Revelation 4

CHAPTER 4THEME: The church in heaven with ChristWe have seen the history of the church in the seven churches of chapters 2-3, but as we come to chapter 4, the question naturally arises: What has happened to the church? From chapter 4 through the rest of the Book of Revelation, there is no mention of the church except when you get to the invitation at the end, which is a general invitation and hasn’t anything to do with the chronology of the book. From here on you will not find the word church mentioned. Up to this point, the word church has occurred again and again, in fact nineteen times. But now the church goes off the airthere is no mention of it. It has gone off the air because it went up in the air; it was caught up in the air to meet the Lord in the air.

The church has gone to heaventhat is what has happened to it. The Rapture takes place during the Philadelphian period, and the so-called church which continues on the earth is just an organization. It will go through the Great Tribulation period, and we are finally going to hear it called a great harlotwhat a frightful designation! Actually, the most frightful picture in the Bible is the seventeenth chapter of Revelation. Are we going to see the church again? Yes, but she is no longer a church; she is a bridea bride adorned for her Husband. Chapters 4-22 comprise the final major division of this very wonderful book. John was given the division of this book, and he passed it on to us. We ought not to miss it, for He said in chapter 1, verse Rev_1:19, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter"that is, meta tauta, meaning “after these things.” “Things which must be hereafter” of verse Rev_1:1 corresponds to “the things which shall be hereafter” of chapter 1, verse Rev_1:19. Both are meta tauta in the Greek, indicating a change from this to an entirely different scene and subject. Several striking facts make it self-evident that we advance to a new division beginning with chapter 4. The climate and conditions change radically:

1. The church is no longer seen in the world, although up to chapter 4, there have been nineteen references to the church in the world. In fact, the subject of chapters 2-3 has been entirely devoted to the church in the world. However, from chapter 4 to the end of the Revelation the church is never mentioned in connection with the world. The final and lone reference is a concluding testimony after the world’s little day has ended (see Rev_22:16). Christ said of His own, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Joh_17:16). He also said to His own men, “…I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Joh_14:3).
2. The scene definitely shifts to heaven in chapter 4. Since the church is still the subject, we follow it now to its new homeheaven. How did the church get to heaven? This is a good question, and Paul gives the answer: “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” (1Th_4:17). He defines the operation in 1Co_15:51-52: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Faith places the sinner on the launching pad, in the guided missile of the church, from whence he shall go to meet the Lord in the air. The saints enter the opened door to heaven. The church is with Christ, and Christ is in heaven, directing the events of the Great Tribulation period that we are going to see when we get to chapter 6.
3. The church is not a name but a definition of those who have trusted Christ in this age. This is something which we need to get fixed in our minds because our thinking on this today is often muddled. The word church is ekklesia in the Greek; kaleo means “to call,” and ek means “out of.” Therefore, ekklesia means “a group of people called out of the world.” When the church arrives at its destination in heaven, it loses the name by which it was known in the world and other terms are used to describe it. We are going to see it in chapter 4 as twenty-four elders, representatives of the church in heaven. We are also going to see the church in heaven as a bride, coming down to her new home, the New Jerusalem. The apostate organization, which bears the ecclesiastical terminology and continues on in the world, is not hereafter given the title of “church” either, but the frightful label of “the harlot.” The late Dr. George Gill said years ago in a seminary class, “There are going to be some churches which will meet the next Sunday after the Rapture, and they won’t be missing a memberthey will all be there.” Why? Because it is the church of Laodiceathat is, it professes to be Christian but lacks reality.
4. The judgments beginning at chapter 6 would not be in harmony with the gracious provision and promise that God has made to the church. If the church remained in the world, it would frustrate the grace of God because He has promised to deliver us from judgment.
5. Finally, to continue from chapter 3 to chapter 4 without recognizing the break is to ignore the normal and natural division in the book as stated in chapter 1, verse Rev_1:19. As we enter this last division of the book with all of its judgment and wrath, it is well to keep in our perspective that Jesus Christ is central. He is directing all events as He brings them to a successful but determined conclusion. There is “in the midst of the throne …a Lamb” (Rev_7:17). He is a Lamb because He died for the sins of the world. And He is the One who is going to judge. After these things, after the church things have concluded, the scene shifts from earth to heaven. It is a radical change. However, the Word of God describes personages and activities in heaven as normally as it described them on earth. There is no strain or involvement in superstition or mystery. The bridge over the great gulf is passed with ease and a reverent restraint. Only the Holy Spirit could describe things in heaven with as much ease as He describes things on the earth.

What would have happened if a man had written this book? You know that the minute he got to the heavenly scene, he would have the wildest sort of things to say. How do I know that? Well, read the books that are out today which try to describe the overworld and the underworld and the unseen world. They are always rather startling and amazing. In fact, the use of this approach is one way that we can know a book is false.

