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1 PETER 5

1 PETER 5

Survey of the chapter
Having spoken of various aspects of the sufferings of Christ, some of which the believer may share, the apostle now turns to what we may call Pastoral Sufferings, those things that come upon those who dedicate themselves to the task of caring for the flock of God. This occupies most of the verses of the chapter, and is followed by a short section of greetings.

5:1
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder- as an older man, Peter is now more permanently in an assembly, apparently at Babylon, verse 13. When he was reinstated publicly as the first of the apostles on the shores of Galilee, Peter had been instructed by the Lord in the matter of fishing for souls by what the Lord did, as He showed that He was in total control of where and when and how many fish would be caught, John 21:6. So this was Peter’s evangelistic task, which he discharged faithfully. Now he is older, and the second charge from the Lord comes to the fore, that of feeding and caring for the sheep and lambs in the flock of God, verses 15-17. It is as one who has discharged this duty faithfully that the apostle writes to the elders in the churches scattered throughout Asia Minor. This is not to say that he did not shepherd before, or that he was not evangelising then, but that the emphasis has changed.

And a witness of the sufferings of Christ- the particular sufferings indicated here are those which the Lord endured because of His care for the “little flock”, who had gathered around Him. They are what we might call His pastoral sufferings. He was no hireling, fleeing when trouble came, but stood firm and defended the truth and His disciples, John 10:11,13. We see this very clearly when He was in Gethsemane, and the band came to arrest Him. He stepped forward and allowed Himself to be apprehended, but first asked that His disciples be allowed to make their escape, which they did, John 18:8.

And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed- despite much failure on that terrible night, Peter was confident that, as a restored man, reward in the form of association with Christ in His glory awaited him, as it does all others who faithfully shepherd the flock.

5:2
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof- what Peter had been instructed to do on the shore of Lake Galilee, he now enjoins on those who shepherd the flock of God. They are to be fed, and not just led. Or rather, they are to be led into green pastures so as to be fed. It is the duty of shepherds to ensure that the sheep in their care are supplied with suitable spiritual food.

The expression “the oversight” is sometimes misused to refer to a company of elders or shepherds. Really, though, it is something that is done, the overseeing of the work of others to ensure that it is done to God’s glory, and also, as in this context, to watch over the flock, alert for danger, and ready to supply the needs of their souls. To take the oversight means to engage in the work of overseership as an elder or shepherd of the flock.

Not by constraint, but willingly- the task will not be done in a spiritual way if a man is coerced into doing the work. His heart must be in it, a heart for Christ’s glory and a heart for the welfare of believers.

Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind- a true shepherd will not need financial incentives to undertake the work. In fact, the payment of a stipend is liable to attract the wrong sort of person. A great deal of resources have been diverted into the payment of salaries to men who should, if fitted to do the work, do it without monetary reward.

5:3
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock- an elder is not a ruler in the political sense of the word. The heritage, (the flock of God), belongs to God, and not to man. It is His “allotted portion”, such is the meaning of the word heritage. Instead of insisting that believer’s conform to his will, the true elder will show Christ-like features in his life, so that they may be followed by the rest of the flock. An Eastern shepherd did not drive his flock as a dictator, but led them as one who could be safely followed.

5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away- overseers should remember that they too are being overseen. The Chief Shepherd is keeping His watchful eye on both the flock and the undershepherds. With this in mind, they will be diligent, and their reward will be granted when Christ comes to reign. That reward will be in the form of a crown, which, unlike the fading and withering crowns awarded at the Olympic Games, will never decay, but shall abide eternally to Christ’s praise. Christ is the Good Shepherd as to His ability; Great Shepherd as to His activity; Chief Shepherd as to His authority.

5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder- “the elder” is no more a sole shepherd of the flock than “the younger” implies there is only one young person in view. The idea is that the class of people described as younger are to be in submission to the class of people described as the elder. The New Testament knows nothing of the idea of one man being solely responsible for the leading of the flock. The “likewise” links back to verse 1, with “I exhort” addressed to the elders there; Peter is likewise exhorting the younger here.

Yea, all of you be subject one to another- this is the lesson Peter learned in the upper room, for the Lord detected that there was a spirit of rivalry amongst the disciples, “for there was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest”. He rebuked them saying, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as one that serveth”, Luke 22:24-27.

And be clothed with humility- Peter had watched in amazement and not a little discomfort, when the Lord Jesus rose from supper in the upper room, girded Himself with a towel, the symbol of service, and began to wash His disciples’ feet. What a powerful lesson in humility! The Lord of all, but girded like a servant! But He had taken the servant’s form so that He could be found in fashion as a man, Philippians 2:7,8. As such He is the supreme example of humility and service. As He said to the disciples, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you”, John 13:15.

For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble- when the proud rise up, then God marshalls His forces to resist them, meanwhile giving grace to the humble to bear with their bad attitude.

5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time- as far as the younger ones are concerned, some of them will become elders in an assembly when they have matured. They are assured that when the due time comes they will be given this positiion by God. But the principle applies to all believers, for “he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” is the word of Christ, Luke 14:11, and those who take the low place on earth shall receive a correspondingly higher place in heaven and in the kingdom.

5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Casting all your care upon him- those who humble themselves are likely to be trodden down of men and lightly thought of. If that is the case, there is one on whom they can cast that burden of care. The psalmist wrote, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”, Psalm 55:22.

For he careth for you- there is a special place in the heart of the Good Shepherd for those who are despised by men, for He Himself experienced the same. He acts to provide comfort and strength in that situation. From chapter 1 we learn that He was “manifested in these last times for you”, 1 Peter 1:20. In that same chapter we learn that there is an inheirtance “reserved in heaven for you”, 1:4. So the past and the future has provided examples of His concern for His people, and now in the present His unfailing care for the downtrodden is known.

5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Be sober, be vigilant- to cast all care on Christ must not mean that we forget our personal responsibilities. The world is a place of great danger, and we need to be alert, aware, and watchful.

Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour- just because the Chief Shepherd has provided us with shepherds to watch over us does not mean that we may be careless. It is such people that the Devil is seeking out. He will have no scruples in preying on the weak, and devouring them in the sense that they are overwhelmed by his opposition, and cowed into unfaithfulness to Christ. It is true that Satan has been robbed of much of his authority by the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, (see Hebrews 2:14; Ephesians 4:8; Colossians 2:15), but it is still true that in the wisdom and ordering of God he is allowed a certain amount of opportunity to harrass the people of God.

