The 4th chapter of Revelation, beings at great area of despair and diverse thoughts of Revelations meaning and purpose. Some want to force feed this small book into their narrative of a "rapture" of some sort, claiming the area of Daniel's letter being woven within Revelation. This based on how they interpret, Thessalonians and the Corinthian letters and a few choice passages of Jesus' teachings or want to religious convictions dictate. Thus discounting the spiritual design all together. So from here on we shall be looking at the vision of Christ and the World from a redeemed mindset, no longer a mindset of corruption but rather one of renewal or re-genesis brought about by our co-burial, dissension, resurrection and co-ascension to the place of our original heaven itself, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4-6, 8:3-4, Colossians 2:11-14; 2Corinthians 2:11, 10:3, 1Peter 4:1-2; Galatians 2:16, 3:11, John 3:16. Now because the Mirror's work is long and in some depth I've decided to do half here with verse 5, and then do the rest in another post.
Revelation 4:1-11 "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. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 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, 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." (KJV)
Revelation 4:1-11 "After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." (ESV)
Revelation 4:1-11 "[1]Talking about our co-seatedness, I want you to see something! Oh wow! What i see takes my breath away! A [2]wide-open door in the heavenly realm! the first thing I heard was this voice addressing me! It was distinct and clear, like the sound of a trumpet; it captured my attention, inviting me to enter, "Come up here and I will show you how everything [3] coincides with what you have already seen!" (I saw (G1492, eidon) is in the second Aorist Active Indicative voice of (G3708) horao. Behold (G2400, idou) exclamation of vivid emotion as John looked on, "With this i saw!" Most translations would translate this as meta tauta, with "after this." The word, [1, G3326] meta, translated as with, however refers to, with this; coinciding with this! [Our co-seatedness and enjoying feasting together with Him! of vs 20 and 21 from the previous chapter. Rev. 3:21, and everyone's personal triumph will be celebrated together with Me, by being jointly seated together in My Kingship! On exactly the same basis of My victory celebration and My joint-seatedness with My Father in His Throne!] Robertson suggests that it is a change in the panorama, not chronology.
The word, [2] eneogmene is in the Perfect Passive Participle of, (G455) anoigo, to open, from (G303) ana, upwards and ago, to lead; as in Rev. 3:8 [door of opportunity] and 3:20 [door of the heart]. A dimension of limitless possibilities open, right in front of my eyes! The Passive Participle describes a state that exists as the time of the main verb, behold! Thus John witnesses the opening of the door. The Perfect Tense denotes an action which is completed in the past, but the effects of which are regarded as continuing into the present. The verb [3] genesthai is not the future of the verb to be; it is the Aorist Infinitive where the thought is not prophetic, but the necessity of the inevitable consequence as a result of the crucified and risen Christ! John again, as in verse 1, employs the verb, (G1096) ginomai, to beget, in the Aorist Infinitve tense, genethai, which indicates prior completion of an action in relationship to a point in time. Greek infinitives could have either a Present or Aorist form. The contrast between the two forms was not necessarily one of time, it is a difference of aspect. The Present Infinitive was used to express progressive or imperfective aspect. It pictures the action expressed by the verb as being in progress. The Aorist Infinitive however does not express progressive aspects. It presents the action expresssed by the verb as a completed unit with a beginning and end.) So here I am, immersed in this unrestricted space of spirit ecstasy. As the vision opens I immediately notice the Throne and One seated upon it. ("Having accomplished purification for sins He sat down!" His Throne is proof of humanity's redeemed innocence, now being accepted! This unveiling is central to the Throne-theme. See Hebrews 1:1-4 in the Mirror!
The bold imagery is linked to the following familiar passages in Jewish Scriptures, 1Kings 22:19, Isaiah 6:1, Ezekiel 1:26-28 and Daniel 7:9.) The One seated upon the Throne appeared to reflect multi earthy-color patterns like that of a Jasper stone and the blood-red color of sardion, with the Throne wrapped in a rainbow radiance of emerald greens. (Greek sardion, is from a root meaning "red," a gem of a blood-red color. It was called "sardius," because it comes from the region of Sardis in Lydia. "A radiance of emerald" - smaragdinos, is a transparent precious stone noted especially for its light green color.) And coiled into a complete circle around the Throne were twenty four thrones with twenty four [1]presbyterians seated upon these thrones. They were enwrapped in white with [2]victor's wreaths of gold crowning their heads! Their minds were co-enthroned in the authority of the Throne engulfing them in their co-seatedness! (In the symbolic language of Revelation, we have a circle of people representing the entire human race. [1]Typo drawn again from the Jewish suneidron - a co-seatedness around the Throne - the 24 (G4245) presbuterians or [1]Elders picture the twelve prophetic Patriarchs and the twelve Apostles, here as two dispensations merged into one, now fully representing the entire Ekklesia. The word, (G2943) kuklothen is the adverb from (G2945) kuklo; to form a circle, that is, all around, from (2947)kulioo, a rolling together. From the base of (G2949) kuma, from kuo, to swell [with young], that is, bend, curve; a billow, as bursting or topping: - thus, a wave; through the idea of circularity. The word [2, G4735] stephanos, is a victor's wreath.
Much of what John saw, reflected in the Jewish mind as familiar prophetic pointers and symbols. See the prophetic imagery in Ezekiel 1:1-28. The symbolic pictures John sees of judgment would immediately remind his typical Jewish audience of their prophets imaginary of judgment. This time the slaughtered and risen Lamb brings brand new context! Israel's unfaithfulness is met and eclipsed by GOD'S faithfulness. The Lamb's death and resurrection confronts every idea of judgment that was mankind's due.) And [1] proceeding out of the Throne, there were flashes of lightning and the sound of thunderous voices. Also the seven Spirits of GOD, with their [2] gazes fixed upon the Throne appeared to be like flaming torches ablaze with light. ( Proceed [1, G1607] ekporeuontai. Graphic historical present tense. The word, [2, G1799] enopion, suggests eye to eye contact within the closest possible proximity of one another. Rev. 1:4 and Ezekiel 1:13-14)
Now because of the length of the covered areas notes I will pick up the flow at verse 6 in the next post, the LORD willing. Until then may he open our understanding that all is not as so many seem to have supposed and spoken out turn of.
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