In this next article, we'll be looking at – “The Worship of the Creator.”
Review
By way of review, last time, John was called up into heaven.
He tried to describe, for us, what he saw using words that were completely inadequate for what he was actually seeing.
The voice he heard was “like that of a trumpet.”
He was immediately “in the spirit,” and before him was a throne in heaven, and there was “One” sitting on it.
He tried to describe this “One” using stones known as jasper and sardius; he described a “rainbow,” or a halo, resembling an “emerald” that encircled the throne.
He tried to tell us about the “24 other thrones” and the “24 elders” seated on those thrones:
· They were dressed in “white garments” and “gold crowns” were on their heads.
· Were they humans or angelic beings? Most theologians believe that the best explanation is that they are angelic beings.
That's as far as we got.
The Throne and Worship of the Creator
Let’s continue our journey through Revelation by looking at the worship that John saw happening beginning in v.5.
v.5, “And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
· The already impressive scene in heaven is enhanced by flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder.
· The phrase, “and from the throne,” in Greek is literally, “and out from the throne”:
o The “One” who sits upon the throne is responsible for the thunder and lightning. They proceed directly from Him.
· Lightning and thunder are important in Revelation because they are linked to God's judgments throughout the remainder of the book.
· In the Old Testament, lightning and thunder were common signs of the glory of God.
· Thunder is mentioned eight times in Revelation (4:5; 6:1; 8:5; 11:19; 14:2; 16:18; 19:6).
· In the Bible, lightning and thunder are associated with significant events in heaven and on the earth:
o Lightning and thunder had filled the sky at Mount Sinai when God had given the people the Mosaic Law in Exodus 19:16.
o The Old Testament often uses thunder and lightening to reflect God's power and majesty.
o It’s also used to display of His omnipotence, especially as He judges a sinful world.
o In Revelation, thunder and lightning develop part of the scene in God's throne-room and highlight a very important coming events:
Ø For example, they mark the opening of the seventh seal (8:1).
Ø The sounding of the seventh trumpet (11:19).
Ø And the pouring out of the seventh bowl (16:18).
· The “seven lamps” (better translated a "seven torches") need to be distinguished from the lampstands of chapter 1:12, 20.
· These were the kind of torches that were used outdoors rather than indoors:
o Usually a stick or a bundle of sticks carried as a fiery torch.
o These torches were better suited for open air because they were less likely to be blown out by gusts of wind.
· This description, together with the use of the word "burning," elsewhere in Revelation, tells us that these torches gave off a blazing and fierce light, rather than a calm and soft lamp light.
· Fire in Revelation usually symbolizes judgment, and these torches are no exception:
o God is preparing for the final battle against evil.
· The “seven torches are the seven Spirits of God” is another name for the Holy Spirit, and we talked about that earlier in our study:
o This is the Holy Spirit, not seven individual spirits or angels.
o Because of the torches, some view the Holy Spirit, here, as the consumer of the ungodly; as opposed to Him being the source of divine grace and peace which John first greeted the seven churches earlier in Revelation.
o With God the Father seated on the throne and the Holy Spirit represented by the seven lamps or torches, the stage is now set for the revealing, in chapter 5, of Christ Himself as the slain Lamb.
v.6-7, “and before the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf (ox), and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.”
· “a sea of crystal.” Words could hardly describe it, because John had never seen anything exactly like it on earth.
· All he could do was try to describe, in a limited way, what he saw in the vision:
o It reminded him of the sea made of glass, not just ordinary glass, but crystal.
o Now, I want you to think about this for a minute.
o How would you respond if you we privileged to see this?
· What are some of the explanations for this “sea” that John saw?
o Some believe that the “sea,” here, speaks of God’s separateness from His creatures by suggesting a vast distance that separated John from the throne of God:
Ø Such a space in front of the throne, symbolically, insulates God from John and everyone else.
Ø Or it might be a picture of His majesty and total purity.
Ø The problem with these explanations is that the context of these verses doesn’t necessarily point to the idea of separation.
o Another view is that the sea of glass stands for the sanctifying power of the Word of God:
Ø Some come to this conclusion from comparing the scene of the lavers (wash basins) in tabernacle and the molten sea in Solomon's temple.
Ø Both of these were for priestly cleansing.
