In the previous post, John
was called up to heaven. Immediately, he
was transported there in his spirit—not his physical being.
Revelation 4:2–3 “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.”
The first thing John saw
the LORD seated on His throne. He
compares his vision of the LORD to seeing beautiful gemstones. Around the throne he sees an emerald
rainbow. Warren Wiersbe made some
interesting observations concerning the colors of the stones. The jasper is a clear stone that bespeaks the
purity and righteousness of God. The
sardine stone is a red stone that bespeaks God’s righteous wrath and
judgment. The green of the emerald is
representative of God’s grace and mercy.
My
pastor, Bob Coy, had an interesting insight regarding the jasper and sardine
stone. The high priest wore a breastplate that had four rows of three
gemstones each that represented the tribes of Israel. The sardine and
jasper stones are the first and last stones respectively. Assuming that
the stones were arranged in the order of birth, the sardine would have
represented the tribe of Reuben and the jasper the tribe of Benjamin. The
meaning of the name Reuben is “behold a son,” and Benjamin means “son of my
right hand.” The throne represented the seat of the “first and the last”
who is in position to honor “the son of His right hand,” Jesus, the Lamb.
Revelation 4:4 “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.”
Because
scripture says that we will rule with Christ and that we can earn crowns of
reward, many assume that this has to picture the body of believers. The
Greek for “crowns” is the word “stephanos,” and is defined as “a chaplet (as a
badge of royalty, a prize in the public games or a symbol of honor generally).
I think they are trying to force a puzzle piece to fit that doesn’t.
I
have heard and read many thoughts about the 24 elders. One thought that
comes to mind is that if John is representative of the “raptured” church, these
elders must all come from a time before the church since they are in position
upon his arrival. Also, it couldn’t include the twelve apostles since
John is one of the apostles.
Both
Moses and David were given blueprints from which to build the tabernacle and
temple respectively. It would seem that
the divisions of the priesthood were based on this heavenly council of 24
angels.
1 Chronicles 28:11–13 “Then David gave to Solomon his son the
pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof,
and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of
the place of the mercy seat, And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit,
of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of
the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated
things: Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all
the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of
service in the house of the LORD.”
I am also reminded that Daniel records a vision of
thrones of authority being positioned in judgment.
Daniel
7:9–10 “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 the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A
fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the
judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
Earlier in Daniel we are told of judgment that is
declared against Nebuchadnezzar by decree of the “watchers…the holy ones.”
Daniel
4:13–17” I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher
and an holy one came down from heaven; He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down
the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his
fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of
iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the
dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the
earth: Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given
unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the
word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and
setteth up over it the basest of men.”
It makes sense to me that just as with government
on earth, there is a hierarchy among the angels in heaven. Evidently,
some have been chosen to serve as part of God’s heavenly supreme court.
This is supported by the Greek for the word “elders” that includes reference to
“member of the celestial council” in its definition.
(to be continued…)
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