We might ask why the roaring of the lion does not alert the sleepy saint? Perhaps the answer is that lions tend to roar after they have captured their prey. Amos the prophet, (who was also a herdsman, and knew the countryside well), wrote, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”, Amos 3:3. Then he asked, “Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” verse 4. These two questions strongly suggest that a lion roars after he has captured his prey. So if we hear Satan roar, then we must be doubly watchful, for it may mean that he has already succeeded in devouring another saint.

5:9
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Whom resist stedfast in the faith- it is a sign that his power is limited in that even the sheep of the flock can resist him, such is the energy of the indwelling Spirit. As the apostle John wrote, “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world”, 1 John 4:4. This power of the Spirit within is only effective as we avail ourselves of the truth of the faith, the body of Christian doctrine. The devil cannot stand before the truth of God, for it foretells his downfall and utter destruction in God’s good time. James exhorts us to “resist the devil and he will flee from you”, James 4:7. This is what happened when he tempted Christ was in the wilderness. He found that Christ resisted him by the use of the word of God, and he departed, defeated.

Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world- the attacks of the enemy are known by all God’s children in the world. It is a worldwide phenomenon, but the Spirit and the word of God are sufficient for every believer, wherever they are and in whatever way they are attacked. The word “accomplished” is interesting, for it indicates a view of suffering that might be overlooked. Traumatic as afflictions are, they are part of a process whereby our God is accomplishing goals in His people. We have learnt from 1:7 that the trial of faith, when endured in proper fashion, will result in praise and honour and glory for the Lord Jesus when He comes to reign. So afflictions are not negative events, but the positive means whereby our God works out His purpose to glorify His Son. Painful as the afflictions may be at the time, the resulting glory will more than compensate, and, more importantly, will result in added glory for Christ when He comes.

5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus- as the psalmist said, “The Lord will give grace and glory”, Psalm 84:11. He gives grace in the sense that His enabling ensures that trials may be endured in a God-fearing way. But He gives glory, for He has destined His people to be with Christ and like Christ for all eternity.

After that ye have suffered a while- so the idea of suffering is not incompatible with the prospect of glory, nor does the suffering indicate that the glory has been forfeited. Note the contrast between eternal glory and suffering for “a while”. The apostle Paul made a similar contrast when he wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.

Make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you- so all the while the sufferings are endured, the work of God continues in their souls. They do not put things “on hold” while the suffering is upon them; in fact, as we have seen, the sufferings are part of the work of God.

To perfect in this context means to adjust, for the sufferings might cause some dislocation of their spiritual attitudes, so they are unfitted for what God has in mind for them to do. The Lord will step in and repair the damage, as long as we are responsive. Note the apostle is asking a favour of God, that He will make them perfect. He does not impose these things on us however. The “God of all grace” is ready to step in with His favours.

They need to be stablished, for sufferings are unnerving, but the grand truths of the Christian faith are a sure foundation for the believer’s confidence in times of trial.

They need to be strengthened also, for sufferings are undermining and wearying, and will sap the believer’s vitality if he does not avail himself of the work of the Spirit, who strengthens us with might in the inner man, Ephesians 3:16. The words of the Lord to Peter were, “when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”, Luke 22:32. Peter would deny his Lord, but afterwards, when he was recovered, he spent the rest of his life strengthening his brethren so that they did not fall as he had done.

Sufferings are also unsettling, raising doubts in the mind if we let them, but the truth of the word of God dispels all doubt.

5:11
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen- this is really the end of the letter, and the apostle expresses the desire that, whatever the experiences that the Lord’s people go through, it may all result in glory for God, and the demonstration that He is in complete control, for He has dominion.

5:12
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly- we read of Silas in Acts 15,16, 17 and 18, and he is probably the same man as Peter calls Silvanus here. If so, it is pleasing to note that he, and Marcus, (presumably John Mark), are found with the apostle together, for Silas had been chosen as a replacement for Barnabas when he had a dispute with the apostle Paul about Mark, Acts 15:36-41. The matter is settled, and they can combine to greet the saints. It is good when differences are resolved on earth, rather than at the judgement seat of Christ.

By saying “I suppose” the apostle is not guessing. The word is based on logos, the origin of the word logic. Peter has assessed the character and conduct of Silvanus, and has come to the reasoned and logical conclusion that he is a faithful brother. That he was a brother “unto you”, would suggest that Silavanus had laboured amongst them at some time. Even though that was the case, he did not consider it to be below his station to simply be the apostle Peter’s secretary, for that was just as much service for the Lord as preaching. In fact, his preaching is forgotten (by earth at least, although not by God), but the words of the apostle that he wrote down are still with us.

Exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand- the apostle himself was confident that the doctrines of the gospel were true and valid, and on that basis he exhorted the saints. But some might be wavering in their faith, tested as it was by persecution. To these he writes to assure them that what they believed at the beginning when they first heard the gospel, (and it is possible that some of his readers had been at Jerusalem when the apostle preached on the day of Pentecost), was indeed the gospel of the grace of God, which, when believed, gives a sure standing before God. As the apostle Paul wrote, “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand”, Romans 5:2. The apostle John exhorted his readers to “Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father”, 1 John 2:24.

5:13
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you- it seems from this that the apostle Peter was based at Babylon in the assembly there, the very place to which the Jews had been taken as captives by Nebuchadnezzar long before. As the apostle to the circumcision he had a special ministry to them. What a triumph of Divine grace that in Satan’s city, (for Babylon has always been the earthly headquarters of Satan’s war against God down through the ages, from Babel onwards), there should be a company that formed part of the bride of Christ, and had no link with the Babylonian harlot, Revelation 17:3-6. Nedless to say, there is no evidence in the New Testament to suggest that the apostle Peter ever went to Rome, let alone was “Bishop of Rome”, as some teach. Those who speak of Peter as Bishop of Rome are clearly not wise to the truth of Scripture about bishops. Why then should we believe them about whether Peter was at Rome or not?