Ø However, nothing in the context supports this view either.
o Perhaps the best summary is that the phrase "something like a sea of glass,” similar to crystal, pictures the splendor and majesty of God on His throne that sets Him apart from all His creation:
Ø A separation that comes from His purity and His absolute holiness, which He shares with no one else.
o The term "crystal" in the Greek emphasizes God's purity:
Ø It comes from the Greek word which means crystal clear, like pure ice, and is used only here and in Revelation 22:1
o The comparison of glass to crystal in Revelation 4:6, is significant because glass manufactured in ancient times was almost always translucent.
o Here it is crystal-clear and therefore is extremely high in value.
- v.6b, "and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full eyes in front and behind."
o The location of the four living beings is set by the words "in the center of the throne and around the throne".
o The word "center” in the Greek means middle, and probably means that the four were in the immediate vicinity of the throne and encircling it, one on either side of the throne, one behind it and one in front of it.
o The phrase, "around the throne," gives us the picture of a circle, with one of these beings always seen before the throne and the others on either side and behind.
o They form an inner circle closest to the throne and they are there for worship and for the “One” sitting on the throne.
o Whether they are still, or in motion around the throne is not really clear, but a rapid circular movement is suggested by a similar picture in Ezekiel 1:12.
- A better translation of the words "living creatures" would be "living beings":
o These are not beasts, or creatures in the earthly sense.
o They resemble the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2, and the cherubim of Ezekiel 1:4-14.
- Identifying the four living beings has been challenging throughout the centuries.
- One of the earliest proposals equated them to the gospels:
o The early church father Irenaeus, believed that the human face represented Matthew, the eagle, the gospel of Mark, the ox, Luke, and the lion, John.
o Augustine identified the lion with Matthew, the man with Mark, the ox Luke, and the eagle with John.
o Athanasius referred the man to Matthew, the ox to Mark, the lion to Luke, and the eagle to John
o Just about every combination has been suggested.
o Even in modern times, it has been suggested that:
Ø Matthew, who presents Jesus as King, is represented by the lion of the tribe of Judah.
Ø That Mark, who presents Jesus as a servant, is represented by the ox.
Ø That Luke, who emphasizes Jesus humanity, is represented by the humanlike third being.
Ø And John, who features the Deity of Christ, is connected with the eagle.
- Having animals represent New Testament books is certainly interesting. However, one reason for not connecting the gospels with one of the living beings is that the significance of each being does not completely match any of the gospels, no matter which combination is chosen.
- Another suggestion regarding the four living beings has been that they symbolize the attributes of God:
o The lion for courage, boldness, and victorious sacrifice.
o The ox for patience.
o The human figure for sympathy.
o And the eagle for supreme sovereignty.
o Some believe that they represent, in visible form, what would otherwise be invisible to the natural eye.
o This view is also interesting, but it has little biblical support.
- There are several observations about the four living beings that are legitimate:
o First, they are an exalted order of angelic beings, as indicated by their closeness to the throne of God.
o Second, they have something to do with the judicial authority of the throne. We’ll see more of that later.
o Third, they clearly represent certain parts of creation.
o Fourth, the similarity of these angelic beings to the seraphim of Isaiah 6:1-3 and the cherubim of Ezekiel 10:2, 14, 20 is very clear.
o Fifth, they are full of eyes just as the cherubim in Ezekiel 10:12.
o Sixth, individually, they have the faces of the lion, the ox, a man, and the eagle as in Ezekiel 1:10.
o Seventh, each has six wings as do the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2.
o Eighth, the way they praise God in Revelation 5:8, is the same as that of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3.
o Ninth, there are certain differences between the living beings in Revelation and the Old Testament cherubim and seraphim, but they're also remarkable similarities between them.
· What about their eyes?
o This is similar to Ezekiel's living beings who have eyes in "their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings," (Ezekiel 10:12),
o The emphasis is on the alertness and knowledge of these beings.
o Nothing relevant to their area of responsibility happens without their knowledge because of their watchfulness:
Ø This doesn’t mean that they are omniscient, because omniscience belongs only to God.
v.7, “And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.”
· Here, John tells of the distinct characteristics of each of four living beings.
· The first, John says is "like a lion”:
o Among the wild animals, the lion is viewed as the "King of the jungle" and, in general, represents nobility.
· The second being is ”like an ox”:
o The ox pictures that part of creation that is strongest.
· The third of the living being is described as "having the face as that of a man":
o Symbolic of intelligence and reason.
o The part of creation that is the wisest, the human race.
