Shepherds Bible Revelation Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 1. After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. # Bear in mind, J ohn is actually right there on the threshold of heaven. We know when the last trumpet sounds, that is the day of Yahveh. We know John was taken to that day. He is going to be shown, not only what will happe n, but what does happen up until that time. 2. A nd immediately I was in the spir- it: and, be hold, a throne was set in heaven, a nd One sat on the throne. #The One that sat on the throne was Yahveh, the living God. 3. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emer-ald. # The sight which John saw of the pre-cious stones and the rainbo w, no do ubt, was the Shekinah Glory. It is diffi-cult for us to imagine at this time, just what His appe arance is, but we know from Johns description it is spectacular. 4. A nd round abo ut the throne were four and twenty seats: and upo n the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had o n their heads crowns of gold. 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne. and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. # Note the crystal here. It means abso- lute purity. The Greek word used here for beast is zoon. It means living ones or creatures. They are not angels or men. Their sole task is to love God and guard the throne. They are always present when the throne is men-tioned. They cannot be swayed a way from the ir master by choice, e ven the ir own. They have been set there as pro-tectors of the throne. This beast (zoon) is different from the satanic or serpentine beast (thereon, meaning venomous beast) which is used through-out the rest of the Revelation. Look and see how many times the definition of a living creature has been trans- lated into the English word beast when it only means a living creature. These four beasts were with God from the beginning. They are referred to in Genesis as cherubims (the Hebrew word Kerub). They were part of the cherubims that were placed in the gar-den to protect the tree of life (Christ) and to keep man from partaking o f it at that particular time, which would have give n man eternal life in the state of sin eve n in the garde n. 7. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. # Refer to Ezekiel 1:S for this verse. Also refer to Numbers 2:2 where the encampment of Israel is set forth. The lion is Juda h, which was always on the east. Reube n is on the south and is the man.

Ephraim, o n the west, is the ox. Dan, o n the north, is the eagle. So here is the throne of God in the midst of Israel. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him: and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. # They were all knowing and all seeing. They were sensitive to all things that went on around the throne. Ezeki-el 1:8 speaks of the same creatures. They were on the flying wheels de-scribed by Ezekiel. To whom do the creatures refer when calling holy, holy, holy? None other than Yahveh, our living God, We continually see these four creatures in His pres-ence, paying homage day and night to our Father. 9. A nd when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and e ver, a nd cast their crowns be fore the throne, s aying, # They cast their crowns before the throne, because the power which comes from the throne allows them to wear the crowns. 11. Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to re-ceive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. # All things ever created were created specifically for Yahvehs pleasure. He alone is counted worthy to receive honor, glory and power, because in Him alone resides the power to create.