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1Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”
2And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.
3The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.
4Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.
5From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.
6In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.
7The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
8Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
9Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever),
10the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
11“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” (Revelation 4 NLT)1
What if you received an invitation to the White House to meet the US president? How about an invitation to Buckingham Palace to meet the King of the United Kingdom? As an ordinary citizen, I guess I would respond and say, “What an invitation!”
Being exiled in the Island of Patmos, the Apostle John received an invitation from Jesus Christ to visit God’s throne hall. It’s a very special and fantastic spiritual experience!
If you were a non-believer and you have accidentally come across my message; let me tell you one thing, no ordinary folk can enter God’s throne hall. The Scripture states that God lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach Him. (1 Timothy 6:16 NLT)
- The Prelude to the Invitation
The Context
If we want to understand a Bible passage better, we should not take it out of context. Before the Apostle John was invited to observe the heavenly scene in Revelation 4, the Lord Jesus brought the spiritual condition of seven churches to his attention.
According to many polls and public opinion surveys, many people distrust the media. One of the many reasons is that some journalists intentionally or unintentionally take things out of context. Likewise, for their political advantages, many insincere politicians take things out of context. Similarly, some cults and some well-meaning Christian leaders often quote the Bible out of context as well. These manipulators of the Bible want to show their followers that their teachings are based on the Bible. By doing so, they can subtly control individuals and acquire personal gain.
The Invitation to See the Seven Churches
Shortly before John was invited to the throne room of God, the Lord Jesus unreservedly let him see the spiritual condition of the seven churches located in Asia Minor.
Many people see church as a building. The general populace often view churches as those old and famous church buildings around the world. On the contrary, God sees a church as a group of followers of Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus Christ revealed the spiritual reality of the seven churches. All in all, all these seven church congregations all have their strengths and weaknesses. In simple terms, no churches or Christians are without flaws.
Charles Spurgeon, an influential Baptist in his days, he once said, “The day we find the perfect church, it becomes imperfect the moment we join it.” No human beings are perfect in any sense, and that is why all humans need the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
When I was a newbie pastor, although I know the frailty of humankind, my wishful thinking is that I could improve the spiritual health of all of my church members. After all these years of ministry, I have known the reality well enough, I have come to understand humanity and my limitations better. No matter how hard I have tried, I could not build a perfect congregation. As all humankind are flawed human beings, including Christians as well, we simply cannot attain perfection by our own strength and means on earth. There is no perfection on earth, and that is the sad reality!
Let me point out one thing to you. The seven churches that John saw were full of earthly imperfections. On the contrary, when the Lord Jesus invited the Apostle John to God’s throne room, he finally witnessed heavenly perfection.
- The Place of the Invitation
The Place of Being an Exile
As I told you earlier, John, the author of the Book of Revelation, was exiled in the small Island of Patmos.The crescent-shaped island is located in modern Turkey. It is barren and rocky. Approximately speaking, it is 10 miles long. At its widest point, it is less than 6 miles.
Some scholars reckoned the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation between AD 68–69. However, based on the support of two Church Fathers, that is, ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers, it is more likely John composed the book around AD 95.
As you can see, John was not a young man anymore. Also, he was trapped in a remote and resourceless place. Let me stretch your imagination a little bit. It is very likely John had to face loneliness and helplessness on a daily basis.
Across our nation, around the world, more and more people are suffering from loneliness. Believe or not, many young people are the victims of isolation. Also, divorced people, single parents, old folks are trapped in loneliness.
Among many misconceptions in Christian circles, one of them is that Christians would not suffer from loneliness. Although God is omnipresent, at some points of our lives, Christians might not feel or aware of His presence. We are humans after al! I guess John would have suffered loneliness as an exile in the island of Patmos.
The Place of Unusual Circumstances
In such an unusual circumstance, the Apostle John received a series of visions, including the vision of a heavenly scene.
Beloved Christians, you might be trapped in an unfavourable situation now. You might be isolated by all of your co-workers because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps, you might feel abandoned by God. But, let one tell you one thing, it is a great opportunity for you to experience God in such an unusual or unfavourable circumstance.
Dear friends, are you suffering from loneliness? God is waiting for you all the time. He wants to befriend you. He wants to hug you. Unusual or unfavourable circumstances are good chances to get to know God’s comfort and His amazing love!
- The Invitation to Witness a Heaven Scene
God (Revelation 4:3)
The Apostle John heard the voice of Jesus Christ and the Saviour of humankind. The Redeemer invited him to witness a magnificent scene in heaven. John saw someone who was sitting on a throne. If you refer to the context of chapter four and five, the one who is sitting on the throne is God the Father.
