Lesson 5 Revelation 5

                                                                   Revelation 5

Revelation chapter 5 carries on the same scene as chapter 4. There is no need for a break between chapters. While  the twenty-four elders, in praise and worship, are prostrating themselves before Him who sat upon the throne,  John saw, “In the midst of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (Rev.5:1).

The Greek does not use the preposition en, as “in” the hand, but the preposition epi, “upon the hand.” The scroll is held out upon the open palm of the hand. It is held out to anyone worthy to open the seals and look upon the contents.

In those days, parchment scrolls were used for official documents. Usually the scroll was written on one side. Then the scroll was rolled up and sealed so the contents were unseen and unknown while sealed. This was an unusual scroll, as John could see that it was written on the backside. Of course, naturally, it would be written on the inside as well. Perhaps because there was much to be made known on this scroll, the scroll was sealed in an unusual way. There were seven seals on this scroll.  We remember that, in Scripture, “seven” is the number of “completion.”

John did not say how the seals were placed on the scroll. The seals would permit only one section of the scroll to be seen at a time. In Revelation chapter 6, John will see the order of the events of the trial which is the Day of the Lord.

The Day of the Lord is laid out in order, from the going forth of the man of sin until the Second Coming of Christ Jesus to earth as the first six seals are broken. Then chapter 7 is a parenthetical vision of the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel selected for their ministry of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom during the seven year trial, and a second vision of the Gentile peoples to come out of the Great Tribulation.

When the seventh seal is broken, the whole scroll is laid open and John is given to see more details of the events that will be taking place upon earth during the trial which is to test the whole earth (Rev.3:10). John is given details but not in a chronological order. Parenthetical visions are interspersed throughout the Revelation for explanation.

John does not give any description of the One holding out the scroll to be taken by the One who is worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals and disclose the contents of the scroll. Then John saw “a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll, and to loose its seals?’ And no man in heaven, nor on the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the scroll, neither to look on it” (Rev.5:2-3).

The word “strong” or “mighty” shows the angel was a personage of importance and authority. He has a proclamation and he makes it with a loud voice, a “mega” voice like a megaphone. The proclamation was made in heaven, and upon earth and under the earth, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose the seals?”

It is not a matter of authority but of worth. It is a question of worthiness. Who is qualified as worthy? Anyone in heaven? In heaven are the angels who stayed faithful to their Creator. Mighty beings, among them are Michael the archangel and Gabriel (see Dan.9:20-23; 10:1-21; 12:1; Lk.1:26-38; Jude 9).

We need to remember that John is taken far into the future, that he might be given the revelation of Jesus Christ in the end times. At that future time Jesus’ kingdom of priests, whom He loosed from their sins in His blood, have been caught up to heaven (Rev.1:5-6). They have been raised out from the dead and are clothed in their bodies like unto Jesus’ body of glory. Crowned with the glory, they are enthroned with Him. John sees them in the throne scene in heaven. Their home, the New Jerusalem above, has not yet come down into the heavenlies, where they will live with their Husband, the Lamb, who loved them and gave Himself for them.

The created heavens are below the heaven where God dwells and they are above the atmosphere surrounding the earth, the air to be breathed into flesh bodies. It is in these heavenlies that the prince of the power of the air operates with his principalities and powers (Eph.1:21; 2:2; 6:12). It is not until the middle of the seventh and final week of this age that Satan and his angels will be cast out of the heavens to earth, to finish his warfare (Rev.12:7-17).

The heavens will be cleansed of all defilement in a regeneration, that the New Jerusalem, the home of the Lamb’s Wife, may be centered there over the New Jerusalem below, rebuilt on a cleansed, regenerate earth (2 Pet.3:7-14; Is.4:2-6; 65:17-25; 66:22-24).

The mighty angel himself did not step forward. He disqualified himself. None in heaven stepped forward. Was there anyone upon earth? Any earth-dweller saving the earth? No, not anyone. What of the underworld, Hades, where all of the powerful kings of the world kingdoms have gone?  (Is.14:9-10). No, no one qualified as worthy comes forward to take the scroll.

If the scroll is not opened, the contents will not be known. John has been called up to heaven to be shown the things which shall be here upon earth after the Church, over which Christ is the Head, is caught up to heaven to be enthroned with her Lord. If the seals are not loosed, the contents of the scroll will remain unseen.

John began to weep profusely “because no man was found worthy to open and to read the scroll, neither to look on it” (Rev.5:4). John gave way to the natural expression of the great emotion of disappointment of not seeing that which had been promised to him, that which he had eagerly anticipated seeing.

It must be remembered that John is yet in his mortal body. He has not died. He has been caught up in the Spirit (Rev.4:1-2). John has memories of having been on the Mount of Olives with Jesus before His crucifixion. There on the Mount he had heard Jesus teach of the things concerning the Day of the Lord. And also after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with His disciples teaching them and opening up the meaning of the Old Testament Scriptures written by Moses and the prophets and also the things concerning the Kingdom to come upon the earth (Lk.24:25-27, 44-48; Ac.1:1-3).

John’s weeping was of short duration. It was soon turned to joy as one of the elders said to John, “Weep not.” The elder, a member of the Body of Christ, knows who is worthy to open the seals and show what is written on the scroll. “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll, and to loose its seven seals” (Rev.5:5).

How did the elder know who was worthy? We must keep remembering that John was seeing far into the future, after the Church had already been caught up to heaven. How does the elder know? While the elder was alive in his mortal body, he had read the book of Revelation that John had written. John, alive in his mortal body, had not yet written of the things he was about to see.

The “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” the King of the Jews; the “Root of David,” the sure mercies of David, He is worthy. He is the only Person worthy to take the scroll from the open hand of His Father on the throne and to open the seals. And John saw Him do so, as he said, “I beheld and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living beings, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and Seven Eyes, which are the Seven Spirits, [or the Seven-fold Spirit] of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne” (Rev.5:6-7).

The Son had arisen from His seat and went and stood before His Father. He stood, not as the Lion, but in the role which had given Him His worth to open the seals. He stood as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn.1:29).

On the Isle of Patmos John had seen a very glorious vision of Jesus in His role as the Judge (Rev.1). After John had written the letters to the seven assemblies in Asia, he had been brought to heaven and entered the throne scene. There, first John saw Jesus on the throne as the King, in all of His glory and majesty, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Now John sees His Master, the One who loved Him.

Upon earth, John had beheld Jesus as the only begotten of the Father (Jn.1:14). John had spent four years upon earth with the Lamb to whom he had been introduced by John the Baptist (Jn.1:29). He had seen a preview of metamorphosis of  the earthly body of the Son of Man on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt.17:1-8; Mk.9:1-8; Lk.9:27-36). At the Cross, John had stood and watched as the cruel nails were pounded into the flesh of the One so dear to him. He had seen with his own eyes and had touched with his own hands the body of glory (1 Jn.1:1-2). Now before the Father is the Lion of the tribe of Judah in all of His majestic glory, standing as the Lamb having been slain.

Jesus of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of God, conceived in the flesh of the Life of the Father, the only perfectly obedient Son of God, who had been sitting on the Father’s right hand on the highest throne of the universe, had stood up to take the scroll.

Three things qualify Jesus as worthy to open the scroll and to loose the seals. The first thing that qualifies one as worthy to open the scroll is that he must be from the tribe of Judah, as prophesied by Jacob on his deathbed. God promised the royal scepter, the king’s rod of authority, “will not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes. Unto Him shall be the gathering of the people [of Israel]” (Gen.49:10).

As we may remember from our lesson on Revelation chapter 4, “Shiloh” has the meaning, “of Him to whom the scepter belongs.” Jesus is Shiloh. To Israel belongs all of the Old Testament promises concerning the earthly kingdom of this world. The King must come from the tribe of Judah. The one worthy to open the scroll must come from the tribe of Judah. It is significant that the authority to open the scroll is in the hands of the conquering King who is worthy. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Lion cannot be separated from the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe, through whom comes the Heir to the throne of Israel.

The second thing that qualifies one as worthy to open the scroll is that He must be of the Root of David. The tribe of Judah cannot be separated from the House of David. The Covenant of Life and blessing is established in the House of David (2 Sam.7:4-17; see also Rev.22:16).

Here before the throne is the Son who has the key of David, the One who opens and no man can shut, the One who shuts and no man can open (Rev.3:7). David is the son of God through Christ Jesus. David believed in the righteousness of God through faith in the coming Anointed Son of God, to be born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God, a born again son of God (see 2 Sam.7:18-29; 1 Pet.1:13-25; Jn.3:3-15).

Jesus is the son of David according to the flesh (Lk.1:32-33; Ac.2:30). Mary, the chosen virgin, was of the House of David and of the tribe of Judah. Through the seed of her father, Mary was a descendant from the tribe of Judah. The Lion to come through the line of Judah came through a descendant of David’s son, Nathan, Heli, the father of Mary (compare Mt.1:6, 16 with Lk.3:23, 31).

One day Jesus silenced the rulers of the Jews with a simple question (see Mt.22:41-46; Mk.12:35-37; Lk.20:41-44). He took them to the first verse of Psalm 110. Psalm 110 is the psalm of the King-Priest in His victory over His enemies. The psalm begins with David saying, “The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Jesus’ question, “If David then calls Him [the King-Priest] Lord, how is He his son?”

