REVELATION 4
The
first three chapters have prepared us to some extent for Revelation 4. However, the descriptions in this chapter
exceed the previous material in their amazing and startling images. Chapter 1, after introductory material,
presented us with a vision of Jesus in His glorious state. He was pictured as a dazzling person with
regal and priestly adornment. He walked
among the lampstands that represent the churches and held the “angels” of the
churches in His hand. He commanded John
to write to the churches whatever he saw in his visions. Chapters 2 and 3 are letters to the seven
churches to which the entire book was addressed. Jesus dictated letters to each of the
churches. These letters were assessments
of the spiritual condition of the churches.
The first challenge to the churches was to respond to these assessments
and deal with their individual issues.
As they did that, they would be prepared to receive the information and
challenge in the remainder of the book.
In chapter 4, John begins to relate the further visions that he
experienced.
ABREVIATIONS: ESVSB = English Standard Version Study Bible;
NIVSB = New International Version Study Bible
Verse 1: John begins by writing: “After this…”
Literally, this is: “After these
things…” We can infer “these things” are
all that John has experienced in chapters 1-3—the vision that begins with an
“auditory vision” of the trumpet-like voice, which was followed by the vision
of Christ among the lampstands, which was followed, in turn, by the dictation
to John of the seven letters to the churches.
After all of those experiences, his visions continued.
He saw a door opened in
heaven. The first voice that he heard
now spoke to him again and told him to “come up here.” Obviously, John could not obey that command
on his own strength, but the solution was given (in the next verse). The purpose for his coming was because the
speaker was going to show him “what must take place after this.” The “must” is a common verb that can mean “it
is necessary.” Often it implies the
necessity comes because the divine will makes it necessary.
Verse 2: John then says “I was in the
Spirit…” He used this same expression in
1:10 to describe his state when he began to experience his visions. Now, his ecstatic condition permitted him to
see heavenly things. John saw an open
door and heard a command to come to heaven, but only through the Spirit was he
able to get there.
Whereas John has been
dealing with the present, now he will begin to deal with the future. However, it is reasonable to ask exactly how
the future is to be portrayed. I shall
contrast two ways of interpreting the material that begins in chapter 4 and
continues through at least 8:5.
The Dispensationalists interpret this material, beginning at 4:2, to be a
projection of John into the future. They
base this partly on the command in 1:19.
This is the beginning of the things “that are to take place after this.” Therefore, all of the material beginning at
4:2 must be in the future. One could set
the scene as follows: John heard the
trumpet-like voice as he was standing on the Isle of Patmos. He immediately went into the ecstatic state
of being in the Spirit. In this state,
he was projected into the future at the very beginning of the Tribulation
period. The rapture has just taken
place. He is—as a prophetic observer or
seer—observing the scene in heaven on “day 1” of the Tribulation period. The
material of chapters 4 and 5 explain what is going on in heaven, and then, as
the seals are opened, chapter 6 relates what happens on earth.
The following quotations
from Walvoord confirm that my rendition of the Dispensationalist interpretation
is reasonable:
One of the important conclusions in prophecy is the concept
that the church composed of the saved of the present age will be in heaven
while the great events of the tribulation and of the end time take place. This
is exactly what is described in Revelation 4–5.
(Walvoord, 526)
…but from the context in which the event is placed in the
book of Revelation, it is reasonable to conclude that the rapture has taken
place and that what John is seeing is a setting for events in heaven that will
take place in heaven and on earth in the period after the rapture. (Walvoord, 527)
Another way of understanding this material, I believe, is reasonable and
natural. John heard the trumpet-like
voice as he was standing on the Isle of Patmos.
He immediately went into the ecstatic state of being in the Spirit. He observed activity in heaven that was
going on in his day (and continues to go on) (4:2-11). Then, he saw the scroll with seven seals
(5:1), the Lamb (5:6), and the opening of the seals (6:1ff). The opening of the seals allows the future to
begin to unfold before John’s eyes. The
fact that the voice in 4:1 stated that John would be shown things that would
take place later, does not necessitate that all the material beginning at verse
2 is a projection into the future.
Suppose someone tells
you: “Get into my car and I will show
you my home.” You get into the person’s
car, and the person drives you to his home.
You get out of the car and get “the grand tour” of the person’s
home. Your entering the person’s car did
not project you immediately to the person’s home. There were additional steps—namely driving to
the home and getting out of the car—before you could actually tour the person’s
home. Nevertheless, the person’s promise
to show you his home was fulfilled in a very natural way.