The Bible does not contain the word “Trinity”, but it clearly teaches the truth about the triune God. The Word of God explicitly reveals God is triune in nature. There is only one true God and He exists in three persons. The three distinct but united persons are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As God is a spiritual being, no human beings should not comprehend Him as a physical being.
God’s Throne (Revelation 4:3)
The Apostle got a glimpse of the glorious throne of God. By means of modern technology, most people have witnessed the coronation of King Charles. The British government spent millions of dollars for this special occasion. With ultra-high-definition broadcast or 4K television broadcast, we can see sharp colourful pictures of the newly crowned King Charles sitting on a throne. The image that we saw couldn’t compare with the image of the throne that the Apostle John witnessed. John saw God sitting on His heavenly throne.
In ancient times, Jewish rabbis avoided talking about God’s throne because they feared they might desecrate the divine name. John does not describe how God looks like. Instead, he presents a symbolic portrayal of God’s throne and those who gathered around it. One important thing is that God is central to the Apostle’s vision.
Many people have the notion that they will be with God one day. Countless folks regard they are morally good and they will enter Heaven when they die. Innumerable individuals conclude that all religions are the same, leading people to God, and bringing them salvation to their souls. If you think like this, I am so sorry that I have to disagree with you. As the Word of God undoubtedly said, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23 NLT) Also, the Bible states that no one can save themselves by good works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Bible assuredly reveals salvation is through Jesus Christ alone (Romans 10:9–10).
Concerning salvation of humankind, there is no such thing called all roads lead to Rome. Pardon me in saying, universalism is just a wishful thinking.
The Apostle John was a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. He had an unbroken relationship with His Lord and Saviour. Because of this unique relationship and spiritual connection, God purposely gave His servant the special privilege of viewing a heavenly scene.
God’s Glory (Revelation 4:3)
Here’a how John described God on the throne. He saw God who sat on the throne had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. Also, there was a rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. God shines like precious gems because He is the Most Holy One and the Most Glorious One.
Jasper is not as precious as diamond. It is a semi-precious gem. Its colour may be yellow, brown, red, or green; it is actually somewhat dull and opaque. As for carnelian, it is probably red in colour. We cannot know with certainty the exact colour and significance of the gems mentioned in Revelation because we do not necessarily know to what precious stones the Greek names refer. The jasper mentioned here may actually be diamond because this stone is described as clear as crystal in Revelation 21:11. If you like, God is shining with a beautiful green and red light. As you can see, God is the Shining One. The Most Glorious One in the universe is God Himself.
God’s Throne of Rainbow-like Glow (Revelation 4:3)
Additionally, John saw a rainbow-like glow in emerald colour. It seemed likely that the rainbow formed a complete horizontal circle around the throne, something like a halo. A rainbow on earth does not appear in emerald colour. Strangely, John described the glowing circle as a rainbow. I guess this heavenly scene is beyond words to describe.
In short, this brilliance is a picture of the unapproachable light of God that allows no human being to see Him (1 Tim. 6:16).
Many people love traveling. Travellers often tried to take photos of the beautiful scene s that they saw, but some forms of beauty simply cannot be captured by pictures. Similarly, the vision that John saw was beyond words to describe.
God’s Throne with Lightning and Thunder (Revelation 4:5)
The Apostle John says, “From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder.” Very likely, God’s throne here does not depict His grace but His judgement. Throughout the Bible, God’s thunders are often associated with His judgment and awesomeness.
As an invitee, John witnessed an awesome scene of God’s throne room. All in all, it was an awe-inspiring experience.
It is very true that experiences change lives. The first time I visited a Christian worship changed my life. It was indeed a life-changing experience to me.
John witnessed God’s awesomeness in God’s own throne room. Despite the fact that this is not a first-hand experience to us, we could still comprehend more of God’s awesomeness by means of this pictorial language.
In Front of God’s Throne (Revelation 4:5–6)
Verse five says, “And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.” The author stated very clearly that these seven torches were the sevenfold Spirit of God. Seven is a sacred number to the ancient Jewish people. It often symbolise perfection, fullness, abundance, rest, and completion. In short, God’s Spirit is perfect.
Verse six says, “In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.” A Bible scholar regards it as a scene from the Old Testament. He believes the sea of glass is referred to the laver. Based on his assumption, John was at the heavenly temple.
According to Hebrew thought, the sea often denotes evil and chaos (cf. Job 7:12; 26:12; 38:8; Psalm 74:13; 78:53; 89:9; 114:3, 5; Isaiah 57:20; Revelation 21:1). Perhaps, the shiny sea of glass might signify God’s rule over evil.
Furthermore, glass and crystal might represent priceless beauty. The shiny glasslike and crystal-like sea might symbolise an impassable barrier. As there is a great gulf separating human beings from God, no unredeemed human beings can stand before the presence of God.
