{"id":3687,"date":"2016-12-06T12:30:55","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T12:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christian-gospel.info\/?p=3687"},"modified":"2016-12-06T12:30:55","modified_gmt":"2016-12-06T12:30:55","slug":"revelation-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/?p=3687","title":{"rendered":"REVELATION 4"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nIntroduction to the chapter<\/strong>
\nCertain features of Christ from the vision of the Son of Man in chapter one were used to describe Him as He spoke to the seven churches, chapters two and three.\u00a0 Several features were not used there, however, so we may think of them as appropriate to the way in which Christ reveals Himself to the world in judgement before He actually comes.\u00a0 The features not used in chapters 2 and 3 are:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
“One like unto the Son of Man”.<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nHIS OFFICIAL AND UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
“Clothed with a garment down to the foot”.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n HIS KINGLY DIGNITY<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
“His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow”.<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nHIS FULNESS OF WISDOM<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
“His countenance as the sun shineth in his strength”.<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nHIS STERN WRATH<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
“Have the keys of hell and of death”.<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nHIS FULL AUTHORITY\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

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:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Chapter 5:13<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“Every creature\u2026heard I saying”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> This will not happen until the Lord sets up His kingdom.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapter 7:17<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“These are they that come out of great tribulation”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> This is not tribulation in general, but the specific “tribulation, the great one”, the last three and a half years before Christ comes.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapter 11:15<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our God, and of His Christ”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> This happens when Christ comes to reign, but further\u00a0 judgements come in chapters 12-18.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapter 14:5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“a Lamb stood on mount Sion, and with Him, a hundred and forty four thousand”.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span> Those sent out to preach in chapter 7 are now safely in heaven before the throne of God, their work over.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapter 15:2<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“And I saw…them that had gotten the victory over the beast…stand on the sea of glass”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> Those who have gained the victory over the beast are seen before God.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapter 19:6<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n“The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth”.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 A celebration in anticipation of the glorious reign of Christ over the earth.\u00a0 The Beast, the False Prophet and Satan are not yet destroyed, but their end is certain.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

So we are given partial revelations of Christ all through chapters 4 to 19, with each revelation contributing to the final personal revelation at His actual coming.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION CHAPTER 4, VERSES 1 TO 11:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

4:1\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:2\u00a0 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:3\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:4\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:5\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:6\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:7\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span> <\/span><\/strong>
\n4:8\u00a0 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.
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:9\u00a0 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:10\u00a0 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,
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\n 4:11\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

THE THRONE ROOM OF THE CREATOR GOD<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

4:1\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven-<\/span><\/strong> the scene changes at this point in the book.\u00a0 John had been told that he was to write “the things which 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”.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Or as we read chapter 1:1, “to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass”.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

We need to be aware of the point of chapters 4 and 5.\u00a0 They give to us a sight of the heavenly throne-room, and transactions conducted there.\u00a0 Since God is about to start His long-predicted judgements, it is fitting that we should be shown the seat of government.\u00a0 Important also, to know through whom that judgement will be executed.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 And again, the Father hath “given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of Man”, John 5:27.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Most acknowledge that only one who is God is qualified to judge men so as to decide their eternal destiny, and so the Father has allotted this task to His Son to declare yet again His Deity.\u00a0 We are also told two of the grounds upon which He has been given the task.\u00a0 First, that He is Son of Man, and as such He has relevance to all men.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nSolomon’s temple had doors for access to the oracle, or speaking-place, where God spoke to His people, 1 Kings 6:31.\u00a0 Now John is ushered through a door into the temple of which Solomon’s was but a pattern, see 1 Chronicles 28:11-13.<\/span><\/p>\n

