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REVELATION 4

 

The Apostle John is taken to heaven

 

Rev. 4:1  After this [Gr. meta tauta, after these things] [Rev. 1:19after writing the things which thou hast seen (Chapter 1); and the things which are (in John’s day: Chapters 2 and 3); Jesus next shows John the things which shall be hereafter (Chapters 4 through 22)—none of which have transpired as of May, 2009] I looked, and, behold,

            [1] a door [was] opened in heaven [a picture of the Rapture of the Church, but not the Rapture of the Church (c/p. Rev. 3:8)]: and

            [2] the first voice [the voice of Jesus]

[a.] which I heard [was]

[11.] as it were of a trumpet (Rev. 1:10) talking with me;

which said,

[b.] Come up hither [to the throne room in heaven as did the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:4), Isaiah (Isa. 6:1) and Ezekiel (Eze. 1:4; 8:2; 10:1-5); c/p. Hab. 3:3-4; (c/p. also Rev. 11:12], and come hither, Rev. 17:1)], and

[c.] I will show thee things

            [11.] which must be hereafter [Gr. meta tauta, after these things; this verse does not prove the Rapture of the Church after the "Church age", arguably represented by Chapters 2 and 3. The Rapture of the Church is not covered as a subject in the book of Revelation, but must be discerned from a disciplined reading of the text (see notes on Chapters 6 and 7)].

 

 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit [(Rev. 1:10); c/p. Paul’s visit to heaven (2 Cor. 12:2); c/p. Eze. 2:12; 43:5]; and, behold, 

            [1] a throne was set in heaven, and

            [2] [one] sat on the throne.

 4:3  And he that sat was to look upon

            [1] like a jasper and

            [2] [like]a sardine stone: and

[there was] a rainbow

                        [a.] round about the throne, in sight

[b.] like unto an emerald.

 

Twenty-four elders around the throne of God

 

 4:4  And

[1] round about the throne [were]

[a.] four and twenty seats [thrones]: and

[2] upon the seats [thrones] I saw

[a.] four and twenty elders

                                    [11.] sitting [in a place of honor and authority (c/p. Rev. 3:21)],

                                    [12.] clothed in white raiment [made righteous (Rev. 19:8)]; and

                                    [13.] they had on their heads crowns of gold..

 

 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded

            [1] lightnings and

            [2] thunderings and

            [3] voices:

and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning

[a.] before the throne,

                                    [11.] which are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 1:4 ; Rev. 3:1; Rev. 5:6).

 

4:6  And

            [1] before the throne [there was] a sea of glass [before the throne of God is an empty crystal sea with nobody standing before Him in victory (c/p. Rev. 7:9; Rev. 15:2)]

[a.] like unto crystal: and

            [2] in the midst [middle] of the throne, and

            [3] round about [around] the throne,

[a.] [were] four beasts [zoe, angelic living creatures; these are in the middle of the Father's throne, surrounding it [c/p. seraphim (Isa. 6:2)]

                                    [11.] full of eyes before and behind.

 4:7  And

            [1] the first beast [was] like a lion (c/p. Eze. 1:10, 10:14), and

            [2] the second beast like a calf, and

            [3] the third beast had a face as a man, and

            [4] the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle.

 4:8  And the four beasts

            [1] had each of them six wings (c/p. Isa. 6:2) about [him]; and

            [2] [they were] full of eyes within: and

            [3] they rest not day and night, saying,

                        [a.] Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty (c/p. Isa. 6:3),

                                    [11.] which was,

                                    [12.] and is,

                                    [13.] and is to come.

 © 1997-2009 Walter J. Taylor; Walter James Taylor

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