Above all, the shi ny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal, is a magnificent scene.
Twenty-four Elders (Revelation 4:4)
Not only the One who sat on the throne caught the apostle’s main attention, he saw the twenty-four Elders in the heavenly throne room as well. Surrounding God’s throne were twenty-four additional thrones, where twenty-four elders sat. They dressed in white and wearing golden crowns on their heads.
Who are these elders? Are they angels?
For a few good reasons, these elders are not angels. Firstly, in the Bible, we cannot find angels sitting on thrones. Secondly, angels do not wear crowns. Thirdly, if you refer to Revelation 7:11, the elders are distinguished from the angels. Fourthly, based on Revelation 5:8–10, it seems the elders are part of the redeemed beings, but the angels are not.
Concerning the meaning of the twenty-four elders, there are many interpretations. Based on conjecture, some Bible teachers see them as a priestly entity, for the priests served in twenty-four courses (1 Chronicles 24:7–18). Another school state that the number twenty-four might stand for the twelve apostles together with the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Revelation 21:12, 14). In a simple sentence, the number twenty-four represents the church and Israel. Therefore, twenty-four elders might represent the entire people of God. One interesting fact is that these elders have their own thrones in the heavenly throne room, meaning they have the authority to rule.
Since they were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads, we could safely assume that they were redeemed human beings who had overcome Satan and the evil world.
Dear friends, these elders remind us that only those who have overcome Satan and his devilish system will taste heaven. Let me remind you that no one can overcome Satan by his or her own strength, only through faith in Jesus Christ, believers can overcome the Devil and his evil system (1 John 2:13; 1 John 5:4; John 16:33).
Four Living Creatures
In God’s throne room, there were four living creatures. Most probably, they were some angelic beings. However, we had limited knowledge about the ranking and categories of angels. Isaiah spoke of seraphim and Ezekiel spoke of cherubim. Essentially, they were angelic beings.
The Position of the Four Living Creatures
Concerning the position of the four living creatures (Revelation 4:6), various English versions offer different perspectives. For instance, ESV says, “And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind”. According to NIV, it says, “In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.” According to a particular conjecture, the living creatures might be part of the throne. They were like carved legs on a chair who surrounded the seat and support it. If this theory is correct, we can see these four living creatures as God’s humble ministers.
The Four Different Faces of the Four Living Creatures
Interestingly, the appearance of the four living creatures are similar to Isaiah’s seraphim and Ezekiel’s cherubim (cf. Isaiah 6:3; Ezekiel 1:5–25; 10:1–22). Based on the eyewitness account of John, the first living creature looks like a lion, the second living creature seems like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature looks like an eagle in flight (Revelation 4:7).
In regard to the meanings of the four different faces of the four living creatures, Bible scholars have come up with many interpretations. For example, a scholar indicates that they are angels who represent the four portraits of Jesus Christ that we find in the four Gospels. In Matthew, the Saviour is seen as King. In Mark, Jesus is regarded as a servant. In Luke, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the Son of Man. And in John, Jesus Christ is seen as the Son of God. It might be insightful, but it is purely speculative.
The Six Wings and the Eyes of the Four Living Creatures
These strange-looking God’s creatures have six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. (Revelation 4:8 NIV) Definitely, we must understand it as a symbolic expression.
These living creatures fly because they are devoted to God’s service. Their existence is to carry out God’s will and directions. As they are full of eyes, it might denote their vigilance in guarding God’s throne.
As Christians, we must ask ourselves a question: Are devoted to God’s service, and are we vigilant in keeping God’s truth?
The Unceasing Praise of the Four Living Creatures
The four living creatures offer unceasing praise to God. Ceaselessly, they proclaim the holiness of God: “Holy, holy, holy”. In Hebrew, the double repetition of a word adds emphasis. As for the threefold repetition, it might hint that the living creatures are praising the triune God.
The Leadership of the Four Living Creatures
One noteworthy point is that the four living creatures lead the liturgical worship. They praise God for His holiness, omnipotence and eternality.
The worship of the four living creatures is intermittent. Whenever they praised God, the twenty-four elders responded with actions and words. First, they threw themselves to the ground before God, a way to acknowledge His greatness. Second, they cast their crowns before God’s throne. It is a way to totally submit to God, the Great King. Finally, with words, they indicate that only God is worthy to be praised because He is the Creator of all things.
Dear friends, you might not think God is important to you at all, but let me remind you that God is indeed awesome and He deserves your utmost respect. Last but not least, I hope this heavenly scene would change your life.
Kenneth Thumb Ministry 譚約珥事工 