The fact that the church was elected reminds us that a church consists of individuals who have come into the good of the purpose of God, and as such form part of the company that the apostle Paul calls “God’s elect”, Romans 8:33. The apostle assumes that all in the church are genuine believers, and so can be said to be chosen, or elect, before the foundation of the world.

And so doth Marcus my son- in the Old Testament, especially in the days of Elisha, there were those known as the sons of the prophets. They were not necessarily physical sons of the prophets, but were those who were learning from them. Peter had clearly taken Mark under his care, and was responsible for instructing him in the things of God. This bore fruit, not least in the fact that he was responsible for the Second Gospel.

5:14
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity- what Peter cannot do because he is absent from them, he exhorts them all to do amongst themselves.

Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen- not only are Silas and Mark in harmony, but it is pleasing to see the apostle Peter using the title of Christ that was expecially used by the apostle Paul, showing that he was in sympathy with his teachings.

1 TIMOTHY 5

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Survey of the chapter
We come now to the fifth charge to the Ephesians through Timothy. In verses 1 to 20, and then the fifth charge to Timothy personally, from verses 21 to 25. The chapter is about the honour that is due to various believers given their particular claim on that honour, whether it be simply as fellow-believers, or as needy widows, or as elders in the assembly.

Structure of the chapter

(a)	Verses 1,2	Honour shown in relationships.
(b)	Verses 3-16	Honour shown in provision.
(c)	Verses 17-20	Honour shown to diligent elders.
(d)	Verses 21-25	Fifth charge to Timothy.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5, VERSES 1 AND 2:

5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

The fifth charge to the assembly at Ephesus through Timothy.
(a) Verses 1,2 Honour in relationships.

5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

Rebuke not an elder- in the context this simply means an old man, for three reasons:
(i)    Some elders are to be rebuked , verse 20.
(ii)    The expression “elder women” of verse 2 is the male form of “elder man”, which would means that if we omit “elder” we could have female elders. But this would contradict the injunction “I suffer not a woman to teach”, for elders are to teach.
(iii)    The elders here are contrasted with young men.
Believers, whether male or female, should treat elderly believers with respect for their perseverance and their vulnerability. God required Israelites to “rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord”, Leviticus 19:32. Now the apostle is enjoining it upon those who know God’s grace. The word rebuke has a certain forcefulness about it, having its origin in the word meaning to pound, or to smite.
But intreat him as a father- a believer is bound to honour the natural father and mother. It is the first commandment of the law that has a promise attached to it, as the apostle points out in Ephesians 6:1-3. The principle behind the command of the law is carried over to the present age, for we are to fulfil the righteous requirement of the law, even though we are not under it as to our relationship with God, which is secured by Christ, and not by law-keeping, Romans 8:4.
The ideal attitude that one should have to one’s own natural father should be the normal attitude we have to older believing men.   Of course, this will be easy if older believing men are fatherly in their attitude in return. But if this is not the case, then another Scripture should be borne in mind which says, “Being defamed, we intreat”, 1 Corinthians 4:13. To intreat, both in that passage, and here in 1 Timothy 5, means to exhort or to implore, which displays a completely different attitude to the rebuke we are warned against.
And the younger men as brethren- not merely as friends, but those linked by a common life in the family of God. It is a pity when young believers only interact with one another on a natural level, engaging in social activities no different to the world. Youth is the time to seize opportunities to serve the Lord, using God-given energy to further His interests.

5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

The elder women as mothers- in Romans 16:13 the apostle describes Rufus’ mother as his mother, indicating that she had acted as a mother would towards him, at some time. His response was no doubt one of treating her as he would his own mother.
The younger as sisters, with all purity- Ephesus was dedicated to the goddess of love, and the whole atmosphere of the place would be permeated by lustful thoughts and behaviour, much like the world of today. Believing young men should only have pure thoughts about young women in general, and believing women in particular. Normally, natural brothers and sisters react to one another free of sexual undertones, and this should be how the young men behave towards sisters in the Lord.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5, VERSES 3 to 16:

5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

(b) Verses 3-16 Honour in provision.
5:3-5 ‘Widows indeed’ to be honoured.

5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Honour widows that are widows indeed- what a “widow indeed” is will be defined in verse 5. The word for “widow” has the idea of loss, being connected with word chasm; there is now a gap in her life. This means that her means of support is gone.
The word “honour” has the meaning of “a valuation by which a price is fixed”. The assembly must make a spiritual assessment of the value of the widow, and give her that in terms of honour. There is more required than just respect and concern, however. This honour should involve financial help if necessary. We should not make the Welfare State an excuse for not helping the poor, especially poor widows.

5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

But if any widow have children of nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home- the Lord Jesus condemned the practice of His day whereby instead of the rulers encouraging the support of parents as the law required, they demanded a gift for the temple instead. Mark 7:6-13 gives the details of His condemnation. The elders said, “If a man shall say to his mother or father, ‘It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free’. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of no effect by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye”. This in fact was spurious piety in connection with the temple, but the apostle here is enjoining piety at home. The best thing the children can do for their parents is to reflect their godliness in their own lives. This, to spiritual parents, will be the best recompense for all that they have put into bringing up their children.
And to requite their parents- this means to “give back a recompense”. The first recompense is to live a godly life, the second is to provide for the needs of the parents, if necessary. There should be gratitude on the part of the children for the sacrifices their parents have made whilst they were bringing them up. Notice that to provide for an aged and widowed mother is to requite the parents, for it is gratitude for what the mother and the father did in earlier years.
For this is good and acceptable before God- the behaviour highlighted by the Lord Jesus might have been good and acceptable to the Jewish hierarchy, but it was neither good or acceptable to God. It did the parents no good, and it meant the disapproval of God. The expression “Before God” reminds us of the solemn truth that He is watching. As Hagar said, “Thou God seest me”, Genesis 16:13.

5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate- not having children to comfort and help her.
Trusteth in God- accepts her situation as from Him, and relies on Him to meet her need.
And continueth in supplications- expresses her need to Him.
And prayers night and day- she does not mope and bemoan her situation, nor does she neglect to pray for others constantly. We see an example of this in Anna, of whom we read, “she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day”, Luke 2:37.

