THE SETTING UP OF THE THRONE OF JUDGMENT

The Setting Up of the Throne of Judgment

Chs. 4-5

Introduction 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."

 

• The passing of the church age (after these things - 4:1 cf. 1:19). This phrase corresponds exactly with the phrase in 1:19. And this must refer to chapters 2 and 3. Never again is the church seen on earth in Revelation as in chapters 2 and 3.
• The promotion of the church into Heaven. "Come up hither" 4:1.
• While this was spoken to John, what he experienced is typical of what the church will experience according to 1 Thess. 4:13-18. Earth and all its woes will be left behind.
• "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
• The procession of events in Heaven after this. "Must be hereafter" 4:1.
• In the original this reads, "things which it is necessary to come to pass immediately after these things." History is not at an end even though the church is raptured. The Lord now gets ready to deal in judgment with the earth (Rev. 3:10).
• The portions of these two chapters.
• The picture of the throne of judgment being estab­lished. 4:2-11
• The preparation of the throne of judgment for exe­cution. 5:1-14

The Picture of the Throne of Judgment Being Established. 4:2-11

1. The throne 2-3,5
2. The elders 4
3. The bests 6-8
4. The glory 9-11

The throne which is being set in the heavens. 2-3, 5 This is for adjudication (Ps. 2; Luke 19:12ff).
"And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." "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 emerald."

The Placing of the Throne. "Was set," Lit. "was being set." Better, "was setting."

This is an imperfect tense. This is the eternal throne. It is the eternal throne setting for the specific purpose of John 2:6.

The Person on The Throne. "One sat on the throne."

This may be the Father as comparison with 5:6-7 reveals. This person is indescribable except for the fact that He is like the Jasper and Sardine stone (must look at Christ to know what God is like). Possibly triune God as comparison with 4:8 suggests, also 6:16 and 7:10. However "Our God" (tw ouranw) has the definite article and regularly refers to the Father.

Jasper: Crystalline like diamond. Rev. 21:11, 23. God is light.
"Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;" "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

Sardine: Blood red, referring to wrath and judgment. Ezekiel 1:1,4.
"Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God." "And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire."

The Purpose of the Throne. "Rainbow round about."

The throne itself is to manifest regal authority and dominion. The rainbow encircling the throne is a token of covenant and promise that will not be broken (Gen. 9:8-17). The emerald relieves the awful whiteness and terrifying red. This signifies mercy and salvation in the midst of judgment. At the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15) there is nothing to relieve the whiteness. There is no salvation during that judgment. But at this throne there will be salvation in the midst of judgment.

The Procession From the Throne. "Out of the throne proceeded"

"Lightnings and thunderings and voices" signify judgment based on the law which went forth from Sinai (Ex. 19:16; cf. Luke 16:29-31). This is in order. This is the final week of years in the career of Israel under the Old Testament law. Adjudication of affairs by law and thus vindication of the law.
"And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth."
"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." "And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

The Elders Who are Seated Round About the Throne

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."

The Identity of the Elders. "Four and twenty elders"

In 1 Chron. 24:3-5 David divided the priests into 24 courses, each serving two weeks. Many thousands of priests, but when the 24 elders met, they represented the whole priestly house.
"And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service." "And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers." "Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar."

Three interpretations of the elders have been given:

1.  Angels
2. All the saints: 12 elders standing for the Old Testament and 12 for the New Testament.
3. The Church

• Since the priesthood today is the entire church, it is only right that the 24 elders represent the church. This is the teaching of the New Testament as compare Acts 20:17, 28; Jas. 5:14; 1 Tim. 5:17-22. As ruling officials they become the proper symbol of the church.
• The rank and file of commentators with varying types of theology agree that the elders of Rev. 4:4 represent the church.
• This could not refer to the Old Testament saints because as a company they are not raptured until the end of the tribulation period (Dan. 12:1-2). The Old Testament saints are therefore not in heaven as a body during the seven years. But the elders are in heaven during that period (4:4, 10; 5:5, 6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3, 19:4).
• There is a problem with this view when reading Rev. 5:9-110 in the ASV. Instead of the first person as in KJV, the ASV puts it in the third person and makes it sound as though it does not refer to the elders. But Rev. 1:6 and 20:6 suggest that the elders are the church, and the third person may only be the way this is expressed in this passage.

The Garments of the Elders. "Clothed in white raiment."

This clothing is that promised to the overcomers in the church at Sardis (Rev. 3:5). Its white­ness is indicative of the righteousness of the saints. They have been thoroughly redeemed from all their iniquity (Rev. 19:7-9).

These elders all claim to be redeemed (Rev. 5:9 KJV) or affirm it of the church (ASV).

The Thrones of the Elders. "four and twenty seats," "upon seats."

• These are not seats, but thrones, as the origi­nal indicates. The elders are kings and there­fore sit upon thrones (Rev. 3:21; Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20:4-6; 1 Pet. 2:5-9).
• From these thrones the elders will judge angels and men and will rule and reign with Christ during the thousand years (1 Cor. 6:2-4).

The Crowns of the Elders. "And they had on their heads crowns of gold."

These are not diadems, that is, crowns to show their position and authority. These are crowns bestowed upon the victor in Grecian games. These are crowns given for overcoming in the Christian life (Rev. 2:26-27).
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:" "And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."

The Beasts in the Midst and Around the Throne. "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." "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." "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."

 

The Identity of the Living Creatures. "Four beasts."

These are not beasts but living creatures who represent God in governmental relation to all created life upon the earth (cf. Ez. 1:1-25, esp. 4-10; 28:14-16; 10:1-22; Gen. 3:24). Since they represent all creation, they have a right to sing the redemption song (Rev. 5:8-9). Ezekiel 10:20 is identification, namely, cherubim. Cherubim were on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies.

The Variety of the Living Creatures. "Lion, calf, man, eagle."

They have the power to assume different forms to symbolize different truths.

• Lion: signifying divine majesty.
• Ox: signifying divine strength.
• Man: intelligence and purpose.
• Eagle: swiftness detecting evil and executing judgment.
• The wings and eyes signify incessant activity and omniscience.

The Locality of the Living Creatures. "in the midst . . . round about."

Their close proximity to the throne suggests properly their relation to the one who is on the throne. Being creatures of his hand that display his own attributes, of course, they must be in the midst of the throne and completely encircling it.

The Activity of the Living Creatures. "Rest not day and night."

Ceaselessly they perform the task they were created to perform. Neither day nor night do they stop for rest. Their task is to give praise to the triune God. Thrice they cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty, which was and is, and is to come." Each "Holy" is for One Person of the Godhead.
"Lord God Almighty" is used nine times, in Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:15; and 21:22. In most cases it refers to Christ. But 21:22 suggests the Father in which case 4:8 may also be used that way or refer to triune God. Thrice repeated "Holy" in Isa. 6:3 cf. 8 is to Triune God. Probably so here.

The Worship Given to the One upon the Throne. "And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever," "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying," "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created"

 

The Occasion for the Worship of the Elders. "And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,"

• The creatures give glory - recognizing nature.
• The creatures give honor - recognizing value.
• The creatures give thanks - recognizing gifts.

The Operations in the Worship of the Elders. "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,"

• They fall down signifying their wonder at Him.
• They worship signifying their will submit­ted to Him.
• They cast crowns signifying their wealth is His.

The Ovation in the Worship of the Elders. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

• They declare His Person for what He is - ­glory.
• They declare His power for what He did - ­honor, power.
• They declare His pleasure as indicated by creation.