A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #22

Earl Gillespie

The Throne of Jesus in Heaven

Revelation 4

I Thessalonians 4:14-18 is a point of contention for many Bible scholars, the reason is unclear to me.  It falls in the same category of a preacher standing in the pulpit on a Sunday teaching tithe while wearing a black suit.  Overlooking Ecclesiastes 9:8  that says "Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. "  Sectional interpretation is a form of shaping the truth. Who is talking, who is he talking to and in what dispensation is important when seeking to understand God word.  The Bible is the greatest book and it delivers a message that flows smoothly from Geneses 1:1 to the final chapter and verse of Revelation.  There are no holes in the scripture as some profess nor does the Bible and science disagree. A deeper understanding of God Word as it have existed for hundreds of years would provide all of the answers  if we asked the author to help us and lay aside our notion to shape the word into a saleable sound bite.  Sectional interpretation according to denominational guidelines is not the best way to understand the word of God. Sectional interpretation of the Holy scripture allows for all types of works to be performed in Jesus name, from paying money to receive prayer,  drinking deadly poison and picking up snakes.

New interpretations of the scripture are flooding the marketplace daily and many people are buying into the new interpretation of the ancient book.  Points are being made against the use of certain words such as the rapture.  One bible scholars objection to the use of the word was, it could not be found in the Bible.  A point of common sense but as Shakespeare said, "A Rose by any other name would still as sweet."  Reinterpertation of the scripture to fit modern day ideology is not in the best interest of the kingdom.  There are complications that arise when we try to make the Bible fit our denominational mold. 

In our present Scripture, the history of the Church on earth has been written. The overcomers have been translated to meet the Lord in the air. The guilty multitudes of earth have been left behind. The removal of the True Church sets the stage for the devil to take over and this he will do, as we will see in Chapter six.  For now let us savor the sights in Heaven as John does his best to describe that which indescribable. 

Verse 1: “After this (after the Church has run its course and all things concerning the Church have been fulfilled) John said he looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven.” (John 10:9) tells us that Jesus is that door. After His resurrection He ascended to Heaven, and called John (in the spirit) up to where He is. He opened the door - and John stepped into Heaven to witness the events that were to follow.  John experienced in the spirit what we will literally experience when the events in (I Thessalonians 4:14-18) occur.  When the Rapture occurs, the trumpet will sound, and the voice of the archangel will call up the saints.  Jesus will not come to this earth at this time,  the saints will be caught up to meet Him in the air; but when He comes in judgment, He will come to the earth with his saints, and will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4).  If we accept the five judgment then both of these events can take place without Sectional interpretation. 

“And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me.” The signification and symbology of a trumpet is the sharp, clear and arresting sound made by a trumpet.  This statement does not mean that John heard this voice for the first time after he was caught up into Heaven, it means the first voice he heard (Revelation 1:10). He heard that voice here on earth, and now the same voice is speaking in Heaven. It is the voice of none other than the Lord Jesus Himself, as the trumpet summons John to come up from the earth to Heaven.  The voice was clear, well pronounced and there was no mistake as to who was speaking.

Artist rendition of the throne seen

by John.

Verses 2 and 3: “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.”   We need to re-read those verses slowly because there is a wealth of information that will be lost if we do not read the verses word for word.   The voice of Jesus said, “Come up hither,” . . . and “immediately I was in the spirit.” There was no delay - not one split second. John was not actually caught up into Heaven in his natural body, for all this was part of John’s vision.  The expression “in the spirit” indicates that John’s spirit for the moment left his body, and his spirit alone was caught away into Heaven to behold his glorified Lord. John is undergoing an out-of-body experience.  John’s body was not yet glorified, and no man can behold the beauty and majesty of our glorified Lord in an unredeemed and mortal body. 

The next statement reads, “A throne was set in Heaven,” definitely and precisely fixes the seat of royal rule and authority.  The throne was actually the first vision after  John Was translated in the spirit from earth to Heaven. The throne is the center of the heavenly scene, and is a symbol of the Lord’s universal government. He who sits upon the throne is not named, but is described significantly in the stones that are used to symbolize His appearance: “And He that sat was to look upon like a Jasper, and a Sardine .”   If we read this too fast we will have "Him" looking like a Jasper and a Sardine stone instead of like looking upon a Jasper and Sardine stone.  Imagine being in a room with the world's most beautiful and most expensive Gems.  The two precious stones named here symbolize the glory and the majesty of God. 

