Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
REVELATION 4
The Throne in Heaven
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first 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 there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Application Notes
4:1 Revelation 4 and 5 record glimpses into Christ's glory. Here we see into the throne room of heaven. God sits on the throne and orchestrates all the events that John will record next. The world is not spinning out of control; the God of creation will carry out his plans as Christ initiates the final battle with the forces of evil. John shows us heaven before showing us earth so that we will not be frightened by future earthly events.
4:1 The voice John had first heard that sounded like a trumpet blast was the voice of Christ (see 1:10-11).
4:2 Four times in the book of Revelation John says he was ·in the Spirit. (1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10). This expression means that the Holy Spirit was giving him a vision--showing him situations and events he could not have seen with mere human eyesight. All true prophecy comes from God through the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).
4:4 Who are these 24 elders? Because there were 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 apostles in the New Testament, the 24 elders in this vision probably represent all the redeemed of God for all time (both before and after Christ's death and resurrection). The 24 elders might also refer to the 24 groups of Israelite priests who took turns serving at the temple (1 Chronicles 24:1-19). The Messiah has established his people to be "a kingdom and priests" (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). The elders symbolise all those-both Jews and Gentiles-who are now part of God's family. The 24 elders show us that all the redeemed of the Lord are worshipping him.
4:5 In Revelation, lightning and thunder are connected with significant events in heaven. They remind us of the lightning and thunder at Mount Sinai when God gave the people his laws (Exodus 19:16). The Old Testament often uses this imagery to reflect God's power and majesty (see for example, Psalm 77:18).
4:5 The "seven spirits of God" is another name for the Holy Spirit (Also see Zechariah 4:2-6, where seven lamps, like the seven torches here, are equated with the one Spirit.)
4:6-7 Just as seven lighted lamps symbolise the Holy Spirit, the "four living creatures" represent the attributes (qualities and character) of God. These creatures were not real animals. Like the cherubim (a high-ranking order of angels), they guard God's throne, lead others in worship, and proclaim God's holiness. God's attributes symbolised in the animal-like appearance of these four creatures are majesty and power (the lion), faithfulness (the ox), intelligence (the human), and sovereignty (the eagle). The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel saw four similar creatures in one of his visions (Ezekiel 1:5-10).
4:6 Crystal clear glass was virtually impossible to find in New Testament times (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). The "sea of glass" highlights both the magnificence and holiness of God.
4:9 John describes these scenes in great detail because Christians in the first century came from many backgrounds. Not all of them understood Jewish history or knew the glory of the temple. The book of Revelation instructs us in worship. It shows us where, why, and how to praise God. Worship takes our minds off our problems and focuses them on God. Worship leads us from individual meditation to being part of a community praising and honouring God, focusing on his love and his character. Worship causes us to consider and appreciate God's character. Worship lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly.
4:11 This hymn of praise sums up the entire scene: All creatures in heaven and earth will praise and honour God because he is the creator and sustainer of everything. No other king or ruler could make such a claim.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)