5:6 Widow who is disqualified.
5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

But she that liveth for pleasure- the “widow indeed” lives for prayer.
Is dead while she liveth- like the prodigal in the far country, of whom his father said, “this my son was dead”. The apostle warned the believers at Rome that “if ye live after the flesh ye shall die”. In other words, all the while they live like the prodigal did, they will be practically dead, and there will be a gap in their spiritual life. The widow spoken of here is not living for Christ, but for pleasure. As such, she disqualifies herself from the provision for her needs. God does not want the resources He gives to His people wasted.

5:7 Widows’ children, and the assembly, charged.

5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless- the assembly is to ensure that these commands are obeyed, so that censure by God is avoided. This warning shows how important these practical matters are to God.

5:8 Widows’ children warned.

5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

But if any provide not for his own- failure of children in this matter is serious; they will not be blameless. To provide means to see a need and meet it. The children should be alert, so that the need is met as soon as it arises.
And specially for those of his own house- “his own” would include servants, if he had them. His own house means his immediate family, especially widowed mothers; such have a special claim on his care.
He hath denied the faith- the body of Christian doctrine is not a collection of disjointed ideas. It is integrated. To deny one article of the faith is to be a faith-breaker, just as to break one law is to be a law-breaker, James 2:10.
And is worse than an infidel- many unbelievers, who have no time for God, nevertheless care lovingly for their parents. The believer has a greater responsibility in this matter, for the grace of God has taught Him, Titus 2:11,12, and the example of God as the “God of the widow and the fatherless”, should move him to action.

5:9,10 ‘Widow indeed’ described:

5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old- so a ‘widow indeed’ must be aged sixty or over. Assembly resources are to be distributed with care and discernment. The expression “the number” would show that this matter was to be administered methodically, with a recognised list of people eligible for help.
Having been the wife of one man- as we saw in connection with an elder, (see 3:2), this means that at any one time, there must have been only one person in her life. She must have been a “one-man wife”, as an elder must be “one-woman man”.

Well reported of for good works- she will use well and wisely what the assembly provides, and the world will have no cause to criticise her in the way she uses the resources the assembly gives her. She will be enabled to continue her good works if she is freed from care and poverty.
If she have brought up children- perhaps the children referred to here are not saved, and do not provide. Verses 4 and 16 require believing children to provide. The upbringing of children is a costly matter, and she will not have had opportunity to save for her old age because of this.
If she have lodged strangers- she is to be marked by largeness of heart to all, not just relatives. This shows a level of commitment and love beyond the ordinary, and shows that provision for her needs is justified.
If she have washed the saints feet- she is spiritual enough to refresh believers on their pilgrimage. This is a figurative expression, and is in the spirit of what the Lord Jesus taught in the Upper Room when He washed the disciples’ feet. It was on one level an act of humility, but on another level involved the adjustment of the life of others. To wash someone’s feet in this sense is to do what Aquila and Priscilla did with Apollos. They “took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly”, Acts 18:26. This was a very valuable ministry, and had great benefit, both for Apollos personally, and those he taught subsequently. This widow had been Priscilla-like, and still was, and deserved to be helped, for she made a valuable contribution to Christian testimony.
If she have relieved the afflicted- she will not wallow in self-pity now if she has done this before she was widowed.
If she have diligently followed every good work- in verse 10 the word good means good in nature, as opposed to evil. In this verse the word good means good in effect, as opposed to harmful. Such a woman deserves to be given resources so that she may have resources available enabling her to continue in her good works.

5:11-13 Widows refused.

5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

But the younger widows refuse- those below sixty years old.
For when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ- some become obsessed with the desire to re-marry. Faith in Christ should result in temperance, which is self-control, Galatians 5:22. Paul does not mean to imply all younger widows are like this, but is warning those who are, and stressing that these should not be provided for. This will be a caution to those who are not yet widowed, so that their lives may be adjusted, so that that, in the event of them being widowed, they are not disqualified.
They will marry- that is, they will strongly desire to marry. It is all a question of priorities, for Paul is not against them marrying. In fact, in verse 14 he will require them to marry. The point here is that want to marry for marriage sake, so as to relieve their hardship.

5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith- judgement awaits them at the Judgement Seat of Christ, for they have declined in the love to Christ which marked them when they first believed. The loss of their natural partner should have caused them to increase in love to Christ; alas it was not so. Too often wives cast off the principles they held whilst their husband was alive.

5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house- Christianity encourages industry, so they have not learned laziness from there. These have learned idleness from the flesh within. They have time on their hands because they are not engaged in good works.
And not only idle, but tattlers and busy-bodies- a tattler is a babbler, one who engages in idle chatter. There should be constructive conversation when believers meet, as we have seen in the case of Aquila and Priscilla.
Speaking things they ought not- often, idle chatter degenerates into malicious gossip. Such persons should not be given resources, for they will misuse them. The lesson is here for all believers. The apostle wrote, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers”, Ephesians 4:29.

5:14,15 Widows counselled.

5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house- this will occupy their time usefully. It will also strengthen the assembly as children are instructed in the Scriptures, and like Timothy himself, are brought to salvation, 2 Timothy 3:14,15.
Give none occasion for the adversary to speak reproachfully- Satan is busy lying about believers; let us not give him material to help him in his destructive work.

5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

For some are already turned aside after Satan- some widows had already been led astray by the Devil, perhaps into immoral practices. Marriage might have saved this. As the apostle wrote to the believers at Corinth, (a city full of immorality, as Ephesus was), “to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband”, 1 Cor.7:2.

5:16 Widows’ children charged.

5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

If any man or woman that believeth have widows- those they are responsible for because they are relatives, as stated in verse 4.
Let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged- the saints must have confidence that what they give to the Lord is used wisely and to His glory. He is not the God of waste, as we see in John 6:12, where the Lord instructed His disciples to gather up the fragments of bread, “that nothing be lost”. Assembly funds are what the saints have given to the Lord. They should be distributed according to His mind, as expressed in these verses.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5, VERSES 17 to 20:

5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

(c) Verses 17-20 Honour shown to diligent elders.

