1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
In verse 8 it describes who is on the throne, the Lord God almighty. He opens the door to his throne room and invites John to see astounding sights of his throne room. His voice is that of a trumpet. A trumpet is used to announce a major event, both in worship and in warfare. The one seated on the throne had the appearance of precious stones. In the Old Testament, the ephod of the priest had precious stones that corresponded to a tribe of Israel. The Carnelian stone was the first stone on the ephod, the Jasper was the last stone, it Carnelian is deep red, and the Jasper is as clear as crystal. We can imagine these representing Jesus with the placement of the stones, the first and the last. We also see the color reminding us of the blood of the new covenant, and the clear water of the outpouring of the spirit on those who enter that covenant. The emerald is frequently identified with Judah, the lineage of Jesse who was the father of David. The green reminds us of the tree that does not wither in Psalm 1, a tree of life in Revelation 22, and the shoot from the stump of Jesse in Isaiah 11:1.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.
When we look to the 24 elders, we can see a comparison to the 24,000 Levites that served in the temple (1 Chr 23:4). Most of the time they would be covered with outer garments of the robe, ephod and the breastplate. But on the day of Atonement they wore all white. This is the feast where the priests fasted, and the high priest laid the sins of Israel on the scapegoat, applied the blood to the mercy seat while and entered the holy of holies in a cloud of incense in order cleanse the tabernacle and atone for the sins of Israel. This feast was held in holy fear because the high priest could die from the mighty presence of God! In Revelation 21, the new Jerusalem has 12 gates named for the 12 tribes and 12 foundations named for the 12 apostles, showing the need for 24 elders. Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.
The throne is a seat of authority, and the one who sits on it can rule. We need the authority of the name of Jesus to do the works of the kingdom. Luke 22:28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:27 “Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This type of judgement, combined with the crown, is the kind of judgement that has power over the kingdom of darkness. We spiritually stand in the courts of heaven when we command demons to flee in the name of Jesus. See this definition of judge from biblehub ...equivalent to to rule, govern; to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions, because it was the prerogative of kings and rulers to pass judgment.
The crown was described in the Philadelphia church as the reward for those that conquer, they receive the crown of life. Here is Paul's analogy explained in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,
There is some controversy over when Revelation was written. Authors of the early church supported the case that Nero exiled John, so Revelation was written before 70 AD. If this is the case, then that gives credence to the 5 statements of "coming soon" and that these flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder were before the siege in 70 AD.
Lightning is the quick, precise spark of judgement, and Jesus warns of this very thing in Matthew 24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in (or at,or on, or by) the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.... 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.....
In just 3 days, the Roman army built a 5-mile-long wall around Jerusalem to seal it off, cause famine, and prevent escape. This blockade, combined with internal fighting from the zealots, destroyed food stores, created a catastrophic famine, ultimately leading to the breaching of the walls and destruction of the Temple. They constructed this blockade during Passover when there was potentially 2 million extra people in the city. We are reminded of Revelation 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Every tribe that did not heed the warning to escape was in the city to witness the destruction, and wail for the great tribulation they suffered.
The prophecies given in Matthew 24 explain his coming, the signs of the end, and the catching away of the saints - the diaspora - before the siege. See the explanation in my blogs Resurrection or the Rapture, and Be certain of the Rapture and More on Matthew 24.
Thunder is prophecy, it announces the presence of a storm before it hits. There were 40 years of signs and wonders, and the year before the siege, there were mighty signs in the sky and in the temple as in this blog post More on Matthew 24. John has not been given the scroll of judgement yet, that happens in the next chapter. Instead of seeing seven lampstands as in chapters 2 and 3, we see seven torches. Torches were hand-held fires that would have been used during traveling, which also speaks to the diaspora that happened just before the siege.
6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
The sea of glass under the throne is the footstool of God, also called the firmament, or vault that separates the air from the waters above the air in Genesis 1:7, and also called a tent in Psalm 19:4. It's also explained as gleaming crystal above the living creatures in Ezekiel 1:22. And in Exodus 24:10 it's the clear pavement under God's feet. Psalm 148:4 also tells about the water above the skies, which is held up by the firmament.
