Go to Homepage

The fourth and fifth Chapters of Revelation

Now Let's begin our study in the fourth chapter.
Revelation 4^th Chapter
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.
2: And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
John is having a vision in the same fashion as Peter on the roof-top in Acts 11:5.
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:

The door that John sees in this Scripture is a door to future events that God had opened to John. Only heaven knows the future for sure. This is the reason that this door was set in heaven. God is going to show him things that are going to happen in the future. The way God is going to do this is by showing him a number of allegories, or types and shadows of things in strange appearances that will tell us a story without saying it in words. The images you are about to see are not real. When we get to heaven it will not appear the way that John is going to see it in his visions. Heaven will be much greater than this.
Immediately John was in the spirit, which was a spiritual state of mind, a spiritual trance. While in this trance he saw a throne in heaven, and someone sitting on the throne. This was to mean that he had entered the door in this vision and was taken to the throne.

There are some people that believe that the Book of Revelation should be taken literal. To think like that is very bizarre and ridiculous. Why would I say such a thing? In the fifth chapter there will be a lamb appearing that has been slain. It has seven eyes and seven horns. This lamb is a spiritual allegory of Jesus. If it is to be taken literal then Jesus will look like a lamb that has been slain with seven eyes and seven horns in Heaven. Do you believe this? I don't either.

3: And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone:---
The mystery hidden in this allegory is this; John sees God as fine cut precious Jewels. This in itself reveals the tremendous value that God is to all of us who know him: He is our treasure. God and his dear Son, along with the Holy Ghost are the greatest wealth a man or woman could ever possess. This is easy to understand.

3:(continued) ---and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
The next mystery is that there is a rainbow that is like unto an emerald, around the throne. Some try to say that the rainbow encircled the throne, but if it did, it would not be a rainbow, it would be a circle. So, it went up and over the throne like rainbows do. Unlike many words in the Greek that have several meanings this Greek word only has one meaning and that is "rainbow". What in the world could this rainbow represent? Well, God's Word has the answer. In Gen. 9 beginning with the 11th verse God makes a covenant with Noah.

11. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15. And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

A token of a covenant is simply this. God set the rainbow in the sky as a reminder of the covenant that God made with Noah. So the rainbow was a reminder of a covenant that God had made with someone. This tells us what the rainbow over God's throne was there for. It was a reminder of a covenant. This isn't the only place in Revelation that speaks of a rainbow. In Chapter 10 we see an angel that has a rainbow on his head.
Revelation 10: 1: And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
This angel is an angel of judgement and has the power to destroy, He could be Michael the Arc Angel. I believe that the rainbow that is on his head is there to remind him of the covenant of Noah. A reminder not to destroy the earth with a flood.

Rainbows are normally multi-colored. The rainbow that arches over the throne is like an emerald in appearance. Emeralds are green. What can this possibly mean? Well, let's look at God's word again, it is impossible to interpret Bible allegories without using Bible scripture to interpret, it cannot come out of our own imaginations. If it does come out of our own imagination it is just that, "imagination".

As Jesus was being led away to be crucified, a crowd of women followed Jesus weeping and wailing. Jesus turned to them in Luke 23:28 and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." He told them of the hardship that would come to Israel and then said: Lk: 23:31, For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Green represents life. In this case Jesus was referring to himself being the life that was in Israel. It would not be long until that life would not be there any longer. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He was the green or the life of Israel. He is also our life. We are like a green tree because he lives in us. The green in this rainbow represents Jesus and the life that comes from Him. A covenant with life: or one with Jesus in it. There is only one covenant in the world that was made to a man that had this promise in it. God is remembering the covenant he made with Abraham. That covenant is the one and the same with the new covenant that God promised to Israel. Jeremiah 31:31-34 tells us of a covenant that would come to Israel that their sins would be remembered no more. This covenant is the same as the one Jesus made with the Church. It was to the Jew first and then the Gentile, but it is between Jesus and his followers.

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.
John saw twenty-four elders seated around the throne. They were the 12 patriarchs and the 12 disciples. The white raiment they were wearing represented their purity and the golden crowns on their heads are a symbol of their rewards in heaven.

