After
these things (the vision and letters of Ch. 1-3) John is invited by Christ
into heaven to see the things which must
take place after this. Christ will show John so he can tell us what He
wants us to see (1:1). What John sees is
the throne room of God! Though not the
first to see heaven’s throne (1 Ki. 22:19; Isa. 6:1ff; Ezek. 1:26-28; Dan.
7:9f) John gives the most detailed description.
What he sees is pure majesty! On the throne sits the One who lives forever and ever, the eternal
God. (In the expressions of the trinity it is God the Father; the Son
will approach the throne in Rev. 5.) God
being without form (cf. John 1:18; 4:24; 1 Tim. 6:16) was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance, two most
beautiful stones. The jasper (as a
crystal would have magnified the fiery red of the sardius) is comparable to
what Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:26-28). These
stones were also the first and last on the ephod of the High Priest (Ex.
28:17-20) perhaps emphasizing God’s love and our access to Him.
Around the throne was a rainbow green as an
emerald. Encircling the throne were
twenty-four elders on twenty-four thrones.
Each is clothed in white and wearing a crown of gold (stephanos, the victors reward crown; not
diadem, the kings crown). They continually praise God, falling down in
worship and casting their crowns before His throne. They may represent Christians who receive robes
and crowns though some see them as representative of both Old and New Testament
saints (representing perhaps the twelve tribes and twelve apostles). The emphasis, however, is not on who they are
but what they do!
The lightning,
thunder and voices add to the majesty and power of what John sees. The sea
of glass is reminiscent of the “molten sea” for cleansing in front of the
tabernacle (Exod. 38:8). The seven spirits of God may speak of the
Holy Spirit but more likely are angelic beings always ready to carry out God’s
will.
Finally
there are four living creatures,
having six wings (two to cover their faces, 2 to cover their feet, and two for
flight; Isa. 6:2). Each cherubim (Ezek. 10:20) has a different
appearance that displays the greatness of God:
FACE
|
ATTRIBUTE
|
SCRIPTURE
|
CHRIST IN GOSPELS
|
Lion
|
Omnipotence
|
Jud 14:18; Prov 30:30
|
King in Matthew
|
Calf
|
Patient Labor
|
Prov 14:4
|
Servant in Mark
|
Man
|
Authority
|
Psa 8:6-8
|
Perfect Man in Luke
|
Eagle
|
Sovereignty
|
Jer 48:40; Hab 1:8
|
Divine Son in John
|
These are the
glorious “worship leaders” of heaven praising God’s holiness. When they do the
elders join, proclaiming His worthiness to receive all the glory.
When we pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven” this is what we pray for! We are asking that the worship of which God
is so worthy would ring out on earth as it does perpetually in heaven. May it be so in our hearts as we meditate on
this majestic scene Christ has shown us!
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