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Revelation 4 & 5

John the Revelator was taken in vision beyond a door, which opened upon a throne room.  A throne was set in Heaven and One sat on the throne.  Revelation chapters 4 and 5 describe the heavenly participants in events that John was privileged to see.  In Heaven, John sees a book having seven seals that lock away its top secrets; but only the Lamb is found worthy to unloose the seals.  However, once the seals were broken, events began to commence in Heaven and upon the earth that seem terrifying, to say the least.  What occurs in Heaven, affects earth, and the impact is felt in the visible realm. The end of the age will be marked by profoundly troubling times.  There will be major disturbances and convulsions in the heavenly realms, and in the visible skies and upon the earth, as the transformation of the World-to-come begins to dawn upon civilization.  The breaking of the seals begins the process of reunification between the seen and unseen worlds, and is climaxed in the abolishing of all evil throughout God's universe. The trumpet and bowl judgments continue this cleansing process until the eternal righteous Kingdom is ushered in and Messiah reigns supreme.  Evil will and must cease to exist.  Darkness will be banished when the Light of this World arises with healing in His wings.

Daniel's book, written five hundred years before Revelation, was sealed by Michael as noted in Daniel 12:4.  Only He who had sealed the book centuries earlier was found worthy to open its contents.  In so doing, John saw mirrored images of Daniel; and in this lesson we will explore these similar places, persons and events. 

Heavenly Temple & God The Father

Revelation 4 begins to relay events in Heaven, as John is taken upward in vision to the Temple and to events to come at the end of time.  John saw a throne set in the Sanctuary, and the One who sat on the throne (Psalms 11:4).  John sees the reigning Father who sits on the throne and God looks like brilliant colorful stones of jasper and carnelian (Exodus 28:17-21).  A rainbow of peace encircles the throne (Ezekiel 1:25-28).  Before the throne is the sea of glass (Revelation 4:6) on which the redeemed of all nations--who have gotten the victory over Antichrist, his idol, his mark and number of his name--will one day stand (Revelation 15:2) in triumph.

In Revelation 4:1 the door was opened so that John could see the proceedings in Heaven, and a loud voice like a trumpet called him upward to see, in vision, end-time events. 

1. What three names and/or titles are shown to be associated with a trumpet or similar loud sound (Daniel 10:6, 21; Revelation 1:13-15; Revelation 10:3, 7)?

In the book of Daniel, the Archangel "Michael," Daniel's Prince, and in Revelation "Son of Man" and the Mighty "Seventh Angel."  All three are identified as having loud voices like thunder, and all three represent Christ the Messiah.  

2. Compare the following verses (Revelation 4:2-3; Revelation 5:6, 11-12; Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14).  How are they similar?

All three depict a throne room in Heaven, God the Father sitting in power, the worthy Christ who is standing and moving within the Temple, many angels beyond numbering, the opening of books of end-time judgment.

Twenty-four Elders

While Daniel refers to most of the participants in the heavenly proceedings, Revelation 4:4, 10 and 5:8-10 introduces twenty-four elders dressed in white, with crowns, sitting on twenty-four thrones surrounding God.  They cast their crowns before Almighty in adoration and worship.  The King James Version translates their new song of praise, the Lamb had "redeemed us… out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation."

3. Who might these twenty-four be, and how did they arrive in Heaven (Matthew 27:51-53; Ephesians 4:8)?

At Christ's ascension, He led a multitude of captives, resurrected from their graves, to Heaven.  The twenty-four elders may be from this group of redeemed saints.  

There are other viable options.  Some scholars have suggested they represent the twelve patriarchs of the Old Testament and the twelve disciples of the New.  However, in their song they praise God because He has redeemed them from among a diverse group (every tribe, language, people and nation K.J.V.); which would indicate a healthy mix of Jew and Gentile alike.  

Another (less likely) option is that Revelation often depicts events in advance of their fulfillment as though already completed.  In this light, this group of twenty-four may be a selected group from among the "great multitude" of "every nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb" having been taken out of the great tribulation at the end of time (Revelation 7:9).

These twenty-four priestly elders are said to hold "golden bowls full of incense," (Revelation 5:8).  As the priest for the people of God, Aaron was instructed to burn incense (Exodus 30:7-8).  Psalms 141:2 says that prayer is like incense before God, and Revelation 8:3-4 depicts a future moment when the censor of fiery incense, along with the prayers of the saints, will be thrown down to the earth, depicting the end of probation when all destinies will be sealed; but more importantly the thrown censor portrays fiery retribution against the wicked in response to the prayers of the persecuted saints.  The proclamation will be heard in Revelation 22:11-12 and Christ will come quickly without delay to give every person according what they have done with their lives. 

Three Phenomenon & The Seventh Angel

Revelation 4:5 reveals awesome phenomenon as "lightning, rumblings [voices-K.J.V.] and peals of thunder," associated with God, His throne and His Son.  You can find other Revelation references involving these phenomenon several times in the book as listed below.

4. Look up the following verses, and determine who is associated with the loud voice and stormy display of lightning (Revelation 10:1-3, 7; Revelation 11:15, 19; Revelation 16:17-18)?

Special Note: Many times in the Old Testament, Christ was represented (or disguised) as "the Angel of the Lord"; compare Genesis 22:15-18 with Hebrews 6:13.  In the author's opinion, Biblical evidence indicates that the Seventh Angel in Revelation represents (or is another name for) Michael of Daniel, and both represent Messiah.