Revelation 4
Revelation 1,
2, 3, 4,
5, 6,
7, 8,
9,10,11,12,13,
14, 15,
16, 17,
18, 19,
20, 21,
22
Revelation 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 shew thee things which must be hereafter.
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A trumpet talking with me = The voice of God
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John is actually right there on the
threshold of heaven.
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We know when the last trump
sounds, this is The Lord Day
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We know John was taken to that day
= The Millennium
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John is going to be shown, not only
what will happen, but what does happen until that time
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in
heaven, and one sat on the throne.
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The one that sat on the throne was
the Living God
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Psalms 103:19 The LORD hath prepared
his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
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Psalms 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD,
with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works
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Ezekiel tells us about the same throne of God, Ezekiel 1
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.
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The sight which John saw of the
precious stones and the rainbow, no doubt, was the Shekinah Glory of
God.
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It is difficult for us to imagine
at this time, just what His appearance is, but we know from John's
description it is spectacular.
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.
- Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory,
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and
rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:
for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints.
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.
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What are theses thundering and
voices?
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Revelation 5:12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
and honour, and glory, and blessing.
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Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the
seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an
hour.
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Seven Lamps = Seven Spirits of God = God's very elect
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Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you,
and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to
come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
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.
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The word crystal means absolute
purity
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The Greek word used here for
"beast" is "zoon" - meaning living ones or creatures
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They are not angels or men
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Their sole task is to love God and
guard the throne
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They are always present when the
throne is mentioned
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They cannot be swayed away from
their master by choice, even their own
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They have been set there as
protectors of the throne
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This beast (zoon) is different from
the satanic or serpentine beast (there on, meaning venomous beast)
which is used through out the rest of Revelation as kingdoms and
kings.
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Look and see how many times the
definition of ''a living creatures'' has been translated into the
English word ''beast'' when it only means a living creature.
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These four ''beast'' were with God
from the beginning.
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They are referred to in Genesis as
cherubim (Hebrew word Kerub).
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They were part of the cherubim that
were placed in the garden to protect the tree of life (Christ) and
to keep man from partaking of it at that particular time
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Which would have given man eternal
life in the state of sin even in the garden
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Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every
way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
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.
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Beast here are living ones or living
creatures "verse 6"
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Where the encampment of Israel is
set forth
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Numbers 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.
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Numbers 2:8 And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
9 All
that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and
fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout
their armies. These shall first set forth.
10 On the south side
shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their
armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur
the son of Shedeur.
11 And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
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The lion is Judah, which is always
on the east
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Reuben is on the south, is the man
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Ephraim, on the west, is the ox
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Dan, on the north, is the eagle
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So here is the throne of God in the
midst of Israel
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He is talking about the house of Israel and Judah
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.
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They were all knowing and all
seeing
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They were sensitive to all things
that went on around the throne
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Ezekiel 1:8 speaks of the same
creatures
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Ezekiel 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.
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They were on the flying wheels
described by Ezekiel
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To whom do the creatures refer when
calling "Holy, Holy, Holy"? Our Living God
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We continually see these four
creatures in His presence, paying homage day and night to our
Father.
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,
- They cast their crowns before the
throne, because the power which comes from the throne allows them to
wear the crowns.
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.
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All things were
created specifically for God's pleasure.
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He alone is counted worthy to
receive honor, glory and power, because in Him alone resides the
power to create.
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The glory,
The honour,
The power