How indeed? David’s son must be born of a virgin in David’s line. He must be Immanuel [God with us] (see Is.7:14; 9:6-7; Mt.1:18-23). “And no man was able to answer [Jesus] a word.” The Jews did not choose to believe the obvious, but “neither dared any man from that day forth ask [Jesus] any more questions” (Mt.22:46).

The third thing to qualify one as worthy to open the seals was that he must be the Lamb of God, slain to take away the sins of the world. The King of the Jews was born to die (Jn.12:23-32). He came as the Passover, the Lamb under whose blood one is made safe from the Destroyer. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn.1:29). He is the Propitiation, not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 Jn.2:2).

The Holy Spirit, who was inspiring the words of the Revelation, does not use the ordinary Greek word for “lamb” here. The ordinary word for “lamb” is amnos, but the word used in Revelation 5:6 is arnion, a diminutive, “a little lamb.”  It is used here in the sense of “a belittled Lamb,” rejected by His own people and by all mankind. He was delivered up by His own people and crucified by the Romans, though no fault could be found in Him (see Is.53:2-12; Ac.13:27-28).

In John’s vision, Jesus had just risen from the highest throne of the universe, where He had been sitting century after century, waiting for His Father’s time to destroy His enemies. He had stood up to take the scroll. There He stood with the marks of Calvary yet in the body of glory, as evidence of the Lamb, belittled and slain. In His hands and feet and side, the evidence of the One acceptable Sacrifice to save His creation.

The Lion and the Lamb are the same Person of Christ Jesus, the Word become flesh, to bring Life and Light down to earth for mankind. The Lion is the King-Priest and the Lamb is the Redeemer-Deliverer. The Lamb had been slain before the foundation of the World (see 1 Pet.1:19-21; Rev.13:8). The Sacrifice had been acceptable to the Father, even before time began, but all must be worked out upon earth in time.

All is being worked out in time. In the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son, His beloved Son, the only Son of God en-lifed by the Father for conception of a human body (Gal.4:4; Lk.1:26-38). The only begotten God-Man, the One Mediator between God and Man, the Man, Christ Jesus, the only One a fellow with God and a fellow with man (1 Tim.2:3-6).

Jesus, the Word become flesh, came delighting to do the will of His Father (Jn.1:1-4; 8:28-29). Delighting to be the one perfectly obedient Son of God, He came to do the will of the Father, that the Father might have an acceptable Gift to offer man for reconciliation (Rom.5:17-21; 2 Cor.9:15; Eph.2:4-10). That the Father might have an acceptable Offering of Sacrifice concerning sin and death, Jesus came to lay down His life a ransom for the many who sinned (Mt.20:28; Mk.10:45). His obedience would be unto death, even the death of the Cross (Phil.2:5-8).

It is the Lamb who has seven horns. “Horns” are a recognized symbol of “power.” “Seven” being the number of “complete,” the Lamb has complete power. The Lamb has the power of the Seven-fold Spirit of the Lord, and the Lamb has the complete seeing of the Spirit.

In the book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit is not spoken of in His personal unity, but in His seven-fold variety, as seen in verse 2 of Isaiah chapter 11. We may also remember this from having covered it when we studied Jesus’ message to the assembly in Sardis (Rev.3:1).

The Holy Spirit  is, first of all, the Spirit of the Lord [Jehovah], the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. He is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of the Lord.

He is the Spirit of wisdom, the wisdom from above to end confusion. “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (Jas.3:17). Wisdom is power for sanctification and for self-control.

He is the Spirit of understanding. There is none that understands, no, not one. There is no fear of God before their eyes (Ps.14:1-3; 36:1; Rom.3:11-18). Yet understanding is needed for a sound mind. We must get understanding from the Spirit of Christ. Proverbs 4:7 tells us: “Wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom; and with all your getting, get understanding.” It is the Spirit that enlightens the eyes of the understanding as to the will of God (1 Cor.2:9-16; Jn.16:7-15).

The Spirit of counsel is needed for freedom from sin and self, for the fruit of holiness (Rom.6:22). “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations” (Ps.33:11; see Prov.19:21). It is through the light of the knowledge of the glory of God that He counsels us.

The counsel of might or strength. “He gives power to the faint; and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Is.40:29). Paul’s prayer for the Colossians and for all sons of God: “That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to the glorious power [of the Spirit of Christ], unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness” (Col.1:10-11).

The Spirit of knowledge is given for one to see and to know. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increases strength” (Prov.24:5). “Knowledge is easy unto him that understands” (Prov.14:6b).

The Spirit of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a reverential awe, that one not be high-minded (Rom.11:20). “A wise man fears, and departs from evil” (Prov.14:16a). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov.9:10). And “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov.1:7a). “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence” ... “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of Life, to depart from the snares of death” (Prov.14:26-27).

If any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. If the Spirit of Christ dwells in you, you are no longer in the flesh. You are in the Spirit (Rom.8:9b). Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, freedom to behold the glory of Christ. The Spirit of Truth will guide one into all truth (see Jn.15:26-27; 16:7-15). You shall know the truth, and the truth will free you. You shall know the Son and be free indeed (Jn.8:34-36). Christ is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor.1:30). In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col.2:2-3).

As we behold “as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, from the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor.3:18). And as one keeps on beholding the glory of the Lord, a great reverence begins to fill the heart, bringing a desire to grow in this grace which has been bestowed upon us and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God the Son - Deity - had the choice to become the Servant of God the Father. The Servant would be birthed in a mortal body of flesh - a God-Man - a birthed Son of God and Son of Man. The Father would give the Son to have Life in Himself through the Spirit (see Jn.5:17-32). A human mother would provide His humanity, a body of flesh and blood, mortal (Lk.1:26-38). Jesus was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, to condemn sin in the flesh (Rom.8:3).

The Son of Man was given the power to put away sin once for all (Rom.6:9-10; Heb.1:1-3; 9:22-28; 1 Pet.3:18). He had the power of sacrifice. He had the power to lay down the life of His body and the power to take it up again (Jn.10:17-18). The Son of Man had the power of substitution. He had the power to unite man to Himself and the power to take man into death and burial, and He had the power to raise the body up alive out from the dead (Rom.6:3-13; Jn.6:37-40). The Son of Man had power over all of man’s enemies.

There must be victory over sin and death for the flesh beings of man. Man must be given an exodus out of the flesh to become a righteous being. That would take death. There must be victory over the world system. That would take delivering man from his former manner of life. That too would take death. There must be victory over the adversary, the old serpent, called the Devil and Satan (Jn.12:31-32). That would necessitate casting him out of this world and destroying his world. That would take resurrection (1 Cor.15:54-57).

The Son of Man was sent to His own people, the Jews. “In Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of men.” “His own did not receive Him. But as many as did receive Him, to them He gave the authority to become the children of God, to those that believe into His name” (Jn.1:4, 11-12).

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, as prophesied in the Jews’ own Scriptures (Mic.5:2; see also Mt.2:1). Jesus’ birth was registered at the temple in Jerusalem. According to the Law of Cleansing, two doves were sacrificed, though no cleansing was needed for this Son begotten of the Father God (Lk.2:21-24).

Jesus lived out His obedience in His mortal body of the flesh. He lived each day delighting to do the will of the Father and growing in stature and wisdom. For about thirty years He lived that life in obscurity in Galilee of the Gentiles [nations] in the far north of the Promised Land in a little village called Nazareth (Mt.4:12-15).

As Jesus came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, it was the Passover before Jesus was thirty years old that the Lord God took Jesus to be His Passover Lamb (Lk.3:21-23). Passover was part of the Spring Festival which also included Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of Firstfruits. The festival was designed to picture the great event in Jesus’ life where He condemned sin in the flesh and put away sin once for all, and in the death of His mortal body, Jesus overcame death in His resurrection as the Firstfruit of the incorruptible Seed of His mortal body.

For the sons of Israel, Passover was first instituted in Egypt through their redeemer-deliverer, Moses. The Passover to them was a prophetic memorial of the death and resurrection of the coming Redeemer-Savior. We have the record in Exodus 12 (Ex.12:1-28).

The month of Abib, formerly the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, became the first month of the religious calendar concerning the festivals. On the 10^th day of the month, the father took a lamb for the household according to the number of souls in his household. The lamb was to be a male of the first year and the lamb must be without spot or blemish.

The lamb was kept in the household for four days and observed for any spot or blemish. The household became familiar with the lamb and, no doubt, somewhat attached. But on the 14^th day the household lamb must be slain. The whole assembly of Israel, each one, killed their lamb at evening or, literally, “between the two evenings.”

For the Jews, the day began at evening, around 6 p.m. The lamb was to be slain between the evening beginning the day of the 14^th and the evening beginning the day of the 15^th. According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, the lamb  was slain between 3 and 5 p.m.

The blood of the lamb was put on the two side posts and the upper door post of the houses. With the basin at the foot below the upper door post, this made the sign of the Cross. The blood of the death already having taken place for the household, the firstborn was covered and protected from the Destroyer claiming the body of the firstborn. The firstborn of the household lived. Jesus is the Firstborn of God’s household of sons of God (1 Cor.15:20-23). He also is the Lamb of God in whose blood the body of those firstborn in Adam is saved from perishing.

