Revelation 4:2-11

2 Immediately I was ¹in the Spirit; and behold, ²a throne was standing in heaven, and ³One sitting on the throne.

3 And He who was sitting was like a ⁴jasper stone and a ⁵sardius in appearance; and there was a ⁶rainbow around the throne, like an ⁷emerald in appearance.

4 ⁸Around the throne were ⁹twenty-four * thrones; and upon the thrones I saw ¹⁰twenty-four * elders ¹¹sitting, clothed in ¹²white garments, and ¹³golden crowns on their heads.

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

5 Out from the throne come ¹⁴flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were ¹⁵seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are ¹⁶the seven Spirits of God;

6 and before the throne there was something like a ¹⁷sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and ¹⁸around the throne, ¹⁹four living creatures ²⁰full of eyes in front and behind.

7 ²¹The 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.

8 And the ²²four living creatures, each one of them having ²³six wings, are ²⁴full of eyes around and within; and ²⁵day and night they do not cease to say, "²⁶HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE ²⁷LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, ²⁸WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."

9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who ²⁹sits on the throne, to ³⁰Him who lives forever and ever,

10 the ³¹twenty-four * elders will ³²fall down before Him who ³³sits on the throne, and will worship ³⁴Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their ³⁵crowns before the throne, saying,

11 "³⁶Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You ³⁷created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

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Revelation 4:2-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 4

This chapter contains an account of the second vision John saw, as preparatory to the sealed book, and the opening of it, as the first vision was to the epistles to the seven churches. The preface to this vision, or the introduction to it, and preparation of John for it, are in Re 4:1,2, which declare the time of it, the position John was in, what he saw and heard, a call to him to come up, and the effect it had upon him; and then follows the vision itself, which is of a throne, described by the place where it was set, in heaven; and by him that sat upon it, Re 4:2, who was like to a jasper and a sardine stone; and by what was about it, first a rainbow of an emerald colour, Re 4:3, then four and twenty seats, with as many elders upon them, sitting clothed and crowned, Re 4:4, and by what went out from it, lightnings, thunderings, and voices; and by what were before it, seven burning lamps, which are the seven spirits of God, Re 4:5, and a sea of glass like crystal; and by what were between it all around, and the elders, four living creatures, described in general by their being full of eyes, before and behind, Re 4:6, in particular, the first by its likeness to a lion, the second by its likeness to a calf, the third by its likeness to a man, and the fourth by its likeness to a flying eagle, Re 4:7, and by what were common to them, first by their wings, of which they had each of them six; and by their eyes, they were full of within; and by their constant employment in celebrating the perfections of God, and in giving glory, honour, and thanks unto him, Re 4:8,9, at which time also the four and twenty elders appear in a worshipping posture, and give adoration to God; partly by deeds, casting their crowns before his throne; and partly by words, ascribing glory, honour, and power to him; giving a reason for it, taken from his creating all things for his pleasure, Re 4:10,11.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 37

1. Revelation 1:10
2. 1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 4:9
3. Revelation 4:9
4. Revelation 21:11
5. Revelation 21:20
6. Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 10:1
7. Revelation 21:19
8. Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:11; Revelation 7:11
9. Revelation 11:16
10. Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:6, 8, 14; Revelation 19:4
11. Matthew 19:28; Revelation 20:4
12. Revelation 3:18
13. Revelation 4:10
14. Exodus 19:16; Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:19; Revelation 16:18
15. Exodus 25:37; Zechariah 4:2
16. Revelation 1:4
17. Ezekiel 1:22; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 21:18, 21
18. Revelation 4:4
19. Ezekiel 1:5; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 6:1, 6; Revelation 7:11; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 19:4
20. Ezekiel 1:18; Ezekiel 10:12
21. Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 10:14
22. Ezekiel 1:5; Revelation 4:6, 9; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 6:1, 6; Revelation 7:11; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 19:4
23. Isaiah 6:2
24. Ezekiel 1:18; Ezekiel 10:12
25. Revelation 14:11
26. Isaiah 6:3
27. Revelation 1:8
28. Revelation 1:4
29. Psalms 47:8; Isaiah 6:1; Revelation 4:2
30. Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 15:7
31. Revelation 4:4
32. Revelation 5:8, 14; Revelation 7:11; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4
33. Psalms 47:8; Isaiah 6:1; Revelation 4:2
34. Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34; Daniel 12:7
35. Revelation 4:4; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 15:7
36. Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:12
37. Acts 14:15; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 14:7

Footnotes 6

[a]. Or "in spirit"
[b]. Or "halo"
[c]. Lit "middle of the throne and around"
[d]. Lit "they have no rest, saying,"
[e]. Or "is coming"
[f]. Lit "were"