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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."
"After this" is a reference to Christ's oration to the Churches meaning a new subject is about to be addressed. The prior chapters were Christ's letter to the churches of John's time that would resonate true to every church throughout the ages. John was then taken through a portal in heaven to finally see the coming future of Christ's return and the events leading up to that great day. This does not mean the church has been raptured. The church has no article in the subject of verse 1 neither is Christ neglectful as he has already addressed the churches. The church is again mentioned in chapter 22. Church members are referred to throughout the book of revelation. The "I" here is John. The Door is in heaven and the trumpet is the voice of God. God is granting John access into heaven that he might reveal the future to him. We have seen the earth now we are taken to heaven. Heaven is where ever God is.
4:2 "And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."
John was then instantly taken to the throne of God. Heaven cannot abide the flesh so John was in a spiritual body. The same body we will have when Christ returns. The one who sits on the throne is God.
4:3 "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."
This is the shakina glory around almighty God. The jasper and the sardine stone are the last and first stones on a high priests breastplate. Ex 28.
4:4 "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."
The raiment is made of your righteous acts. Twelve of the twenty-four must be the patriarchs of the twelve tribes and the other twelve have to be the apostles.
4:5 "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 next chapter reveals just who these seven spirits are.
4:6 "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."
Beast = Zoon: 2226 1.) a living being 2.) an animal, brute, beast. It is better-translated "beast of burden" as these are four carriages and not in fact animals. These are the craft that hold the children of a Living God. Their description is given in totality in the notes on verse 8.
4:7 "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."
These animals are symbolic of God's children. Num 2:2 "Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch." All the tribes, save for the Levites, where encamped around Israel and each flew a flag that designated which tribe was the head. The standards have the following designations; Judah, east = Lion / Rueben, south = Man's face / Ephraim, west = Ox / Dan, north = Eagle. These "beasts" are not only with God's but are the children of God as well.
4:8 "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."
There is so much packed into this one verse we have to go way back into the book of Ezekiel to even begin to try to understand what these four beasts are. Revelation is not the first appearance of these "beasts of burden." Ezek 1:4 "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." Something came from the whirlwind of cloud and fire in the sky that was the color amber. Ezek 1:5 "Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man." Four things followed it out of the fire that appeared to be "fashioned" by man (likeness of = D@muwth: 1823). The Hebrew word translated "amber" here means "highly polished bronze".
The four that followed are the same "beasts" of Rev 4:8 and each one has six wings in the air and four when they landed as two served as landing gear. Ezek 1:6 "And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings." Everyone had a four "fronts" (faces = Paniym: 6440) and alternately on each were the symbols of Israel: Ox, Man, Lion, Eagle. Ezek 1:10 "As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle." Each had four "corners" (wings = Kanaph: 3671) that extended around a spherical fuselage to form a polygon around this highly polished bronze object. Ezek 1:7 "And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass." When landed the feet of these immense creatures are large pads on metal "legs" that attach to the body of the "beast". Ezek 1:8 "And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings." They were "powered" (hands = Yad: 3027) by a man. Ezek 1:9 "Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward." Unlike a donkey whose head you have to turn, these creatures that they rode on had no head and went any direction without "turning".
Ezek 1:13 "As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures;" These are the cherubs themselves who "went up and down among the living creatures". That is to say, "walked in and out of the living creatures." (Down = Halak: 1980) They are always in their spiritual bodies and by their description they must have been a wild sight. "...and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning." The firestorm still rages in the sky. Ezek 1:14 "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." The beasts they rode upon were lightning quick. Ezek 1:15 "Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces." He goes into a further description of one of the landed "craft" (wheel = 'owphan: 212) Ezek 1:16 "The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl (a semi precious yellow gemstone): and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel." The body of it was a circular object that had another circle in the center.
Ezek 1:18 “As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four." These "rings" around the four insignia are windows and had a lot of some ones looking from this very large object. Ezek 1:19 "And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up." Ezek 1:20 "Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels." Ezek 1:21 "When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels." The wheels carried the cherubs and the tribes literally anywhere and it each had a cherub to pilot it.
Ezek 1:22 "And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above." This is the same "sea of glass like unto crystal" of Rev 4 and it stretched out above the wheels replacing the sky with a portal to heaven. Ezek 1:23 "And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies." When they were landed two of their wings collapsed to help serve as stabilizers. Ezek 1:24 "And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings." When they flew they were very loud and gave a deep, resonating, vibratory sound. When they landed the noise was gone.
Ezek 1:25 "And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings." After they landed there came a voice from the portal. Ezek 1: 26 "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it." Above these wheels and through the portal was the throne of God. Ezek 1:27 "And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about."
This is the same description of the Lord as given in Revelation. He is the same yesterday as today. There is no improving upon perfection. Ezek 1:28 "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." Its glow was like that of a brilliant rainbow, like the one after the flood of Noah, and Ezekiel knew that he was in the presence of God. The four beasts are four immense vehicles that carry the children of Israel and the cherubs who pilot them. Those who are aboard never cease in glorifying the Almighty with songs of praise, words of honor and worship.
4:9 "And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,"
When all the people and the cherubs aboard gave thanks and worshiped the Lord,
4:10 "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,"
The patriarchs and the apostles will also worship to give back honor to the one who gave it.
4:11 "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."
God made all things for his pleasure. There is no other glory, power or honor than Almighty God. Ezek 18:4 "Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Find the Way and seek what is pleasing to God.