In Jesus’ day, the Passover lamb had to be approved by the priest. God sent the one Passover Lamb whom He approved from heaven. The Father led Jesus to John the Baptist to be approved (Jn.1:29-34). John had been born into the priesthood. As a faithful priest to teach the people the truth and lead them to repentance, John carried out his ministry in the wilderness. At the temple the priests taught that righteousness was through the works of the law performed in the flesh body.

Their prophet Isaiah had admonished, “All of our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth” (Is.64:6). Isaiah gave them a graphic illustration of the dead works of the Law. No Life can be expected through man’s works. Man has no power to raise up a forever living body out of the dead (see Jn.3:3-21; 12:23-33). The dead body will return to dust and perish.

In the ceremonial Passover, the lamb was kept four days. The Father God kept His Lamb in the household for four years, that the household of Abraham and David might see Him without spot or blemish, and that they might become acquainted with Him (see 1 Pet.1:18-19; Mt.26:57-66; 7:1-4, 22-24; Mk.14:53-59 Jn.8:46;19:4; Ac.13:27-28; 1 Tim.6:13-16).

Then, after four years of public ministry, on the 14^th of Nisan, Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem. Through the Eternal Spirit, Jesus offered Himself to God without spot or blemish, that He might purge His people from their dead works of the letter of the Law performed in the body of sin and death, with no heart of the inner man for God (see Heb.9:14-15; Mk.7:6-13; 2 Cor.3:6).

Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, that those who would unite themselves to Him in faith could be baptized into His death and, buried with Him in baptism, could be raised up together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom.6:3-10; Col.2:9-15). Jesus became “sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor.5:21).

Moses instructed the sons of Israel, if the household be too little for the lamb, let him invite his neighbor next to his house, that they might take the lamb together (Ex.12:4). The household of Israel is far too little for the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world (Jn.1:29; 1 Jn.2:2). The Gentiles must be invited to partake of the Lamb.

There on Mount Calvary, lifted up between heaven and earth, was the One Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus. Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Tim.2:4-6). The opened side sent forth the Water of Life to flow freely to the ends of the earth. The good news of the hope of Life everlasting to be sent out in all directions through the members of the new Body raised up with Christ Jesus and baptized in the Holy Spirit for the power of witness (Ac.1:8).

Before sundown the 14^th the holy body was taken down from the Cross and buried in the virgin tomb, to lie buried through the 15^th of Nisan, the first day of Feast of Unleavened Bread. Sometime after sundown of the 15^th of Nisan, on the 16^th, Firstfruits, the Father raised up Jesus from the dead by His Spirit (Rom.8:11). And the Spirit declared Jesus to be the Son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead (Rom.1:2-4), Jesus having become the Firstfruit of those having fallen asleep, to one day be awakened (1 Cor.15:20-21).

Israel had crucified the Holy One of Israel, but the Father had raised Him from the dead (Ac.2:22-36). The marks of Jesus’ obedience, even unto death, were yet in the body which had been glorified in resurrection (Jn.20:24-27). The evidence of His sacrificial death to be borne throughout eternity.

It is also the Lamb who has the Seven Eyes, which are the Seven-fold Spirit of God. The Sacrifice having been accepted, the Seven-fold Spirit could be sent into all the earth with the good news (see 1 Jn.2:2; 4:9-10). The wound in Jesus’ side was closed up, but out of the wound had poured the blood for cleansing from all unrighteousness (1Jn.1:9). The blood which had put away sin once for all, to loose man from sin, and the Water of Life to overcome death, freely flowing to the ends of the earth through the Seven-fold Spirit of Jesus Christ.

The Lion has prevailed, because the Lord Jesus Christ has come off the Victor with His obedience to the death of the Cross. The power will be put in the hand of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Lion will be taking over the throne given to the Lion tribe of the House of David. But first must come the judgment of the world and its false ruler. Now is this world judged and the prince of this world to be cast out (see Jn.12:31). The coming trial of the judgment of retributive justice will take place in God’s timing of the final week of the seventy weeks determined by the Lord God Almighty.

The Lion and the Lamb complement one another. The Lamb is the Savior and Redeemer of His own inheritance. The redemption is considered to be the actual bringing out of the inheritance from under the power of the enemy. The bringing out of the inheritance of Abraham from the state into which it has gotten itself. The inheritance will be received by the Lion for the setting of all things straight again. Once things are set straight, they will never again be disturbed (see Dan.7:13-14; Is.9:6-7). The universe will have been given a final adjustment.

The Lamb came and took the scroll. The Lamb is yet the Servant of Jehovah. There is yet the judgment of this world to be carried out, which includes the god of this world and all the rebels and enemies of God. The judgment has been given into the hands of the Lamb as the Son of Man (Jn.5:29-31).

Come down from heaven as the Son of Man, Jesus personally witnessed the condition of man as He lived among them as a man. Through the experience of being in the world of man, under the thinking sourced in the evil one, Jesus personally witnessed evil for what it is - the lawlessness of man’s heart. He witnessed  mankind deliberately reject the goodness and grace and mercy of His Father God. He saw men despise the wisdom and the freedom of the Father’s will for man. As the Son begotten from the dead, the judgment is committed into the hands of the exalted Lamb of God. The whole earth and everything in it is given into His hands for judgment. It is the Day of the Lord.

The scroll is to be opened and John is to see the contents on the scroll, the things that shall be happening after the Body of Christ has been caught up to be with her Lord. The things are shown from heaven’s viewpoint. The scroll will reveal the climax of human history, the crisis of the Day of the Lord. The scroll will reveal that for which all creation has been waiting all down through the ages, the judgment of this world to be finished with transgressions and sins and to bring in the tremendous event toward which all the history of man and the earth was planned, a Kingdom of righteousness and peace, a Kingdom in which all peoples of the earth are blessed.

What John saw on the scroll is an accurate prophetic account of the order of events by which Christ Jesus will bring all of His creation into the actual inheritance of all Christ Jesus has redeemed in His blood. The fully opened scroll will reveal how all that has been prophesied will be accomplished.

It needs to be remembered that the Lion and the Lamb are both connected with Israel. The scroll is to show what course will be taken concerning the Divine action to deliver that which Divine grace has purchased. Israel was given her history in prophecy before it was lived out. It has come to pass as was prophesied and will continue to come to pass as prophesied. Through Moses, to Israel was given to see the beginning of all things. Through the apostle John, to the Church is given to see the consummation of those things. What John saw with his very own eyes he faithfully recorded for us, that we too might have the eyes of our understanding enlightened as to how the great Drama of the Ages will play out in the end. Though the things to be hereafter were symbolized to John, as a Jew, John would have understood the symbols and signs.

The Lamb took the scroll from the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne, but before a single seal is broken, John heard a new song fill heaven with praise. “And when He had taken the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, every one of them having harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and language, and people and nation; and have made us unto our God a kingdom of priests, and we shall reign over the earth’” (Rev.5:8-10).

If there is a question as to who the twenty-four elders represent, these verses clear it up. These are singing a song of their own experience of having been redeemed to God by the blood of Jesus. They are of every kindred and language and nation and people. There is only one time in history that there is a recorded One Body of the redeemed of all people and nations. Here the Body of the redeemed are all together in heaven with their Lord.

These are the ones who responded to the call of the gospel of Christ which was sent to the ends of the earth after the ascension of Jesus Christ back to heaven. With Jesus Himself as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Jesus loosed them from their sins in His own blood and made them a kingdom of priests unto God (see Ps.110:4; Heb.5:5-10; 7:11-28; Rev.1:5-6; 1 Pet.2:9-10). They are a royal priesthood and this is their testimony. Every one of them having harps and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. To the Jew, “harps” were a symbol of “victory.” They were used in worship and praise to Jehovah.

Each one in the royal priesthood is an overcomer. Each one having shared in Christ’s victory over sin and death and the world and the evil one. Each one having been glorified in a forever living body shares the complete victory and is giving praise to their Deliverer.

In the order of the Levitical priesthood under the Law given to the sons of Israel, before ministering the sacrifices in the outer court, the priests must wash their hands and feet at the laver (see Ex.30:17-21; 40:30-32). “Hands” speak of “doing,” and “feet” of “the walk or conduct.” The washing of the ceremonial cleansing spoke of the necessity of having been made clean before ministering the holy things of the Lord God. The laver being made from the bronze mirrors of the Israelite women represented self-judgment, thus fitting one for the service of the Lord.

After the ministry of the sacrificial offerings upon the altar of burnt offering, the priest must again cleanse himself and take coals from off the altar of burnt offering and put them in his golden censer to be carried into the holy place and put upon the golden altar before the throne of God behind the veil (Ex.30:1-8; Lev.16:12-13). There the priest offered prayers for God’s people, Israel. With the incense put upon the coals from the burnt offering, the sweet savor of the sacrifice was carried into the holy place and the sweet savor went up with the prayers of the priests for God’s people, Israel.

In the royal priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ, while His priests were yet in the outer court of the world, each one had been cleansed for their ministry of reconciliation. Each one had been loosed from his sins in the blood of Jesus Christ. Each one cleansed from the defiling of death through having united himself with Jesus in His death and burial and resurrection. Each one made clean to minister the sacrifice of Jesus through the gospel of Christ crucified and buried and risen from the dead. Each one had had the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shined into his heart, that he might minister the truth.

