THE
BOOK OF REVELATION
UNDERSTAND
THE BOOK OF REVELATION SERIES...
Understanding
the The Judicial Royal Throne Room of Revelation
By
Dr Andrew Corbett
After these things I looked, and behold,
a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I
heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up
here, and I will show you things which must take place after
this."
Revelation 4:1
"Trumpets" announce the impending presence
of God (Exodus 19; 20:18; Joshua 6:8; Judges 7:22; 1Chronicles15:24;
2Chronicles 5:13; Psalm 47:5; Isaiah 27:13; Hosea 8:1; Joel 2:1;
Amos 2:2; Zechariah 9:14; Hebrews 12:18-19;. Revelation 1:10)
but more often than not they symbolically announce God's impending
presence to judge.
God has gone up with a shout,
The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Psalm 47:5
Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come
like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have
transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law.
Hosea 8:1
Because trumpets in Scripture often announce the
impending presence of God to judge, we know that judgment is imminent
in Revelation 4. We know this because of the principles upon which
the Word of God is to be soundly interpreted. Firstly, the immediate
context says so -
The context of the whole scene is one of judgment
about to commence. Back in the days of the first century AD Roman
Empire it was ultimately the King who judged (note Christ before
Herod - Luke 23:8; Paul's appeal to Caesar - Acts 25:11). These
earthly kings are contrasted with the heavenly King since He is
worthy to judge because only He has been judged and found completely
innocent.
Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with
a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose
its seals?" Revelation 5:2 And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For
You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out
of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…"
Revelation 5:9
The scroll mentioned here is a judgment scroll
which is sealed seven times. This scroll will set the stage for
the next set of visions that John describes.
A DOOR OPEN IN HEAVEN…
After these things I looked, and behold,
a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I
heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up
here, and I will show you things which must take place after
this."
Revelation 4:1
We are now taken into what can be described as
John's second set of visions. "After these things" is different
to the expressions used to show continuity in the visions which
are used in the remainder of this Book. This may legitimately
indicate an unspecified lapse of time between the visions of chapters
1 - 3 and chapter 4. Quite possibly John may not have received
the remainder of these visions while on Patmos since he is told
in chapter 11 to measure the temple in Jerusalem. Some scholars
regard this command to be reminiscent of what God told Ezekiel
to do in Ezekiel 40.
In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity,
at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month,
in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very
same day the hand of the LORD was upon me; and He took me there.
2In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and
set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something
like the structure of a city. 3He took me there, and behold,
there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of
bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand,
and he stood in the gateway.
Ezekiel 40:1 - 3
But there are notable differences. In Ezekiel's
account he saw a vision of the temple and of someone else measuring
it. It wouldn't have been possible for Ezekiel to have physically
seen the temple since the Babylonians had already destroyed it.
But allowing for the growing body of data which is now mounting
regarding Revelation's pre-70AD authorship it is highly likely
that when John was directed to measure the Temple in Jerusalem,
it was still standing, and he had the capacity to obey.
In many respects what is now revealed in these
next two chapters (4 and 5) is the penultimate focus of the entire
Book. It marks the first of two royal judgment settings (note
the use of the word "thrones"). The other occurs in Revelation
20 and occurs after "1,000" years of the Lamb's Kingdom have been
fulfilled.
The expression "a door open in heaven" is very
insightful since it reveals that there is an unseen realm that
is intimately involved with the affairs of earth that is generally
not perceived by most. A door grants an entrance into a different
perspective.
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold,
a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
Revelation 4:2
The Biblical commentator, (Bishop) John Lightfoot
lived from 1602 to 1675. He became a Presbyterian minister and
was jointly responsible for formulating the Westminster Confession.
One of his most significant works was A Commentary of the New
Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica (written in1658). He adopted
the view that Revelation 1:7 speaks of "Christ's taking vengeance
on that exceeding wicked nation" of Israel (Volume 2, pages 319
and 422). There he interpreted Christ's coming as a providential
judgment upon "those who pierced him" (the Jews) from among "all
the tribes of the land literally" (Israel). He suggested that
Revelation's overall theme is Israel's judgment, which is the
Preterist view.