This whole scene in John's vision with God sitting on the throne, His remembering his promises to Abraham, now the 24 elders, is to show us God's plan and purpose with man. It all began with Israel when God called out a people to be his people. In Romans the 9^th chapter verse 4 Paul explained that the adoption of the children of God and the coming of Christ in the flesh had all happened because of the covenants and promises that God had made to them. These promises were first given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Passed down from them to the twelve sons of Jacob that we know to be the twelve patriarchs. These twelve sons are the very foundation of Israel, even today. So twelve of these elders are these twelve sons. The other twelve are the twelve apostles themselves. Jesus chose them for the very purpose to bring about the fulfillment concerning the covenant made to Abraham that would bring salvation to this earth. The elders have crowns on their heads representing their rewards in Heaven.

5: And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices:-----
The voices in this scripture are talking about the prayers and praises that go up to God everyday. The thunders and lightnings in this scripture are referring to the voice of God when he answers or if he is trying to direct us. The thunders represent times when God speaks to us and we do not understand, it is just noise to us. The lightnings represent the times that God speaks to us through divine revelation and we are able to receive it. It comes to us in the form of light. One good example of this is found in John chapter 12.
28: Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29: The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30: Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
When God speaks we will either understand it or not. If we understand it becomes a light to us, or lightning, if we don't understand it may as well be thunder.

5:(continued) ---and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
When people read this scripture they often are deceived into believing that there are seven separate Spirits of God. Stop and think for a moment. This is a vision; every thing in it is picture stories. In the following chapter of this book in the 6^th verse we see a lamb that has been slain. It has seven eyes and seven horns. This scripture declares that these eyes and these horns are the seven Spirits of God. Consider this just for the moment. Seven lamps, seven eyes and seven horns illustrate the Seven Spirits of God.

Many have erred by going to Isaiah the 11^th chapter to try and prove that the seven attributes of the Spirit listed there are the seven Spirits of God. It is a mistake to do this; I'll try to show you why. Isaiah 11: 2: says this:" And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." While it is true that there are seven things listed in Isaiah 11: 2. We must also realize that these attributes as great as they are fall short of the many wonderful attributes of the Holy Spirit. More of these would be the spirit of Grace, the spirit of truth, the spirit of power, the spirit of love, the spirit of forgiveness, the spirit of kindness, the spirit of patience and so forth. Even though Isaiah spoke of seven wonderful things about the Holy Spirit that would rest on Christ it just doesn't completely describe all that the Holy Spirit is. The fruit of the spirit in Galatians adds many more. So it isn't talking about how many attributes the Holy Spirit has because there are many more than just seven. What are the seven Spirits of God? It is important to realize that there is only one Church, and one Spirit.

Ephesians 4:
4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Rev. 1:10-11
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Even though there were seven churches in Asia, there was in all reality only one church of Asia. In this same fashion, since God has a people on all seven continents of this earth, there is seven churches today; The Church of North America, the Church of Europe, The Church of Africa and so forth. The Seven Churches that make up the one Church in the World today is also called the body of Christ.

The seven lamps are types of the same kind of thing. John saw the seven lamps burning before the throne. These lamps are an allegory or type and shadow of the seven spirits of God. Since Ephesians 4:4 says that there is only one body speaking of the Church and that there is only one Spirit, speaking of the Spirit of God. It is obvious that this is simply telling us that the seven lamps burning with fire is symbolic of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost that has been poured out all over the earth for all men to receive, in all seven Continents. In John's day they didn't know that there were seven Continents in the world, but God did.

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.
We are about to take a look at some very exciting news. This sea of glass reveals a mystery that very few people in the Church are aware of. This is not a sea such as an ocean or large body of water. This is an allegory of a great work that God is doing in the earth, and is about to let Israel take part in it. This is something they have been called to do from the time that God first spoke to Abraham. Let's look at Solomon's Temple for a minute. God commanded Solomon while making the furniture for the temple to make a molten sea.
I Kings 7:23, And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
25. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
II Chronicles 4:6, He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

II chronicles 4:5 said that it held 3,000 baths (in our estimates it held 10,000 gallons of water). We must remember that the Bible teaches us that the things that were in the Temple and Tabernacle under the law represented things that are Heavenly.