In the same way, the Lord
promised to show John things to come when he entered heaven. However, to see those things to come, the
seals had to be broken. That required,
first that we be introduced to the One sitting on the throne, to the Lamb, and
to the scroll with seven seals. Once
that preliminary information was revealed, the future could unfold. Moreover, the preliminary information
(chapters 4 and 5) provides us with some important background and context for
all that follows.
I think that there is
descriptive material in chapter 4 that confirm my interpretation. I shall point those elements out as we
encounter them.
Another issue that should
be discussed at this point is whether John’s experience was “a Rapture” or
not. Walvoord deals with this
issue. Some Dispensationalists consider
that, when the trumpet-like voice said “come up here” and John did so through
the Spirit, this was a symbolic depiction of the rapture (Ladd, 71-72). Although Walvoord considers that the passage
is depicting events that will take place after the Rapture, he does not
consider John’s personal experience to be a rapture and he does not consider
that it symbolizes the rapture.
(Walvoord, 527) In fact, he
believes that John’s body remained on the Isle of Patmos while he was “in the
Spirit.” This is probably a reasonable
understanding.
The
first thing that John saw in heaven was a throne and the One who was sitting on
the throne (4:2). In a sense, this
vision is the key to the entire book.
All that takes place is understood to play out before the One who is
sitting on the throne. The phrase “sits
on the throne”—or an equivalent—in reference to God is used in 4:9, 4:10, 5:1,
5:13, 6:16, 7:10, 7:15, 19:4, and 21:5 (at least). We are introduced to the One who sits on the
throne in this scene (4:2ff), and then we hear from this same One who sits on
the throne in 21:5 in the final consummation.
At that time, He will say:
“Behold, I am making all things new.”
In all the references I cited that have “the One who sits on the
throne,” the construction is a present participle. Although the exact translation may vary by
the translator’s choice and may be influenced by the tense of the main verb in
the context, all of these could be translated “the One who is sitting on the
throne.” That is, they are all in continuous
present. God is always on the
throne. No matter how the heathen may
rage, God is on the throne and will have the last laugh (Psalm 2).
Verse 3: The description of this Person is
beyond our imagination. Ladd (72) points
out that there is no anthropomorphism in this depiction. John seems to want to convey brightness,
color, beauty, splendor, and wealth.
Precious stones and gems are the paints on his palette. How a person can look like precious stones is
not clear; nor is it clear how a rainbow can look like an emerald. Somehow, we get the idea of the glory of God
that John saw.
Verse 4: John saw 24 “elders” sitting on
thrones around the throne of God. The
term “elder” in Greek, as in English, is an adjective in the comparative degree
that is often used as a noun. So, it
literally could be translated “a relatively older man.” However, the common usage designated a person
as an “elder” as one who exercised authority, in the village, the Jewish
synagogue, or the church. These heavenly
elders were dressed in white and had golden crowns. The crowns were the “stephanos” type of crown or wreath that was often given to
symbolize a victory.
Dispensationalists,
including Walvoord (207-208), believe that these elders were humans who had
been resurrected or raptured with the church at the beginning of the
Tribulation. Their strongest argument of
all is that the elders were wearing crowns of victory (Pentecost, 208). Pentecost (207-209) argues that the
description of the elders is not appropriate for angels. He claims that their white robes indicate
that they have been judged (at the Judgment Seat of Christ)—inappropriate for
angels. He claims that angels would not
have the “royal dignity” of thrones. He
also mentions a “priestly act” in 5:8.
This, I assume, refers to the elders’ holding bowls of incense
representing the prayers of the saints. This,
Pentecost says, “is never said of angels” (Pentecost, 209).
There
are rebuttals to most of Pentecost’s claims.
First, the reason the elders were wearing white robes is not given in
the text. In fact, angels are often
described as having white clothing (see Acts 1:10). Second, I know of no Scripture passage that
says angels cannot sit on thrones. Michael,
the archangel, is designated a “prince” in Daniel 11:1 and 12:1.
Third, the use of “stephanos”
does not necessarily designate a crown of victory. It is true that the elders wore a “stephanos” kind of crown rather than a “diadema” kind of crown. The diadema
is called the “real headdress of the ruler” (Arndt and Gingrich in entry for “stephanos”). And, often the stephanos is a reward for a victory. For example, it was the wreath
that was given in athletic contests.
However, there are a number of cases where stephanos is a symbol of royalty or authority or dignity or
pride. For example, the Septuagint uses
this word for such a crown in II Samuel 12:30, I Chronicles 20:2, Song of
Solomon 3:11. Revelation uses stephanos in this sense in 6:2, 9:7, and
12:1. Paul describes two churches as his
“joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1) and “crown of boasting” (I Thessalonians 2:19)—expressions
that Arndt and Gingrich describe as “adornments” or “pride.” So, the use of “stephanos” in chapter 4 does
not necessarily designate the elders as saints of the church who have received
their reward.
