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Monday, March 2, 2015

REVELATION l 4:2-7 l "The Heavenly Scene" l Chuck Smith l Bible Teaching University l School of the Bible l Night School

REVELATION 4:2-7

The Heavenly Scene

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

Why was John "in the spirit"? Because flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of  heaven.  

"And  one  sat  on  the  throne."  This  is  the  great,  beautiful  throne  of God. As John looked at God, he didn't see any form.

"And he that sat was to look upon  like a jasper and a sardine  stone" (Revelation 4:3). Jasper is a diamond-like, clear, crystal stone with a purple hue. The sardine stone  is blood  red.  The  sardine  stone  was  the  first  stone  and  the  jasper  stone
was  the  last  stone  that  the  high  priest  in  the  Old  Testament  wore  on  his breastplate  (Exodus  28:17-20).  

"And  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the throne, in sight like unto an emerald" (Revelation 4:3).

John  saw  God  sitting  upon  His  throne  in  majesty  on  high.  

What  an  awesome sight this must have been! He saw  the brilliance of God  like the brilliance of the jasper and  sardine  stones  -  a mixture  of  clear,  crystal,  purplish hue  with blood
red - and an emerald green rainbow "round about the throne" of God.

"And  round  about  the  throne  were  twenty-four  smaller  seats"  


The  word translated  seats  in  the King  James  is  the  Greek  word  for  "thrones."  "And  upon the thrones  I saw  twenty-four  elders  sitting,  clothed  in white  raiment; and  they had on their heads crowns of gold" (Revelation 4:4).

There  are  many  Bible  expositors  who  believe  that  the  twenty-four  elders  are actually representative  of the church. 

They have white  robes, as does the church in  Revelation  19:8,  which  is  the  righteousness  of  the  saints.  

The  twenty-four elders  also  have  crowns  of  gold  upon  their  heads.  We  the  church  have  been promised the crowns of life, the crowns of righteousness  by our Lord. 

Many Bible expositors  see  the  elders  representing  the  church  on  its  throne,  ruling  and reigning with Christ in heaven. 

This is a very possible interpretation.

It  is  also  possible  that  these  elders  represent  the  saints  from  the  Old  and  the New Testaments  -  the  twelve  tribes and  the  twelve  apostles. 

 It  is  also possible that they're created beings of God like angels and cherubs. These elders may be created  beings  for  the  specific  ministry  of  sitting  on  the  twenty-four  thrones around God's throne. 

We cannot know for sure.


And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings  and  thunderings  and  voices:  and there were  seven  lamps  of  fire burning  before  the  throne, which  are  the  seven Spirits of God (Revelation 4:5).

Again, I refer you  to Isaiah 11:2  for  the seven-fold working of  the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ (see Revelation 1:4 commentary).

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the  throne, and round  about  the throne, were  four beasts  [proper  translation is "living creatures"] (Revelation 4:6).

These  are  not  beasts  like  wild  or  dumb  animals;  they  are  actually  highly intelligent  created  beings  of  God.  As  they  are  described  in  and  compared  with Ezekiel 1 and 10, we know that these are cherubim about the throne of God.

These  four  living creatures  were "full of eyes  before and behind. The  first living creature was like a lion, and the  second was like a calf, and the third had a face as a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle" (Revelation 4:6-7).

Some see  these creatures as manifestations  of Christ  in the Gospels. 

In the first Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as  the  lion of  the tribe of Judah. Mark presents Him as a calf, a beast of burden  representing a suffering  servant.  Luke presents Him  as  the  Son  of  man. 

 John  presents  Him  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  eagle
representing the Divinity.





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