This huge sea sitting on the backs of these 12 oxen are a prophecy of a time that the 12 Disciples, under the banner of the Ox that is Ephraim's banner, would take the Gospel to the world. God has made all Christians priests and kings in the kingdom of God, but the lord must wash us before we can do his service. Through his blood and through his word this is made possible. This what this sea represents the remission and forgiveness of sins. His capacity to cleanse us is like an Ocean or a Sea. It is enormous! The reason we don't see the cross or a sacrifice altar here is because he has already been crucified once, and that was enough. There is no more sacrifice for sins; it has already been paid. The one who paid that price will step out in the next chapter as a Lamb to take the book with the seven seals from the father sitting on the throne.

The other mystery in this verse is the four beast who were full of eyes before and behind. This is Israel and their banners in the wilderness: Ephraim in the west, Judah in the East, Dan in the north, and Reuben in the south. When God placed these tribes around the tabernacle in the wilderness he used the banners of the leading tribes.

In each one of these groups God set one tribe above another. For example Ephraim in the west was leader over Manasseh and Benjamin. And this is the way it worked all the way through. All twelve tribes actually had a banner of their own, but God placed the other banners under the leading tribe with only four banners representing all twelve tribes of Israel. Eventually Ephraim and Judah would be the only tribes in charge over all of Israel and all twelve tribes would be found under each one of their banners. It is very important to note that while Israel was living outside of the Promised Land, Ephraim's location was in the west, Judah's location was in the east. We will go into more detail on these four beasts during the next two verses.

These four beasts are full of eyes before and behind. We will give an understanding of this in Verse 8.

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.
The four beasts are numbered and described. Pay close attention to their numbers and what they are because it is very important in two separate ways. The numbers have no meaning except to reveal a deep mystery when we go to Chapter 6 and the first four Seals. These numbers play a critical role in understanding the first four Seals.

The descriptions of each one of these beasts are the emblems on the banners of Israel. The Lion is for the tribe of Judah, the Calf is actually a baby Ox, and the Ox is the emblem of Ephraim. The Man is Reuben's banner and the flying Eagle is Dan�s banner. These were the four encampments around the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

8: And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him;------.
The four beasts represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Each beast has six wings; there are four beasts, which tells us that there are 24 wings in all. Wings were sometimes used to describe great leaders such as the two wings that brought the children of Israel out of Egypt; these wings were types and shadows of Moses and Aaron. Also the four wings on the back of the four-headed leopard in Daniel that represented the four leaders of the four nations that made up the Grecian kingdom under Alexander the great. So, the 24 wings represent 24 men. These 24 men are the same as the 24 elders who are sitting around the throne. The 12 patriarchs and the 12 disciples, the reason they are shown as wings is because God�s promises to these 12 men are why Israel will be saved in the last days. It was Abraham's covenant that was given to all of these men. You will not find Moses here because God found fault with the covenant that was given to him, Hebrews 8: 7-8.

8: (continued) ---and they were full of eyes within:------.

These four beasts were full of eyes verse 6 says that they were full of eyes before and behind. In this verse it says that they are full of eyes within. Israel has been held in partial blindness since the time that Christ walked on this earth. These eyes that we see are a description of the time that Israel will be able to see and understand. This means that they will be saved and know that they are saved.

8: (continued)-----and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
As the four beasts worship God they use a term "which was, and is, and is to come." This is a mystery within a mystery. We will begin with the mystery within the mystery and explain the rest in verse 9.

The fact that the location of these eyes being before, behind and within is a confirmation of Israel's salvation. They are able to say which was , because God has given them eyes behind, He has given them eyes to see into the past to believe that Jesus was the one that came to Israel and was crucified for their sins. Jesus was really the Messiah after all.

They say, and is. They have been given eyes to see within. How do they know that Jesus is? Because Jesus is now living in their hearts just like you and me. This is how we know that he is, because he lives in us. Jesus told Nicodemus that he could not see the kingdom of God until he had been born again. They have been born again.

They say and is to come. Because they have been given eyes before, they are able to see what lies ahead of them. Now they realize that Jesus is going to come and rapture them out of here with the rest of the Church, Gentile and Jew alike for there is neither in the kingdom of God.