Each one, having received the light of the knowledge of the glory, carried the light in his earthen vessel. He himself having been justified and glorified and made clean was a sweet savor unto God (Eph.5:1-2). Each one carried the sweet savor in his earthen vessel to make known the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Each one a savor of death unto death, and of Life unto Life, that men might hear the gospel of Christ and turn from their darkness to the light and not perish (see 2 Cor.4:4-7; 2:14-17).

In Revelation 5, the priests have finished their ministry of reconciliation. They are in a fixed state of holiness, forever cleansed from all sin and death. In their fixed state of holiness, they have carried the sweet savor into the holiest, right before the throne. In heaven, there is no veil (see Heb.10:19-20). All is holy. Man cannot enter into the Presence of God. Only sons of God, born of the Spirit, can be in His Presence. There in their new vessels of glory [gold] (see Job 23:10), the priests are ready to begin their new ministry of intercession.

All through the Old and New Testaments we have prayers inspired by the Holy Spirit, prayers concerning God’s all comprehensive purpose for His creation. Prayer is a way of entering into God’s purposes, a way of uniting one’s will with the will of God, and of adding one’s own desires to that which God desires, that His will be done.

The prayers of these saints are symbolized as incense. They bear the sweet savor of Christ. Under the Ceremonial Law, the “incense” was a type of “the fragrance of God’s birthed Son, Jesus, the Redeemer-Deliverer. Though He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, in Him was no sin. He did no sin. He knew no sin. He was holy and harmless and undefiled, to be sacrificed a sweet savor unto God (1 Jn.3:5; 1 Pet.2:22; 2 Cor.5:21; Heb.7:26).

Specific instructions were given to the priests as to how to make this holy fragrance. They were forbidden to make it for themselves. It was to be to them holy for the Lord (Ex.30:34-37). Exodus 30:38 reads, “Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.”

Thus was pictured to Israel that there was only one way to carry the fragrance of Christ Jesus. No one could make the fragrance of the God-Man. One must believe into Him and be united to Him through His redemption to carry the sweet savor of Christ.

The first prayer of a sinner, who would become a saint and a true son of God, is one of supplication, that he might be acceptable in God’s sight. Having purified his soul through obedience to the truth of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, one is born of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God. Having been raised up together with Him, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, one carries the fragrance of the one perfectly obedient birthed Son of God, and now may be in the Presence of God. The prayers of the saints in heaven are prayers of praise and thanksgiving to the One who shared His Life with them.

In Revelation 5, the saints have been caught up to heaven shortly before the trial on earth begins. When the trial ends, God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The ministry of the intercession of the royal priesthood begins during the trial. First, together with their Lord, they will be making intercession for the Tribulation saints.

And they sing a new song. United, with one voice, they sing praise to the Lamb. “Sing” is in the present tense, denoting continuous, unceasing worship in heaven. All to the praise of His glory. Upon earth, as Paul had exhorted them, they spoke to themselves in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [their] heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph.5:19-20).

Gathered together from all over the world, now for the first time, they are united to sing together. They sing a song of praise to the Lamb for His glorious work of redemption. Only the members of the Body of Christ, the true Church, will have this song as a personal testimony of their experience.

There is nothing of self-praise or of self-worth in this song. The only reference to self is in relation to the work of Christ Jesus. All praise is for the worthiness of the Redeemer who was slain, that they might live forever. He has redeemed them through His blood. “Redeemed” here has the meaning of “purchase.” Each one has been bought with a price (1 Cor.6:19-20; 7:23). Through His blood, Jesus Christ has ransomed them out of ever kindred and people and nation upon earth, that He might have His own household of sons of God.

Then John beheld, and heard “the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living beings and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands” (Rev.5:11). The praise went out in ever widening circles.

The number of the angels: Hundreds of millions, and millions of millions. A number inconceivable to the mind of man. These are the angels Jesus could have called on in His betrayal and arrest (Mt.26:53). These are the angels who had never experienced redemption, but who had watched the redemption of man being carried out upon earth (1 Pet.1:12). There is great rejoicing in heaven over one lost sinner on the earth who repents and returns to the Father God. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents (Lk.15:7, 10).

The living beings round about and in the midst of the throne lead the worship. The twenty-four elders prostrate themselves and sing a song of redemption, their personal testimony. Then the angels join in with a seven-fold doxology. The angels do not sing, they shout: ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and  riches, and the wisdom, and the strength, and the honor, and the glory, and the blessing” (Rev.5:12).

Every particular of the doxology of praise has the definite article, “the.”” Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive the power. But also worthy is the Lamb to receive the riches. And the “riches” are not limited to spiritual riches, but rather denoting all the fullness of God. And worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive the wisdom, and the strength, and the honor, and the glory, and the blessing.

And finally, in heaven, with the four living beings and the priesthood of Christ and the angels of God, all creation enters into praise for the Lamb. “And every creature that is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them,” John heard saying, “‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.’ And the four living beings said, ‘Amen.’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him that lives forever and ever” (Rev.5:13-14).

This ends our lesson on Revelation 5. In chapter 6 we will see the first six seals on the scroll opened, one after another in succession, giving an overview of the Day of Lord, the trial to come upon all the world. With the opening of the seals, we are introduced to an unnamed personage appearing on different colored horses. For the identity of this unnamed rider, we need to take a look at Daniel chapter 7.

Lesson 4 Revelation 4

                                           Revelation 4

Chapters 4 and 5 are introductory to the things which will be taking place here on earth after the Body of Christ has been caught up. Having finished writing down Jesus’ messages to the seven churches in Asia, the writing down of the things which are, the things of the Church Age were finished.

Then John said, “After this I looked and, behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me; which said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.’ And immediately I was in the spirit and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardius stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like an emerald” (Rev.4:1-3).

Chapter 4 of the Revelation begins “after this,” meta tauta, the same Greek words rendered hereafter in verse 19 of chapter 1. John had just finished writing of what he had seen in the vision of Jesus and the writing of the letters to the seven assemblies in Asia Minor.

In the letters, Jesus addressed the condition of His Body, the Church over which He is the Head. He looked at the doing of each assembly as it was in the day of John’s writing. And in the letters also was seen a prophetic foreview of what would be taking place upon earth concerning the Kingdom of Heaven during the Church Age (see also Mt.13). The Church Age ends with the members of the Body of Christ being caught up together by the Lord Jesus to ever be with Him. The last promise to the overcomers is that they be granted to sit enthroned with their Lord Jesus Christ (Rev.3:21).

After John had finished writing the letter to Laodicea, his attention was caught by the door opened into heaven. He heard the same voice which he had heard at the first on the Isle of Patmos; the voice like a trumpet was now calling him to come up (see Rev.1:10).

All of the things of which John was to write and send to the churches were revealed to him in “visions” and “types” and “symbols.” The very way John was called and caught up to heaven is symbolic of Christ Jesus coming for His Body and Bride (1 Thess.4:13-18; 1 Cor.15:51-57).

In Revelation 4, after John had been caught up to heaven, the first thing he saw was a throne and the One who sat upon it. John does not name the One seated on the throne but describes His appearance. Through the opened door, John found himself in an entirely different scene, with a very different subject. All here is in the far future.

As all was being signified to John, the things seen were supernatural and disclosed to John in Old Testament types, which John, being a Jew, would understand (see Heb.8:5; 9:1-10:1). John makes no explanation or interpretation, but simply describes what he beheld as it was signified to him. The key to understanding the symbols is in the Old Testament and in the prophetic history of God’s people, Israel, preserved in their Scriptures.

The Greek word used for “throne” is “a seat raised above other seats.” It came to denote the raised seat being particularly the one upon which the monarch was seated; hence, the word “throne.” The appearance of the One sitting upon the throne was signified to John by two particular precious stones, a jasper and a sardius. Here, in figure, is a description of the One seated on the throne as the True High Priest, the King-Priest of the order of Melchizedek (Ps.110:1-6; Heb.5:5-10; 7:17). The emphasis in verse 3 is on two of the stones on the breastplate worn by the high priest of Israel.

We understand that the priesthood of the nation of Israel on earth was of a different order, the Levitical order, of the tribe of Levi. It is sometimes called the “Aaronic Order,” as Moses’ brother Aaron was the first high priest (Ex.28:1-4; Lev.8:1-10:20). The office of high priest passed from eldest son to eldest son (Num.3:1-4). One was born into the priesthood of the one family of Aaron (see Neh.7:63-64; Ezra 7:1-10). The rest of the Levites cared for the articles of the tabernacle (Num.3:25-4:49).

Moses was instructed as to the making of a breastplate to be worn over the heart of the high priest. It was a breastplate of judgment. The breastplate was made of settings of stones, four rows of three stones each. The description of the work is given in Exodus 28:15-28 and Exodus 39:8-21.

Verse 21 of Exodus 28 reads: “The stones shall be with the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name they shall be according to the twelve tribes.” The order of the names of the tribes is not given in Exodus.

The breastplate of judgment was worn on the ephod of the high priest over the heart (Ex.28:29). On the shoulders of the ephod were two onyx stones, one on each shoulder. On the onyx stones were engraved the names of the sons of Israel. Six of the names on one shoulder and six of the names on the other of the sons according to their birth. The two onyx stones on the two shoulders were for a memorial of the twelve sons of Israel, the fathers of the tribes. In this way, the high priest bore the names of the twelve sons of Israel on his two shoulders before the Lord (Ex.28:9-12; 39:6-7).