There is an awful obsession today, even among some Christians, with the subject of demons and of the Devil. I have no truck with that outfit at all. I have often been asked why I haven’t written a book on this subject. Frankly, at first I thought I would, but when so many books started coming out, all as wild as a March Hare and all dealing with the sensational, I changed my mind. You don’t have the sensational here in Revelation. We simply move to heaven, and the scene is awe inspiring, but it lacks that which man would put in. The church is not seen under the familiar name it had in the world, but is now the priesthood of believers with the Great High Priest. Heavenly scenes and creatures greet us in this section (chs. 4-5) before our attention is drawn to the earth where, at the opening of the Great Tribulation, the four horsemen are to ride.

Revelation 4:1

THE THRONE OF GODChrist is viewed here in His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King. He is worshiped as God because He is God. Here is my translation of this first verse: After these things [Gr.: meta tauta] I saw, and behold a door set open in heaven; and the first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me and saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass after these things [meta tauta].“After these things” (meta tauta) is used twice here; it both opens and closes the verse. This repetition certainly lends great emphasis and importance to the phrase. Apparently, John was afraid the amillennialists would miss it; so he used it twice in this particular place. “I saw"that is the eye-gate. “I heard"that is the ear-gate. This is like a television program which we are looking at. This is the first great television program. We have had a wonderful treat in our day to view a television program from the moon, but that is nothing in comparisonhere is a television program from heaven! This ought to interest believers a great deal and not cause us to take off like a skyrocket into some wild sort of dreamy stuff. Heaven is a real place. There is a lot of reality there, and we ought not to get uptight over this scene that is now before us. We need to handle it in a normal way, but I admit that I cannot help but get excited about it all. “I saw, and behold a door set open in heaven.” This is one of the four open doors in the Book of Revelation:

1. In chapter 3, verse Rev_3:8, speaking to the church in Philadelphia, the Lord Jesus says, “I have set before thee an open door.” It seems that this refers to a door of opportunity for giving out the Word of God.
2. The open door of invitation and identification with Christ is in chapter 3, verse Rev_3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” That door is the door to your heart.
3. We have an open door here in verse Rev_3:1, which is the way to God through Christ, as we shall see.
4. In chapter 19, verse Rev_19:11, we see a door opened in heaven again. That is the open door through which Christ will come at His second coming. He comes out at the end of the Great Tribulation to put down all of the unrighteousness and rebellion against God and to establish His Kingdom. John did not see this door opening as the Authorized Version of verse Rev_4:1 suggests. This door was open all the time. It is the door through which believers have come to God for over nineteen hundred years. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Joh_14:6). He also said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (Joh_10:9). The open door to heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. He also is the One who will come to the door of your heartthat is the wonder and glory of it all. We enter by faith. In modern terminology, we might express it thus: faith puts us on the launching pad of the church, which is Christ, and at the Rapture we go through this door like a guided missile. It is not just shot out into space going nowhere, but if man can hit the target of the moon, I do not think the Lord Jesus will have any trouble getting His church into heaven. “Come up hither” is heaven’s invitation to John, and it is an invitation to all of the fellowship that know Christ as Savior. John wrote in 1Jn_1:3: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” John is saying in effect, “We heard it, we saw it, and we declare it unto you. I am letting you know this so that you can have fellowship also, and one of these days you will be going up through that open door.” “And the first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me.” This is the sound which calls the church to meet Christ in the air. And whose voice is it? It is the voice of Christ. This introduces us to one of the simple symbols which occurs frequently from here on in the Revelation. That it is a symbol is evidenta trumpet does not speak. Jazz devotees describe the trumpet playing of certain musicians by saying that their trumpets “talk.” When jazz addicts say that, they are just using a symbol.

A trumpet never talks. The voice of Christ is like a trumpet, and this is the voice that Paul wrote of in 1Th_4:16-17: “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.” This is a definite statement concerning the Rapture. When anyone tells you that the word rapture is not in the Bible, remember that the Greek word for “caught up” is harpazo; it means “caught up, raptured, or snatched up.” Hal Lindsey calls the Rapture “the great snatch.” I guess that is good vocabulary for young people today, but I prefer the term “caught up,” and it means rapture. If you don’t like the word rapture, then call it harpazo. That’s what Paul called it. We are to be caught up, and His voice will be like a trumpet. It pulled John up, and someday it will pull you and me up. “Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must come to pass after these things.” After what things? After the church has completed its earthly run and is caught up.

