THE BOOK OF REVELATION: Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation…..corresponds with Daniel 7:9-11

VERSE 1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven…” We now enter into the 3^rd and last division of the Book. That of prophecy, “…the things which must be hereafter.”

The first prophecy of the NC ties the OC with the NC and focuses on the End Time. Passing over the Cross and 2 thousand years, it goes straight to 2^nd Coming and the Throne. “The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.” [Luke 1:32,33]

The promises made to Jesus cannot be fulfilled in the current dispensation of “the things that are” . Neither the promises to Believers, nor the promises of Abraham to Israel, nor the promises of Jerusalem and the restored Temple. That is to say, in our current dispensation of Mercy and Grace. In this dispensation, Jesus is to remain as the High Priest of the better covenant, seated with the Father on His Throne, waiting till His enemies be made His footstool . [Hebrews 10:13] But when the time arrives that God declares justice to be administered, the grace dispensation will be ending. The gospel of this covenant is over and the day of vengeance in just judgment begins.

“Let the heavens be glad, and let he earth rejoice….
Before Jehovah; for He cometh,
For He cometh to judge the earth:
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.”
[Psalm 96:11-13]

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another…” [Matthew 25:31] The Throne of Justice, completing its purposes, has then overthrown the throne of satan on the earth and in the heaven above the earth. [Revelation 2:13 with 12:8,9] Jesus Christ the Messiah shall reign upon His Throne of Glory over the earth and the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever. ….And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high ….and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [Daniel 7:18-27]

THRONES  (Daniel 7:9-14,26,27 with Revelation 4 and 5)

Hebrews 4:14…. “Seeing we have a great high priest, that has PASSED THROUGH the HEAVENS, Jesus the Son of God….” In the force of the word, means He went right through and beyond the region of this world’s created and inhabited realm of earth and heavens. Therefore He “became higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26) as is seen also in Ephesians 4:10.  “He ascended far above all the heavens.” That is, He went into the Heaven outside and above all others created to that which is external. In that it is eternal, that which was before the earth and the created heavens, unto the Father’s Throne.

THIS IS NOT TO WHERE JOHN WAS CALLED TO COME UP TO.

The place to which he is called is where the Throne of Judgment is then being set up. It is in the heavens associated with the Earth/World. It is temporal, and as of yet has not been set up. It is a future event designed specific to Jesus Christ’s investiture (the action of formally investing a person with honors or rank * a ceremony at which honors or rank are formally conferred on a particular person) as worthy to Judge. It is not the Throne of Thrones in the Heaven above all heavens but is the Throne of Justice to be set up in the heavens above the earth.

It is not the Father’s Eternal Throne, although as the Ancient of Days sits upon it….

• as the Throne has also OC connotations pointing us towards the memorial of Noah’s Covenant as the Almighty Creator. And having previously judged and condemned by flood, depicted in the sea, the entire earth but institutes the rainbow as reminder not to judge by flood.
• and as the Father formally Bestowing Jesus Christ’s investiture.

It is the Throne of Justice. A movable Throne set up in the heavens associated with and above the earth for the purpose of judging Creation’s world.

It will be Christ’s temporal Throne from where He will Judge and Rule over this Earth/World in the Millennial Age of Justice. It will not include thrones for Angels but for men, (Revelation 20:4-6) as Angels will not rule with Him. As the court for Angels will pass away. (Hebrews 2:5; 1Corinthians 6:2,3) this is the obvious meaning of the Angels casting their crowns before the Throne.

VERSE 4 The Elders are Angel rulers and are the heads of Angels as they have Thrones and Crowns. There are 24 of them. The pattern of which is found in David’s organization of Temple Worship. Which here furthers the intent to tie the investiture also to the OC understandings.

Their functions are administrative. They are chief in the heavenlies in the highly sophisticated system of government. These ruling Angels direct messenger Angels upon God’s directives in the earthly realm.

Some are solider-like, and do battle. [Revelation 12:7; Daniel 4:35]

The Lord is referred to in Scripture as the Lord of Hosts.

Many angels rebelled along with their leader satan (Ezekiel 28) and are relegated to this World. Principally in the first heaven where they are known as, principalities. This word indicates there are certain ones that rule over areas or territories, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places. [Ephesians 6] But another Scripture expands our thinking with the addition of Colossians 1:16. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven(s), and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

Possibly these are the chief princes of Daniel 10:13 with Michael as an Archangel. Jude 9 And being the senior among them, his name meaning “who like El?” inferring closeness to God, is then appropriately appointed over the affairs of Israel.

The scene before us in Revelation 4 & 5 is reflective of Daniel 7. That of the adoring inner council of God, priest-like in nature, they worship, as they are dressed in white (speaks to the white garments and priestly function of promise to overcomers), and are assembled around Him sitting on His Judgment Throne. All the Angels are in attendance, the number being the same in both Books’ accounts.  “….ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands…” He is about to officially inaugurate the new eternal order. The matter before us is Divinely Governmental. God Almighty’s state is Kingly, in splendid display as Heaven’s subjects are in expectant and worshipful attendance.

VERSE 10 & 11 Angels have been the rulers during these wicked ages. Daniel 7 is our OC witness that during the future Ages rulership will be by men. The Elders are acutely aware of the history of man, the Lamb of God, His victory over satan, death and the grave of Hades. And of the purposes of God, who now is to close the door on the Age of Mercy and Grace and open the Book which includes the Tribulation Justice and Judgments to be pronounced. These having ever been Faithful Angels, true fidelity is now under great test. (In type as the elder son’s was in Luke 15:24-32). But they respond joyfully, to the Glory of God; falling prostrate and casting their crowns before the Ancient of Days. They worship Him, acknowledging Him in honor as their Worthy Creator and that they were created for His pleasure.

VERSES 6-9 The four “Beasts” (living ones) the greek word is zoon. Quite different from therion/wild beast of Revelation 6:8, 11:7. They are Cherubim (the great ones?), not simply Angels. The Elders are heads of Angels and the Cherubim are the heads of the 4 earthly created creatures. They are mentioned in Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18; Ezekiel 1 & 10; Hebrews 9:5 and 7 times in the Book of Revelation.

These four 6 winged Cherubim are in closer than the Elders as they are not only around the Throne but in the midst of the Throne. [Revelation 4:6] They are praise givers being nearer to the Throne of God than any other created Being in Heaven 4:8-11,14. These are the Cherubim of Ezekiel’s visions (chapters 1:26 and 10:1 and 11:22 and 43:3) that appear to move the Judgment Throne of God from one place to another.

They are representatives of Earth’s Creation, having the 4 faces of the chief orders of man, lion, ox, and eagle….mankind, the beasts of the field, domestic animals, and birds. The fish have no representative because there is no sea in the New Earth.

The reptiles have no representation, as it was the Serpent that conspired to introduce sin into this world. Accordingly, God enters into Covenant with but 3 plus man….Genesis 9:9,10. The Cherubim tie the Covenants together. God is the God of the Adamic, Noahadic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, the Gospel of the New Man. With now, starting in chapters 4 &5, the Gospel of the Revelation of Jesus Christ TO ISRAEL revealed in the Book of Revelation.

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