Here in figure was pictured the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, the Messiah of Israel, bearing His nation and the government and responsibility for the nation brought forth in His one man Abraham, never to forsake them (Gen.12:1-3; Heb.10:1-16). The names of the sons always on His shoulders for a memorial, with the breastplate a figure of the Messiah as the Great High Priest continually bearing the judgment for the sins and iniquities of the people until the regeneration of the nation in her acceptance of Jesus of Nazareth and His redemptive work of the Cross. Jesus, God’s Anointed Son, the High Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek, will continue to bear the judgment of His people until He has His regenerate nation. In the day of His power, His people will receive Him (Ps.110).

As Moses was instructed, the stones on the breastplate were to be set in the order of the tribes. The order of the tribes is different than the birth order of the sons. With Jacob-Israel adopting Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as full tribes, there would be fourteen names (Gen.48:8-22; see also Deut.33:13-17). If Ephraim and Manasseh represent the one tribe of Joseph, then there are thirteen tribes. After the incident of the golden calf when they had left Egypt, we see the tribe of Levi taken for the Lord’s inheritance and we are once again back to twelve names (Ex.32:1-28; Num.1:47-54; 3:12-13).

As the order of the names of the twelve tribes for the stones on the breastplate are not given in Exodus 28 or 39 with the listing of the stones, where do we find the order?

The Lord God is a God of order. The Lord brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies (Ex.12:51). In Numbers 2, the Lord Himself set the order of the tribes of Israel in their encampment around the four sides of the tabernacle, three tribes on each side. The first compass point on the east side was Judah, the tribe who carried the seed for the coming Messiah, the Anointed Son of God. And then continuing on around the four sides of the tabernacle until the final compass point, the tribe of Dan on the north, ending with the tribe of Naphtali (Num.2:1-34).

Each stone on the breastplate spoke of the Person and work of the coming Messiah. The meanings are revealed in the prophecies of Jacob given to the sons as his death side blessing and with the blessings of Moses on the tribes as they were about to go into the Promised Land (Gen.49; Deut.33).

According to the order of the stones on the breastplate of the high priest given in both Exodus 28 and Exodus 39, the first stone, representing the tribe of Judah, is the blood red sardius. A modern name for the sardius is carnelian. “Judah” has the meaning of “praise.”

On his deathbed Jacob said to Judah, “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as an old lion. Who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk” (Gen.49:8-12).

Moses said concerning Judah, “This is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people; let his hands be sufficient for him, and You be a help to him from His enemies” (Deut.33:7).

The last stone on the breastplate of judgment is the translucent, glistening jasper, clear as crystal, representing the tribe of Naphtali (see Rev.21:11). “Naphtali” has the meaning “my wrestling.” To Naphtali Jacob said, “Naphtali is a hind let loose. He gives beautiful words” (Gen.49:21). And of Naphtali Moses said, “O, Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord, you possess the west and the south” (Deut.33:23).

Having been caught up to heaven, in the description of the One John saw sitting upon the throne in heaven as a jasper stone and a sardius stone, we see that  the stones are given in the reverse order of their placement on the breastplate of the high priest of judgment.

There on the throne, in the clear shining body of His glory, sat Jesus in all of the holy essence of the Son begotten from the dead. There in person was the God-Man. The Word, who is God, became flesh, to bring Life and Light down to man. The Word, God become flesh as the Seed-Grain, to bring many sons to glory (Jn.1:1-18; 12:24). The blood of the mortal body of Jesus shed in death for the redemption of many sons of God, much fruit to the praise of the glory of the Father. In the resurrection, each son will be given a forever living body like unto Jesus’ body of glory (Phil.3:20-21; Rom.8:11, 29; Col.3:3-4).

Round about the throne was a rainbow “like an emerald”; that is, a rainbow predominantly green. The emerald was the first stone in the second row on the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest of the Levitical order. It was engraved with the name of Jacob’s firstborn son, conceived of his wife Leah, “Reuben,” meaning, “see, a son” (Gen.29:31-32). Reuben’s tribe held the second compass point of the encampment, on the south side (Num.2:10).

The first row of stones on the breastplate signified “the Messiah promised.” The second row signified “Christ come.” “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Is.9:6-7).

In this second row of stones is the earthly ministry of Christ in figure. The three stones representing, first, with the emerald, Jesus, the Son of Man, second, the sapphire, representing the tribe of Simeon, with the meaning, “harkening,” Jesus as the Prophet, and third, the diamond, Gad, “a troop,” Jesus, the Captain of salvation.

Before the creation God had His Covenant with Himself. In the coming Christ was given to man the hope of Life everlasting and a holy calling to become a son of God (Tit.1:2; 2 Tim.1:9-10). The body of the first man was created of the dust of the ground, an earthly body, associated with the created earth (Gen.2:7). “Four” is the universal number for the “earth,” i.e., the four corners of the earth, the four winds, the four seasons.

From the fourth day of creation, the sign of the Covenant was in the light-holders in the heavens, which told forth the glory of God (Gen.1:14-19; Ps.19:1-6; 97:6; Rom.10:14-18). These silent preachers preached the gospel of the Anointed Son of God coming to earth to redeem His creation of mankind.

Because Adam brought sin and death into the world, the seed of the earthly body is corruptible. The earthly body produced by the corruptible seed of man is mortal. When the earthly creation of man in Adam had corrupted itself and filled God’s earth with violence, God destroyed the creation with a severe judgment of a flood of waters to cover the whole earth.

God showed Noah how to preserve his household alive in an ark which God designed and Noah built (Gen.6:13-22; Heb.11:7; 1 Pet.3:20). God purposed a new beginning for man. He would need men with seed to multiply and fill His earth. In the new beginning, God gave man a second sign of His Eternal Covenant, the sign of the rainbow.

The rainbow is a sign that, in judgment, God remembers mercy. The rainbow is a sign that God’s Covenant of the hope of Life everlasting is forever in effect (Gen.9:8-17). The storm of judgment does not make God’s Covenant null and void. The “bow” in the sky is like a benediction on God’s creation. It is a promise that God will make good His Covenant.

Appearing after the storm has subsided, the multi-colored rainbow is seen as the rays of the returning light of the sun reflect off the waters in a prism of color. The passing of the storm leaves the sign of God’s Covenant. The rainbow is seen broken by the horizon of earth. Nevertheless, it reaches the earth, a sign of a Covenant of Life to be entered into through faith in the Christ of the Covenant.

In heaven, John was shown an unbroken rainbow round about the throne, a sign of an Eternal Covenant which will not be broken. The key to this rainbow is the symbol, “in sight like unto an emerald.” As we have already noted, this rainbow is predominantly green. “Green” is the color of “life.” This rainbow is a sign of a Covenant of Life everlasting, a forever living body.

Below, upon earth, another storm of judgment is coming. The rainbow round about the throne is a sign that, in judgment, God remembers mercy. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet.3:9).

The visions John will be given to see are of the unveiling of Jesus Christ. The time of the judgment of man’s work has come. All enemies of the Lord God Almighty will be destroyed. Justice must be done and will be done on all those who will have refused to unite themselves to the One in whom is the redemption, that they might be made safe from the condemnation to come.

The last row of stones on the breastplate of the high priest represent Jesus as the coming Judge. The jasper represents Jesus as the Prince of princes and as wrestling down His enemies.

“And round about the throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon the thrones I [John] saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white [glistening] garments; and they had on their heads crowns of gold” (Rev.4:4).

Who are these twenty-four elders? We have five clues. The members of the Body of Christ, over which He is the Head, are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom.8:37). As “overcomers” through Jesus’ victory over sin and death, to them was given promises in the letters written to them by John and dictated by Jesus (Rev.2 & 3). And among these promises are:

1. I will give you a Crown of Life (Rev.2:10).

2. You shall not be hurt of the Second Death (Rev.2:11).

3. The same shall be clothed in white [glistening] garments (Rev.3:5).

4. I will keep you from the hour of testing, which shall come upon all the world, to test them (Rev.3:10).

5. To him will I grant to sit with Me in My throne (Rev.3:21).

These elders are in heaven, seated on thrones with their Lord when the judgment is being set; that is, before the storm below breaks. They are beyond death, alive forevermore. The inner man having been crowned with the glory of Life everlasting, each one is clothed with a body like unto Jesus’ body of glory. Each one caught up to ever be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why are only twenty-four elders mentioned, when the members of the Body of Christ are innumerable? “Elder” is a  term used to designate the leaders over the early assemblies of the Body of Christ which had been established on earth, first in Asia Minor. Jesus made for Himself a kingdom of priests. He did so by loosing men from their sins in the blood of His Sacrifice (Rev.1:6; 1 Pet.2:9; Rev.5:10).

John was shown Jesus’ kingdom of priests having been caught up to heaven. John understood that which was being signified was shown in Old Testament figures. Being a part of the new Body himself, and knowing the history of the Levitical priesthood, John would have made the connection and understood that these were representative of the whole Body.

In King David’s day the number of priests to serve in the tabernacle in Jerusalem had increased to thousands. This was a far greater number than would be needed for the daily ministering. In preparation for the first temple, King David subdivided the priesthood into courses or watches for rotating work shifts (see 1 Chron.23:1-24:31). This subdivision was not an arbitrary change, but one received from the Lord (1 Chron.28:11-13). Sixteen family courses were formed from the house of Aaron’s son Eleazar and eight courses from the house of Aaron’s son Ithamar (see 1 Chron.24:1-4). Each order was represented by one chosen leader. Each order would then take their turn ministering the things of God daily in the temple.