5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Let the elders that rule well- the word “rule” has the idea of “to stand before”, that is to be an example. Eastern shepherds did not drive their flocks but led them, as is seen in the words of the Good Shepherd Himself, “He goeth before them”, John 10:4. The people of God should be able to safely follow where their shepherd leads.
Be counted worthy of double honour- the better the example, greater should be the honour. There is to be honour for personal qualifications, and in addition, honour for example they give.
Especially they who labour in the word and doctrine- all of the elders should be “apt to teach”, as 3:2 says, but some work at this harder than others, and therefore should be respected the more. The word used for labour is one which means painstaking work.

5:18 For the scripture saith, ‘Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn’. And, ‘The labourer is worthy of his reward’.

For the Scripture saith- we are now given the two-fold support for the statement of verse 17, first from the Old Testament, then from the New Testament, which are both called Scripture. The living voice of God in His word is relevant now, for scripture “saith” in the present.
“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn”- the ox must be allowed to bend down and take a mouthful of corn as it goes round and round on the threshing-floor. So in the same way, God’s labourers should have some reward now in terms of respect. The least we can do for those who spend time studying, is to listen to what they say as a result.
And, “The labourer is worthy of his hire”- by hire is meant reward. This is not justification for having a paid pastor, an idea which has no support whatsoever in scripture. The notion of clergy and laity, or however the concept is described, is a carry-over from the Old Testament. Those who are involved in this practice have not grasped the principles of a New Testament church, as set out in the epistles. This is not to say that all involved in this practice are ungodly, for that is clearly not the case. It remains true, however, that they have missed the point of the new Testament teaching on this matter.
Those elders who take lesser-paid jobs to give time to teach, should be supported, if necessary. So the idea of reward can extend to financial help, but only if needed. Assembly funds should be channelled only where there is need. The financial support of those who could very well earn their own living is diverting funds away from areas of great need.

5:19 Elders protected.

5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses- here we have two allusions to Old Testament, first from Exodus 22:28, “Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people”, and then Deuteronomy 19:15, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established”. Elders might be subjected to spiteful treatment because of their decisions, but they are not to be at the mercy of persons who bear a grudge against them, and have no supporting witness for their accusation.

5:20 Elders rebuked.

5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

Them that sin rebuke before all- this is the procedure if an accusation is supported by witnesses, and is found to be true. Sinning elders are to be called to account. They are not to think of themselves as being not liable to correction.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5, VERSES 21 to 25:

5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

(d) Verses 21-25 Fifth charge to Timothy.

5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels- we see from Revelation 1:20 that the seven churches mentioned there each had an angel, one who represents an individual assembly before God governmentally. Human administration has its heavenly counterpart, as we see from Daniel 10:13, 20. If the angel watchers note the conduct of human rulers, as they do, Daniel 4:13,17, then it is no surprise that there are those who represent churches before God, and who note the conduct of those who rule in the assembly. So a particular angels is chosen, or elected, to represent a particular assembly. To idea that the reference is to unfallen angels generally does not seem to fit the context. But if Paul charges Timothy before angels given responsibility for assemblies, then we can see the relevance.
That thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality- God is not a respecter of persons, and He does not modify His dealings, or compromise. Believers have been made the righteousness of God in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:xxx, so they, too, should be uncompromising in their dealings. There were those in the apostle’s day who had “the persons of men in admiration for the sake of advantage, xxx, but this is not the Christian way.

5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

Lay hands suddenly on no man- the laying on of hands was the way of identifying with a person in some way. Those who are elders should not be hasty to recognise a man as an elder. If a man is doing elder’s work, then he is an elder, and should be recognised as such. The elders who are already functioning should neither be too hasty in their judgement, nor allow personal preference to sway them. Timothy’s example would count, for he had responsibility from Paul to point out those who were to be reckoned as elders. This would not turn them into elders overnight, for a man who is a true elder will show clear signs of being fitted for the task before ever anyone recognises him as such.
Neither be partakers of other men’s sins- if hasty decisions are made in this matter, and the man proves to be unfitted for the task, then Timothy will have associated with one who has sinned in some way. Of course this is good advice in any context, but here it relates to hastily recognised men who show themselves incompetent.
Keep thyself pure– that is, free from charge of complicity in others’ sins, as just mentioned. The apostle Paul could make the genuine claim to the elders of Ephesus, that he was “pure from the blood of all men”, Acts 20:26. The allusion is to the words of God to Ezekiel, that if he did not warn the wicked man about his wickedness, then the wicked man’s blood would be required of Ezekiel, Ezekiel 3:18.

5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities- see notes on 3:8 with regard to wine-drinking. The Hebrews believed that the inner organs were the seat of the emotions. Timothy would need something to steady his nerves when dealing with difficult people. In Acts 20:29,30 Paul warns of grievous wolves, and others speaking perverse things. These would place a strain on Timothy, so the advice from the apostle is to use a little wine. That is, use it for medicinal purposes. He is not encouraging wine-drinking, but suggesting wine-using.

5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgement; and some men they follow after.

Some men’s sins are open beforehand- this being the case, they should certainly not be recognised as elders, for their sins are obvious. No matter how well they may get on with people, if they have some moral flaw, they are disqualified.
Going before to judgement- to recognise these men is to go against the verdict of Christ at the Judgement Seat.
And some men they follow after- their sins do not become apparent immediately, hence the need for caution, verse 22.

5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

Likewise the good works of some are manifest beforehand- the reverse is the case. Such men inspire confidence by the good they have done, and can be confidently recognised as elders.
And they that are otherwise cannot be hid- often the work of an elder is a behind-the-scenes ministry, and a man may be going about doing that work for a while before it is generally noticed. If patience is exercised, then sooner or later this ministry will become evident, and the assembly may confidently be told of his fitness for the work of an elder.

REVELATION CHAPTER 4

Chapter 1

Revelation of Christ in vision to John

Chapters 2 and 3

Six revelations of Christ to the churches

Chapters 4 to 18

Six revelations of Christ to the world in vision to John.

Chapter 19

Revelation of Christ to the world in person.

That chapters 4 to 19 are not in chronological order is seen from the fact that there are references to the end of the tribulation period and the start of the reign of Christ throughout, as follows:

Chapter 5:13 “Every creature…heard I saying”. This will not happen until the Lord sets up His kingdom.

Chapter 7:17 “These are they that come out of great tribulation”. This is not tribulation in general, but the specific “tribulation, the great one”, the last three and a half years before Christ comes.