His glory cannot be communicated, even to the most exalted of all creatures.  John uses symbology to describe what he saw. . The Lord God is light unapproachable. Paul describes it  in 1 Timothy 6:15-16  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.  The Jasper and the Sardine (or Sardius) stones are mentioned in the list of precious stones set in the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:17 -20).  These same stones also are mentioned among those describing the glory of the king of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13). We find them mentioned again in the description of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:19,20).  

The Holy Spirit will guide
us into the way of truth.

The Holy Spirit uses these two stones to symbolize the brilliant glory and the unsurpassed splendor of the Lord God insofar as His glory can be displayed and symbolized to mortal man. The brilliance of the Jasper stone symbolizes the The pure holiness of God, and the deep red of the Sardius symbolizes the Blood atonement demanded by God for the remission of sins. John tells us “The light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a Jasper stone, CLEAR AS CRYSTAL” (Revelation 21:11). Clear as crystal. God’s holiness is untouched, unmarred, unscarred - perfect holiness! Without a doubt, Jesus was the One whom John saw sitting upon the throne.  The operative word in the above narrative is, "like unto".  In our mind's eye a beautiful setting should began to appear. 

In the fourth chapter of Revelation, Jesus is described as like unto a Jasper and a Sardine stone. The Jasper stone was clear - clear as crystal. The Sardine (or Sardius) was blood-red . . . the Bloody stone. In Exodus 28, we read of these stones on the breastplate of the high priest. The Sardius. (the blood-red) stone having to do with Reuben is mentioned first, and the Jasper stone last.  Revelation 4 speaks first of the Jasper stone - the clear white stone of Benjamin. This is not to be taken lightly.  This is also important when discussing the lost tribe of Benjamin.  There is a definite reason for reversing of the stones, putting the first last, and the last first.  The Sardius was blood-red, speaking of the sacrifice of blood, pointing to the Cross and the first coming of Jesus to shed His blood for the remission of sin. The name is derived from two Hebrew words meaning “behold the Son.” It pointed to the Person of whom John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). It also tells us that He (the Lord Jesus) was the first born of every creature, and the first begotten – the only begotten - Son of God (John 3:16). The Jasper, the last stone in the Old Testament breastplate, represented Benjamin. This was a clear stone, speaking of total victory. On the Jasper stone Was Benjamin’s name, which is a combination of two Hebrew words (ben and jamin), so scholars tell us, meaning “the son of my right hand” . . . or, as one authority puts it, “the son of my power.” The first and the last stones pointed forward to the first and second coming of the Great High Priest - none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. However, here in Revelation 4, the order of the stones is reversed. 

John the Beloved sees Him (Jesus) first as the Jasper, and second as the Sardius. The reason is clear: In the Old Testament the saints looked forward to the day when the Lamb would come. They looked forward to the  cross, and therefore saw the Sardius . . . the Blood-red stone . . . first. They looked beyond that and saw the Jasper, the clear white stone representing His power and His rule at His second coming to set up the kingdom. However, when John had the experience we are now studying, he was on this side of Calvary and the Rapture, and was looking back. John saw, first of all, the Jasper stone, the clear one - and then the red stone, the Cross and sacrifice. 

The beloved disciple next saw a rainbow round about the throne, “in sight like unto an emerald.” The emerald was Judah’s stone, and was green, denoting eternal freshness and eternal endurance. It was the wedding stone of ancient oriental times. The throne was encircled with a rainbow. This unbroken circle symbolizes the absolute sovereignty of God . . . the unbroken power of God, the unbroken love and mercy of God. The rainbow around the throne is to remind all of God’s creatures of the goodness, mercy, and longsuffering of God toward His creatures.“His mercy endureth forever.” God’s mercy is unbroken. You will recall that in Old Testament days, God made a covenant with Noah, and placed the rainbow in the sky to assure Noah that He would not forget that covenant (Genesis 9:9-17). Instead of the usual combination of colors we witness in the rainbow today, the bow John saw around the throne was like in appearance to an emerald, which in color is one of the most pleasant to the human eye. It was not just an accident that God created the vegetable kingdom in the only color which never tires the eye. So since God is about to deal with the earth, and deliver the earth from the curse and the reign of Satan, the circle around the throne in the form of a rainbow is not mingled colors, but the pleasant color of earth’s vegetation. The glorified saints of God will have constantly before their eyes the rainbow in the beautiful color of green, the remembrance of God’s grace to the earth even when He is about to deal with the world in judgment. And we born again believers will meet Jesus under the rainbow of mercy to receive the reward for our labors while here on earth (II Corinthians 5:10, I Corinthians 3:11-15, II John 8).

