# 39 2021 Dev. Revelation 4.2. God’s Throne! Read all of chapter four first. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Revelation 4:2 “At once I was in the Spirit, and before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.”
Revelation chapter 4 describes the throne room in heaven; what is being described here is the whole universe from the perspective of heaven (Hendriksen). “And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” John is caught up in the Spirit and describes what he sees. Chapters 1-3 are not in code but speak straight forward of what John heard and saw. But the vision of Ch. 4, the Throne room, will need some interpretation.
Him who sits on the throne is described in human terms and language: he had the “appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.” Terms to describe God, who is a Spirit, in human terms are called anthropomorphisms.
God’s Throne is encircled by “twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.” These represent the whole of the church both in the Old Testament and in the New, corresponding in the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles (Rev.21:12-14). They are dressed in the righteousness of Christ with white robes and wear golden crowns of victory, i.e. the redeemed reign with Christ. Seven lamp stands are in front of the throne, “the sevenfold Spirit of God” and “what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal”, symbolizing the sanctifying power of God (Hendriksen).
The four living beings are angels of the highest order; they are like the cherubim symbolized by the cherubim on the ark in the Holy of Holies of the earthly temple. In Ezekiel Ch. 1 and 10, the same beings are described. The first being has a face like a lion indicating strength, the second creature has a face like an ox indicating the ability to serve, the third creature has a face like a man indicating intelligence, the fourth creature has a face like an eagle indicating speed, and the many eyes indicate deep perception. “They never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, is, and is to come.”
Whenever the creatures give glory and honor, the 24 elders fall down in worship and lay down their crowns.
This wonderful vision of heavenly worship is overwhelming and brings to our attention our worship in the church. It also brings attention to our lives because all of our life is worship to God. The complete harmony and selflessness of the worshipers in heaven should open our hearts every Sunday and every day to God’s grace and to His compassion. His desire to reconcile all people back to Himself is one tenets of the Kingdom of God which the church is to reflect. The 24 elders are us, forgiven, sanctified, victorious in life and death.
And along with them we say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Amen, praise the Lord!
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