Revelation 4:2

At once (straightway) I found myself in the Spirit: and behold, a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne. “At once (straightway)” denotes the brevity of time, which is one of the characteristics of the Rapture. Paul said that we are to be caught up “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (see 1Co_15:51-52). A twinkling of an eye is pretty brief. Some psychologist has measured it. He considered the twinkling of an eye to be, not the going down of the eyelid, but the going up of the eyelidthat is reducing it to a fine point! But he determined that it Isaiah 1/1000 of a second. That is how quick the Rapture is going to beimmediately, straightway, at once. “I found myself in the Spirit.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is still guiding John into new truth and is showing him things to come (see Joh_16:13). “And, behold, a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne.” The throne was already there, but John now sees it for the first time. Our attention is now directed to the center of attraction. The throne represents the universal sovereignty and rulership of God. It means that He is in control. The general headquarters of this universe is in heaven, not in Washington, D.C., or London or Moscow or any other place down here. This is the picture that we are given in the Word of God.

We read in Psa_11:4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men” (see also Psa_47:8; Psa_97:2; Psa_103:19; Eze_1:26-28). It is the throne of God the Father, and Jesus sits at His right hand. Psa_110:1 tells us, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (see also Heb_1:3; Heb_12:2). The Lord Jesus is in charge of all events here. The throne of grace now becomes a throne of judgment. This is another reason that I say very definitely that the church is gone from the world when this takes place. If the church were still on the earth when Christ has left the place of intercession and has come to the place of judgment, He is in the wrong place for the church.

Revelation 4:3

All that we see here is color, beautiful color like precious stones. We do not get a picture of God at allHe never has been photographed. Our attention is directed to the One who is seated on the throne. Although He is God the Father, we should understand this to be the throne of the triune God. Nevertheless, the three persons of the Trinity are distinguished: (1) God the Holy Spirit in verses Rev_4:2 and Rev_4:5; (2) God the Father here in verse Rev_4:3; and (3) God the Son in verse Rev_5:5 of chapter 5. What we have before us here is the Trinity upon the throne. John could distinguish no form of a person on the throne, only the brilliance and brightness of precious stones. “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper.” The jasper stone was the last stone identified in the breastplate of the high priest (see Exo_28:20). It was first in the foundation of the New Jerusalem and also the first seen in the wall of the New Jerusalem (see Rev_21:18-19). It was a many-colored stone with purple predominating. Some identify it with a diamond. It was in the breastplate of the high priest of Israel, representing little Benjamin whom Jacob called “the son of my right hand.” Perhaps this speaks of Christ as He ascended and took His place at the right hand of the Father. The “sardine stone” is the sixth stone in the foundation of the New Jerusalem (see Rev_21:20). Pliny says it was discovered in Sardis from which it derived its name. In color it was a fiery red. The sardine stone was the first stone in the breastplate of the high priest, representing the tribe of Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob. And Christ is the Son of God, the firstborn from the dead. “Rainbow” is the Greek word iris, which can also mean “halo.” While the rainbow is polychrome, here it is emerald, which is green (see Eze_1:28). After the judgment of the Flood, the rainbow appeared as a reminder of God’s covenant not to destroy the earth again with a flood (see Gen_9:13-15). It appears here before the judgment of the Great Tribulation as a reminder that a flood will not be used in judgment. Green is the color of the earth. The suggestion here is that of the prophet Habakkuk: “…in wrath remember mercy” (Hab_3:2)and God will do that.

Revelation 4:4

THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERSThere has been a great deal of speculation as to who these elders are. The Greek word for “elders” is presbuteros. By the way, the word presbyterian comes from that, and I am reminded of the story about the little girl who came home from her Presbyterian Sunday school, and her mother asked her what they had talked about. “We talked about heaven,” the little girl replied. “Well, what did they say about it?” her mother asked. “The teacher said that there were only twenty-four Presbyterians there!” Seriously, elders were representatives. We know that Israel had elders and that elders were appointed in the early churches to rule and to represent the entire church (see Tit_1:5). Their role was clearly understood by the people in John’s day. These twenty-four elders stand for the total church from Pentecost to the Rapture. Therefore, I can say categorically and dogmatically that here is the church in heaven. “White raiment” is the righteousness of Christ (see 2Co_5:21). “Crowns of gold” indicates that the church will rule with Christ (see 1Co_6:3). Crowns are also given as rewards (see 2Ti_4:8; Jas_1:12; 1Pe_5:4) when the bema judgment, the judgment seat of Christ, takes place.

Revelation 4:5

The tense here is the present tense; it should be proceed, not proceeded. It is taking place right there and then. “Lightnings and thunderings” always precede a storm in the Midwest and generally indicate the intensity of the storm. I think that the meaning here is that judgment is coming. “And voices” indicates that it is not a haphazard judgment, but it is directed by the One on the throne. “The seven Spirits of God” is a clear reference to the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 4:6

THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES"A sea of glass” denotes its appearance and not the material of which it is made. This sea is before the throne of God and is another indication that the emphasis is not on mercy but on judgment. This sea represents the holiness and righteousness of God (see Mat_5:8; Heb_12:14). We are told in 1Th_3:13, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” This placid sea indicates the position of rest to which the church has come. No longer is she the victim of the storms of life. No longer is she out there on the tossing sea. “Four beasts” are literally “four living creatures.” The Greek word is zoa, from which we get our English word zoo. It doesn’t mean a wild beast as we might think. We will have a wild beast when we get to chapter 13, but that is a different word and a different type of beast. This is just a living creature. The emphasis is not upon the bestial, but upon the vital, upon the fact that they are living. “Four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” This speaks of their alertness and awareness. They resemble both the cherubim of Eze_1:5-10; Eze_10:20; and the seraphim of Isa_6:2-3.