Fourth,
at least one other reference depicts an angel in a priestly role. The elders are depicted in 5:8 holding bowls
of incense “which are the prayers of the saints.” This is the priestly act that Pentecost
refers to and says that it is not appropriate for angels. However, in 8:3 an angel offers incense mixed
with the prayers of the saints on the altar—a very similar “priestly act.” This would refute Pentecost’s claim.
In the King James
Version, verse 5:9 says that the elders sang a new song “…for thou…hast
redeemed us…” However, Ladd (74-75) points out that the Greek manuscripts that
most other versions are based on do not have the Greek for “us.” No object of the verb is given, but the
object is inferred from the prepositional phrase that modifies it. The object is inferred to be “men” or
“people.” So, ESV has it: “…you redeemed people for God from every
tribe and language…” Thus, the
presbyters do not necessarily include themselves among the redeemed.
For
additional arguments, one may consult Ladd (73-75).
Verse 5a: There were sights and sounds coming
from the throne: “flashes of
lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder…” ESVSB notes that “rumblings” can be
translated “sounds” or “voices.” This
description causes one to imagine a very scary scene. But one also should note carefully this
expression, because it shows up other times in Revelation. There are three series of seven in the
book—seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls of wrath. When the seventh seal is opened, the seventh
trumpet is blown, and the seventh bowl is emptied, the three phenomena—lightning,
voices, and thunder—take place. In
addition there is an earthquake and, in one case, hail. See 8:5, 11:19, and 16:18. I think these phenomena signify two things. First, they remind us of the first encounter
we have with the lightning, voices, and thunder. That encounter in chapter 4 is when John saw
the throne of God. So, these
phenomena remind us that God is on the throne and all things are under His
ultimate Lordship. Second, the fact
that we seem to wind up with the same phenomena may signify that all of the
series end up at the same time. They may
start at different times, but they seem to end at the same endpoint. This is a little theory of mine that may or
may not hold up.
Verse 5b: John also saw seven torches
burning. These are called the “seven
spirits of God.” The seven spirits were
mentioned also in verse 1:4. Ladd (76)
interprets the “seven spirits of God” as an expression for the “fullness of
God’s Spirit.” Morris (48) says the
“seven” in 1:4 may refer to the perfection of the Spirit.
Verse 6a: In front of the throne was a sea that
appeared to be made of crystalline glass.
Two opinions are given in ESVSB and NIVSB. One is that this is the “expanse” that
Ezekiel and others saw when they saw the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:22). That is, it looked like roof of the sky from
below and like the floor of heaven. The
other opinion is that this is the heavenly “sea” that was represented by the
bronze basin that was in the courtyard of the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:17ff) and the
“sea,” which was fifteen feet in diameter, that was in the Temple courtyard (I
Kings 7:23ff). Since the sea is
described to be before the throne and not under it, I tend to reject the idea
that is the same as the “expanse” that was seen by Ezekiel. The other mention of a sea of glass—one
assumes it is the same one as in 4:6—is in Revelation 15:2. That sea of glass is “mingled with
fire.” In neither 4:6 nor 15:2 do we
find the significance of this sea. It
strikes me that sometimes there are things in Scripture that are just
there. Movies and novels sometimes have
something that is “local color.” So, I
might just throw out that the Lord knows the significance of the sea of glass
that is mingled with fire, and we don’t, but we know it is in heaven.
Verses 6b-8a: John then described four heavenly
creatures. These are called “living
creatures” by most translations; however, the word could be translated
“animals.” King James Version does use
“beasts.” These would not be animals in
the zoological sense, but they are so different from most angelic beings,
“living creature” is about the best one can do.
The description of these creatures resembles some other sightings of
heavenly creatures associated with the throne of God. The table below gives some of the descriptive
features from the four passages—Revelation 4, Isaiah 6, and Ezekiel 1 and 10.
|
Revelation 4
|
Isaiah 6
|
Ezekiel 1 and 10
|
|
Living creatures
|
Seraphim
|
Cherubim
|
|
Full of eyes
|
|
|
|
Six wings
|
Six wings
|
Four wings
|
|
Each had a
Head
|
|
Each had 4 faces
|
|
1.
Lion
|
|
1.
Human
|
|
2.
Ox
|
|
2.
Lion
|
|
3.
Man
|
|
3.
Ox
|
|
4.
Eagle
|
|
4.
