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Whereas the messages of revelation regarding Christ were
mixed with symbolism in their delivery to the seven churches; the coming
revelations seem to favor symbolism and representation far more than a strictly
literal interpretation alone might allow.
There do appear to be literal things and messages described in what
would come next, but often a strictly literal interpretation would seem to be
lacking to find the deeper meanings Christ was trying to convey to us,
regarding the great conflict between good and evil, between love and hate,
between free-will and the compulsion of the conscience. Perhaps these revelations were conveyed in
this manner in order that people might gain value from their study in any time
period of church history or world events.
Perhaps they were intended to remind us that we need to be led by Christ
to fully understand any scripture, particularly those steeped in symbolism and
imagery we just do not understand. But to
better understand what would follow, it is important to remember that our
salvation is founded within Jesus Christ alone, and that the point of any of
these revelations was to help us better understand who we serve, and who loved
us enough to save us from ourselves even to the point of giving up His own life
that we might have life. In that context
we move forward as John sets the stage for what is to come.
There does appear to be a clean break or distinction between
chapter 3 and 4 of the book of Revelations.
The messages to the church appear to end at the end of chapter 3, and
chapter 4 seems to open a new dialog, setting the stage for what is to
come. John begins in chapter 4 and verse
1 saying … “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 shew thee things which must be
hereafter.” John begins by setting the
destination of where the coming scene was to take place, in heaven as he would
enter through an open door. The
messenger sent to guide John through the scene was noted as having a voice like
that of a trumpet speaking. And what was
to be revealed seems to have more of a future context perhaps not as directly relevant
to the people and readers of John’s day.
He continues in verse 2 … “And immediately I was in the spirit: and,
behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. [verse 3] 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.” John begins by noting that he did not
actually travel to heaven through the open door, but was taken there “in the
spirit” or in vision.
He then begins to describe where he is and what he
sees. He begins by seeing a throne and
someone sitting on it. The person
sitting on the throne has an appearance of a jasper and a sardine stone. Jasper is noted in scripture as being used in
the breastplate of Aaron the high priest as well as in the foundation of the
city of New Jerusalem. It was generally
thought to be green in color, though it also may come in yellow or brown. It is opaque and able to be brightly polished
for a shine. Sardonyx stone is also
mentioned as a part of the foundations of the New Jerusalem city and is
generally thought to be a mix of red, brown, and white striped colors, opaque
and able to be highly polished as well.
John was not describing a stone statue of course but he may have wished
to convey that the person on the throne was a mix of color and had a shiny
appearance to look at. The throne itself
was surrounded by a rainbow with a heavy favor of green similar to that of an
emerald in appearance. At first glance,
we might believe we are gazing upon a view of Christ in heaven, but subsequent
texts describe a book that is sealed and must be opened that only the Lamb of
God could do, and that Lamb enters this same scene to accomplish this
task. This may indicate that instead of
another revelation of Christ described here, we are actually getting a
revelation of God the Father in His throne room, since Christ will enter later.
John continues to describe the scene as he writes in 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.” God is not
alone in His throne room. Around the
room are 24 seats, and upon them are seated 24 elders. The elders are wearing white raiment, and
upon their heads are crowns of gold.
John does not describe them as being winged, nor as having a bright or
shiny appearance. So it seems less
likely they are angels. He does mention
how they are dressed, in white raiment.
This has special significance in that each of the saved or redeemed are
given clothing of white raiment by Christ (in effect taking on His
righteousness for our own). He also
mentions that they wear crowns of gold, another gift promised to those who are
saved and redeemed by Christ. John seems
comfortable in their presence and does not feel the need to associate any
non-human descriptors with these 24 elders, such as an appearance like a
particular stone, or voices as trumpets, etc..
So given these descriptors it is possible to surmise they are 24 elders
of human origin.
The number 24 could have symbolism in that there are 12
tribes descending from Abraham, and 12 apostles who worked in the early church
of our God. Perhaps these elders
represent both the belonging to God by virtue of birth, and by re-birth in the
believing in Jesus Christ. Elders, in
the historical context of the time in which John wrote, would have had a chief
role as providing counsel and insight though the experience of age. Though our God is all wise, and needs no
instruction, He may have brought these 24 representatives into His throne room
as a gesture of love, and to allow them to join with Him as ambassadors of
humanity in His ultimate mission of redemption of all mankind. Regardless of His reasoning, throughout the
remainder of the book of Revelations these same 24 elders are referred to
periodically, so at the least, this is not a one-time occurrence. These 24 elders appear to have a permanent
place in the throne room of God the Father, and a role He has them fulfilling.
