Revelation 4, Pt 1

“WHEN YOUR THRONE FILLS MY VIEW”

Revelation 4

And when the storms swirl and rage 

There are mercies anew 

In affliction and pain 

You will carry me through 

And at the end of my days 

When Your throne fills my view 

I will sing of Your mercies anew 

I will sing of Your mercies anew 

(Mercies Anew - Sovereign Grace Music)

Revelation 4:1-2

1 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.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.

Vv1-2: A DOOR, A VOICE, A THRONE

“After this...” that is, after the previous vision and the letters...

A DOOR...it is OPEN, in Heaven, in contrast to the closed door on earth on which Christ was knocking at the church in Laodicea...

It seems to indicate that the way has been opened for access by John...

A VOICE: the voice of Christ (Rev 1:10ff)...Christ beckons John up into the heavenly vision

“Come up here...TO HEAVEN

-what heaven? Where birds fly? Where stars and planets are? Where God is?

Obviously, where God is, as we will quickly see.

REMEMBER THAT PAUL WAS TAKEN THERE, AS WELL. But John was the one to get to tell about it...

2 Corinthians 12:2

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.

“WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS...”

Ie...after what John is seeing? Ie from the time of John until the END of time...or, more specifically, to the time between Christ’s first and second comings (Beale)

We will see that this is HEAVEN NOW...as things are NOW...which is very important when we see what will follow in the chapters to come...if the church faces suffering and persecution with THIS VISION solidly in mind, she will not lose hope, and will KNOW who is REALLY IN CONTROL, no matter how things appear...

But this vision is also important, not only for the future, but for NOW! How should this vision help us when things are difficult, when evil seems to be in the ascendency? 

AT ONCE JOHN WAS IN THE SPIRIT...

-NOTE: There is NO reason to think that this is some kind of symbolic representation of the church being raptured...John is in the Spirit and taken up to heaven...not the church...

Why would this vision and the vision of chapter 5 be presented right BEFORE the judgments that proceed from the throne IF the church would be in heaven and face nothing of what was to come!

A THRONE: (11x in this chapter...it fills the view of what John sees in heaven and it should fill OUR view as we look upon this scene and as we move into what is revealed in the rest of the book...)

Since it is a THRONE, it is the place from which someone REIGNS, in this case, the Sovereign of the Universe. And the sight of that Sovereign and His glory and power results in WORSHIP!

Ezekiel also sees a throne:

Ezekiel 1:26

26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.

And Daniel...Daniel 7:9ff

ONE SEATED ON THE THRONE...

NOTE: “seated” because He reigns and is in complete control...

Revelation 4:3

3 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.

3- This ONE: 

-had the appearance of jasper and carnelian

These jewels, along with the emerald rainbow represent God’s sovereign majesty and and glory: as per Rev 21:10-11, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven radiant like clear pure jasper. 

Rev 21:18-23: the beauty of the New Jerusalem

-a RAINBOW that had the appearance of an emerald

REPRESENTS GOD’S MERCY, as it did when given in promise after the flood...

And represents GOD’S GLORY...see Ezekiel 1:28

NOW, v4-6, AROUND THE THRONE, FROM THE THRONE, BEFORE THE THRONE...

1. AROUND THE THRONE

Revelation 4:4

4 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.

24 thrones...ruling with God

24 elders...the 12 tribes of OT Israel and the 12 apostles of the Lamb...see Revelation 21:12-14

-white garments = righteousness

-Golden crowns = those who have overcome and thus inherit eternal life

NOTE: these were reigning in the PRESENT tense...hope for those who have departed loved ones...to see saints in heaven reigning...

(Many see them as angelic beings...)

2. FROM THE THRONE

Revelation 4:5

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,

SEE A KEY TO INTERPRETING THIS IN EXODUS 19 (and also in Rev 8:5; 11:19; 16:18)

Exodus 19:16-17

16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain.

So these great exhibitions of power from the throne seem to refer to JUDGMENT...

THE ONE ON THE THRONE IS not unaware of what His children face and those who persecute them (and the one who stands behind them, the Serpent)...AND HE WILL BRING JUSTICE THROUGH JUDGMENT on their behalf!

3. BEFORE THE THRONE

Rev 4:5: ...and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God...

Zechariah saw a lampstand with 7 lamps and then he was told,

Zechariah 4:6

6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

And Rev 1:4 mentions “the 7 spirits who are before his throne...” which seems to represent the Holy Spirit, due to the use of the #7 as of the infinite, perfect, Holy Spirit...WE WILL see more representation of this in ch 5...

Revelation 4:6

6 and BEFORE THE THRONE there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:

Sea of Glass = possibly an allusion to the bronze basin between the altar and the tabernacle, filled with water and in which Aaron and his sons were to wash before entering the tabernacle or offering a sacrifice...IF SO, then this sea of glass is a massive representation of the absolute purity of Heaven, eg 

Revelation 21:27

27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

NOTE ALSO: the crystal sea could also represent the absolute sovereignty of God and therefore the absolute peace of heaven...in OT a tumultuous sea was representative of evil and the battle resulting therefrom (Isa 51:9-11; Psalm 74:12-15, etc)...but in heaven, even while all hell is breaking loose on earth, there is not even a ripple: for NOTHING CAN CHALLENGE THE THRONE OR THE ONE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE...