An Important Book Revealed ...

Chapter 5 of John’s book of Revelations seems to follow the same thoughts and vision that began in chapter 4 without any apparent breaks or change in topics.  As noted earlier, John is in vision, he has entered heaven through an open door at the bidding of an angel.  He found himself in the throne room of God.  What he sees there besides the throne and God sitting on it, is 4 other beasts or life forms, and 24 elders seated around the throne.  This was the setting of the stage we discovered in the previous chapter.  Now he begins to describe events that unfold in immediate succession beginning in verse 1 with … “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.”  Keeping in mind, the one who “sat on the throne” is God the Father as later texts will reveal, this means the book in question was likely authored by the Father.  The contents of the book remain a mystery as what the book will say is not revealed here.  However the idea that God the Father may have authored it, and at the least is currently holding it, gives this book great importance to John.  In addition, the book is sealed with seven seals.  Noting as before that the number seven represents perfection, the idea is that this book is perfectly sealed and casual perusal or reading cannot be accomplished without first opening the seals that keep the book closed.

John continues in verse 2 … “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”  Again notice that John identifies speakers and participants easily, in this case he remarks the participant asking the question is a “strong” angel.  It is not a man asking, or beast / other life form, or God, but rather a strong angel.  This would add further evidence that there is a clear distinction between angels, elders, and sentient beings who may also be present, adding to the idea that the 24 elders are of human origin.  But the salient question here, is that the angel poses the perhaps rhetorical question, of “who” is “worthy” to open this book in the hand of God the Father, and to loose the seals that bind it?  This implies that the time has come for the contents of the book to made open or else the question would not be posed.  It also implies that not just anyone may make the book available, but that it will take someone worthy of opening and reading it.

John continues in verse 3 … “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.”  So despite the offer to any who might be worthy to loose the seals and read the book, no “man” could be found that was able to do so.  Interesting that John offers locations that were examined to find such a man as being in heaven itself, or in earth, or under the earth (to which location I have no idea where he is referencing).  But while Enoch, and Moses, and Elijah may have taken residence in heaven due to the mercy of our God, and were joined by other first fruits that Christ took back with Him on the day of His ascension into heaven, none of these redeemed men or women were found to be able to open the book held by God the Father.  Men on earth, perhaps both the living at this time or at any other, were also unable to open this book and reveal its contents. 

This situation deeply affected John, and he notes his response in verse 4 … “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.”  John perceives the importance of the contents of this book, and the reality that no man is worthy or able to open it and read it.  For all he knows, he was brought to heaven in vision to receive the message contained in this book and now despite everything he has witnessed the point of his journey here appears to be about to remain a mystery to him.  This deeply affects John.  It does not just cause him to be “sad”, or to cry, but instead it causes him to “weep much”.  But in our human frailty, the courts of heaven are not immune to our sadness, or ignorance, or diseased condition of pain we choose to embrace in our sins.  Instead, all in the courts of heaven are engaged in the mission of our redemption and salvation from pain and sadness. 

To this end, John is given comfort from one of the elders present there in verse 5 he continues … “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”  One of the elders (notice again, not ascribed as being anything more than a human man), offers John the comfort that there is One man who is able to open the book.  Like the angels who asked the question “Who is this King of Glory” on the return of Christ to His heavenly home, only because they so love hearing His name.  The “strong angel” has asked the question “who is worthy” and the participants in this scene know there is only One answer to this question.  Notice now, the answer of what man is worthy, has a genealogy that is important as it fulfills the prophesies in our Word of God.  He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.  He is the Root of David.  He is the Messiah who descended from Adam to Abraham to Judah to David to Christ.  He does not descend through Ishmael or Esau or Mohammed.  Nor does He come from a random Nordic, or Asiatic tribe.  Christ has a defined historical genealogy that traces back through our Word of God to our creation.  He establishes and fulfills the religion that began in Eden, found renewal in Abraham, and again in Moses, and again in the tribes that made up the Israelite nation.  But the religion of our God did not end in exclusivity of the Jewish birthright.  Instead as was always His intention, our reconciliation to God was made open to the world by the Lamb of God.

John continues in verse 6 … “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”  Symbolism is used in the imagery John sees of the One who is worthy to open the book.  First, he sees in the midst of this scene, a Lamb as it had been slain.  No clearer image was ever set for what Christ did in taking on our punishment to see us redeemed.  He who was completely innocent (as is a lamb, a young creature who has committed no crime), is slain for our iniquity.  The sacrificial system employed in the Old Testament was to remind us how innocence would be slain for our iniquity.  How our sins hurt more than just ourselves, they hurt the victims or objects of our actions and motives.  Our sin causes pain to others, often to those who do not deserve to be hurt.  So One who did nothing to deserve our pain and anguish volunteered to suffer it, so that we might be made free from it.  Lambs were not to die to teach us that there is “no” cost to the choice of breaking trust with God, but instead how terrible are the results of that choice.  Our hearts were meant to be broken as the blood of the innocent was shed for our worship of self.  We were meant to see that keeping trust with God could avoid this pain and death in the future.  The sacrifice of our Lamb made possible a freedom from the slavery of sin, not a continued indulgence in it.

