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Scene in Heaven (4:1-5:14)Following the dictation of the epistles to the seven churches, John, in his vision, sees a doorway into heaven (4:1). The voice of Jesus tells him to “come up here” so he can show him the things which will take place after these things. This is a transitional marker, harkening back to 1:19, where Jesus tells John that he will show him the things which he has seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. We are now entering the third part of John's vision, which is a look at things in the future. John is carried in the spirit into the throne room of heaven. Physically, John's body is still in Patmos, but his spirit is now in heaven, sometime in the future (4:2). The Throne in Heaven (4:1-11)The Elements in the Throne Room (4:3-8a)In heaven, John sees numerous items, each described in very symbolic terms: The One (vs. 3a)The One sitting on the throne is God the Father. He is said to have looked like a jasper stone and a sardius (or carnelian in NIV). Both precious stones are a form of quartz which is usually translucent. Ancient jasper is usually deep green in color, while sardius is deep red. Jasper is found in the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:20) and will be found in the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:18). Around the throne is an emerald colored rainbow. The Elders (vs. 4)Also around the throne are 24 thrones with 24 elders sitting upon them. The thrones suggest that these elders have authority and help God to rule. .Some commentators believe these elders to be angelic beings. However, most suggest that they are human beings which stand as representatives of all the saints. Pre-tribulationalists state that these 24 elders represent the newly raptured church only now worshipping God in heaven, and that John's being caught up into heaven is a type of the church being caught up into heaven at the beginning of the tribulation. Seven lamps (vs. 5)Before the throne are seven lamps of fire. John tells us that these are the seven Spirits of God. That is not to say that the Holy Spirit has seven parts, but by being represented as seven it signifies the perfection and completeness of the Holy Spirit. Sea of Glass (vs. 6a)In Hebrews we learn that the earthly Jewish tabernacle and temple were designed as models of the heavenly tabernacle. In Solomon's temple, a sea made of cast bronze was before the altar. This held water which was to be used for ceremonial washings. Four Living Creatures (vs. 6b-8a)The term creature (or beast in KJV) is probably a misnomer. The Greek term might be more accurately translated “living ones.” These four living ones are described as each having different face (like a lion, calf, human, eagle). The comparison to the beings seen in Ezekiel 1:10 cannot be under estimated. In the book of Numbers, each of the tribes of Israel camped on four different sides of the tabernacle, with Judah (which is represented by a lion) on one side, Ephraim (represented by an ox) on another, Reuben (represented by a man) on another, Dan (represented by an eagle) on the last side [1]. The living creatures each had six wings, which is comparable to the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2, which flew around the throne in Isaiah's vision of God's throne room. With the references from Isaiah and Exodus, these appear to be angelic seraphim, whose primary role is to protect and proclaim the holiness of God. The Events in the Throne Room (4:8b-11)The song of the Four Creatures (vs. 8b-9)Like in Isaiah, the four living ones ceaselessly proclaim the holiness of God. However, while the seraphim add to this proclamation of holiness that the whole earth is filled with God's glory, here they add that God is Almighty and is the one who was and who is and is to come. This statement of God's eternality corresponds with a primary theme of Revelation: that God is in control of all events in all time. The praise of the 24 Elders (vs. 10)While the four living ones proclaim God's holiness, the elders fall down prostrate before God, casting their crowns before Him. In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul describes a “crown of righteousness” awaiting him and all who love Him “on that day.” A crown signifies both a reward and authority, and in casting crowns before God, the elders are recognizing that any authority or reward ultimately is a result of God's grace and not something earned. The song of the 24 Elders (vs. 11)When casting their crowns before God, the elders proclaim that God is worthy to receive glory and honor and power. These crowns represent all the glory and honor and power bestowed upon them by God, but only God is worthy to receive this, and so they give them back unto God. God is worthy because he is the creator and nothing would exist except that God willed that they would exist. In chapter four, God the Father is described in awesome terms. He is powerful, holy