God was giving John a vision of a group of Jews that will be saved before the Seven-Year Tribulation begins. There is a lot of scripture in the Bible about this, but most people don't realize that it is there.

It is the unusual in this allegory that tells us what God wants us to see. The Ox of Ephraim has become a calf. This is very revealing. It is a baby ox; Ephraim's ox has been born again. The awesome thing that I see in this baby ox is a wonderful fulfillment of scripture. When God began to speak to John to reveal these deep mysteries he told him that he wanted him to write about the things that he had seen, the things that were and the things that would be hereafter. Revelation 1:19: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

This baby ox represents that little band of Israelites from the land of Samaria called Galileans. It was the Church in its infancy. There was always a division between Israel and Judah; the Jews didn't have much use for those Israelites from the Northern Kingdom now considered to be Samaria. They despised the Samaritans and didn�t have much use for the Galileans because they were descendants of those that occupied the old territory of Israel, also called Ephraim. The Twelve Disciples were such men, after Judas betrayed Jesus he was replaced by a Galilean called Matthias. Jacob had prophesied that Ephraim would become a multitude of nations. This is how God fulfilled this promise. These Disciples from Galilee are from Ephraim and would take the Gospel to the world to add souls to the kingdom of God through the preaching of the Gospel.

Mt: 4: 13: And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15: The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Acts 2: 7: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
This means that they were from Galilee.

Jesus was received in Galilee and rejected in Jerusalem and Judea. In fact at one point in the ministry of Jesus he was unable to go into Jerusalem and Judea and had to remain in Galilee to prevent the Jews from killing him before his time. The early Church began in Galilee. After Jesus ascended into heaven the Galileans began their commission to take the Gospel to the world on the day of Pentecost. This resulted in reaching thousands that had come to Jerusalem for the feast. Jerusalem still rejected Jesus but his ministry to the nations began that day. Beginning in Jerusalem by those Disciples from Ephraim. Today the message that was given to the world comes from that little Church that started in Galilee. Even the Apostle Paul was saved through the Gospel that came to them first.

In these four creatures the Baby Ox or Calf is this early Church. When we look at the other Creatures we see that they have eyes to see. These eyes to see have been opened because of the Gospel that the Calf or Baby Ox had to share. All of these creatures represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Eventually all of Israel will be saved because of the preaching that began with these 12 men that Jesus ordained from Galilee. The Jewish people in the nations will receive Christ before the Jewish people that live in the land of Israel. The Jewish people in the land of Israel will be saved during the seven years that we call the Tribulation.

Jeremiah 31: 9:They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
In these scriptures God is telling us that Ephraim, those living in Galilee, would be saved first. It is important to realize that the New Covenant that was given to them is the means God chose to reach the world. The New Covenant has come to us in the form of the Gospel. This is how God chose to save all nations. There is something else that is important to take note of and that is this. The firstborn had the birthright, which meant that they also had a double portion. These people possessed a double portion of God's Spirit when they were saved. The Spirit of God is part of their inheritance. But there is more.

The Gentile Church began in Samaria and through the preaching of the men that are represented by this calf we have been saved. But there is something else that has to occur that God demands from us as Gentiles and that is that we reach the lost souls of Israel with the Gospel and return the favor. In Romans the 11th chapter were are told that through our mercy that they would find mercy, so that God could save all. This means both Jew and Gentile. The eyes that are behind, before and within in these four creatures, eyes that can see represent Jews that have been saved through the message of the baby ox or calf. That is how they got there. This is how the Jews in the nations will be saved before the Tribulation begins.

The simple fact that the four beasts are telling Jesus in the fifth chapter of Rev. that he is worthy to open the seals. This tells us that this is going to happen before the tribulation begins. Simply because he hasn't broken the seals yet. The tribulation will begin when the first seal is broken.

9: And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
This scripture says that the four beasts give glory and honor and thanks to God the Father who is setting on the throne. This is a mystery within a mystery. The scriptures describe Jesus as he who was, and is, and is yet come the same the way the Father is described. They are both called the Almighty "Rev. 1: 7-8, Rev. 4:8." Jesus is the express image of his Father. The most logical thing to conclude concerning the phrase "which was, which is and is to come" is that God is eternal. This is exactly what it is talking about.