As John is writing of the things being symbolized to him, first John describes the throne set and the One who sat upon it, how He was to look upon, and the rainbow round about that throne. Then the description of the twenty-four elders enthroned. And then, “out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderclaps, and voices” (Rev.4:5a).

As lightning and thunder are natural signs of a coming storm, the Lord uses these natural symbols as a type or a figure of the coming judgment under the metaphor of a storm (see Ps.29). We usually reverse the order to thunder and lightning rather than lightning and thunder. Mainly because we often do not see the lightning and are suddenly startled by the thunderclap. Likely, the dwellers on the earth will not be fully aware of the lightning. Busy with their own plans, the dwellers on earth will be startled when the full storm breaks upon the earth.

There were voices proceeding out of the throne with the lightning and thunderclaps. The voices give character to the symbols of lightning and thunderclaps and interpret them. We speak of one speaking in a voice like thunder, or of a person who is speaking in anger to denounce an action as one thundering.

In Psalm 29 where we have the judgment under the figure of a storm, we read, “Give unto the Lord, O you mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Ps.29:1-2). Through the gospel of Christ, the Holy Spirit enlightens the understanding to the glory of God, that He might be given His glory and worshiped in the beauty of holiness.

“The voice of the Lord is upon many waters. The God of Glory thunders; the Lord is upon many waters” (Ps.29:3). In Revelation 17, “the waters” is a figure for “peoples and multitudes and nations and languages” (v15). “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ... The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness ... of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve, and strips bare the forests; and in His temple everyone speaks of His glory. The Lord sits upon the flood; yea, the Lord sits King forever. The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Ps.29:4-11).

God’s judgment is all under the control of His righteous government. In the stormy trial, God will be working out His purposes of Love and Life and Light. To the purpose of a Kingdom of righteousness and justice, the coming judgment is at one and the same time absolutely necessary and yet a strange work, foreign to a God who is Life and Love (Is.28:2, 21-23).

As the Body of Christ has been caught up to be with her Lord, we see the timing of the throne set. We understand this is the same throne which Daniel saw set in his vision of the great beasts recorded in Daniel chapter 7. Daniel saw the throne set for judgment of the beasts that he had watched arise out of the great sea (Dan.7:9-12). In Daniel’s vision, judgment was set to take away the dominion of the little horn of the fourth beast (v26).

In the coming trial, God is calling all earth-dwellers before His court of justice for trial. He is bringing charges against all mankind. Man is charged with having broken God’s Covenant which He had established upon earth with Noah and his three sons and their seed after them (Gen.9:9-17). Through His prophet Isaiah He said, “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the Everlasting Covenant” (Is.24:5).

The world has spurned the wisdom of God as too restrictive (Ps.2:1-3). Men have cast off the cords of God’s absolutes as too binding. There is no fear of God before their eyes. There is no Godly-directed reverence, no holding in awe the Sovereign of the whole universe. Thus man has no true understanding of God’s purposes.

The counsel of God having been rejected, man has no power to master the sin, the lawlessness of his own heart. As in the days of Noah, every man is doing what is right in his own eyes. And all society is suffering the consequences. The earth is once again corrupt before God and filled with violence, and ripe for judgment.

The trial of all the world will take place upon earth during the last seven years of this age. This will be the final week, the final heptad of seven years spoken by the prophet Daniel. The judgment will bring an end to transgressions and make an end of sins; it will make reconciliation and bring in everlasting righteousness before the setting up of God’s Kingdom upon earth, the Kingdom which will last forever (Dan.9:24).

This throne in Revelation 4 is set for a purpose. It is a throne of judgment, but this throne is not to be confused with the Great White Throne judgment. The Great White Throne judgment will take place at the end of the thousand year reign of the Kingdom of righteousness. At that time Hades will give up the souls that it has held since the beginning of the creation of man. The Great White Throne judgment is the judgment of the dead. Those souls born in Adam, born dead in trespasses and sins and who, in their physical lifetime upon earth, never received the Life offered in the Anointed Son to be justified and glorified, will stand before God to be judged according to their works. Not having believed into Jesus Christ, they were not born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word, Jesus. Not having believed into Jesus, there was no birth to be recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Each one remained dead in trespasses and sins and will face the Second Death (Rev.20:5-6, 11-15; see also 1 Cor.15:25-28).

The throne shown John in heaven in Revelation 4 has been called the Throne of Adjudication. To “adjudicate” is defined as “determining judicially conflicting claims.” Before this throne will be decided judicially: Does man have a claim on himself, with the right to do as he sees fit? Or does God have a claim on man, as man was created by God in the beginning? All will be decided judicially in righteousness and in true justice. Also will be decided judicially: Does Satan have a claim on the kingdom of this world, or does Jesus Christ have the rightful claim as being the One whom God made the Heir to all the  things that He created?

“And there were Seven Lamps of Fire burning before the throne, which are the Seven Spirits [or the Seven-fold Spirit] of God” (Rev.4:5b). There before the throne is the Seven-fold Spirit of God, the third Person of the Godhead in symbol as the lampstand in the holy place in the tabernacle of the wilderness, with the lamps filled with oil and burning; that is, giving light (Ex.25:31-40).

Man has never been left without witness to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of the Christ, the Anointed Son of God. The heavens have declared the glory of God since the fourth day of creation. The Law and the prophets witness to the righteousness of God through faith in Christ, the Anointed Son of God (Rom.3:21; Jn.5:39). The members of the Body of Christ testify to Jesus being the only Way of righteousness and salvation.

Christ Jesus is the only hope of Life everlasting. Through the gospel of Christ is the calling to become a son of God. Both the Gospel writers and the authors of the epistles bear witness to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, so that man is without excuse.

“And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal” (Rev.4:6a). Remembering that John is being shown this through Old Testament types and symbols, John’s thoughts would have been directed to the  “sea” of Solomon’s temple, which had replaced the laver of the tabernacle. Scripture does not tell us of the laver or sea in the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel or in the temple built by Herod, which John attended. However, we do have the description of the laver of the tabernacle in the wilderness and also of the sea of Solomon’s temple (Ex.30:17-21; 1 Ki.7:23-44).

The laver of the tabernacle was made of the bronze mirrors given by women in the offerings made for the building of the tabernacle (Ex.38:1-8). No dimensions are given as to the size of the laver. It was footed and stood upon the bare ground of the earth between the altar of burnt offering and the door of the tent of meeting. With the multitude of priests in Solomon’s day, the laver or sea of the temple, also made of bronze, was ten cubits from one brim to the other, round all about, five cubits high, approximately fifteen feet in diameter, with a circumference of forty-seven feet around and seven and a half feet deep, large enough that twelve priests could wash in the laver at one time. It stood upon twelve life-sized bronze oxen, their rear sections facing inwards. Both the laver of the tabernacle and sea of Solomon’s temple were vessels that carried the same message. Both were vessels for self-judgment and cleansing for purification, that one might be fitted to minister the things of God.

The laver held water for the cleansing of the hands and the feet of the ministering priests. Both “mirror” and “water” are symbols for the Word of God (2 Cor.3:18; Eph.5:26; Heb.10:22). When one looks into the Word of God to see himself as a creation of God and he then obeys the truth of what he is shown, to purify his soul, to become born again of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, he is then fitted to minister the things of God. “Bronze” is a symbol of “judgment.” There must be a self-judgment by God’s standard of righteousness (1 Cor.2:13-16).

In John’s description of the sea spread out before the throne in heaven, nothing is said of a laver. The sea had the general appearance of glass, but like crystal. We sometimes speak of a body of water being glassed over, or of the water being as smooth as glass.

The second symbol, “crystal,” strengthens the description. The Greek word for “crystal” is pellucid, which speaks of anything “being congealed or solidified, and transparent, such as ice.” John saw before this throne a sea which resembled glass. It was clear and transparent and it was solidified, in a fixed state.

The sea is in a fixed state, solidified, calm and undisturbed, quiet and peaceful. The water of this sea is not needed for cleansing. In its fixed state it provides a firm pavement for the set thrones. The priests of this Kingdom have no more need of cleansing. They are in a fixed state of holiness. Their sins were put on the body of Jesus, to be consumed in His Sacrifice. Having died with Jesus, they died to the sin, the lawlessness of their being. Freed from the body of sin and death, they are done with sin and death. In their forever living bodies, born of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, each overcomer is in a body like unto Jesus’ body of glory, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. They are in their fixed stare of holiness forever and ever. Their earthly ministry of reconciliation having been finished, they have entered into rest with the Great High Priest of their calling and they shall go out no more (Rev.3:12).

The sea was a pavement upon which the throne of the King-Priest sat. Before Him on the pavement of the sea were the twenty-four elders representing His Kingdom of priests, whom He had loosed from their sins in His own blood (Rev.1:4-6). No laver is necessary for this sea. Judgment is past. All defilement of the world has been cleansed. This priesthood, like her Lord, are without spot or blemish. Collectively this Body is the Bride of the Lamb. She has been sanctified together with Jesus Christ. He Himself has cleansed her with the water of the Word. Here in this throne scene she has been presented before the throne faultless, a glorious Church, holy and without blemish (Eph.5:24-27; Jude 24-25).

