After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.
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As we previously saw in Rev.1:19, John was told to write what he had seen, what is now and what will take place later.
The “what is now” is represented by the letters to the seven churches, which is an allusion to the entire church period. That said, we are currently still in the “what is now” part of what John was told to write, i.e. we are still in the church period.
Then John was told to write “what will take place later” which is synonymous with Rev.4:1 which says, “come up here and I will show you what must take place after this” i.e. what must take place after the “what is now” or after the church period. Since the “what is now” is still in process, then the “what must take place later” will not begin until after the church period has ended making Rev.4 onward all future events.
There are those who say that the gathering of the church is not mentioned in Revelation, but I disagree. I believe that the “what must take place later” is what takes place after the church has been gathered, which is followed by the time of God’s wrath represented by the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
In support of this, we have the voice that sounds like a trumpet which is identified as being the voice of the Lord Jesus in Rev.1:10. Therefore, the voice that sounds like a trumpet which says “come up here” is the voice of the Lord.
Regarding this voice, I believe that this is significant in that it is synonymous with the “trumpet call of God” found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in Paul’s description of the gathering of the church.
In addition, from chapter 1 thru 3 in Revelation we have the word Ekklesia translated church used 18 times througout those chapters. And within those same chapters we do not see the word Hagios translated Saints. Likewise from chapter 4 onward we have only the word Hagios/saints used, but the word Ekklesia/church is no longer found in the narrative.. This is significant in that here in Rev.4:1 we have that voice that sounds like a trumpet saying “come up here.”
I believe that John being called up here, which begins the “what must take place later” is a prophetic allustion to the church being gathered, which is why we don’t see the word church appear in the narrative from this point forward. The next time the church is alluded to is in Rev.19:6-8 as the bride, with the actual word not appearing again until Rev.22:16.
My point here is that, you have the three chapters where only the word Ekklesia/Church is being used combined with the absence of the word Hagios/Saints. Then from chapter 4 onward you have the word Hagios/Saints used only, with the word Ekklesia/church being completely absent. It’s either an amazing coincidence or a clue from God that the absence of the word infers that the church is no longer on the earth from that time forward.
Now, if both the words church and saint were used interchangeably throughhout the entire book of Revelation then I would not even be drawing attention to this because it would be a non issue. It is because there is a segregation of usage between these two words with the word church being used exclusively throughout chapters 1 thu 3 and then disappering from the rest of the chapters that tells me something has taken place. Somehtiing has changed. If the word Ekklesia/church was even found one time after chapter 4 and during the narrative of God’s wrath, again this would be a non issue.
“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.”
In Rev.1:10 John states that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and then he says it again here in Rev.4:1 after the voice that sounds like a trumpet says “come up here” he then says that he was immediately in the Spirit. The first reference to John being in the Spirit in Rev.1:10 was in reference to him mediating on God and his word being filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Where the second reference is him appearing to be, or literally transformed into a spiritual state being in heaven where he was shown the events that must soon take place. Otherwise, since he said that he was already in the Spirit in Rev.1:10, why would he say it again if he was speaking of being in the same state? It would have to infer a different meaning of being in the Spirit.
It is easy to deduce that the One who is seated on the throne is none other than God the Father. We know this because in Rev.5:7 we read that the Lamb, which is another designation for Jesus, takes the scroll from the right hand of the One who is sitting on the throne. That said, I doubt very much that Jesus is both sitting on the throne and also taking the scroll from his own hand. Therefore, it must be God the Father sitting on the throne of whom the Lamb is taking the scroll from.
The scroll contains the events of God’s wrath and all realated information. We know this because the first thing that we read from the scoll, is the Lamb opening the 1[SUP]st [/SUP]seal, as revealed in Rev.6:1
“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.
In Rev.21:12, we are told that that the New Jerusalem has twelve gates each made from a single pearl and that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the each of the twelve gates. Likewise, in Rev.21:14 we are told that the New Jeruslaem has twelve foundations each made from precious gems with the names of the twelve apostles written on the each of the foundations. Therefore I believe that twelve of the elders are representing Israel and twelve are representing the church, which would also demonstrate that the church is already in heaven.
The elders are wearing the white garments and the victor’s crowns that are promised to those who are victorious, as found in the promise to the church of Sardis, Smyrna and Laodicea as found in Rev.2:10, .3:4-5 and 3:11, 18.
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings[SUP]a[/SUP] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.”
The reference to “flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder” is also found in Rev.8:5, 11:19 and 16:18.
Regarding the occurance here in Rev.4:5 there does not appear to be any event associated with it.
The occurance in Rev.8:5 takes place after the angel takes fire from the altar and hurls it to the earth and prior to the first trumpet being sounded, with the additon of an earthquake.
The occrance in Rev.11:19 is in response to God’s temple in heaven being opened and the ark of his covenant being seen, with the addition of hail.
The occrance in Rev.16:12 takes place as a result of the seventh bowl being poured out which comepletes God’s wrath.
Previously in Rev.1:4, we are introduced to the seven spirits or seven fold spirits of God with grace and peace bestowed from them to the reader and also mentioned in the intorducton to the church of Sardis with Jesus as the one who holds the seven spirits of God. Also referred to in Rev.5:6 as the seven horns and seven eyes symbolcally representing the seven fold spirit of God sent out into all the earth.
“And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
This area that John describes before the throne as looking like a sea of glass is also mentioned in Rev.15:2, except in this description it is mixed with fire. In Ezekiel’s vision of the throne and the Cherub, I believe that he also saw this sea of glass, referring to it as an “icy expanse.” Otherwise what it is or its purpose is unknown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we previously saw in Rev.1:19, John was told to write what he had seen, what is now and what will take place later.