Second, the Lamb is noted as having seven horns.  Generally a horn symbolizes a kingdom or power structure or government over a group or nation.  In this instance, having seven horns, is to symbolize that the Kingdom of Christ or the Lamb is a perfect kingdom that is without end.  He is not just a King.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Lastly, the Lamb is noted as having seven eyes, and symbolism of the eyes is immediately identified as being the seven Spirits or Holy Spirit of God that is sent forth into “all” the earth.  The Holy Spirit portion of our Godhead is not idle in the work of our redemption, but rather has a very active role.  He is also not constricted to visit only the perfect, or only those with a correct doctrinal understanding, or only those who see the need for Him.  Instead as this text points out, He is sent into “all” the world.  He works on the hearts of ALL men and women, trying to point them to the source of their redemption and salvation.  And notice too, His work is not untied from Christ, but rather tightly tied to Him.  The seven eyes are a characteristic of the Lamb, they are bound to the Lamb.  The Holy Spirit does not offer a path to redemption that is absent the ministry of Christ, but instead the only way and the way based on Him.  There are not “many” paths to God, instead there is only one, in the person of Jesus Christ.

As has already been noted, there is only One who is able to loose the seals of a book that is presented by God the Father to this heavenly setting.  There is only One method of our redemption and salvation and that comes through the person of Jesus Christ.  John continues in verse 7 … “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.”  Here is where the differentiation takes place that establishes it was God the Father on the throne, and Jesus Christ who enters the scene and comes and is worthy and able to take the book from the hand of His Father.  This act of Christ in doing this must have been a tremendous relief to John.  It was an end to his sadness, and a beginning to his joy.  Our Savior is an end to our sadness and a beginning to our joy.  It is not a life of self-denial that is intended to see us never happy, but instead it is a life of freedom to serve others that is intended to see us happy beyond our wildest imaginations as it is with our God.  John records the jubilation that ensues as Christ takes the book from the hand of His Father.

In verse 8 he continues … “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. [verse 9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; [verse 10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”  Notice the jubilation and worship that is so steeped in gratitude begins at the event of Christ taking the book.  But the worship is made by both the 4 beasts or other life forms, and by the 24 elders.  There is not a clear distinction between the beasts and elders as to having harps and golden vials of incense that represent the prayers of the saints.  Incense has long been used as a symbolism of prayers of the people of God rising up to Him.  Perhaps one of the roles of the participants in this scene is to be witness to the prayers of the people of God, and to see the mercy of God in His answers to our requests.  But then it does seem once again that the perspective of the 24 elders is a very human one.  For they praise Christ as being the One who was slain, and who has redeemed “us” to God by Thy blood.  They further seem to self-identify as being out of “every” kindred, tongue, people, and nation.  The 24 elders seem to originate from every nationality, every ethnicity, every language, and every kind of family or community.  While the genealogy of Christ is specific to the lineage of Abraham, the 24 elders represent the wider salvation He was to enact for mankind.

The gratitude expressed in the song they sing, and reflected in the lyrics in verse 10 are not intended to be a reflection of power over others, but as their role in the service of others.  In the Kingdom of God to reign as kings and priests is to have a place of honor in the service to those whom you “reign” over.  As our God serves us, and loves us, and never tires of doing great acts of mercy and love for us – He is the King, the model of a King, to which we also aspire to be.  He does not exist in order to be served, He finds joy in His existence through the expression of love and service to those who He creates.  So we, begin identified as kings or priests unto God, will find our fulfillment not in being served, but in serving others.  This is a radical departure from the kingdom and goals of Satan.  Satan wishes only to be served, by those he would enslave.  Your purpose in the kingdom of Satan is only to amuse his every whim, no matter what cost to you.  Whereas your purpose in the kingdom of God, is to find the purest joy in the voluntary service to others.  You are free to express love to others without limitation.  You are free to know the joy of the choice to love, not the slavery that would bind you to serve only self, and find only emptiness. Kings and priests of our God, know the joy of service to others, they wish not the servitude of others to themselves.  This is the key distinction between the 2 types of kingdoms, of good and of evil.

John continues in verse 11 … “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;”  By my math. 10k times 10k, would be eight zeros or 100million (though math is not my strong suite).  But added to that idea thousands of thousands (or additional millions), I would surmise that John now sees angels beyond counting that are present at this scene.  Angels do not ever wish to miss an opportunity to tell our God just how much they value His love and want to return it.  So they add their voices to the jubilation already underway as in verse 12 he writes … “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”  Angels too, long to praise our God and His Son.  Their millions or billions of voices join in the praise.  John continues in verse 13 … “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. [verse 14] And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

Perhaps at this point, John is taken forward in time to a point where all evil has been fully eradicated.  Perhaps this ultimate scene of jubilation and worship of our God and His Son is a reflection of how it will be one day in the not too distant future.  John notes in his description that every creature regardless of location praises God.  It may be a movement forward in time, only because we know that at present the evil in our world would preclude “every” creature from praising God.  While sin remains, and our slavery to it, it prevents our full worship of our God.  The worship described here, seems to be unencumbered by our selfishness.  It reflects the full statement of the worthiness of our God, and why He deserves our unbridled gratitude.  It is a picture of worship that includes angels, men, sentient life from across the universe, and 24 elders, and every creature or creation regardless of location.  That is a picture of love that seems to be complete and without omission, and is a scene I hope to participate in, in a life that nevermore lacks opportunity to do so, now and forever.

The Revelation of this scene, began with a book that God offers to us.  It ends with our most important recognition; that Jesus Christ is the means through which the book will be offered to the world.  Jesus Christ alone is able to loose the seals that bind this book.  Jesus Christ remains our method of salvation, our singular path to the Father God who sits on the throne of the universe.  This revelation teaches us that there is abundant activity in heaven by all who sit in its courts to see us redeemed.  And that all sentient life understands the nature of our God, and longs to return the love He shows, back to its source through freewill expression. 

And the content and message of this vision had not ended yet …

 

God of Life Revealed (24 Elders & 4 Beasts) ...

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 …