Below the glassy sea the storm is brewing. Above, all is placid, calm and peaceful as heaven is directing the trial of judgment. The government of the Lord God Almighty is prepared for action. John has been caught up to heaven to have that action signified to him.

His description continued, “And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living beings full of eyes in front [or before] and behind. And the first living being was like a lion, and the second living being like a calf, and the third living being had a face like a man, and the fourth living being was like a flying eagle. And the four living beings had each of them six wings about him, and they are full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come’” (Rev.4:6b-8).

On the throne is the Father and His Firstborn Son, begotten from the dead. Before the throne is the Seven-fold Spirit of the Lord, and in the midst and round about the throne a different creation of living beings, an order of created angelic spirit beings.

We do not have much information on the angelic creation. Nothing is said in Scripture of when they were created or how they were created. We do know that they are called “sons of God” [Elohim] that is, sons of the Creator. They are sons by creation only. They do not have material bodies, physical bodies (see Lk.24:36-39). Therefore they do not procreate. They neither marry or are given in marriage (see Mk.12:25; Lk.20:36). They are always referred to in the male gender. The word “angel” has the meaning of “messenger.” When they are sent to earth with a message from God, they come in the form of a man (see Gen.18:1-19:16; Dan.9:20-23).

We learn from the book of Job that not only are they called sons of God, but they are called “morning stars,” and that they sang together when God laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4-8). By this, we understand that the angels were created before the creation of the universe recorded for us by Moses in the Book of the Law (Gen.1 & 2).

From the psalmist we learn that the Lord God “makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flaming fire” (Ps.104:4). As spirits, these ministers of God’s government over the earth do not have material bodies, as God is Spirit and does not have a body. God and His angel ministers are spirit beings. God is a Consuming Fire and He makes His ministering spirits a flaming fire. Fire has the power to transmute into its likeness. And His likeness is displayed in them.

The psalmist also tells us that the angels were given charge over Jesus during His earthly ministry as the Son of Man. The angels had charge to keep Him in all of His ways. Many times Jesus escaped out of the hands of those who would have stoned Him to death (see Ps.91:10-13; Mt.4:11; 26:53; Lk.22:43). The writer to the Hebrews tells us that the angels minister to the heirs of salvation (Heb.1:14).

We are not told, nor need we be, of the testing of the angelic creation in their obedience to the One who is the Truth. We do know that these ministering spirits are in the presence of the Holy One and therefore are pure and holy, as flaming fire. We also know that Satan led one-third of these angelic beings into rebellion. We will address that in chapter 12 of Revelation.

The four living beings, as ministers of God’s government, represent the power and authority of the government and also the service of the government to His creation of man. The first thing to impress John concerning these four beings was their eyes. They were full of eyes before and behind. Having eyes in the front, the living beings could see before, but they could also see behind. “Eyes” are symbolic of “seeing.”

In symbol, the living beings can see what is now before the government in the coming trial. They also have intelligence concerning all that was done in the past. These living beings have watched the work of salvation play out since God laid the foundation of the earth. They are very interested in these things that they have been privileged to look into as ministers, not only to God, but to the heirs of salvation (1 Pet.1:12).

Not only do the living beings have eyes before and behind, to watch all down through the ages the things planned by God, but they “have wings about and they were full of eyes within.” The wings symbolize the beings as heavenly creatures, beings created to live and move above the earth in the third heaven, high above the earth, where their Creator sits enthroned (2 Cor.12:2; Ps.103:19). These living beings are content to be His ministers and stay in their habitation with Him.

The Greek word for “about” or “around” more properly belongs to the eyes than the wings. The eyes round about and within speak of “seeing to enable one to know.” As the eyes before and behind speak of foreseeing and of knowledge of past history, the eyes all around and within speak of seeing all around with the understanding of having the eyes enlightened to see with the mind.

The living beings are not omniscient. Omniscience belongs to Deity. Only God sees everywhere and knows everything. Created beings cannot become God, but they can be given to know through the eyes of their understanding having been enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

In God’s government, nothing is covered up. There is no need for cover up in God’s government. There all is conducted in righteousness and in true justice. God’s purpose is to reveal, not conceal. His purpose is to make Himself known. Jesus came down to earth to lead His Father forth, that His ways might be seen with the understanding (Jn.1:18).

Not only are all things known to God, but from the beginning He has continually made Himself and His purposes known to mankind through His prophets, who spoke His words for Him. Beginning with Adam and Eve, the Lord God Almighty has kept giving man a prophetic history, not only of Himself and His doing, but also a prophetic history of man’s doing down through the ages.

In this way, through looking into the salvation of human beings, that is, the souls in their earthly bodies, the living beings were given to see and to know and to understand. The living beings, ministers of God, within and around the throne, continually seeing with the eyes of their understanding, are given to clearly see the ways and purposes of the Lord God Almighty as they are worked out in time.

These living beings being “in the midst and all around the throne” would symbolize “the ministers of God’s government as being not only His attendants but the bearers and upholders of His throne” (see Ps.80:1; 99:1-5). We understand the ministers of a government upholding the rule of the government and bearing the rule of administrating the government. The thought of government is everywhere in this scene. It will be seen in the Revelation that the angels play a very important role in connection with God carrying out His trial of judgment upon the whole world.

All upon which the government of the Lord God Almighty rests is signified in the four living beings. The first description of these living beings with their likeness was seen by the prophet Ezekiel in a vision when the heavens were opened to him (Ezek.1:1-28). In another vision, these were identified to Ezekiel as Cherubim (Ezek.10:1-22). In both the visions of Ezekiel and the vision of John, we see the four faces of God’s government, so to speak.

When Moses led the sons of Israel, delivered from the bondage of Egypt, through the Red Sea to come out alive on the other side, he led them marshaled in ranks as the army of God’s nation, Israel (Ex.12:37; Num.1:1-2:34). In the wilderness, the sons of Israel built a dwelling place for their God, who dwelt among them in the symbolic form of the Shekinah (Ex.25:8-22; 40:34-38).

When the Pillar of Fire and Cloud which led them rested, the sons of Israel encamped round about the symbolic throne of their God (Num.9:15-23). Each tribe had a standard representing the administration of the government of Israel (Num.2:2-34). At the four compass points were the tribes bearing the same face as the four living beings. The symbols were embroidered on banners and held on high upon standards. The banners were flown when the people encamped. The emblem on each banner of every tribe was a symbol of one of the signs of the Zodiac [Mazzaroth].

At the compass point on the east side the tribe of Judah, the tribe through whose line their King would come, raised the standard with the Lion. On the south side the tribe of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son, encamped under the banner with the face of a Man. On the west side the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph’s second son, whose name means “doubly fruitful,” encamped under the banner with the face of a Bullock or an Ox. On the north side the tribe of Dan, Jacob’s fifth son, whose name means “judging” or “He is judge,” encamped under the banner with the face of an Eagle.

These four faces, lion, calf, man and eagle, give us a picture of a government unlike any other government. The “calf” is literally a “young bullock” or “ox.”

“Like a lion” gives the thought of the power and authority and majesty of a king who rules supreme over his realm.  

“Like an ox” gives the thought of service. The ox is a beast of burden. As a domesticated animal, the ox serves mankind. The ox is strong and he patiently perseveres and serves his master. The ox knows his master. What other government serves mankind?

“A face like a man” gives the thought of a creation higher than the animal kingdom. We have the thought of intellect and purpose and intent and plans.

“Like a flying eagle” gives thought of life high above the earthly realm, and sight with an eagle eye, and wings for flight. The thought is supreme power and swiftness and superiority. What other government reigns supreme?

Wings can also cover and protect. It was this metaphor, as eagles’ wings, that the Lord had Moses speak to the sons of Israel. “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on wings of eagles and brought you to Myself” (Ex.19:4). The Lord was speaking of how swiftly, with Moses as His representative, that the government of the Almighty swooped down and overcame the enemy and delivered the sons of Israel from the cruel bondage under which they had sold themselves.

We have four Gospel records of the time when the Son of God was among His people, Israel, in Person as their King. Each of the Gospel records gives us a face of the government of God come down to take His people under His protective wings. But they would not (Mt.23:37-39; Lk.13:34-35).

In Matthew’s Gospel we see Jesus like a Lion in His role as the Sovereign King of Israel. Matthew speaks of Jesus being “born King of the Jews” (Mt.2:2). He gives the genealogy of Joseph, the supposed father of Jesus. Had Joseph been the birth father of Jesus, Jesus could have been proved the true heir to the throne of David according to man’s thinking that the line would continue through David’s son, Solomon. Luke gives Jesus’ true lineage, through His mother Mary, who was also of the line of David through his son, Nathan (Lk.1:31-33; 3:31).

In Mark’s Gospel we see Jesus as the patient Servant of Jehovah, persevering and enduring the sorrow and grief of the rejection of His service to mankind (see Is.49:1-13; 53:1-12). He knew His Master’s voice and He was strong and obeyed, even to the death of the Cross (Phil.2:5-8).