Let me warn you - you will either meet the Lord Jesus at the throne encircled by the rainbow of mercy, or at the Great white Throne where there is no mercy, but only the blazing white of the holiness of God Almighty. Read Revelation 20:11-15. In closing this particular portion of the Scripture, let me assure you that not one word is put in the Bible to fill up space. Every word has a distinct and definite meaning - names, cities, stones, or whatever. Thus, the stones mentioned in our present Scripture are not to be passed over lightly, because they have a deep spiritual meaning. 

Verse 4:   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. 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. The twenty-four elders sitting on individual thrones (the word “seats” means “thrones”) represent the Church, the redeemed, the glorified saints after they have been caught out of the earth to meet the Lord in the air. The number twenty-four occurs six times, pertaining to the elders. Read I Chronicles, chapters 24 and 25. The saints are royal priests . . . “a royal priesthood” (I Peter 2:5-10). Peter is definitely referring to the Gentile believers here. Some have suggested that this has to do with Jews, but not so. It has to do with all born again Jews and Gentiles who make up the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12,13; Ephesians 5:30). The crowns of gold worn by the elders set forth royal dignity. The white garments they wear denote the righteousness and the holiness of God (Revelation 19:8). The twenty-four elders seen here play an important part in the scenes recorded and visions beheld from chapter 4 to chapter 19, verse 4. After Revelation 19:4 the elders are not mentioned again as elders. There is no doubt in my mind that the twenty-four elders John saw sitting on individual thrones represent the Church after it has been caught out to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Another school of thought is these 24 elders are redeemed men. Once their human nature was confirmed, it became obvious that the Rapture was pictured by Rev. 4: 1 has occurred before the Tribulation. Rapture For this scene, which is of the throne of God in heaven just before the 7 year Tribulation as defined in chapters 6-19, pictures twenty four men or "elders" in the presence of God. Twelve is a spiritual number which has to do with representation. The number twenty-four, believe, could be two twelve's.
One twelve for the Old Testament
One twelve for the New Testament
The twelve prophets represent the believers of the Old Testament. The twelve disciples represent all believers from the New Testament.
There are many other schools of thought on the twenty-four.

John, "the faithful witness" observes these events immediately after the church age has been concluded and just prior to the beginning of the Tribulation. These men, whether 12 who represent Israel and 12 who represent the church, or 24 outstanding Christian leaders in all church history, makes no difference, they all are redeemed men! They are redeemed saints who are in heaven just before the revelation of the Tribulation that follows. Like John, they are part of the pre-tribulation rapture in their glorified bodies worshiping all three members of the Trinity. This scene in heaven does not occur in the middle of the Tribulation or at its end, but before it begins. 

John saw this ONE standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks at the beginning of Revelation. Now, the seven golden candlesticks - that is, the born again ones in the assemblies represented by the candlesticks have been caught out of earth up into the air with Jesus, and He is seen there in the symbols of the seven lamps burning before the throne. Twenty four is the symbology of the church around the throne of God.  The Word of God assures us that He who is the Head of the New Testament Church will never for one moment leave the Church He purchased with His own precious blood.

Revelation 4:6-8:

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.

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.

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. 

The voices, lightning and thunder coming from the throne denote the power of God in judgment . . . He is about to judge the world. But notice there is a sea of glass “like unto crystal” . . . clear and calm. The sea of glass seen here does not look like the sea as we know it on earth today - driven by wind, storms, tempests - never calm. (The Old Testament writer tells us that the wicked are like the troubled sea.) But John witnessed a crystal sea - calm and peaceful, symbolizing an eternity of perfect peace. In connection with the sea of glass, read I Kings 7:23- 45. It is a glorious passage, and will shed light on the subject. Also, John saw in the midst of the throne and round about the throne, four beasts - or, “four living creatures.” These living creatures were full of eyes before and behind, and John describes them as resembling a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle. The lion denotes majesty and power among the animal kingdom - he is king of all the beasts (Genesis 49:9, Daniel 7:4, Amos 3:8). This is a living creature with supernatural powers.