and unapproachable. He is the creator who holds our very existence within His will. The angels proclaim his holiness and his eternality and his worthiness are tied to his role as creator. The Scroll with the Seals (5:1-14)In God the Father's right hand is a scroll with words written on the front and the back. The scroll is sealed with seven seals. It would have been typical way for a legal document in the first century to be on a double-sided scroll with a seal on one end. The seal was a way to authenticate a document, demonstrating who had sealed the document. Only the person for whom the document was intended would have the authority to break the seal and open the scroll. In this case, however, there is no one in heaven or earth that has the authority for the seal to be broken. This grieves John deeply. Why does this pain John so much? The message of the book of Revelation is that the church will overcome its current persecution at the hands of the Roman government. But all of this is for naught if the scroll cannot be opened. If there is no one who can bring about the events which will lead up to the final salvation of the church and rescue it from its persecution, then there is no hope. The Lion of Judah (5:1-5)But one of the 24 elders tells John that he need not weep. Indeed there is one who can open the scroll. It is the Lion of Judah, the root of David who has already overcome. He can open the scroll and its seven seals. These Lion of Judah and root of David are Old Testament terms for the Messiah. In Jacob's blessing of his 12 sons in Genesis 49:8-19, when he blesses Judah, he calls him “a lion” from which a will come the one who will someday carry the scepter and rule over a time of peace and prosperity for Israel. In Isaiah 11:10, the root of Jesse is described as the one who will gather the nation of Israel back together for a second time (the first being after the Babylonian captivity), bringing them into a glorious time of peace. These Messianic images of the Lion of Judah speak of a powerful conqueror who will restore Israel in a time of peace. The Lamb that Was Slain (5:6-9)But when John turns around to see this powerful, conquering Messiah, he does not see a lion. Instead he sees a lamb. But not just any lamb. This is a slaughtered lamb. The lamb has seven horns and seven eyes. The horns signify that the lamb has perfect or complete authority, while the seven eyes represent the Spirit of God, who guided the lamb. Jesus has the authority to open the scroll, not because He is the powerful Lion of Judah who comes to conquer and restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus has the authority to open the scroll because He came to suffer and die. Jesus' power and authority come through the cross. His glory is found not in His power or His role as judge, but in His humility and His role as our redemptive sacrifice. To this, then, the four living beings and the 24 elders sing a “new song.” This song is a parallel to the song in chapter 4. Except, instead of being worthy to receive glory and honor and power because He is the one who created all things and whose very will controls our existence, now He is worthy because He is the lamb who was slain. The lamb is worthy because He was slaughtered, shamed, spit upon, and crucified naked. The very same Roman government that was persecuting and killing Christians in John's day also crucified the Lamb of God, defeating and shaming Him [2]. But now, the heavenly chorus is singing a new song: “worthy is the lamb who was slain!” The Overcomers (5:10)Why is the lamb worthy? The elder tells us it is because He has “overcome” (vs. 5). But he overcame not through power, but through humility and shame. To those persecuted believers in John's day, the message is clear. Jesus overcame by experiencing the suffering, and was therefore now worthy to open the scroll. So to, then, as those persecuted, they too would overcome not by fighting against the Romans, but by humbly experiencing the suffering. Those who humbly overcome will receive the benefits bestowed by the slain lamb. The blood of the lamb purchased people from every tribe and nation and made them into a new nation, a new kingdom of priests who will reign with the lamb upon the earth. God, in Three Persons (5:11-14)With this proclamation, John then sees this in evidence. Thousands upon thousands of people, those redeemed from every tribe and nation, come together to proclaim the worthiness of the God “to receive blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever.” Note how in this throne room we see God in the Trinity finally revealed. God the Father sits upon the throne. God the Spirit represented as the seven lamps before the throne. God the Son represented as the slain lamb. Amidst this chorus of praise, the four living ones proclaim, “Amen,” and the 24 elders continue to fall down and worship God. Footnotes[Next: The 70th Week of Daniel]
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