rider named “Death” (Rev. 6:8) · The 4th seal pictures Satan as the 8th king and the world’s spiritual leader, which is why God’s people need the eagle for protection · The eagle is symbolic of God’s protection of His people in the last days beginning with the reign of Satan as the 8th king and extending to the 2nd Coming
Revelation 4:8 “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'"
Revelation 4:8 “And the four living creatures” · These four living creatures differ from Ezekiel’s cherubim: · Ezekiel’s cherubim have four wings (Ezekiel 1:6) but these have six · In the matter of wings they are similar to Isaiah’s seraphim (Isaiah 6:2) · Ezekiel’s cherubim are all the same (all have 4 faces) · John’s creatures are each different (each has only one face) · Ezekiel’s order of the creatures is: man, lion, eagle, and ox · John’s order of the creatures is: lion, ox, man, and eagle “are full of eyes all round and within” · These creatures are “full of eyes” which means they can see everything · The ability to see everything is critical to the judgment process · The eyes facing forward and backward suggest the ability to see into the past as well as the future “they never cease to sing” · These creatures are described as praising God endlessly: “ they never cease to sing” “'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!' · Their praise song is similar to the song of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts” · This reflects the joy that inhabits God’s presence: whenever God’s creatures are allowed into His presence they can not keep from crying out His praises · True unending indescribable joy inhabits God’s presence “who was and is and is to come” · God is described as He “who was and is and is to come” · This phrase suggests the eternal nature of God · This phrase also points forward to the end of the investigative judgment when God “is to come” into His kingdom · This song of praise is completed in Rev. 12:10: “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come” (emphasis supplied) · In Revelation chapters 4 and 5 John is describing the beginning of the investigative judgment · In Revelation chapter 12 John is describing the end of the investigative judgment when God’s kingdom has come · The accuser is cast down (Rev. 12:10) · Probation has closed · The temple can no longer be entered (Rev. 15:8)
Revelation 4:9 "And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever"
Revelation 4:9 “living creatures” · The living creatures are the four creatures of Rev. 4:6-8 “him who is seated on the throne” · The One “seated on the throne” is God · They are giving thanks to God for His decisions in each of the cases that are being reviewed in this judgment process · As the court reviews each name and God’s decisions are seen to be fair, just, and merciful beyond question, these creatures and the 24 elders fall down in praise to God · Special joy is brought forth when one of the names is found to be saved for eternity
Revelation 4:10 “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, singing”
Revelation 4:10 · The 24 elders join the four creatures in praising and worshiping God for His justice and mercy in saving mankind · They praise Him as the Creator of all things Who risked Himself to save His creatures · They “cast their crowns” which they already have suggesting they were victorious before this judgment began
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all things, and by thy will they existed and were created.”
Revelation 4:11 · God is praised for His creatorship · God has created all things including those who are being judged during this judgment · As Creator He had no obligation to restore His fallen created beings except the obligation of love · God is worthy “to receive glory and honor and power” · God is worthy because He is our Creator · God is also worthy because He is our Savior, which is described in Revelation chapter 5 · To receive “power” points forward to Rev. 12:10 when God finally receives His “power and the kingdom” at the close of probation: · God is finally able to pour out His wrath (Rev. 15:1) --- God’s power revealed · God’s kingdom is finally complete and His people are sealed (Rev. 7:3,4) --- God’s kingdom established
Summary
1. The man of sin or lawless one (II Thess. 2) 2. The dragon (Rev. 12) 3. The scarlet beast and the 8th king (Rev. 17) 4. The beast that ascends (Rev. 11) 5. The fallen star (Rev. 8 & 9)
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