But I said that this is a mystery within a mystery. Realizing of course that the four beasts that are praising God is Israel, no longer in blindness, but now given eyes to see. We are taken into a deeper thought than what appears on the surface. In the first place they wouldn't be allowed to stand before the Father without having received the Son. He is the door of sheep, no other way in. They were concluded in blindness when they refused Jesus, Now we see them with many eyes. These four beasts are giving glory and honor to God by accepting Jesus and being thankful for it. Israel in the past has failed God in the same way millions of Gentiles have failed by not accepting Jesus Christ.

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 sight of Israel worshipping Jesus is more than the 24 elders can handle. This is something they have desired for a very long time. They fall down and worship God the Father who is setting on the throne. They cast their crowns before his feet in gratitude because they know that without him it would have never happened. Remember the crowns are their heavenly rewards. They are saying that the salvation of Israel; their family is worth more to them than all of their heavenly rewards.

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.
They are worshipping the Father telling him that he is worthy to receive glory and honor and power because all of this is the works of his hands. God's whole plan was founded before the earth was ever created. All of the souls who are being saved were part of his great plan in creation. Jesus the Son of God created all things to please the Father. John said in John 1: 10: He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Ephesians 3:9: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 1: 9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

This ends Chapter Four

1: And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
John in this scripture is looking at God the Father who is holding a scroll in his right hand. In the inside of this scroll are events that will occur in the future during the last seven years. The information in this scroll is given as each of the seals is opened.

2: And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3: And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4: And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
A strong angel is seen and is asking the question; who is worthy to open the scroll and to open the seals? This is an allegory because the question has never been asked to everyone in the sense that we would know it. But it is asked in order to prove a point that God wants to make. God himself knows that there is no one who lives in heaven, earth or hell itself that is able to open the scroll. God wants us to realize that in order to understand the mysteries of the scroll with the seven seals we must go to the one who is worthy. The Holy Spirit must reveal it us as we go to Jesus for the answers.
John begins to weep because he senses that God wants us to know what is written inside of this scroll and he realizes that no one in heaven, earth or hell itself is worthy to open it. He grieves for mankind because it appears to him that it will remain sealed up. He doesn't realize that Jesus will be the answer to this situation, but will soon find out.

5: And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Just at the moment that John is feeling all of this despair, one of the 24 elders spoke to John and told him not to cry. There was one that he knew that had overcome the world and was worthy to read the scroll by opening the seals. John probably turned around to see the Lion of the tribe of Juda but was in for another surprise as the Lion came out as a Lamb instead.

6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Then in John's vision he saw something unusual looking standing in front of the throne with the four beasts, the 24 elders looking on. He saw a Lamb that appeared that it had been slain as they would slay a lamb for the Sacrifice. This lamb was very unusual in its appearance. It had seven horns and seven eyes. It was revealed to John that this was the seven Spirits of God that was sent forth from God into all of the earth. The seven Spirits of God are one and the same with the seven lamps burning with fire that is found in the fourth chapter.

The Lamb that appeared to have been slain is an allegory of Jesus himself who was slain and became the supreme sacrifice for the sins of all of mankind. The seven horns and seven eyes are an allegory of the ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the whole earth. All seven continents are the benefactors of this ministry. The seven horns are seats of authority, which reveals that Jesus has a seat of authority over each continent of this earth. The seven eyes are the all-seeing eye of Jesus that is watching over all seven continents. His eye is on the righteous and nothing is hidden from his loving eye. This is to mean that He is Lord and that he his watching over the earth to perform his word.

The seven continents simply represented the whole entire earth. All of this is ministered to us through the Holy Spirit. At one time God only worked hand in hand with one nation on this earth and that was Israel. Today he has opened the doors to all nations to come and serve him.

7: And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
The Lamb, which was an allegory of Jesus came and took the scroll from the hand of God the Father who was sitting on the throne.

8: And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
After Jesus had taken the scroll from the Father the four beasts and the 24 elders fell before the Lamb to worship him. Remember what these four beasts and 24 elders are. Every one of them is from the 12 tribes of Israel. They do not represent the Gentile Church and are not a spiritual Israel.

