Interesting! and I'm kind of reading into this a little, but it is right here: a voice like the sound of a TRUMPET. THEN John is IN THE SPIRIT - and in his vision he is taken up to heaven. Did God do it this way to emulated the rapture? Perhaps. Because then...
Johns sees Jesus on the throne, with 24 ELDERS also sitting on thrones - clothed in white - with crowns on their heads!
It is very safe to say that these elders represent the Church. (Maybe they are the most honored leaders from the Church). They have been given their heavenly bodies and have been rewarded at the Bema Seat. Some people assume these to be angels, but no where in the Bible does it say that angels have "elders", or will sit on thrones, or be given crowns...
(Revelation 4:1-4) After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Another reason why we can assume that the 24 elders are from the Church. is because the Church is mentioned right here in verse 5 as "seven lamps of fire". Revelation 1:20 says it very plainly "...and the seven lampstands are the seven churches..." (which could be more like representing the various bodies of churches), because...
In verse 6, "a sea of glass" is mentioned, which represents ALL believers of all times up until the rapture. I say this with confidence because Revelation 15:2 mentions a "sea of glass mixed with fire" which does indeed represent the ones becoming believers during the Tribulation, who are martyred by the Beast (the Antichrist). This "sea of glass" here in verse 6 is a bit different as it is described to be "like crystal".
The "four living creatures" mentioned in this scripture portion are most likely angels...
(Revelation 4:5-8) Out from the throne come 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; 6 and before the throne there was something like 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 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. 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.”
Today's takeaway: we can only imagine heaven and standing before God and how hugely awesome it will be. I'm sure John had a difficult time putting into words what he actually saw. Of course, he was spirit-led as he wrote these words, because we know that all words in the Bible are God's words and God's message to us.
And the praise and honor that we will show God when we are there in heaven will come so purely and so very naturally. The rewards He gives to us - we will want to just give it all to Him! What is a crown, when you are right there with the One who created us, who paid the price of sin for us, who saved us, so we could enjoy the splendor of perfection???...
(Revelation 4:9-11) And when the living creatures 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, saying,
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
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