And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither-<\/span><\/strong> the first voice John heard invited him to come into the presence of God.\u00a0 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”.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nAnd I will show thee things which must be hereafter-<\/span><\/strong> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:2\u00a0 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And immediately I was in the spirit-<\/span> <\/strong>see chapter 1:10 for comments about the expression “in the spirit”.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Note the immediate response of John to this invitation to enter heaven’s courts.\u00a0 We might well ask ourselves whether heaven’s affairs have this sort of attraction for us.\u00a0 As the apostle Paul wrote, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.\u00a0 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”, Colossians 3:2,3.<\/span>
\nAnd, behold, a throne was set in heaven-<\/span><\/strong> it is good to know that despite the rebellion of angels and men during the last six thousand years, there is still a throne set in heaven.\u00a0 Nothing has happened to make that throne unstable, let alone remove it.\u00a0 More than this, the throne, the seat of power and government, is occupied. <\/span>
\nAnd one sat on the throne-<\/span><\/strong> the Divine Throne-Sitter is there in all His solitary grandeur.\u00a0 God has not abdicated His throne, nor will He do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:3\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone-<\/span><\/strong> it is noticeable how sparse is the description John gives us of the Throne-Sitter.\u00a0 He is content to tell us simply that He looked like two precious stones, and that He had a book in His right hand.\u00a0 In chapter 4 we are introduced to the Judge of all the earth, Genesis 18:25, in His capacity as the Creator-God.\u00a0 It is fitting, then, that He should be described in terms of the precious things He had hidden in the earth.\u00a0 This reminds us that the earth is precious to God.\u00a0 Of all the places in the universe, this is His favourite; not least because on this planet His Son was crucified.\u00a0 The earth may or may not be the physical centre of the universe, but that event on earth is certainly the moral centre.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nAnd there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald-<\/span><\/strong> 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 He made a covenant with the earth, and the rainbow is the sign of that covenant.\u00a0 His words were these: <\/span>
\n“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;
\nAnd 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.
\nAnd 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.
\nAnd 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:
\nI do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.
\nAnd it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
\nAnd 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.
\nAnd 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.
\nAnd 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.\u00a0<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nSo the rainbow is the token of God’s faithfulness to His covenant.\u00a0 Yet instead of being multi-coloured, this rainbow is emerald-green, the central colour of the rainbow as we see it.\u00a0 Colours have different effects upon us, and green is the one most likely to calm and quieten.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 There is no water in this rainbow, however, for otherwise it would not be only green.\u00a0 This waterless rainbow is a powerful testimony to the fact that God is remembering His covenant with the earth, (in particular that he will not flood it with water again), even whilst He is judging the men on the earth.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nFurthermore, 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.\u00a0 God’s purpose for the earth will be fully accomplished, and the rainbow tells us it shall be so.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:4\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats-<\/span><\/strong> we are now introduced to one of three groups of beings John saw in connection with the throne.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The word throne comes from the verb “to sit”).\u00a0 We mentioned earlier that Solomon’s temple was modelled on the heavenly temple, for David was given the pattern of the temple by the Spirit, 1 Chronicles 28:12.\u00a0 So also, the administration of that temple was ordered in accordance with David’s arrangements. \u00a0 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);\u00a0 of gate-keepers, 26:17; 12 captains of a host of 24 thousand, plus 12 princes of the tribes of Israel, 27:1-22.\u00a0 It was these latter persons who gave willingly so that the temple could be built, 28:1; 29:6-9.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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. <\/span>
\nAnd upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting-<\/span> <\/strong>we find that these personages are combining the various functions that the officers in the temple carried out.\u00a0 In 4:4 they are round about the throne, guarding the presence of God like the gatekeepers in the temple courts.\u00a0 In 4:10 they worship like the priests.\u00a0 In 5:5 one of the elders explains the situation to John, just as the Levites taught the people.\u00a0 In 5:9 they play the harp and sing like the musician-singers in the temple choir.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nWe know from the book of Daniel that there is a correspondence between angelic beings, whether good or evil, and administration upon earth.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Gabriel had been helped, however, by the archangel Michael, who stands to defend the interests of God in Israel.\u00a0 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 twenty four 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.<\/span>
\nClothed in white raiment-<\/span><\/strong> 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.\u00a0 Here, however, the word “clothed” means that which is thrown around, like a mantle.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Their garments are white, for they represent the righteousness of God as they administer.<\/span>
\nAnd they had on their heads crowns of gold-<\/span><\/strong> of this word crown W.E Vine says it denotes “public honour for distinguished service, especially at the arrival of kings”.\u00a0 The king is about to make His presence felt on earth, and these elders are appropriately crowned for that momentous occasion.\u00a0 They wear victor’s crowns, such as was worn by those who had distinguished themselves as citizens of a city.\u00a0 These had been faithful to God in the past, and this had been recognised.\u00a0 In verse 10 they cast their crowns before the throne, willingly giving up their role in favour of Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are those who believe that the four living creatures and the twenty four elders are symbols of the church.\u00a0 The following things should be borne in mind:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1.<\/span><\/td>\nThey address God in a different way to that appropriate for church believers.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/span><\/td>\nJohn, a member of the church, is separate from them.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/span><\/td>\nIndividual elders and living creatures are spoken of, so they are not symbolic groupings.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/span><\/td>\nThe elders know something the apostle does not, 5:5; 7:13.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/span><\/td>\nJohn does not join in their praise.\u00a0 He weeps, but does not sing.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/span><\/td>\nIf the elders and living creatures are symbolic, then the angels must be too.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