The “what is now” is represented by the letters to the seven churches, which is an allusion to the entire church period. That said, we are currently still in the “what is now” part of what John was told to write, i.e. we are still in the church period.
Then John was told to write “what will take place later” which is synonymous with Rev.4:1 which says, “come up here and I will show you what must take place after this” i.e. what must take place after the “what is now” or after the church period. Since the “what is now” is still in process, then the “what must take place later” will not begin until after the church period has ended making Rev.4 onward all future events.
There are those who say that the gathering of the church is not mentioned in Revelation, but I disagree. I believe that the “what must take place later” is what takes place after the church has been gathered, which is followed by the time of God’s wrath represented by the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
In support of this, we have the voice that sounds like a trumpet which is identified as being the voice of the Lord Jesus in Rev.1:10. Therefore, the voice that sounds like a trumpet which says “come up here” is the voice of the Lord.
Regarding this voice, I believe that this is significant in that it is synonymous with the “trumpet call of God” found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in Paul’s description of the gathering of the church.
In addition, from chapter 1 thru 3 in Revelation we have the word Ekklesia translated church used 18 times througout those chapters. And within those same chapters we do not see the word Hagios translated Saints. Likewise from chapter 4 onward we have only the word Hagios/saints used, but the word Ekklesia/church is no longer found in the narrative.. This is significant in that here in Rev.4:1 we have that voice that sounds like a trumpet saying “come up here.”
I believe that John being called up here, which begins the “what must take place later” is a prophetic allustion to the church being gathered, which is why we don’t see the word church appear in the narrative from this point forward. The next time the church is alluded to is in Rev.19:6-8 as the bride, with the actual word not appearing again until Rev.22:16.
My point here is that, you have the three chapters where only the word Ekklesia/Church is being used combined with the absence of the word Hagios/Saints. Then from chapter 4 onward you have the word Hagios/Saints used only, with the word Ekklesia/church being completely absent. It’s either an amazing coincidence or a clue from God that the absence of the word infers that the church is no longer on the earth from that time forward.
Now, if both the words church and saint were used interchangeably throughhout the entire book of Revelation then I would not even be drawing attention to this because it would be a non issue. It is because there is a segregation of usage between these two words with the word church being used exclusively throughout chapters 1 thu 3 and then disappering from the rest of the chapters that tells me something has taken place. Somehtiing has changed. If the word Ekklesia/church was even found one time after chapter 4 and during the narrative of God’s wrath, again this would be a non issue.
“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.”
In Rev.1:10 John states that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and then he says it again here in Rev.4:1 after the voice that sounds like a trumpet says “come up here” he then says that he was immediately in the Spirit. The first reference to John being in the Spirit in Rev.1:10 was in reference to him mediating on God and his word being filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Where the second reference is him appearing to be, or literally transformed into a spiritual state being in heaven where he was shown the events that must soon take place. Otherwise, since he said that he was already in the Spirit in Rev.1:10, why would he say it again if he was speaking of being in the same state? It would have to infer a different meaning of being in the Spirit.
It is easy to deduce that the One who is seated on the throne is none other than God the Father. We know this because in Rev.5:7 we read that the Lamb, which is another designation for Jesus, takes the scroll from the right hand of the One who is sitting on the throne. That said, I doubt very much that Jesus is both sitting on the throne and also taking the scroll from his own hand. Therefore, it must be God the Father sitting on the throne of whom the Lamb is taking the scroll from.
The scroll contains the events of God’s wrath and all realated information. We know this because the first thing that we read from the scoll, is the Lamb opening the 1[SUP]st [/SUP]seal, as revealed in Rev.6:1
“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.
In Rev.21:12, we are told that that the New Jerusalem has twelve gates each made from a single pearl and that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the each of the twelve gates. Likewise, in Rev.21:14 we are told that the New Jeruslaem has twelve foundations each made from precious gems with the names of the twelve apostles written on the each of the foundations. Therefore I believe that twelve of the elders are representing Israel and twelve are representing the church, which would also demonstrate that the church is already in heaven.
The elders are wearing the white garments and the victor’s crowns that are promised to those who are victorious, as found in the promise to the church of Sardis, Smyrna and Laodicea as found in Rev.2:10, .3:4-5 and 3:11, 18.
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings[SUP]a[/SUP] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.”
The reference to “flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder” is also found in Rev.8:5, 11:19 and 16:18.
Regarding the occurance here in Rev.4:5 there does not appear to be any event associated with it.
The occurance in Rev.8:5 takes place after the angel takes fire from the altar and hurls it to the earth and prior to the first trumpet being sounded, with the additon of an earthquake.
The occrance in Rev.11:19 is in response to God’s temple in heaven being opened and the ark of his covenant being seen, with the addition of hail.
The occrance in Rev.16:12 takes place as a result of the seventh bowl being poured out which comepletes God’s wrath.
Previously in Rev.1:4, we are introduced to the seven spirits or seven fold spirits of God with grace and peace bestowed from them to the reader and also mentioned in the intorducton to the church of Sardis with Jesus as the one who holds the seven spirits of God. Also referred to in Rev.5:6 as the seven horns and seven eyes symbolcally representing the seven fold spirit of God sent out into all the earth.
“And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
This area that John describes before the throne as looking like a sea of glass is also mentioned in Rev.15:2, except in this description it is mixed with fire. In Ezekiel’s vision of the throne and the Cherub, I believe that he also saw this sea of glass, referring to it as an “icy expanse.” Otherwise what it is or its purpose is unknown.
Lots to think about! And lots of cross referencing to do.