In Luke we see the perfect Son of Man as God intended man to be. The face of any government is the ruler. In the ruler the government is personified. In Jesus we see God’s second man, born to bring forth a new creation of sons of God (2 Cor.5:14-21). Jesus is the One who has power over sin and death. The operations of the government of God all planned and carried through with intelligence and wisdom and the perfect understanding of all things as they truly are. As a man, the wisdom and understanding came to Jesus from His Father God through the Holy Spirit enlightening the eyes of His understanding (Is.50:4-7; Jn.8:28-29).

In the Gospel of John we have Jesus portrayed as the perfect Son of God. Here, in symbol, is the Eagle come down from heaven as the God-Man, the Word become flesh (Jn.1:1-18). Jesus, as Deity, knew good from evil. In Him was no sin (1 Jn.3:5). Deity cannot be tempted to evil. In His mortal body Jesus did no sin (1 Pet.2:22). He knew no sin (2 Cor.5:21). His purpose was obedience to the will of His Father, even unto death, the death of the Cross, that out of His death would come begotten sons of God, birthed of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God (Jn.12:23-33; Phil.2:5-11; 1 Pet.1:18-25)

The Lord from heaven first descended down to the earth as the perfectly obedient Son of Man. Obedient unto the death of the Cross, He was raised by the Father from the dead through the power of the Spirit (Rom.8:11). After forty days of teaching His disciples the things concerning the Kingdom of God, they assembled together on the Mount of Olives. While the disciples beheld Him, Jesus swiftly ascended on high, to return to heaven and sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on High. There His Father, the Majesty on High, crowned Him with glory and honor. Angels and authorities and powers were all made subject to the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (see Ac.1:3-11; 1 Pet.3:22; Eph.1).

Jesus was born that He might die. We were born that we might live forever. In Jesus is the redemption. Jesus is our only hope of living forever. Jesus is our only hope of glory. Jesus is our only hope of a body raised out from the dead.

The throne of the Almighty is high above His world below, but the government of the created universe is ever mindful of His creation below and of His purpose for His creation. All is being carried out as foretold and as He promised it would be.

The four living beings “rest not day and night.” “Not rest day or night” is an interesting phrase, seeing as there is no day or night in heaven. God lives outside of time and heaven is far above the atmosphere where the sun and moon and stars and galaxies are placed. God is Light and in Him is no darkness (1 Jn.1:5). God never wearies. He dos not need to rest. Day and night were meant for man in a body of the earth.

So what does it mean that they do not rest day or night? Where is God’s government administered? Below upon earth where the sun rises and sets, and time is divided into day and night, and hours, and weeks, and months and years.

Why had John been called up to heaven? What was he to be shown? The things which shall be happening on earth after the true Church has been called up to heaven to be with her Lord before the trial to come upon the whole inhabited earth begins.

The trial will be taking place upon earth day and night, week after week of days and nights, month after month of days and nights for seven years. The events taking place upon earth will be directed from heaven and ministered through the heavenly beings. The events to take place will be the destroying of God’s enemies. As has been seen in the past, God will allow His enemies to destroy one another. He Himself will direct the timing. The end purpose of the trial being the regeneration of the heavens and the earth for the new beginning of the Kingdom of righteousness and peace and for the regeneration of God’s nation, which will be the head nation in the Kingdom (2 Pet.3:10-14; Deut.28:1, 13; 30:3-6; Zeph.3:8-20). As each event takes place upon earth, whether it is day or night, the living beings will give praise, saying, “Holy, holy, holy,  to the Lord God Almighty, the One who is, and who was, and who is to come” (Rev.4:8b; 1:4).

“Holiness” is absolute separation from anything that is not of God. The holiness of God is His “otherness.” God is other than any created thing, personal being or object. God is uncreated. He is self-existent and He is pre-existent to all creation.

In John’s vision, the living beings address Deity as the Lord God Almighty It was as the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah, Elohim, Shaddai, that God appeared to Abraham when He established His Eternal Covenant with Abraham and his seed after him (Gen.17:1-8). This now signifies that the Almighty is again taking up His work with Israel to finish transgressions and make an end of sins for His nation and bring in everlasting righteousness.

The Almighty began His work of making a nation for Himself through one man, Abraham. The Almighty not only promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation, but that Abraham would be the father of many nations. God could bring forth Jesus, the Holy One of Israel, through an unregenerate nation because He had a regenerate virgin of this nation as a handmaid (Lk.1:26-38). Begotten out from the dead Jesus could bring forth sons of God, begotten from the dead of all nations. The Lord promised Abraham that between Himself and Abraham He would bring forth all that He had said.

To fulfill His promise to Abraham of a great nation, the nation must become regenerate, and one day it will. The Lord Himself prophesied of that day. Isaiah wrote of the Lord asking, “Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? says your God” (see Is.66:7-9).

Today Israel is feeling her birth pains. The pains will grow more intense and finally, the contractions of the Great Tribulation will bring forth the regenerate nation, a delivered remnant, those who are able to live through Jacob’s Time of Trouble. Only one-third of the Jews will survive the terrible persecution, such as they have never faced in history. But once delivered they will never face another like it ever again (Zech.13:7-9; Ezek.5:1-6:10; 37:1-28; Jer.30:7; Dan.7:13-27; 12:1-13; Mt.24:15-31; Rom.11:25-26; Rev.12:13-17).

The repentant remnant will be willing to receive Jesus of Nazareth to be their King in the day of His power over all enemies (Ps.110:1-3). John was caught up to heaven to see that future day, from heaven’s perspective. John was shown how heaven would be rejoicing in the victory.

God is absolutely sovereign in omnipotence. He has all power and the authority to do what pleases Him. He is absolutely omniscient. He knows and sees everything everywhere. He is absolutely omnipresent. God is everywhere present at all times. With all of His power and authority, God is absolutely righteous and He is absolutely just. God cannot be faulted; He cannot be charged with selfish motives. In His holiness, God must be just. His justice is retributive. He has given man freedom of choice. He must give each one according to that which he has willed for himself.

In His justice, God remembers mercy. Holiness is merciful and long-suffering and loving and kind. God is not willing that any should perish. As long as man has breath in his earthly body it is not too late to repent. There is the choice - turn from the evil of one’s own way and turn to go God’s Way in Jesus Christ.

“And when those living beings give glory and honor and thanks to Him that is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him that is seated on the throne, and worship Him that lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne” (Rev.4:9-10).

With each event taking place upon earth, whether it is day or night there, in heaven, the living beings give the glory and honor and the thanks to Him that is seated on the throne. When the living beings do so, the twenty-four elders also give worship to their Lord, who sits on the throne. They fall prostrate before Him who lives forever and ever. Through Him they also live forever and ever in a body raised out from the dead. Clothed in their crowning glory, they prostrate themselves in the position of the unworthy before Him who is seated on the throne, saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created” (Rev.4:11).

The elders and the members of Christ’s Body, whom the elders represent, know their Lord to be worthy to receive all the glory and honor and the power of the throne over the created universe below. Those of the Body of Christ have had the eyes of their understanding opened to see and know that, for God’s pleasure, all things came to be.

The Greek word translated “pleasure” is the word normally translated “will.” The first time we see this Greek word in the New Testament is in Matthew 6 verses 9 and 10, where Jesus said, “After this manner, therefore, pray, Our Father, who are in heaven. Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” The last time this Greek word is used is here in Revelation 4. After the trial that comes upon the whole earth, God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

There is no reason for the existence of the universe, other than it is the will of the Lord God Almighty. The “all things” are not eternal, nor are they self-existent. All are created things, and created by the will of God Almighty. The “all things” were created because it pleased God to do this for mankind.

Man was created to live in a forever living body. Born in a body of sin and death, man must die. But death is not the end. The death of the earthly body is man’s exodus out of a creation proved to be lawless. The death of the earthly body is deliverance from sin [lawlessness] and death, for a birth into Life abundant.

Jesus was born in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin and to condemn sin in the flesh (Rom.8:1-17). Jesus took the likeness of man, that man might unite himself to his Creator-Redeemer. Man is invited to deny himself; that is, disown himself as having his body to do as pleases him, to recognize himself to be a creation of God and take up his cross and follow Jesus into death to be raised up alive forever. Man must believe that Jesus came to be man’s Substitute and to stand in man’s stead. Jesus came to take the execution of the death penalty that has been passed upon all men (Heb.2:9-17; Rom.3:21-26; 4:25-6:10; 2 Cor.5:14-21). Each one of mankind must choose to be justified through faith in Christ Jesus to be united with Him. Then he will be raised up together with Christ Jesus to walk in newness of Life, a Life in which sin and death have no part.

One day we ourselves will be part of the throne scene. After we have been caught up to be with our Lord we will be clothed in glistening white and enthroned with our Lord. And John himself will then be a part of it also, rather than just foreseeing it in vision. The living beings will be leading the worship and all will gladly give glory and honor and praise to our Lord. He is worthy, and no one knows that better than we do.

Not only do we owe our forever living body to Him, but we owe Him our very being. To Him we owe our victory over sin and death and our deliverance from this body of death. He gave us our exodus out from the old creation in Adam. To Him we owe the renewing of the mind to transform us to have peace with God. To Him we owe our white clothing. Conformed to the image of the Son of God’s Love, we will humbly and willingly prostrate ourselves before Him. To Him we owe all the glory and honor and power. To Him be the glory, age without end.

This ends our lesson on Revelation chapter 4. Chapter 5 is a continuation of John’s description of the throne scene, which we will see in our next lesson. Attached is a chart of the breastplate worn by  the high priest.