Revelation 4 Footnotes

4:1-2 It is not clear whether John was actually taken up (v. 1) into the heavenly throne room (v. 2) or was still “in the Spirit” (v. 2) on the isle of Patmos (1:9-10). Either way, what he saw of the heavenly throne room in chaps. 4–5 is still trustworthy, since the vision came from the Lord. Some evangelicals believe the command to “Come up here” in verse 1 refers to the rapture of the church, though this refers to only one person.

4:3-4 The “twenty-four elders” could be angels. However, since “elders” refers to leaders in both Israel (Nm 11:16) and the church (Ti 1:5), it is more likely that twelve represents the tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of Christ, mirroring the reference in the new Jerusalem (Rv 21:12,14).

4:6-8 The “four living creatures” are angels. They are similar to—if not the same as—the cherubim in Ezk 1 and 10. Those angels were in proximity to a throne and accompanied the Shekinah glory as it departed the temple before the Babylonians destroyed it. Since the divine glory is to return to some future temple (Ezk 43:1-5), perhaps the four living creatures remain in the presence of God’s glory, awaiting that return.