Revelation 4 The Throne in Heaven

Beginning Chapter 4 This is the 3rd major section of the book, per Rev 1:19, “Write the things that were, that are, and that will be.” Chapter 3 ended the second section of “Things that are,” with the conclusion of the discussion of the seven letters to the churches of asia minor. Now begins the third major section of the book of Revelation, “the things that will come afterwards.” These events are different than both chapter 1, the things that were, and chapters 2 & 3, the things that are. Beginning chapter 4 is the beginning of the things which describe the end or consummation of the age before the second coming of Jesus. Chapter 4:1 is interpreted by Futurists as literal events which are prophetic, fulfilling the third portion of Rev. 1:19 referring to the “things which will be hereafter.” So, if there is any value to chapters 4-19 for the church today, it has to be interpreted from a “futurist” interpretation. To relegate the events of Chapter 4 and beyond to Allegorical or already fulfilled in past ages of the church is to minimize its meaning and significance to the church today. Interpreted as Futurist, Chapters 4 and 5 give us an important clue to the rest of the book of Revelation: C.A. Blanchard summarizes the futuristic position with: “What will follow the church age? ...the Tribulation. Why...? ...because when the church has been taken out of the world, godless people, godless governments, and Satan remains in the world, there must be tribulation. Chapters 4 – 19 is the accounting of this time of tribulation.

Beginning Chapter 4 The scene that John envisions in 4:2 is heaven. It’s not the atmospheric Heaven (1st heaven), or the atmosphere / outer space (the 2nd Heaven), but the place of God; beyond the view of telescopes; it’s the very presence of God (the 3rd Heaven). Everything that John is seeing now is explained as after the previous chapter’s events. Also, this is not a reference to the rapture of the church. John was not rapture or translated. He was not given a new body (which will happen in the rapture). He was still in his natural body on the Island of Patmos. He was translated to the 3rd heaven only temporarily. The rapture is mentioned in the letters to the churches, 2:25 & 3:11. And 1:19 gives a general order of events: The church age, the rapture, and the church in heaven. However, Revelation from chapter 4 – on, is not primarily describing God’s activity with the church, but to describe the events that lead up to the second coming of Christ and the eternal kingdom to come after that. The word “Church” that is so prominent in chapters 2 and 3, is not seen again until chapter 22:16. The church is referred to in 19:7 as the “Wife of the lamb,” but is not mentioned by name. It appears that the church is already gone; out of the picture that we see, “hereafter.” From now on, anyone being saved are not referred to as the “church,” but “saved Israel,” or “Saved Gentiles,” never as the church or the “body of Christ.” It’s also interesting that those who become Christians during this time of the tribulation and great tribulation, do no lose their cultural identity: Jew / Gentile. This is separate from the church on earth in the New Testament where, when someone came to Christ, they became “the church;” they became one with one another. No longer separated by culture or race, they were homogenous into one body. That is no longer the case in the accounting of the events hereafter.

The Throne of god is not a “game” Who is on the throne? God or Jesus? It could be both. There is no “Bodily form” of God in the description of him in heaven. It’s clear that 4:2 emphasizes the “Glory” of God. It is not concerned with whether it is Jesus God or Father God sitting on this throne. John 14:9, Jesus declares, “He that has seen me has already seen the Father.” So, in that respect there is no difference in the Glory of Jesus or the Glory of the Father. Here, John sees 24 “seats,” literally interpreted should be “24 thrones.” One these, 24 elders are sitting. There are three primary views about who these 24 elders are. Representative body of all the saints of all ages Representative only of the church, the body of Christ Represent an Order of Angels They, almost certainly are a representative group. In the Old Testament, the priesthood was represented by 24 priests. There were actually thousands of priests during David/Solomon’s time, but were divided into 24 groups of priests; each having a lead priest. Much like today in America, we have the “House of Representatives,” and the “Senate,” which is a representative body as well for all of the People in America. “Clothed in White with crowns of gold.” There are two different crowns mentioned in Revelation. One) a crown of authority, like what a king would wear, and two) Crown of victory, like what was awarded in the Greek games (from which comes our Olympics). Usually the Victor’s crown was made of leaves, not gold. However here, the crown, in Greek, is the Victor’s crown, yet it gold, perhaps indicating their ‘eternal victory.” Because the judgment of the angels comes after the second coming of Christ, this group is not likely the angels, since this scene is being seen before the tribulation of the church begins. The same is true why they cannot be “Israel.” Therefore they are seen as those victors from the church prior to the tribulation. This cannot be a dogmatic point as the text simply is not clear as to who these representatives are.6