Chapter 11:15 “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our God, and of His Christ”. This happens when Christ comes to reign.

Chapter 14:5 Those sent out to preach in chapter 7 are now safely in heaven before the throne of God, their work over.

Chapter 15:2 Those who have gained the victory over the beast are seen before God.

Chapter 19:10 “The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth”. A celebration of the glorious reign of Christ over the earth.

We need not be surprised if the various revelations overlap. In the biography of a great man there may be a chapter about him as a man, his character as shown throughout his life. Then his life as a prominent politician perhaps, which will overlap with the first chapter. Again, there may be a chapter about his domestic life, and again the record may go over ground touched on before. So it is with the revelations given in the Book of Revelation. Various future events are detailed, in order that a particular aspect of the person of Christ may be revealed.

So in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of the Revelation we have the first revelation that is given to us prior to His personal revelation at His coming to earth. In this revelation, His supreme worthiness is brought before us.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION CHAPTER 4, VERSES 1 TO 11

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.

4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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,

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.

INTRODUCTION

We need to be aware of the point of chapters 4 and 5. They give to us a sight of the heavenly throne-room, and transactions conducted there. God is about to start His long-predicted judgements, it is fitting therefore that we should be shown the seat of government. Important also, to know through whom that judgement will be executed. The Lord Jesus taught when He was here below that “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father”, John 5:22,23. And again, the Father hath “given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of Man”, John 5:27. So we are told the object of giving the Son of God the task of judging, namely that He may receive equal honour with the Father. Most acknowledge that only one who is God is qualified to judge men, and so the Father has allotted this task to His Son to declare yet again His Deity. We are also told two of the grounds upon which He has been given the task. First, that He is Son of Man, and as such He has relevance to all men. Second,that as Son of Man He has been amongst them in His ministry, and they have had opportunity to either respond to Him directly when they came into contact with Him, or indirectly when He was preached to them, or they read the gospel records of His life.

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 show thee things which must be hereafter.

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven- the scene changes at this point in the book. John had been told that he was to write “the things thou hast seen, (the vision of the Son of Man in chapter 1), the things that are, (the condition of the seven churches in Asia at that time), and the things which shall be hereafter”. The latter phrase does not mean after death as the world uses the phrase “the hereafter”, but “after these things”; in other words after the current things concerning the churches. And now that word “hereafter” occurs again, indicating to us that the third section of the book is about to begin, and matters relative to the future are about to be unfolded. Or as chapter 1:1 put it, “to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass”. God’s servants need to have an awareness of what is to happen in the future, so that they may serve Him intelligently in the present. In chapters 2 and 3 the scene is earth, with seven churches bearing testimony in their respective locations in Asia Minor, but now the scene changes to heaven. Solomon’s temple had doors for access to the oracle, or speaking-place, where God spoke to His people, 1 Kings 6:31. Now John is ushered through a door into the temple of which Solomon’s was but a pattern, see 1 Chronicles 28:11-13.

And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither- the first voice John heard invited him to come into the presence of God. The fact that the voice sounded like a trumpet reminds us of the words of 1 Corinthians 15:52, “the last trump”, or 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “the trump of God”. We have here a rehearsal of what will happen when Christ comes for His church saints, and they shall be caught up to be for ever with the Lord in heaven.

And I will show thee things which must be hereafter- the church saints shall be caught up to be with the Lord in heaven, but here John anticipates that, and is also given a preview of what will take place after the Lord Jesus has come into the air for the church.

4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

And immediately I was in the spirit- see chapter 1:10 for comments about the expression “in the spirit”. The fact that John was not in the spirit before tells us that this is not a reference to the position in the Spirit that is true of all believers all the time, but simply means that he is transported into the realm that the body cannot go to at present, although when the resurrection body is received, it will be otherwise. The doors in Solomon’s temple were made of olive tree wood, and olive oil is a symbol of the Spirit of God in Scripture. Note the immediate response of John to this invitation to enter heaven’s courts. We might well ask ourselves whether heaven’s affairs have this sort of attraction for us. As the apostle Paul wrote, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”, Colossians 3:2,3.

And, behold, a throne was set in heaven- it is good to know that despite the rebellion of angels and men during the last 6000 years, there is still a throne set in heaven. Nothing has happened to make that throne unstable, let alone remove it. More than this, the throne, the seat of power and government, is occupied.

And one sat on the throne- the Divine Throne-Sitter is there in all His solitary grandeur. God has not abdicated His throne, nor will He do so.

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.

And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone- it is noticeable how sparse is the description John gives us of the Throne-Sitter. He is content to tell us simply that He looked like two precious stones, and that He had a book in His right hand. In chapter 4 we are introduced to the Judge of all the earth, Genesis 18:25, in His capacity as the Creator-God. It is fitting, then, that He should be described in terms of the precious things He had hidden in the earth. This reminds us that the earth is precious to God. Of all the places in the universe, this is His favourite; not least because on this planet His Son was crucified. The earth may or may not be the physical centre of the universe, but that event on earth is certainly the moral centre.

And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald- as the judgements of God unfold in the following chapters, it becomes clear that many of them are inflicted on men using physical things, such as scorching sun, water made bitter, rivers dried up, hail and fire from heaven, earthquakes, and so on. It is good to see, therefore, that there is a rainbow round God’s throne, for this is His token in the heavens that He will never again flood the earth as He did in Noah’s time. He made a covenant with the earth, and the rainbow is the sign of that covenant. His words were these:

“And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth”, Genesis 9:8-17.

So the rainbow is the token of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. Yet instead of being multi-coloured, this rainbow is emerald-green, the central colour of the rainbow as we see it. Colours have different effects upon us, and green is the one most likely to calm and quieten. Despite the upheavals that are about to occur upon the earth, heaven is calm and unruffled. The rainbow derives its colours from the fact that light is split into its colours by droplets of water acting as prisms. There is no water in this rainbow, however, for otherwise it would not be only green. It is a powerful testimony to the fact that God is remembering His covenant with the earth even whilst He is judging the men on the earth.

Furthermore, this bow encircles the throne; it is not a part-circle as with us as we look up from the earth, but a complete circle. God’s purpose for the earth will be fully accomplished, and the rainbow tells us it shall be so. The reason why God’s purpose shall be fully realised is because the administration of all things is entrusted to His Son, and He cannot fail.