"After this" is a reference to Christ's oration to the Churches meaning a new subject is about to be addressed. The prior chapters were Christ's letter to the churches of John's time that would resonate true to every church throughout the ages. John was then taken through a portal in heaven to finally see the coming future of Christ's return and the events leading up to that great day. This does not mean the church has been raptured. The church has no article in the subject of verse 1 neither is Christ neglectful as he has already addressed the churches. The church is again mentioned in chapter 22. Church members are referred to throughout the book of revelation. The "I" here is John. The Door is in heaven and the trumpet is the voice of God. God is granting John access into heaven that he might reveal the future to him. We have seen the earth now we are taken to heaven. Heaven is where ever God is.
4:2 "And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."
John was then instantly taken to the throne of God. Heaven cannot abide the flesh so John was in a spiritual body. The same body we will have when Christ returns. The one who sits on the throne is God.
4:3 "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."
This is the shakina glory around almighty God. The jasper and the sardine stone are the last and first stones on a high priests breastplate. Ex 28.
4:4 "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."
The raiment is made of your righteous acts. Twelve of the twenty-four must be the patriarchs of the twelve tribes and the other twelve have to be the apostles.
4:5 "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 next chapter reveals just who these seven spirits are.
4:6 "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."
Beast = Zoon: 2226 1.) a living being 2.) an animal, brute, beast. It is better-translated "beast of burden" as these are four carriages and not in fact animals. These are the craft that hold the children of a Living God. Their description is given in totality in the notes on verse 8.
4:7 "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."
These animals are symbolic of God's children. Num 2:2 "Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch." All the tribes, save for the Levites, where encamped around Israel and each flew a flag that designated which tribe was the head. The standards have the following designations; Judah, east = Lion / Rueben, south = Man's face / Ephraim, west = Ox / Dan, north = Eagle. These "beasts" are not only with God's but are the children of God as well.
4:8 "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."
There is so much packed into this one verse we have to go way back into the book of Ezekiel to even begin to try to understand what these four beasts are. Revelation is not the first appearance of these "beasts of burden." Ezek 1:4 "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." Something came from the whirlwind of cloud and fire in the sky that was the color amber. Ezek 1:5 "Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man." Four things followed it out of the fire that appeared to be "fashioned" by man (likeness of = D@muwth: 1823). The Hebrew word translated "amber" here means "highly polished bronze".
The four that followed are the same "beasts" of Rev 4:8 and each one has six wings in the air and four when they landed as two served as landing gear. Ezek 1:6 "And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings." Everyone had a four "fronts" (faces = Paniym: 6440) and alternately on each were the symbols of Israel: Ox, Man, Lion, Eagle. Ezek 1:10 "As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle." Each had four "corners" (wings = Kanaph: 3671) that extended around a spherical fuselage to form a polygon around this highly polished bronze object. Ezek 1:7 "And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass." When landed the feet of these immense creatures are large pads on metal "legs" that attach to the body of the "beast". Ezek 1:8 "And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings." They were "powered" (hands = Yad: 3027) by a man. Ezek 1:9 "Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward." Unlike a donkey whose head you have to turn, these creatures that they rode on had no head and went any direction without "turning".
Ezek 1:13 "As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures;" These are the cherubs themselves who "went up and down among the living creatures". That is to say, "walked in and out of the living creatures." (Down = Halak: 1980) They are always in their spiritual bodies and by their description they must have been a wild sight. "...and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning." The firestorm still rages in the sky. Ezek 1:14 "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." The beasts they rode upon were lightning quick. Ezek 1:15 "Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces." He goes into a further description of one of the landed "craft" (wheel = 'owphan: 212) Ezek 1:16 "The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl (a semi precious yellow gemstone): and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel." The body of it was a circular object that had another circle in the center.
Ezek 1:18 “As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four." These "rings" around the four insignia are windows and had a lot of some ones looking from this very large object. Ezek 1:19 "And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up." Ezek 1:20 "Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels." Ezek 1:21 "When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels." The wheels carried the cherubs and the tribes literally anywhere and it each had a cherub to pilot it.
Ezek 1:22 "And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above." This is the same "sea of glass like unto crystal" of Rev 4 and it stretched out above the wheels replacing the sky with a portal to heaven. Ezek 1:23 "And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies." When they were landed two of their wings collapsed to help serve as stabilizers. Ezek 1:24 "And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings." When they flew they were very loud and gave a deep, resonating, vibratory sound. When they landed the noise was gone.
Ezek 1:25 "And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings." After they landed there came a voice from the portal. Ezek 1: 26 "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it." Above these wheels and through the portal was the throne of God. Ezek 1:27 "And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about."
This is the same description of the Lord as given in Revelation. He is the same yesterday as today. There is no improving upon perfection. Ezek 1:28 "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." Its glow was like that of a brilliant rainbow, like the one after the flood of Noah, and Ezekiel knew that he was in the presence of God. The four beasts are four immense vehicles that carry the children of Israel and the cherubs who pilot them. Those who are aboard never cease in glorifying the Almighty with songs of praise, words of honor and worship.
4:9 "And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,"
When all the people and the cherubs aboard gave thanks and worshiped the Lord,
4:10 "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,"
The patriarchs and the apostles will also worship to give back honor to the one who gave it.
4:11 "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."
God made all things for his pleasure. There is no other glory, power or honor than Almighty God. Ezek 18:4 "Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Find the Way and seek what is pleasing to God.
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