Revelation Chapter 4

“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.”Rev. 4:1.

Which door was opened in heaven? We find it also in Rev. 3:7, 8. “He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door.” This door leads us to the throne of God or the very presence of God and His glory. John hears a voice of a trumpet. Why the voice of a trumpet? Why not the voice of a piano or voice of a guitar? Of all the instruments, the trumpet has a sharp voice when played. It penetrates inside the soul. That’s why it was used in olden times to announce wars.

“And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matt. 24:31. Now even the dead cannot sleep. It’s so powerful that it can penetrate the ears of the dead and bring them to life.

“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.” John sees a throne set, but has not the throne of God always existed? Why then this word “set” was now used? “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like a fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.” Dan. 7:9. The next verse clearly states what “set in place” means. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Dan. 7:13,14. All the kingdoms of this world will be taken away and the kingdom of Christ will be established. Then it was given to John to view the Father and he sees Him seated upon the throne. His face is like a jasper or sardine stone. Jasper is one of the precious stones and it is found in three colours, yellow, brown and red. Sardine in Greek is “sardion” which means red ruby. A ruby is red but it is a colour that cannot actually be compared with anything else and is hard to describe. It is strictly unique in nature. Both stones mentioned had the colour of red. When God created man, He created Him in His own image.

The name Adam in Hebrew means red, rosy, or ruddy. Adamah means red soil. Adam was formed from the soil of the earth which was the colour of red and his complexion was red in colour. So from “adamah” comes Adam which means “being red in appearance”. When we see people red in colour we say they are full of life. When John saw the Father He portrayed Him as ever living. Also a rainbow was seen round about the throne. A rainbow mean a covenant keeping God.” (D & R pg. 408)

Next the prophet describes the colour of the rainbow that was like unto an emerald. The emerald belongs to the most noteworthy and beautiful gems we know. Its splendid full green is the colour of trees, grass, and meadows, but also of hope and expectations. With other stones we admire a majestic splendor, a deep shine of purity and a sparkling fire, with the emerald it is the unfathomable depth of its soft and lovely colour. The emerald was the fourth stone Aaron carried on his heart and it is also the fourth in the New Jerusalem. God sitteth on the mercy seat and His love no one can fully understand. In the psalms it is written, “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psalm 145: 15, 16. He satisfies the desire of every living thing on this planet Earth and also in the whole universe. It is God who sustains us. That’s why His presence is ever merciful.

“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.” Who are these twenty-four elders?

“The graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Matt. 27:52. They were all clothed with Christ’s righteousness and they had the victory crown on their heads.

“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings ars’- voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” When the Lord came to Israel to give them the Ten Commandments, His glory was manifested. “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking:” Ex. 20:18. The same manifestation occurred to John in the vision.

It was to give the Everlasting covenant this glory. Now if you look at the next sentence, the Holy Spirit is symbolized by the seven lamps. If you look at light it has seven colours. Then if you look at the sound there is seven notes. All the vibrations or the sounds can be categorized in these seven notes. Then also creating our world in seven days. That is why the number seven is the number of completeness.

“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.”

The throne was a massive place there is no dust nor dirt bu! clear crystal. There were also four beasts before the throne. “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.”

If you refer to Eze. 1:5-10, “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. And everyone had four faces, and every one had four wings… 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.”

This is the description of these angels. We come to the conclusion that each had a face of lion, which is a symbol of power and justice. This is also the banner of Judah. Then the calf is a symbol of service and strength. It is the banner of Ephraim. The third face of a man symbolizes sensitivity, intelligence, and feeling. It is the bannsr of Rueben. Then the fourth eagle symbolized sharp eyesight, swiftness in protective care. It is the banner of Dan. The four beasts who live near the Father have these characteristics also.

“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 forever 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.”
AMEN

By: Augustus Ratneiya