· The fourth being is "like an eagle flying":
o He is symbolic of what is swiftest in creation.
· Together, the four living beings picture all animal life from the perspectives of the nobility, strength, wisdom, and speed.
v.8, “And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’”
· Because a specific symbol for the wings is not stated here, some have thought that the wings depict swiftness and instant response to God's commands.
· Because of the similarity of the four living beings with the seraphim of Isaiah, some suggest the purpose of the wings is similar:
o Two wings covered the face, symbolizing awe and reverence:
Ø They dared not look at God.
o Two wings cover their feet, denoting humility, because they stand in His presence.
o With two wings they fly, signifying obedience, because they are ready to carry out His commands.
· They are "full of eyes around and within." Again, the significance of their eyes has to do with alertness and knowledge:
o This implies a constant vigilance over God's creation.
· "Day and night, they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come."
o Here we see their continued praise.
o Its not that they don’t have other duties, they do:
Ø For example, in Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7, they are responsible for summoning the horses and their riders at the opening of the first seal.
· They have no rest from their responsibility of offering tribute to God:
o This is what they do whenever they are not otherwise engaged in carrying out God's will.
· Their offering of praise becomes the invitation for the 24 elders to do the same thing.
· The song of the four living beings focuses on three parts of God's nature: His holiness, His omnipotence, and His eternality:
o “holy” is the proper description of God in comparison to His creation.
o The “holy, holy, holy” is a repeat of Isaiah 6:3 and a testimony to the importance of praise in the presence of God.
o Why 3 “holys?” It may refer to the three persons of the Trinity, but it’s hard to really press that point.
o More than likely, the repetition is for the sake of emphasis and importance:
Ø Repetition in the Scripture always signifies importance.
Ø And this is extremely important.
o God's distance from an unholy creation is certainly highlighted here.
o God is completely holy!
· The second characteristic of His nature is seen in His title, "Lord God, the Almighty":
o This is the title by which Jesus is known in Revelation 1:8.
o We’ll see His “almighty-ness” as His wrath against a rebellious world come to a climax, later on in the book of Revelation.
o The “one” seated upon the throne is the omnipotent One:
Ø He is in the unique position to mete out justice in a creation that has chosen to ignore His standards of righteousness.
Ø He is acknowledged as the only One able to do that.
· "who was, who is, and who is to come":
o This title speaks again of the eternality of God: who resides in eternity past, eternity present, and eternity future.
v.9-10, “And when the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne”:
· By singing “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God” in v.8, they are giving God glory, honor and thanks:
o “glory, honor and thanks” are not used in verse 8, but they describe the song.
· Did you see how the response of the 24 elders is triggered by the actions of the four living beings?
o When the four living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the “one who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,” then the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him, who lives forever and ever and will cast their crowns before the throne
· This is the first of six times in Revelation that the 24 elders prostrate themselves before either God or the Lamb:
o Three times, they are joined by the four living beings (5:8, 14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4), and once by all the angels in 7:11.
o Here, in this verse, they alone fall before God who sits upon the throne.
o Their facedown position is for the sake of worshiping the Eternal “one.”
· The next thing they do prior to bursting forth into song, is to cast their crowns before the throne:
o Everything revolves around the throne and the “One” who sits upon it. This is the center of attention in heaven.
o Though these crowns bring dignity, the 24 elders voluntarily surrender them by casting them before the throne. So that greater honor may be given to God the Creator of all.
v.11, “saying, “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.”
· Their song differs from that of the four living beings in v.8.
· The song of the elders is more focused on the wonders of God's creation, as evidence of His glory and power.
· It begins with a declaration of His worthiness: "you are worthy, O Lord God, to receive glory and honor and the power."
· It must be remembered that creation, not redemption, is the subject of this song.
· This is a tribute to God’s worthiness "to receive glory and honor and power."
· The particular reason for the declaration of God's worthiness comes in the last half of the song, "because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."
· Here, God's mighty display of power in creation is the basis for praise and worship.
· Though redemption does not become a reason for praise until chapter 5, this song prepares the way for the climactic announcement that the long-awaited redemption of creation is on the brink of fulfillment.
· The song’s emphasis is on God's creative work, that He did it, "for Thou didst create all of thanks, because of Thy will, they existed, and were created."
May the Lord bless you and teach you more and more about His love, mercy and grace as you seek to grow in your knowledge of Him.
By His Grace,
Gary T. Dromi, Ph.D., D.Min.