Revelation 4:7

I agree with those who identify each of these living creatures with the Gospel which it represents, and I believe this is accurate, although such an application is questioned a great deal. “The first living creature was like a lion,” and the first Gospel represents the Lord Jesus as the King. He was born a King, He lived a King, He died a King, He was raised a King, and He is coming again as a King. Everything He does in the Gospel of Matthew He does as the King. Remember that God said that the tribe of Judah was like a lion, that the King, the Ruler, would come from that tribe, and that the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh came (see Gen_49:9-10; Rev_5:5). “The second living creature like a calf [ox].” This is the beast of burden, the servant animal domesticated. In the Gospel of Mark, Christ is presented as the Servant. There is no genealogy given in this Gospel. If you hire someone to mow your lawn or to wash your dishes, you do not ask him who his papa and mama are. What difference does it make? You want to know whether or not he can do the job. The Gospel of Mark presents Christ as the Servant. “The third living creature had a face as a man.” The third Gospel, the Gospel of Luke, presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man. It is His humanity that is emphasized. “The fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.” He communicates the deity of Christ as seen in the Gospel of John. These living creatures also represent the animal world, as suggested by Godet. The lion represents wild beasts, the calf represents domesticated beasts, the eagle represents birds, and man is the head of all creation. Note that there is no mention of fish. In the new heaven and the new earth, there will be no more sea, and since there is no sea, you will not need any fish. Nor will there be reptiles. The serpent will not be there to introduce sin as he did at the beginning.

Revelation 4:8

These six wings correspond to the seraphim of Isa_6:2. Instead of had, it should be havingthis is the present tense. This is where the action is, and this is taking place. That which they say repeatedly is, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” This is the same refrain as that of the seraphim in Isa_6:3. “Which was, and is, and is to come” refers to Christ. He identified Himself at the very beginning of this book in just that way: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev_1:8). He is identified for us, and therefore we do not need to speculate in places like this.

Revelation 4:9

This is the first great worship scene which we see in heaven. When should be whensoever, indicating that this is a continual act of worship. In other words, praise and adoration are the eternal activity of God’s creatures in heaven. The creature worships the Creator as the triune God: “Holy, holy, holy.” Worship is the activity of heaven. I have a sermon which I have not preached in quite some while, which is entitled, “Why Do You Want to Go to Heaven?” Many people say that not everybody who is talking about heaven is going to heaven. The better question is, Why do you want to go to heaven? Is the idea to miss hell? I myself do not think that to be an unworthy motive, but may I say to you that if you go to heaven, you are going to find yourself either getting down on your face or getting up, worshiping the triune God and especially the Lord Jesus Christ. If you find worship boring down here and you are not interested in worshiping the Lord Jesus and expressing your heart’s desire to Him, why in the world do you want to go to heaven? We are going to spend a lot of time up there worshiping Him. “And cast their crowns before the throne.” The crowns of the church are laid at Jesus’ feet as an act of submission and worship. Many people talk of there being a crown for them over there. Frankly, if we get a crown at all, I think that after we wear it for awhile and the newness wears off, we are going to feel embarrassed. What in the world are we doing wearing a crown? The only One worthy up there is the Lord Jesus. Therefore, we are going to lay our crown at His feet. “For thou hast created all things.” Dr. Walvoord, in his very excellent book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, calls attention to something here that I think is important. The living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne. They worship Him for His attributes, because He is who He is. However, the four and twenty elders who represent the church worship Him not only because of His attributes, but also because of what He has done. Here they worship Him as Creator"thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” In other words, the church comes out of this little earth which is God’s creation, and they join in the worship because He created this earth down here. Gen_1:1 is accurate, and the church believes it. “And for thy pleasure they are and were created.” “For thy pleasure” is more accurately translated “because of thy will.” The reason that God created this earth and that things are as they are is because it was in His plan and purpose. I do not understand a great deal of what He is doing, and I do not understand a great deal about this universe in which I live, but I do know that it is created this way because this is the way He wanted it. He is in charge, and we are to worship Him because He created this little earth. I am glad that He did, and I am glad that He created me. He could have forgotten all about me, but I am glad that I was in the plan and purpose of God. We worship Him because of that.