Revelation 4 and 5
Revelation Chapter 4
Rev 4:1 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.
Rev 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
The book of Revelation is not a single vision
It is rather a series of symbolic revelations
Prophesy doesn’t begin in the book of Revelation
It actually begins in Genesis
One writer describes the Old Testament as picture negatives
They have to be held up to the light of the New Testament to really see the picture
The central theme of the whole Bible is the redemption of man through Jesus Christ
This chapter opens with John being summoned to a new vision
The setting of this 4th chapter is the throne room
Rev 4:3 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.
Brilliant light of the diamond, and glistening red hue
Jews – shekinah , dazzling light
Rainbow – perfect circle, God’s covenant to Noah
Clearness of an emerald
Rev 4:4 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.
John here merges the two dispensations into one, type and antitype, prophesy and fulfillment
One people, represented by the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles
White raiment – purity, righteousness
Crowns of gold - reigning
Rev 4:5 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 thundering and lightenings are the usual manifestations of God’s presence expressed in the Old Testament
The seven lamps of fire, referencing the seven candlesticks in the temple
These are said to be the seven Spirits of God
This is the Holy Spirit…the seven is the number of perfection, completeness
Rev 4:6 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.
Rev 4:7 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.
The sea of glass, transparent, like a crystal
Four beasts, better translated living creatures
These and the 24 elders self describe as those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb
See Rev 5:9
Rev 5:9 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;
Why 4 creatures?
First, it would have been hard to describe the characteristics with one symbol
Lion –strength and courage
Calf – sacrifice or patient labor
Face as a Man - reason and intelligence
Flying eagle – swiftness and vision
Another commentator sees the ensigns of the 4 divisions of the tribes of Israel
These would have been as recognizable to the readers as American flag, bald eagle or Statue of liberty to us
Eze 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Eze 1:7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
Eze 1:8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Eze 1:9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Eze 1:11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Eze 1:12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Eze 1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
Eze 1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Eastern division - Judah – Lion (Issachar and Zabulon)
Western division - Ephraim – Calf or ox (Mannasseh and Benjamin)
South division - Reuben – face of a man (Gad and Simeon)
North division - Dan – flying eagle (Asher and Naphtali)
Together represented the completeness of God’s people
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
Rev 4:10 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,
Rev 4:11 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.
Six wings
Isa 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Isa 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
All glory and praise belong to God
Revelation Chapter 5
Rev 5:1 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.
Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
The book with seven seals represents God’s plan of salvation
No one could see and understand God’s compete plan of salvation until the book was opened
No one was worthy to reveal this great plan….not the angels, not the prophets
Rev 5:5 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.
Rev 5:6 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.
Described and the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David
But when John turned to see, he saw a Lamb as it had been slain
Clearly Jesus Christ
It was by His faithfulness to death that He prevailed
It was by His sacrificial death that the plan of salvation was revealed
Seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God
Seven is a symbolic number of perfection or completeness
God has seemingly written this even into the natural world
Seven colors, seven basic notes in music
Horn is complete power,
Eyes is complete wisdom
Rev 5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8 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.
Rev 5:9 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;
When He took the book, the rejoicing began
We see here the 24 elders and the living creatures we see as the redeemed of every nation
We see them praising with the harps, the incense, which are the prayers of saints
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Again, the idea of access to God and reigning (royal priesthood 1 Peter 2)
Rev 5:11 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;
Rev 5:12 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.
Rev 5:13 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.
Rev 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
The whole host of heaven breaks out in praise
Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands
Every creature everywhere praising the Him that sitteth on the throne and the Lamb