4:5\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices-<\/span> <\/strong>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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Christ rebuked them, however, for they were out of harmony with the character of His mission.\u00a0 “The Son of Man came not destroy men’s lives, but to save them”, Luke 9:51-56.
\nThe character of God’s dealings with men will have changed by the time this scene is enacted in heaven, and the thunders and lightnings of Divine wrath are heard and seen.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Now all is different.<\/span>
\nThere are voices, too, for the demands of God’s throne are about to be met.\u00a0 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.<\/span>
\nAnd there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God-<\/span><\/strong> 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.\u00a0 The lampstand in the tabernacle had seven branches, and each branch a bowl for oil, and a lamp burning.\u00a0 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.
\nHere, however, the light is of fire, not of testimony.\u00a0 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”).\u00a0 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”.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:6\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal-<\/span><\/strong> 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.\u00a0 This was for the priests to wash in.\u00a0 In heaven, however, there is no need of cleansing, for all who reach there must have been cleansed from sin on earth.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The storms of their earthly experience will be over, and they will stand calmly before God on the crystal sea.\u00a0 The sea is like glass, reflecting the purity of those who will eventually stand upon it, and the glass is like crystal.\u00a0 Crystal has the ability to reflect light beautifully, and the glories of heaven are reflected even in the floor of the throne-room.\u00a0 Both glass and crystal are enough like water to serve as a reminder of God’s Word, which cleansed them from defilement on earth.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nAnd in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind-<\/span><\/strong> they are said to be in the midst of the throne as to their position, and round about the throne as to their function.\u00a0 In 1 Samuel 4:4 we learn that God dwelleth between the cherubim, as symbolised by the mercy-seat.\u00a0 In Ezekiel 1:26 we discover that the cherubim formed a chariot upon which Jehovah sat.
\nHere we find that the living creatures are in the midst of the throne and also around it in some way. Perhaps the throne is curved forwards, and two of the the living creatures are standing behind the throne centrally, and two are standing at either edge, so that they are both in the midst and also around the throne. They are central to the outworking of God’s purposes, and protect His interests.\u00a0 In order to do this they are full of eyes, for they need to be ever vigilant.\u00a0 Those eyes are before and behind, for the danger to God’s throne may come from the least expected quarter.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:7\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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-<\/span> <\/strong>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. We have already noticed that God’s covenant was with Noah the man, (represented perhaps by the living creature with the face of a man); with the fowls, (represented by the eagle); the cattle, (represented by the ox); and the beasts, (represented by the lion).
\nGod <\/span>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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 It is those who destroy the earth who shall be destroyed, 11:18. All the time, however, His throne will have a bow around it, showing he has not abandoned His promises to creation.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 After all, only one of the living creatures is a wild animal.\u00a0 But as living creatures they represent the four major classes of creatures on the earth.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 These four, that head up life on earth, are represented in heaven by the living creatures.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Thus is preserved the distinctiveness of man among the works of God.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 “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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:8\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him-<\/span><\/strong> we are not told the function of the wings of these creatures as we are of the seraphim in Isaiah 6.\u00a0 Perhaps the emphasis is upon their protection of the throne of God, just as the cherubim overshadowed the mercy-seat with their wings.<\/span><\/p>\n

