We are in Revelation 4. Apostle John, “in the Spirit” has been ushered into heaven to see what is going on there but still to happen in the future. Remember that the first sentence in this chapter 4 is as follows: “ After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.”
After what things? I believe that it is referring to the previous chapters 1-3 and especially 2-3 where the Church still existed on the earth. We learned about the seven churches which I believe represent all churches of all ages. Now “after these things” will possibly mean after the existence of the church on earth. By implication, the church is now in heaven by means of the “Rapture” (1 Thessalonians 4). "I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" Revelation 3:10.
Apostle John is seeing the church in heaven represented by the “twenty-four elders” worshiping before the throne of God; and before the events of Revelation 6-18, which is the period of the great tribulation. This is my take; likewise those of many other scholars of the pretribulation persuasion. Like I wrote last week, there are other end-time positions.
Let’s read the details in Revelation 4 (please read the entire chapters 4-5):
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
“A throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne”. This is definitely the throne of God and it is followed by the description of the “One [who] sat on the throne”. John is trying to describe what he saw relative to what he knows already. Notice it says “like” which means the reality is too beautiful to describe with the many colors and appearance of jasper, sardius and the rainbow. God is too glorious to describe. The “rainbow around the throne” is the sign of God’s mercy/covenant to humans as He promised in Genesis 9: 13-17, right after the flood and Noah’s salvation.
“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. The “twenty-four elders” represent the saints of God. Why twenty-four? Remember Revelation 1: 5-6:
“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” We are “kings and priests” and in the old Testament, there were also twenty-four priests who represented the entire priesthood (1 Chronicles 24:1-9).
Also, the twenty-four elders are possibly a combination of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles (representative of the church) and mentioned in Revelation 21:10-14). In fact more concrete as representing the church is the song the twenty-four elders sang in Revelation 5:9-10:
“You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
The above song is the song of the redeemed, the song of the Church. We have been washed and “clothed in white robes” by the blood of Christ and have been made perfect by Jesus’ death on the cross. Notice from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Amen.
The throne is further described as follows: “And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God”. Seven is often a sign of completion and perfection. There is only one Spirit of God and of Christ (See Isaiah 11:2). God’s Spirit is already in us that have believed and trusted in Christ; and we will be with God the Father and Christ to worship and adore Him forever.
Next week, we will get into the worshiping and singing in heaven along with the “four living creatures”. Who are they? Study and find out. Yes, we are in heaven in chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation before the "hell" breaks lose in the calamities to come in Revelation 6-18. We shall return back to earth with Jesus when He comes to rule and reign on earth. Stay tuned - Revelation 20.
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