As John was the apostle writing this book, obviously he was
not one of the 24 elders. Many have
speculated as to “who”, by name, they might be?
There have been those humans who have found an early place in God’s
heaven ahead of the rest of us. Enoch,
for example, was translated to heaven without ever tasting death. His journey of dependence upon Christ grew so
close, that he was ready for heaven without the need of further reformation or
reform. The work of Christ’s perfection
in Enoch was completed in his lifetime.
Thus even in a world so wicked it almost caused God to be sorry he had
made us; Enoch had managed to rely upon Christ and find perfection regardless
of his surroundings. Perhaps he served
in this group of 24. Elijah, Moses, and
perhaps others had either been translated, or resurrected and brought home with
Christ at His own death and resurrection to God. These first fruits may have contained those
who now occupied the seats John saw.
John did not reveal the names they carried, perhaps he never knew them, nor
was he personally introduced to them.
But their number, proximity to God, and position of elder seemed very
clear to him.
John once again turns his attention back to the throne
itself as he continues in verse 5 … “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings
and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” The throne of God is active. There are visual and auditory events
emanating from it. And before it or in
front of it, is the seven lamps of fire burning, that represent the Holy Spirit
that exists before His throne. Indeed,
God is not alone in His throne room.
John then begins to describe the surroundings a bit more and something else
he sees as he writes in verse 6 … “And before the throne there was a sea of
glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the
throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” So first, John notes that before the throne
was a sea of glass like unto crystal.
This same notation is made elsewhere to describe heaven itself. Sometimes the redeemed are noted as standing
upon the sea of glass.
Then John proceeds to identify some other life forms that
surround the throne of God. These beings
are clearly not angels. Had they been
angels John would have noted them as such.
They are also not men, as with the elders, they could have easily been
described as such. This leaves them as
being something else entirely. John uses
the term “beasts” to describe them, but this may not have been terribly
flattering or with our imaginations entirely accurate; it might have been
better understood in our day and vernacular as “other” life forms. And these life forms are sentient. They are capable of language and
understanding and appear to have a role in the service of our God. So whether they are species of highly evolved
animals we have never seen, or whether they are representatives of sentient
life created in other parts of the universe remains a matter of opinion. But John sees them as relevant to the scene
and what is to take place and tries to describe them as best he can.
He begins to note one feature that is common to the 4 beasts
surrounding the throne of God. They all
have eyes before and behind, or perhaps they have multiple eyes that encompass
their heads in front and behind, perhaps able to see what is coming and has
transpired. He continues his description
in verse 7 … “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.” Notice that each beast
bears a resemblance to animals we are familiar with in our world, but none of
them is exactly like what we know. The
first beast is compared to a lion. The
second to a calf (not an adult cow, but a young one). The third has the face as a man (notice no
body is described here per se). And the
fourth is like a flying eagle. John
continues to further ascribe common attributes in the first part of verse 8 as
he writes … “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they
were full of eyes within: …” So all 4 of
them had 6 wings a piece, and perhaps each of the wings were full of eyes as
well. At this point it is clear that the
physical description of these four life forms is wholly dissimilar to the
animals we see in our world. The
multiple wings, and multiple eyes alone take care of that.
However, evidence that these beings are sentient is revealed
in the last part of verse 8 going forward he writes “… and they rest not day
and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and
is to come. [verse 9] And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to
him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,” The 4 beasts then have language and
understanding to praise and worship God the Father. They have gratitude for life and His
blessings revealed in their thanks. They
understand who God is, and what He does, and they realize that God is
eternal. At the instigation of their
worship of God, the 24 elders respond in verse 10 … “The four and twenty elders
fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for
ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, [verse 11] Thou
art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The image of casting crowns before our God is
noted elsewhere as a response of the redeemed to the love of God, a further
indication the 24 are truly human. In
their praise and gratitude the 24 elders reveal again the importance of our God
as being the God of creation.
Love ever desires an object to serve and share with. Because of His love, He derives pleasure in
bringing into existence new life that He can pour His love out upon. It is this pleasure of sharing love that has
caused God to create, and to bring into existence all forms of life. He has made man, but He has also made angels,
and here John gives us our first Biblical exposition on other kinds of sentient
life that have been created. Perhaps as
the 24 elders represent mankind, these 4 beasts represent a host of other
unfallen sentient creations that God has made.
The important point revealed here is that God is the God of all life,
and of all creation. What we have seen
is only a small glimmer as to what is out there, and what He has made through
the power of His love and will.
At this point the stage has been set. The scene is ready. The players have been credited. What follows seems to have more meaning as
messages continue to be revealed to us …
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