And they were full of eyes within-<\/span><\/strong> their alertness, as they safeguarded the created world was sourced in the very core of their being.\u00a0 Theirs was not a casual guardianship, but one to which they were totally committed.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nAnd they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy-<\/span><\/strong> they ascribe thrice-holiness to God, and do so unceasingly.\u00a0 Of course there is no day and night in heaven, but from the standpoint of earth they continue without ceasing.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 He is strengthened by the thought that heaven’s worship ceases not, whatever the conditions on earth may be.<\/span>
\nGod is holy in a threefold way.\u00a0 First, He is holy in the sense that He is totally separate and distinct from matter.\u00a0 He is Spirit, and as such is beyond all the limitation that physical things have.\u00a0 Second, He is holy in the sense that He is creator even of non-material spirit-beings like angels.\u00a0 Third, He is holy in the sense that the state creation has degenerated into is not to be blamed on Him.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 These creatures know these three things, and hence ascribe thrice-holiness to God.<\/span>
\nLord God Almighty-<\/span><\/strong> they not only speak of holiness three times, but speak of God’s name in a three-fold way.\u00a0 He is Lord, God, and Almighty.\u00a0 As Lord He can be relied upon to keep His covenant with the earth, for Jehovah is His covenant-keeping name.\u00a0 As God He is the creator of all things, and should be recognised as such.\u00a0 As Almighty He is competent to maintain what He created.\u00a0 These three ideas go against the current thinking of men.\u00a0 There are those who do not believe that God has any interest in this world, but is aloof and distant.\u00a0 There are those who do not believe that He even exists as the one who created the world.\u00a0 Others do not believe that it is being maintained by Almighty God, but is in a state of random chaos.<\/span>
\nWhich was, and is, and is to come-<\/span><\/strong> this is the relationship of God to time.\u00a0 He was, for in the beginning He made all things.\u00a0 His power and Godhead are eternal, Romans 1:20, but He chose the moment for time to begin.\u00a0 He is, for He has not abdicated His position as Creator, despite the evolutionary theories of men.\u00a0 He is to come, for He is about to restore the earth to a state suitable for Christ to reign over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4:9\u00a0 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne-<\/span><\/strong> 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.\u00a0 They give glory to God, recognising Him to be the great originator of all the things they represent.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 They give thanks to Him for their own existence and preservation, and that of creation generally.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:10\u00a0 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,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever-<\/span><\/strong> the worship of the living creatures as they who praise God as creator prompts the twenty four elders to worship God also.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 He not only exists for all eternity, but lives; this is the condition of His existence.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nAnd cast their crowns before the throne, saying-<\/span><\/strong> they do this in willing recognition that God is the only one worthy to be honoured with a crown.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

4:11\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power-<\/span><\/strong> the elders repeat the glory and honour that the living creatures have ascribed to God, but substitute “power” for “thanks”.\u00a0 The word for power they use gives us the English word dynamite; it is power that accomplishes things.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 God is the creator of all things, whether they are visible or not, and He did it by the exercise of His eternal power.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nFor thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created-<\/span><\/strong> the reason these things were created is now stated, (for the elders always give a reason for their worship).\u00a0 He has made a universe of order, complexity, beauty, and usefulness, simply because He loves to have it so.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 They are for His pleasure now, and they were when He created them.\u00a0 Of course, we know that through the fall of man the creation that God pronounced to be “very good”, has been spoiled.\u00a0 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\u00a0 this the elders celebrate.<\/span><\/p>\n

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