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.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats- we are now introduced to one of three groups of beings John saw in connection with the throne. There are twenty four seats, or thrones, (the word is the same as the throne on which God sits, but no doubt the translators were anxious to distinguish between the two, and hence called them seats. The word throne comes from the verb “to sit”). We mentioned earlier that Solomon’s temple was modelled on the heavenly temple. So also, the administration of that temple was ordered in accordance with David’s arrangements. There were twenty four courses of priests, 1 Chronicles 24;18; of Levites, verses 20-30; of singers, 25:31, (288, or 12 x 24, altogether, verse 7); of gate-keepers, 26:17; 12 captains of a host of 24 thousand, plus 12 princes of the tribes of Israel, 27:1-22. It was these latter persons who gave willingly so that the temple could be built, 28:1; 29:6-9. Clearly David is organising the temple around the number 24, and hence it is no surprise that there are 24 beings sitting in administration in heaven’s throne-room, which is also heaven’s temple, for justice and holiness co-exist in heaven. Solomon’s throne of judgement was at the entrance to the temple, 1 Kings 7:7, and thus the temple was central to the government of Israel.

And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting- we find that these personages are combining the various functions that the officers in the temple carried out. In 4:4 they are round about the throne, guarding the presence of God like the gatekeepers in the temple courts. In 4:10 they worship like the priests. In 5:5 one of the elders explains the situation to John, as the Levites taught the people. In 5:9 they play the harp and sing like the musician-singers in the temple choir.

We know from the book of Daniel that there is a correspondence between angelic beings, whether good or evil, and administration upon earth. In chapter 10:13,20,21, Daniel learns that Gabriel had been withstood by the angel-prince of Persia, an evil angel allotted by the Devil to defend his wicked interests in the kingdom of Persia. Gabriel had been helped, however, by the archangel Michael, who stands to defend the interests of God in Israel. Couple this with the fact that there is a class of angels called “thrones”, Colossians 1:16, and we are ready to see in these 24 elders those angelic beings who are given special wisdom, (hence they are called elders), to administer for God, and no doubt in particular in connection with His spiritual interests in the earth, centred in the future rebuilt temple at Jerusalem.

Clothed in white raiment- in chapter 1:9 the word for clothed means to have put on clothing, (with the emphasis on the “put on”, since there is no word for garment in the original passage, it is contained within the verb), for the Son of Man as He prepares to judge is assuming a different role, and a different garment is appropriate. Here, however, the word “clothed” means that which is thrown around, like a mantle. Perhaps the thought is that whereas the garment of Christ in the vision represents that which He is in Himself, these have been invested with authority from God. Their garments are white, for they represent the righteousness of God as they administer.

And they had on their heads crowns of gold- of this word crown W.E Vine says it denotes “public honour for distinguished service, especially at the arrival of kings”. The king is about to make His presence felt on earth, and these elders are appropriately crowned for that momentous occasion. They wear victor’s crowns, such as were worn by those who had distinguished themselves as citizens of a city. These had been faithful to God in the past, and this had been recognised. In verse 10 they cast their crowns before the throne, willingly giving up their role in favour of Christ.

There are those who believe that the four living creatures and the 24 elders are symbols of the church. The following things should be borne in mind:

They address God in a different way to that appropriate for church believers.

John, a member of the church, is separate from them.

Individual elders and living creatures are spoken of, so they are not symbolic groupings.

The elders know something the apostle does not, 5:5; 7:13.

John does not join in their praise. He weeps, but does not sing.

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.

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices- something of the impending storm of Divine judgement is indicated to us here with the mention of lightnings and thunderings from the throne of God itself. When James and John, surnamed “sons of thunder” by the Lord Jesus, Mark 3:27, were angry with the Samaritans on one occasion, they asked to call down fire from heaven on them. Christ rebuked them, however, for they were out of harmony with the character of His mission. “The Son of Man came not destroy men’s lives, but to save them”, Luke 9:51-56. The character of God’s dealings with men has changed by the time this scene is enacted in heaven, and the thunders and lightnings of Divine wrath are heard and seen. When Ezekiel saw the throne of heaven, the fire issuing forth from God was infolding itself, not streaming forth as far as men, but turning back on itself before it reached them, Ezekiel 1:4. Now all is different.

There are voices, too, for the demands of God’s throne are about to be met. As far as believers are concerned, the demands of God’s throne were met at Calvary by their Saviour, but men generally spurned that work, and are now about to reap the consequences.

And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God- in chapter 1:4 John sent greetings from the seven Spirits which are before God’s throne, and the Lord Jesus presented Himself to the church of Sardis as having the seven Spirits of God. The lampstand in the tabernacle had seven branches, and each branch a bowl for oil, and a lamp burning. Sardis needed to be restored to burning with a light produced by the Spirit of God, and not the mere light of profession which was liable to go out, Matthew 25:8. Here, however, the light is of fire, not of testimony. God is about to judge men, and His anger is about to burn against them in all its fulness, hence the seven lamps of fire, (the Hebrew word for “seven” meaning “complete, full, satisfied”). Isaiah 4:4 indicates that God intends to purge the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof “by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning”.

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.

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal- again we are introduced to temple imagery, for in Solomon’s temple there were not only lavers at which the priests washed the sacrifices, but also a brazen sea, so called because of the large volume of water it contained. This was for the priests to wash in. In heaven, however, there is no need of cleansing, for all who reach there must have been cleansed from sin on earth. This sea not only emphasises that point, but also will serve in a later chapter to form the platform upon which the redeemed stand before God, 15:2. The storms of their earthly experience will be over, and they will stand calmly before God on the crystal sea. The sea is like glass, reflecting the purity of those who will eventually stand upon it, and the glass is like crystal, for water is not needed. Crystal has the ability to reflect light beautifully, and the glories of heaven are reflected even in the floor of the throne-room. Both glass and crystal are enough like water to serve as a reminder of God’s grace which cleansed from defilement on earth.