The second beast John saw was like a calf or an ox. The cow, whether a calf or an ox, denotes humility and patience, and is a beast of labor (read I Corinthians 9:9,10; Proverbs 14:4).  The third beast John saw had the face of a man - and man is the highest of God’s creation, denoting wisdom, reason and intelligence (Isaiah 1:18, Job 9:24, Ezra 9:6, I Corinthians 2:11). These are living creatures with supernatural powers.

The fourth beast was a flying eagle. The eagle is the wisest of all birds. He flies the highest, is keenest of sight and is swift of action (Deuteronomy 28:49, Job 9:26, Hebrews 1:8, Job 39:27- 30). These characteristics combined express the character of God’s throne in relation to earth. Jesus is the all-powerful One, yet He is the most humble One who ever lived in a body like ours. He is perfect in wisdom - and certainly nothing misses His all-seeing eye. Yes, Jesus, with whom we have to do, is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent.  These four living creatures are not the same as the four and twenty elders. These are creatures especially created by God for a specific and singular ministry - they never cease to praise God day and night. They are continually crying out, “Holy, holy, holy!”  These four creatures know that He to whom they sing praises night and day has been, is, and always will be. And not only is He the past, present, and future, but He is “The Almighty!”  These are living beings with supernatural powers.  These living beings would put our fictuorous concept of Superman and Spiderman to shame.

Revelation 4:9-11:

9. And 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 ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11. 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.

In these verses, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders worship Him who sits upon the throne. They give Him praise, honor and adoration, because He is worthy. At last, after many centuries of groaning and travailing in pain, the thing is about to happen that all creation has waited for: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:20-23). Jesus came into the world more than nineteen centuries ago, took a body, and in that body was tempted in all points as we are, yet was without sin. He took the sinner’s place. What the Law could not do, He did; and He paid the sin-debt that was made by Adam, which moved upon all men “through the disobedience of one man” (the first Adam). Jesus (the second Adam) purchased redemption for the sinner when He died on the cross; but God’s plan of redemption does not only include the soul, but also the whole creation. 

When Adam sinned, the whole creation was cursed (read Genesis 3), and God promised deliverance. What God promises, God does. So - one day the whole creation will be delivered from the bondage of corruption that came with the curse more than six thousand years ago! God created the earth and all that is therein. Then God created Adam and gave him dominion over all other creation. Adam was the ruler of everything on earth, in the sea, and in the air. But Adam sub-leased the earth to the devil. By that I mean, what belongs to God cannot be given away by one of the Lord’s creatures. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 24:1).

God gave Adam dominion over the earth - but the earth still belongs to God. God created it for the meek (“The meek shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace”). So when Adam sinned, he actually sub-leased the earth to the devil until Adam’s lease runs out, and then God will take over. And when God takes over He will boot the devil off the earth. The devil will be placed in the bottomless pit and all creation will be delivered - the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom, the solar system - all creation - will be set free in that glad and glorious hour. Jesus (the second Adam) will redeem everything the first Adam lost. The earth and all creation will be redeemed and delivered from the curse. The four living creatures and the four and twenty elders know that this redemption is about to occur. Therefore, they are exceedingly glad, and they praise Him who is about to judge in righteousness.

The terms of redemption concerning the earth and the animal kingdom are contained in the little book seen in Revelation five. This book has caused confusion among some Bible teachers. However, when we compare spiritual things with spiritual, we will clearly see that this little book contains redemption terms which must be met before the earth can be delivered from the curse, and the god of this age (the devil) is dealt with in final Judgment. It is an absolute necessity to understand chapter five, if we hope to understand the rest of Revelation.

So we will carefully study chapter five, and look to the Spirit to reveal to us the terms in the seven-sealed book. But you may rest assured that eventually the earth, the Heavens, the animal kingdom, and all creation will be totally and entirely delivered from the curse. “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). “Such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:22). “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters now cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). The best is yet to come! The devil will be put down - once for all, forever! Evil will be erased from the earth! Utopia is coming - but not on the terms modern day motivational speakers advocate. It will not be the result of a new style of worship. It will be the result of the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords. One day this earth will be one great Garden of Eden .“the garden of pleasure.” “For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). 

 It is forever settled in Heaven! And the hottest sermon ever preached on hell fire was preached by Jesus Christ (Mark 9:42-47).  Do you want to be here when all hell breaks out.

Next

Judgement is Coming

more on the Twenty four Elders and the four beast

 Chapter 5