Eagle
|
|
Say “holy…”
|
Say “holy…”
|
|
|
|
|
Had hands
|
|
|
|
Feet like calves feet
|
|
|
|
Had wheels
|
These descriptions seem bizarre and
almost shocking. We have romanticized
images of angels in our minds. We are
not prepared to learn that God is not limited to making cute, chubby little 4-year
olds with wings and rosy cheeks. These
descriptions break us free. C. S. Lewis
somewhere said that the truth is surprising.
So, John’s vision is surprising.
Verse 8b: The visions of John were consistently
auditory as well as visual. The four
creatures are constantly saying one refrain.
It is important to note that the entire description employs present
tense verbs and participles including verse 4:8b. The present tense generally expresses
continuous action; so this is a description of what is continually going on
in heaven: “[And] day and night
they [the four living creatures] never cease to say…” (4:8b) Their refrain
expresses the holiness of God and His eternity.
John’s description of continuous praise implies that what he is
describing is not something that will only take place in the Tribulation
period, but is something that was going on in John’s day and continues to take
place today.
Verse 9-10: The 24 elders respond to the praise
that is given by the four living creatures.
The living creatures’ praise is characterized in a full way as “glory
and honor and thanks.” One would not
characterize in this way the two-line refrain that John quotes from the living
creatures. It may be that this is one of
a number of praise hymns that the living creatures recite. The verbs that describe the response of the
24 elders are in the future tense.
Although Brooks and Winbery (98) do not include this passage, I believe
this fits their description of the “gnomic future,” which they say “states what
will always happen, if the proper conditions are present…” (Brooks and Winbery, 98) In this case, the conditions are that the
four living creatures give their praise, and then what always happens is that
the 24 elders respond. Their response is
to fall down, throw their crowns before the throne, and make their declaration
of the Lord’s worthiness. Again, this
description of the response of the 24 elders seems to be a description of
on-going heavenly activity that was going on in John’s day and continues to
this day.
Verse 11: The Lord is worthy, say the elders, to
receive glory because He is the Creator.
This jars us a little, because we are very used to creation. Therefore, all merit, in our viewpoint, comes
through accomplishments within the created order. But God, who had no created order, created
one for Himself, and therefore He is worthy.
The other part of this declaration from the elders is that, by
implication, the Lord is absolute owner of all things. Again, in our finite minds, we cannot
understand that fact. We work hard, save
a down payment, and buy…whatever, a car, a house, etc. It is ours.
And yet we do not recognize it is a gift from God. He is worthy to receive our thanks and our
praise. He is also, say the elders,
worthy to receive power. What does that
mean? Obviously, the Lord already has
all power. However, the elders are
stating that it is appropriate that the Lord use His power in His own
creation. One might say that the
Lord is “worthy to take up power.” In so
speaking, the elders are saying that they relinquish their own power. They will not use their own power except
under the direction of the Lord. All
power is to be used by the Lord for His purposes in His creation. We observe that the Lord God is forever
sitting on His throne, and that this is the backdrop to the book of
Revelation. We also observe that the heavenly
beings—and all on earth who walk according to the Lord’s ways—recognize that
the Lord will rightfully exercise power in the universe, especially on
earth. The lightning, voices, and
thunder from the throne remind us of the God who rules legitimately with
awesome power over all of history.
Conclusion: John’s vision of heaven, the throne, the four
living creatures, the 24 elders, the sea of glass, and the ongoing praise
around the throne give us an insight into the heavenly perspective. In heaven, everyone knows that God is on the
throne. Everyone is in agreement that
the Lord rightfully exercises power in history.
All that we shall see in the remainder of the book will be in the
context of the reign of the omnipotent God who owns all of creation.
REFERENCES:
Arndt, William F. and F. Wilbur
Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and
Other Early Christian
Literature. (from Walter Bauer) Chicago:
The University of
Chicago
Press, 1957.
Brooks, James A. and Carlton L.
Winbery. Syntax of New Testament Greek. Lanham, MD:
University
Press of America, 1979.
Crossway Bibles. ESV Study
Bible. Good News Publishers. Kindle
Edition.
Ladd, G. Eldon. A
Commentary on the Revelation of John.
Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans
Publ. Co., 1972.
Morris, Leon. The
Revelation of St. John. Tyndale Bible
Commentaries. Vol. 20. R. V. G.
Tasker,
Gen.
Ed. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans
Publ. Co., 1980.
Walvoord, John F. (2011-09-01). Every Prophecy of the Bible: Clear
Explanations for Uncertain
Times. David C Cook. Kindle Edition.
Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publ., 2002
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