There are several men who received a third heaven vision, as described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. I will give an example from Ezekiel and from Enoch to show the glory and majesty of the throne room, and so you can see the similarities of this third-heaven experience.
Ezekiel 1:22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
1 Enoch 14:8. And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. 9. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was of crystal. 11. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. 12. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 13. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling got hold upon me. 14. And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. 15. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. 16. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent. 17. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 18. And I looked and saw ⌈⌈therein⌉⌉a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. 19. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon. 20. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow. 21. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. 22. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counselor. 23. And the most holy ones who were nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. 24. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: 'Come hither, Enoch, and hear my word.'
"The four creatures are present in several ""highest heaven"" prophecies, such as the ones given to Enoch in 1 Enoch 40, Ezekiel and Daniel. Here is what biblehub topical says about The Four Creatures: The Four Creatures are rich in symbolism and have been the subject of various interpretations throughout Christian history. They are often associated with the four Gospels, with each creature representing a different aspect of Christ's ministry: the lion for Matthew, emphasizing Christ as King; the ox for Mark, highlighting Christ as Servant; the man for Luke, focusing on Christ's humanity; and the eagle for John, illustrating Christ's divinity.
The imagery of the Four Creatures serves to remind believers of the comprehensive nature of God's creation and His dominion over all things. Their perpetual worship of God serves as a model for the faithful, calling for a life of devotion and reverence to the Creator."
"And for another explanation from Isaac Newton, who was a scholar of the Bible in the late 1600s: ""And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four Beasts full of eyes before and behind: that is, one Beast before the throne and one behind it, appeared to John as in the midst of the throne, and one on either side in the circle about it, to represent by the multitude of their eyes the people standing in the four sides of the people’s court.
And the first Beast was like a lion, and the second was like a calf, and the third had the face of a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. The People of Israel in the wilderness encamped round about the Tabernacle, and on the east side were three tribes under the standard of Judah, on the west were three tribes under the standard of Ephraim, on the south were three tribes under the standard of Reuben, and on the north were three tribes under the standard of Dan.""
And the standard of Judah was a Lion, that of Ephraim an Ox, that of Reuben a Man, and that of Dan an Eagle. Whence were framed the hieroglyphics, of Cherubims and Seraphims, whose wings and many eyes represent the people of Israel. A Cherubim had one body with four faces, the faces of a Lion, an Ox, a Man, and an Eagle, looking to the four winds of heaven, without turning about, as in Ezekiel’s vision, chap. i. And four Seraphims had the same four faces with four bodies, one face to every body.""
""The four Beasts are therefore four Seraphims standing in the four sides of the peoples court; the first in the eastern side with the head of a Lion, the second in the western side with the head of an Ox, the third in the southern side with the head of a Man, the fourth in the northern side with the head of an Eagle: and all four signify together the twelve tribes of Israel, out of whom the hundred forty and four thousand were sealed, And the four Beasts had each of them six wings, two to a tribe, in all twenty and four wings, answering to the twenty and four stations of the people. And they were full of eyes within, or under their wings. And they rest not day and night, or at the morning and evening-sacrifices, saying, holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
These animals are therefore the Seraphims, which appeared to Isaiah in a vision like this of the Apocalypse [Isa. vi.]. For there also the Lord sat upon a throne in the temple; and the Seraphims each with six wings cried, Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts. And when those animals give glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth upon the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty Elders go into the Temple, and there fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
At the morning and evening-sacrifices, so soon as the sacrifice was laid upon the Altar, and the drink-offering began to be poured out, the trumpets sounded, and the Levites sang by course three times; and every time when the trumpets sounded, the people fell down and worshiped. Three times therefore did the people worship: to express which number, the Beasts cry Holy, holy, holy; and the song being ended, the people prayed standing, till the solemnity was finished. In the meantime the Priests went into the Temple, and there fell down before him that sat upon the throne, and worshiped."""
This chapter ends in praise to the Most High. This kind of praise is given after a time of righteous judgement. Even Nebuchadnezzar praised God after his 7 years of insanity as shown in Daniel 4:34 But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
Chapter 4 (pdf)
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