And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind- they are said to be in the midst of the throne as to their position, and round about the throne as to their function. In 1 Samuel 4:4 we learn that God dwelleth between the cherubim, as symbolised by the ark of the covenant. In Ezekiel 1:26 we discover that the cherubim formed a chariot upon which Jehovah sat. Here we find that the living creatures are in the midst of the throne and also around it in some way. They are central to the outworking of God’s purposes, and protect His interests. In order to do this they are full of eyes, for they need to be ever vigilant. Those eyes are before and behind, for the danger to God’s throne may come from the least expected quarter. We must always remember that it was an anointed cherub that covered and protected the throne of God, Lucifer, who rebelled against God, Ezekiel 28:14.

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.

Just as the number of elders reminds us of the arrangements for the temple, and thus has relevance to God’s spiritual interests in the earth, so these, four in number, link to the earth itself and God’s interests in the material world. He is asserting His creator rights in this chapter, and is beginning to remedy the harm that man has done to the earth, so that it may, as to its natural state, be reconciled to Him again, see Colossians 1:20, and delivered from the bondage of corruption, Romans 8:21. He is also going to use upsets in the natural world to judge men, and therefore assures us that He is not intent on destroying the earth, but of restoring it eventually. It is those who destroy the earth who shall be destroyed, 11:18.

These creatures are described as beasts, but we should notice that the word used of them is not the same as is used of the two beasts of Revelation 13. There the word used emphasises that they are wild animals, whereas here the word used emphasises that they are living, as befits those who surround the throne of the living God. After all, only one of the living creatures is a wild animal. But as living creatures they represent the four major classes of creatures on the earth. The lion is the king of the forest; the calf is the king of the field; the man is king of the earth’s fulness, whereas the eagle is the king of the firmament.These four, that head up life on earth, are represented in heaven by the living creatures. The flood had destroyed these classes of living thing on the earth, but the combination of the living creatures and the rainbow round the throne guarantees that no flood will ever engulf the earth again.

It is interesting to notice that the third living creature is only said to have the face of a man, whereas the other creatures were completely like those they represent. Thus is preserved the distinctiveness of man among the works of God. The face often stands for the person, as in the expression “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”, 2 Corinthians 4:6. This reminds us that the personality of man is one of his distinctive features, and is the sign that he alone has been made in the image and likeness of God. “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds”, 1 Corinthians 15:39.

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.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him- we are not told the function of the wings of these creatures as we are of the seraphim in Isaiah 6. Perhaps the emphasis is upon their protection of the throne of God, just as the cherubim overshadowed the mercy-seat with their wings.

And they were full of eyes within- their alertness, as they safeguarded the created world was sourced in the very core of their being. Theirs was not a casual guardianship, but one to which they were totally committed.

And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy- they ascribe thrice-holiness to God, and do so unceasingly. Of course there is no day and night in heaven, but from the standpoint of earth they continue without ceasing. John is very conscious of conditions on earth, (just as Daniel was when, in Babylon, he prayed to God as if the temple rituals were still going on, Daniel 9:21). He is strengthened by the thought that heaven’s worship ceases not, whatever the conditions on earth may be.

God is holy in a threefold way. First, He is holy in the sense that He is totally separate and distinct from matter. He is Spirit, and as such is beyond all the limitation that physical things have. Second, He is holy in the sense that He is creator even of non-material spirit-beings like angels. Third,He is holy in the sense that the state creation has degenerated into is not to be blamed on Him. When He subjected creation to vanity and the bondage of corruption, it was of necessity, since it was not suitable that Adam, a fallen head of creation, should be over an unfallen world, see Romans 8:20. These creatures know these three things, and hence ascribe thrice-holiness to God.

Lord God Almighty– they not only speak of holiness three times, but speak of God’s name in a three-fold way. He is Lord, God, and Almighty. As Lord He can be relied upon to keep His covenant with the earth, for Jehovah is His covenant-keeping name. As God He is the creator of all things, and should be recognised as such. As Almighty He is competent to maintain what He created. These three ideas go against the current thinking of men. There are those who do not believe that God has any interest in this world, but is aloof and distant. There are those who do not believe that He even exists as the one who created the world. Others do not believe that it is being maintained by Almighty God, but is in a state of random chaos.

Which was, and is, and is to come- this is the relationship of God to time. He was, for in the beginning He made all things. His power and Godhead are eternal, Romans 1:20, but He chose the moment for time to begin. He is, for He has not abdicated His position as Creator, despite the evolutionary theories of men. He is to come,for He is about to restore the earth to a state suitable for Christ to reign over.

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,

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne- not only is the expression of praise of the living creatures structured around the number three, but the effect of their praise is three-fold. They give glory to God, recognising Him to be the great originator of all the things they represent. They honour Him as Creator, and not for one moment dishonour Him by suggesting He is the author of the evil that has blighted the world. They give thanks to Him for their own existence and preservation, and that of creation generally. He lives for ever and ever, and manifested His eternal power and Godhead in the creation of all things at the beginning, Romans 1:20.

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,

The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever- the worship of the living creatures as they who praise God as creator prompts the twenty four elders to worship God also. Not only is God the one who dominates time, for He was and is, and is to come, but He is the God of eternity too. He not only exists for all eternity, but lives; this is the condition of His existence.

And cast their crowns before the throne, saying- they do this in willing recognition that God is the only one worthy to be honoured with a crown. In recognition also that there is one about to be invested with universal dominion, so they defer to Him, even Christ, who is about to be introduced in chapter 5.

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.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power- the elders repeat the glory and honour that the living creatures have ascribed to God, but substitute “power” for “thanks”. The word for power they use gives us the English word dynamite; it is power that accomplishes things. The elders concentrate on the actual making of all things, rather than God’s relationship to them as suggested by the praise of the living creatures, hence the mention of power. God is the creator of all things, whether they are visible or not, and He did it by the exercise of His eternal power.

For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created– the reason these things were created is now stated, (for the elders always give a reason for their worship). He has made a universe of order, complexity, beauty, and usefulness, simply because He loves to have it so. The universe is not therefore the chance coming together of atoms in random fashion, but the orderly production of an intelligent Creator, who takes pleasure in the things He has created. They are for His pleasure now, and they were when He created them. Of course, we know that through the fall of man the creation that God pronounced to be “very good”, has been spoiled. But He can see the end from the beginning, and knows that one day creation shall be released from its bondage, and brought into glorious liberty, and this the elders celebrate.

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