"I may further add, that perhaps this observation
might not a little help (if my eyes fail me not) in discovering
the method of the author of the Book of the Revelation"
Lightfoot 3:210
This led him to conclude that the judiciary scene
set up in Revelation 4 and 5 "speak of "the throne of glory" and
"is to be understood of the judgment of Christ to be brought upon
the treacherous, rebellious, wicked, Jewish people. We meet with
very frequent mention of the coming of Christ in his glory in
this sense" (2:266). I believe that Bishop Lightfoot has given
us a not-so-axiomatic insight into understanding the Book of Revelation.
The events leading up and culminating in 70AD form the crux of
Revelation's contents and chapters 4 and 5 set it up.
THE TWENTY FOUR ELDERS AROUND
THE THRONE OF THE INVINCIBLE GOD...
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones,
and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed
in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
Revelation 4:4
Numbers in apocalyptic literature carry symbolic
meaning. The number 12 speaks of redeemed people. When God established
Israel as His redeemed people He established twelve patriarchs
then twelve tribes. When Christ was establishing New Covenant
redemption (salvation) He selected twelve apostles. The twenty
four elders represent the redeemed of both covenants. They epitomize
what redeemed people do. Firstly, they are seated on thrones.
Thrones are positions of influence.
…and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2:6
We must recognise that we are called to be salt
and light to our society. We are called to be the major influence
in our societies. Our Great Commission includes teaching our communities
everything Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:19). When our Governments
legislate statutes that are contrary to the teachings of Christ
we have the divine right to protest in the Spirit of Christ. That
is, not with hatred or maliciousness, but with meekness and love.
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four
living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before
the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense,
which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8
Secondly, they bow down, and carry harps (note
Rev. 5:14; 11:16; 19:4). They continually worship Christ. It's
one thing to sing the praises of Christ; it's another to lay our
lives down before him. To bow down is to surrender. And Christ
deserves nothing less!
Thirdly, they carry bowls full of incense which
are the prayers of the saints. God wants His people to be in intimate
with Him. This is the essence of prayer. All redeemed people need
to know that our prayers are precious before God and are regarded
like incense infiltrating the fragrance of heaven.
THE SEVEN LAMPS OF FIRE WHICH
ARE THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF THE GOD…
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of
the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst
of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having
seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God
sent out into all the earth.
Revelation 5:6
The number seven apocalyptically symbolises complete,
perfect. In Revelation 4-5 Christ is described as having seven
horns (complete or perfect strength), and seven eyes because He
has the Sevenfold Spirit of God. In Revelation 4:5 the Holy Spirit
is described as seven lamps of fire, and the seven Spirits of
God. He is God. And this glimpse of the Throne of God gives us
a powerful picture of the Trinity. The Father is on the Throne
(Rev. 4:2). The Holy Spirit surrounds the Throne of the Father
(Rev. 4:5). And God the Son is described as the Lamb who is worthy
of worship (Rev. 5:8).
THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES
Before the throne there was a sea of glass,
like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the
throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and
in back.
Revelation 4:6
These four living creatures seem to guard the
Throne of God and simultaneously lead all of heaven in worship.
These creatures were also seen by Ezekiel when he was also shown
the Throne of God (Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14). When Isaiah saw the Throne
of God in heaven he described creatures with six wings over and
before the Throne of God doing the same thing as these four creatures.
Isaiah called these creatures seraphim (Isaiah 6:2, 6). Other
Scriptures describe these creatures as cherubs or cherubim. When
the Ark of the Covenant was made, which was a shadow of the heavenly
throne of God; Moses was instructed to include two gold cherubim
hovering over the Throne (Mercy Seat).
18And you shall make two cherubim of gold;
of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the
mercy seat. 19Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub
at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends
of it of one piece with the mercy seat. 20And the cherubim shall
stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with
their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the
cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
Exodus 25:18 - 20
The Old Testament gives us a typological glimpse
into the Heavenly presence of God, but the Book of Revelation
peels back the veils of mystery and gives us the fullest view
of Heaven available in Scripture. But we would be mistaken if
we thought Revelation was a treatise on Heaven. Far from it. It
actually is one of the most powerful revelations anyone could
ever receive about why the earth is the way it is. The scene described
in Revelation 4-5 shows the Crucified, Risen, Saviour and Lord
taking His rightful position as Judge of the earth. His programme
of Judgment begins with the Household of God first, in this case-
the now apostate nation of Israel. The next fourteen chapters
describe His judgment upon Israel and Rome and their unholy alliance.
©
2003, Dr. Andrew Corbett, Legana, Tasmania, Australia
Listen
to Part 3 of Understanding Revelation
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