Revelations Chapter 4: The Throne

After this I looked (represents the time after the Churches, or in other words after the Rapture), and, behold, a door was opened in Heaven (gives John the ability to see what is taking place there): and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me (is actually the Voice of Jesus, harking back to Rev. 1:10); which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter (after the Rapture of the Church).
2 And immediately I was in the Spirit (John saw these things in a Vision): and, behold, a Throne was set in Heaven, and One sat on the Throne (God the Father).
3 And He Who 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 proclaims the Glory of God, which is beyond comprehension.)
4 And round about the Throne were for and twenty seats (Thrones): And upon the seats I saw four and twenty Elders sitting (these men represent the entirety of the work of God as it pertains to Believers, with no doubt a mixture of Prophets and Apostles), clothed in white raiment (represents the Righteousness of Christ); and they had on their heads crowns of gold (signifying authority).
5 And out of the Throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices (whatever all of this is, it is constant): and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne which are the Seven Spirits of God. (This represents the totality and universality of the Holy Sprit. The number “Seven” is God’s number, denoting perfection.)

Living Creatures

6 And before the Thorne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal (presents that which is perfectly transparent): And in the midst of the Throne, and round about the Throne, were four Beasts (living creatures) full of eyes before and behind. (This is introducing creatures we have no knowledge of and which are beyond comprehension, as so much in Heaven actually is.)
7 And the first Beast (living creature) 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 strange creatures are before the Throne constantly.)
8 And the four Beasts (living Creatures) had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within (signifying the revealing of their innermost nature and being): and they rest not day and night (proclaiming that these beings are “spirit” and not “flesh”), saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Using the threefold repetition calls attention to the infinite Holiness of God.)

Heavenly Worship

9 And when those Beasts (Living Creatures) give glory and honour and thanks to Him Who sat on the Throne, Who lives forever and ever (if these creatures can constantly give God “Glory, and honor, and Thanks,” how can we who have known the glorious Redemption of our Lord do any less!),
10 The four and twenty Elders fall down before Him Who sat on the Throne, and worship Him Who lives forever and ever (the action of the 24 Elders, who represent the Church of the Living God in Heaven, proclaims what the Church on Earth ought to be), and cast their crowns before the Throne, saying (presents the acknowledgement of their royal estate; it all comes from God!),
11 You are worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory and Honour and Power (unless the Lord’s worth is fully sensed by the worshiper, one’s own unworthiness will never be realized): for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created. (In effect, the praises of these 24 Elders tell us that the Creation, and that means every part of the Creation, is going to be completely restored, and all because of what Christ did at the Cross!)

Chapter 5: The Sealed Book

And I saw in the Right Hand (signifies power) of Him Who sat on the Throne a Book written within and on the backside, sealed with Seven Seals. (The “Seven Seals” signify that the “time of Jacob’s trouble” is about to begin, which will rapidly bring to a conclusion that which must be done.)
2 And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice (this strong Angel is probably Gabriel, as evidenced by Gabriel’s appearance to Daniel), Who is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the Seals thereof? (This implies moral fitness [Rom. 1:4].)
3 And no man in Heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the Book, neither to look thereon. (We should look very carefully at the words “no man.”)
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worth to open and to read the Book, neither to look thereon. (This pertains to the fact that this Book is so very, very important. It contains not only the information regarding the coming Judgment upon this Earth, but as well the message that this Judgment, as tendered by God, will ultimately lead to the Redemption of the Earth.)

The Lion and the Lamb

5 And one of the Elders said unto me, Weep not (states that man’s dilemma has been solved): behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the Book, and to loose the Seven Seals thereof (presents Jesus Christ).
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 (the Crucifixion of Christ is represented here by the word “Lamb,” which refers to the fact that it was the Cross which Redeemed mankind; the slain Lamb Alone has Redeemed all things), having seven horns (horns denote dominion; all of this was done for you and me, meaning that we can have total dominion over the powers of darkness, and in every capacity; so there is no excuse for a lack of victory) and seven eyes (denotes total, perfect, pure, and complete illumination of all things spiritual, which is again made possible for you and me by the Cross; if the Believer makes the Cross the object of his Faith, he will never be drawn away by false doctrine), which are the Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (signifying that the Holy Spirit, in all His perfection and universality, functions entirely within the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ; in other words, it is required that we ever make the Cross the object of our Faith, which gives the Holy Spirit latitude, and guarantees the “dominion,” and the “illumination” [Isa. 11:2; Rom. 8:2]).
7 And He (the Lord Jesus Christ) came and took the Book out of the Right Hand of Him (God the Father) Who sat upon the Throne. (All of Heaven stands in awe as the Lamb steps forward to take the Book.)




-A friend of mine suggested to me one Sunday night that I read Revelations chapters 4 and 5. This is where this picture comes from is those chapters. I know I didn't put in there all that it says, but I did what I saw in my mind's eye. For instance, I did not put all the eyes on the four Beasts, because I wasn't sure if people would get the concept, or they might think it's on the freakish side. But then again, in heaven, we are going to see things there that we could never imagine existing here on Earth. Another thing I must explain is that in parenthesis is the commentaries from Jimmy Swaggart, a well known and respected minister, or evangelist, or whatnot. I took the verses from the New Testiment Bible with his commentary in it so that maybe if people read it, they can understand it better. I don't mind critiques, but I prefer that you don't point out the obvious. This took over 20 hours to complete...