Revelation Chapter 4

SECTION II: Opening of the Seven Seals (Rev. 4:1 – 8:1)

Section II of the book of Revelation shows the fulfillment of the promise in Revelation 3:21. This section begins by showing us Jesus, having overcome on the earth, sitting down with His Father on His throne (Chapters 4 and 5). From the throne Jesus guides His followers in the work of overcoming, so they can join Him at the throne (Chapters 6 - 8:1).

Heavenly Introductory Scene: Jesus in the Midst of the Throne (Rev. 4:1 – 5:14)

Background for this throne room scene:

The Table of Shewbread represents God’s throne in the Holy Place of the heavenly Sanctuary.

In the Old Testament sanctuary, the priests ministered in the Holy Place all year except on the Day of Atonement. Since the Old Testament sanctuary was a faithful copy of the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:1,2,5), Jesus our High Priest must have begun His ministry in the Holy Place.

When Jesus returned to heaven, He sat down on His Father’s throne (Hebrews 10:12, Acts 2:32-35, Rev. 5:5,6). Therefore God’s throne must have been in the Holy Place at that time.

In Rev. 4:5, notice that the seven-branched candlestick is before God’s throne. In the Holy Place, the candlestick and Table of Shewbread were located across from one another, the candlestick to the South and the Table of Shewbread to the North. Therefore, God’s throne is to the North in Rev. 4:5, the same location as the Table of Shewbread. (Notice also that God’s throne is to the North in Isaiah 14:13).

God’s throne moved from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place at the beginning of the judgment in 1844 (seeDaniel 7:9,10).

Verses 1, 2

John’s vision begins with a view of an open door into the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. He hears the voice of Jesus (Rev. 1:10,12,13) inviting him to enter and see future events. In the Spirit, John enters the heavenly Sanctuary, and the first thing He sees is the Father seated upon His throne.

Verse 3

The Father’s appearance was like jasper (the color green) and sardius (red). Is the sign language of Revelation telling us that God’s thoughts toward His people are thoughts of peace (green) because of the blood of Christ (red)?

Around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald (entirely green), representing God’s everlasting covenant with His people (Genesis 9:8-17, Isaiah 54:8-10). The rainbow around the throne reminds us that He will never forget His everlasting covenant to redeem us. (SOP 1)

Verse 4

There are several different opinions as to the identity of the 24 elders. Some believe them to be the resurrected saints that Jesus took with Him to heaven at the ascension. Others believe they are angels. However, I believe them to be the Sons of God, God’s heavenly council, assembled here to welcome Jesus at His triumphant return to heaven when He ascended. Notice the following:

Background on the Sons of God:

· The Sons of God are not angels or human beings (Job 38:7).

· God regularly calls the Sons of God to heavenly meetings (Job 1:6,7, 2:1,2). Satan came in among them, claiming ownership of this earth as his right to be there. From this we can conclude that the Sons of God must be rulers of the other worlds (Hebrews 1:1).

· Adam, the father of the race, was called a Son of God (Luke 3:38). He was originally given dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28, Psalm 8:4-8). When Adam fell, he forfeited the rulership of this world to Satan (Luke 4:5-7).

· Jesus, by His death on the cross, took back the rulership of this world from Satan (John 12:31-33) and became the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), the rightful ruler of this world. Jesus, the true Son of God, now represents the human race at the throne.

· In Revelation 4:5, the 24 elders are wearing crowns and seated on thrones around God’s throne. This indicates that they are co-rulers with God, subject to His ultimate authority. They cannot be the saints Jesus took with Him to heaven (Matthew 27:52,53, Ephesians 4:8) because they are already present and on thrones before Jesus arrives (Rev. 5:6). And they cannot be the angels because the angels are separately identified in this scene (Rev. 4:6, 5:11).

Verse 5

John sees God’s throne room as a place of busy activity. The lightnings represent the angels flying back and forth (Ezekiel 1:14) on God’s errands. The thunderings and voices represent the voice of God (John 12:28,29) and the voices of the heavenly beings around the throne (Rev. 6:1, 5:11).

The seven lamps of fire are the seven-branched candlestick, a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:2-6). The Holy Spirit is called seven Spirits (or sevenfold Spirit) because the Holy Spirit has seven primary attributes (Isaiah 11:2-4). Those who are filled with the Spirit will have these same attributes. (SOP 2)

Verse 6

The four living creatures are the covering cherubim, the highest of the angels, who stand at the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:5-10, 10:20, Exodus 25:10,18-20, 1 Kings 8:6,7). Lucifer was originally a covering cherub before his fall (Ezekiel 28:14). The eyes represent spiritual vision provided by the Holy Spirit (Rev. 4:8, 5:6, 1 Corinthians 2:9,10).

Verse 7

These symbols are from Ezekiel 1:10. A lion represents royalty and kingship, a calf represents service and sacrifice, a man’s face represents humanity, and a flying eagle soaring in the heavens represents divinity. These are all characteristics of Christ, as depicted in the four gospels. In the sign language of Revelation, these covering cherubim standing closest to the throne are represented as being like Jesus in character.

Verse 8

Exalted as they are in the presence of God, the four living creatures continually praise God as the eternal One (Isaiah 6:1-3).

Verses 9-11

The 24 elders join the four living creatures in praise to God, proclaiming Him worthy to receive glory and honor and power because He is the Creator of all things.

Spirit of Prophecy Quotations

1 “A rainbow is represented in Heaven round about the throne, also above the head of Christ, as a symbol of God’s mercy encompassing the earth. When man by his great wickedness provoked the wrath of God, Christ, man’s intercessor, pleads for him, and points to the rainbow in the clouds, as evidence of God’s great mercy and compassion for every man; also the rainbow above the throne and upon His head emblematical of the glory and mercy from God resting there for the benefit of repentant man.” -- Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, page 75.

2 “Here the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there the ‘seven lamps of fire’ and the ‘golden altar,’ represented by the golden candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth.” – The Great Controversy, pages 414, 415.