Some have said that the elders are the raptured Church, or a company of Christians in Heaven. The Authorised Version of Rev 5v9,10, makes the elders Christians, however, several versions follow the Greek texts which put “men” for “us,” “them” for “us,” and “they” for “we.” The alternative reading makes it clear that the elders are singing a song about another group of people and not a song about themselves. The matter cannot finally be settled by an appeal to the Greek text, both versions have good authority, one has to study the relevant Scriptures to decide which is correct. That the elders are singing a song about another group of people is clearly seen from the following facts:
a) There are only 24 elders and the raptured Church does not consist of only 24 Christians
This number 24 is no more symbolical than the number of the living creatures, or the number of angels. Rev 5v11. God does not use a symbolic number, when he tells of the number of Christians who go through the great tribulation, He says that they are “a great multitude which no man could number.” Rev 7v9-14.
b) The song is sung by the living creatures as well as the elders and they are certainly not raptured saints
c) In Rev 7v9-11, 11v16-18, 19v4,7, 14v3, a clear distinction is made between the elders and Christians
Notice how the elders are not able to sing the new song of the Christians of Rev 14v1-3.
d) The Church is praying and suffering on earth right until the coming of Christ after the great tribulation
See Rev 6v9-11, 8v3,4, 12v17, 13v7, 14v13, 17v6. The great tribulation ends when the seventh trumpet sounds and the dead are resurrected, this is years later than the first seal. 1Thess 4v16,17, 1Cor 15v51-53, Rev 11v15-18. In Matt 24v31, the elect which are gathered are not Jews, for Isaiah 66v19,20, informs us that the Jews are brought back to Israel by the Gentiles as an offering to the Lord. Isaiah 14v2, 45v19,20. Christians are being martyred on earth until the end of the great tribulation and do not sit on thrones until the Millennium begins, which is about seven years later than Rev 4 and 5. The Christian dead, whether they be martyred or otherwise, are resting, not reigning, until the Millennium starts. Rev 6v9-11, 14v12,13, 20v4-6, 6v9-11.
e) These elders are undoubtedly the angels that share in the government of Heaven
The word “seats” should be translated “thrones,” and Col 1v16 speaks of the thrones that are in the invisible world, the thrones of great angels that rule the heavenly world. These angelic elders have white robes and crowns of gold, and they have proved their right to them, for they remained true to God and righteousness, and resisted the rebellion that Satan started in Heaven. They overcame Satan's lies in Heaven even as we have to overcome them on earth.
Yahweh Shalom
a) There are only 24 elders and the raptured Church does not consist of only 24 Christians
This number 24 is no more symbolical than the number of the living creatures, or the number of angels. Rev 5v11. God does not use a symbolic number, when he tells of the number of Christians who go through the great tribulation, He says that they are “a great multitude which no man could number.” Rev 7v9-14.
b) The song is sung by the living creatures as well as the elders and they are certainly not raptured saints
c) In Rev 7v9-11, 11v16-18, 19v4,7, 14v3, a clear distinction is made between the elders and Christians
Notice how the elders are not able to sing the new song of the Christians of Rev 14v1-3.
d) The Church is praying and suffering on earth right until the coming of Christ after the great tribulation
See Rev 6v9-11, 8v3,4, 12v17, 13v7, 14v13, 17v6. The great tribulation ends when the seventh trumpet sounds and the dead are resurrected, this is years later than the first seal. 1Thess 4v16,17, 1Cor 15v51-53, Rev 11v15-18. In Matt 24v31, the elect which are gathered are not Jews, for Isaiah 66v19,20, informs us that the Jews are brought back to Israel by the Gentiles as an offering to the Lord. Isaiah 14v2, 45v19,20. Christians are being martyred on earth until the end of the great tribulation and do not sit on thrones until the Millennium begins, which is about seven years later than Rev 4 and 5. The Christian dead, whether they be martyred or otherwise, are resting, not reigning, until the Millennium starts. Rev 6v9-11, 14v12,13, 20v4-6, 6v9-11.
e) These elders are undoubtedly the angels that share in the government of Heaven
The word “seats” should be translated “thrones,” and Col 1v16 speaks of the thrones that are in the invisible world, the thrones of great angels that rule the heavenly world. These angelic elders have white robes and crowns of gold, and they have proved their right to them, for they remained true to God and righteousness, and resisted the rebellion that Satan started in Heaven. They overcame Satan's lies in Heaven even as we have to overcome them on earth.
Yahweh Shalom