They have harps because they are about to sing a new song to Jesus. Understand that in the past the children of Israel sang the songs of Moses. Now they sing a new song, a song that they have never sung before, and the song they sing is about Jesus. They also have golden vials full of odors that are described as the prayers of the Saints. You will only put something that is precious to you in something valuable such as a golden vial. They are precious to these beasts and elders because they are the prayers of the Saints who have prayed for the salvation of Israel. They are described as odors or a fragrance that smells good. These golden vials speak volumes as to what has taken place.

9: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Once again notice who is singing the new song. It is the four beasts, the 12 patriarchs and the 12 disciples; all of these people are Jews. What we are seeing is a confirmation of the verses in Revelations 4: 6-7 explaining why the beasts have eyes within, before and behind. They have been born again and they are singing about being redeemed from every kindred, and tongue and people and nation. Israel has been scattered into all of the nations of world. The largest amount of Jews in the world lives in the United States of America. Think about this for a moment. Now we see them worshipping and being thankful to Jesus for saving their souls.

The reason I have gone to great lengths to point out that the people in these two chapters are specifically talking about the children of Israel in the nations is because of the many teaching that try to say that these people in this verse are Gentiles. This is not the case. They do this in order to support their pre-trib rapture theory. But, I do not minimize the amount of Gentiles that are saved in the process of God saving Israel. It began with Israel and will end with Israel with the Gentiles being saved in the process of it. We have a lot to be thankful for. It is the same as the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah. Jacob labored for Rachel but ended up with Leah. He labored again to get her and ended up with two wives. This was a shadow of the salvation of the Jews and Gentiles.

10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
In Revelation 1:6 John said that God had made us kings and priest unto Jesus and the Father. All of God�s people are going to reign as kings on this earth after Jesus returns. Peter said in 1^st Peter 2:9 that God had made us a royal priesthood and a holy nation and that because of this we should praise the Lord for his goodness toward us. This is what these born again Jewish people are doing.

11: And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
We are looking at millions of angels rejoicing. Jesus said that all of the angels rejoice at the moment that a sinner repents and is born again. This is what we are looking at in heaven. So many of the Jewish people have been saved and all of heaven is rejoicing.

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.
The angels in heaven are praising God and declaring how worthy Jesus is to receive everything that God has given to him. Jesus paid it all when he was crucified and was made worthy through the things he suffered.

13: And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
The word creature in this verse is not talking about all men rejoicing because God saves millions of souls. We know that not all men love God. This verse is literally speaking of creatures, not men that God has created; he is speaking of creatures such as birds, animals, fish and creatures that live under the earth such as moles, etc. This verse is a confirmation of something that the apostle Paul once said.
Rom: 8:19: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
21: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

"The apostle, fired with the thought of the future glory of the saints, pours forth this splendid passage, in which he represents the whole creation groaning under its present degradation, and looking and longing for the revelation of this glory as the end and consummation of its existence" [HODGE].
Now we see such a manifestation of the sons of God coming into these last days as millions of people are being converted. Not only the Jews in the West will be saved but the millions of Gentiles that they will reach for Jesus. All of Creation has been in a state of longing for this to come about that the creatures in heaven, earth, under the earth and in the sea rejoice with God for his glorious works. Why, Because when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden the world was changed. Animals, who once ate grass for example, lions began to kill other animals for food, etc. Now they feel something is happening that will eventually bring nature back to its original state as in the Garden of Eden. Their groaning will soon end.

14: And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
After all of this glorious acknowledgment of God and his glory the four beasts that represent millions of born again Jews say amen. The 24 elders who are the 12 patriarchs and the 12 disciples couldn't be more pleased with what God has done and they worship God for this. Remember Paul's statement in Romans 9:
1: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2: That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3: For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

The 24 Elders feel the same way that Paul feels, Israel is their family.

Remember all of these people are saved before the Tribulation begins. These events happen before Jesus opens the seven seals and the Tribulation begins.

God Bless You
Tommie Spurgeon

To know more about the four banners of Israel click on following link: "The Four Banners of Israel" .
To know more on the mystery of the 12 Disciples click on following link: "The Mystery of the 12 Disciples" .

Printer-Friendly version..