“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard [or which I heard at first, chap, 1] was as it were of a trumpet talking with me;. said, “Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter,” or after these. You will remember that the Lord divided the book into three parts: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be after these.” So that “after these,” refers to after the close of the “things which are,” the whole sevenfold history of Christendom as described in chapters 2 and 3. This is a point of immense importance. If we do not notice this, all that follows must be confusion, as we shall go on supposing the rest of the book to refer to “the things that are,” that take place whilst the church of God is on earth; whereas the church is no more seen on earth after chapter 3, until she comes with Christ in chapter 19.
What we get here is this: Christendom having come to its close, the redeemed having been caught up to meet the Lord, as revealed to Paul, (1 Thess. 4, &c.) the voice now calls John from earth, to see what will take place in heaven, when they, the redeemed, have been called away from the earth. And thus he is shown the things ο that will take place in heaven, and then on earth. Surely this becomes intensely interesting. Would you not like to know what will take place when you arrive in heaven in your glorified bodies of incorruptibility? Will you then have to stand before the throne of God, either to be judged, or to be sheltered from judgment? Let us carefully observe what will take place.
Verse 2. “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” This is not the present throne of grace, but the future throne of judgment. The one that sits on that throne is revealed in connection with creation glories. “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.” In the midst of this glory, where and what is the place prepared for the saints of God? Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”‘ Oh, to pass up in spirit like John, and behold that place. Surely it will be a solemn moment when the redeemed arrive in the very presence of God. Shall we have to be judged before that throne? Have we to wait until that moment before we know what our eternal doom will be? Truly, we shall all be manifested. But what a question, is this to each of us: what will really take place when Christendom, as a witness of God on earth, has come to a close? when Christ has fulfilled His promise, having come to take us to Himself, whether them that sleep, or those that are alive and remain until He comes Caught up to meet Him, and be forever with Him. What then will take place? The next verse is the answer.
Verse 4 “And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” The word translated “seat” is the same as “throne.” Is not this a marvelous sight? What will it be to be there? What a glorious contrast to the gloomy thoughts of men that after death the redeemed will have to come into judgment for their sins. And yet every thought in this marvelous verse is in perfect-harmony with all scripture. How near to God: around His very throne. Did not Christ once suffer for sins, “the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God?” (1 Pet. 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).) Not-one whom the Father hath given to Him shall be missing there.
But there were thrones around the throne shall any be brought so near as to share in the reign of God, over the creation? “Do ye not know that the saints shall, judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2, 32Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2‑3).) This is the place prepared for His saints, “And, upon the thrones, I saw four and twenty elders sitting.”
Why four and twenty? This was the number of the order of the worshipping priesthood. (1 Chron. 24:1818The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. (1 Chronicles 24:18).) Are the saints then priests, as well as kings? “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and. his Father,” &c. (Rev. 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6).) Thus are they seen, in heaven, kings and priests unto God, and His Father. Nothing could satisfy the heart of Christ but our being like Himself. Oh, that word “sitting.” Not standing before the throne. Our great High Priest is not standing, “After he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” By that precious blood we enter heaven, and sit down in perfect rest. Do we believe this revelation God has been pleased to give us, of what will surely be the blessed portion of all the redeemed? Still borrowing from the symbols of priesthood, they are clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
This is not the unclothed state of the departed spirits now, but the state of those clothed in the glorified body, fashioned after His likeness at His coming. “Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” (2 Cor. 5:1-61For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (2 Corinthians 5:1‑6).)
What a place prepared for us. But is it possible “that such hell-deserving sinners as we have been, shall be prepared for that holy place? Yes, when we see Him we shall be like Him. (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2).) Can you doubt that He is fit for that place of unsullied purity? Then if we are like Him, shall not we also be fit for the same place? Is it not for this the saints can even now give thanks? Are they not brought into favor in the beloved? (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6).) Oh, to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Col. 1:1212Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12).) Lord, awake us to the reality of this heavenly vision, and one so near! Oh, think, beloved reader, before another year has passed, we may be seated in the unclouded glory of God, in perfect rest and peace. Jesus says, “Surely I come quickly.”
This is our immediate future. What a hope!
Can we look to that judgment-throne without one fear? Not unless we know the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin. Oh, poor deceived ones, can your prayers to the blessed Virgin, or to saints, or angels—can your baptism, or other so-called sacraments—can your masses, or your confessions to man—can all your weary works for salvation, enable you to look at that scene of heaven’s brightness, with the certainty that you will sit in perfect peace in the unclouded presence of God? You know these things can give you no such certainty—no such place, as that revealed to the saints of God in this precious verse. Why will you wander on in darkness?
Verse 5. Here we have clear evidence that this is not the present throne of grace. No thunderings and lightnings proceed from the throne of grace now. And He, the Spirit, who is. now down here, to make known the grace of God, will then become the divine agent of the judgment of God, in all its intensity. “Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Seven is the symbol of perfection or completeness. The burning judgment of fire will be as complete as the present free favor of God.
It may now be on the mind of some to ask, but will there be no more defilement, no more need of washing to the holy, worshipping, royal priesthood in heaven? No, no more need of a laver filled with water. No more washing of the disciples’ feet. “Before the throne was a sea of glass like unto crystal.” What a symbol of abiding purity! What a joy to the heart of God, —and what indescribable joy to us, to walk where there is nothing that can ever more defile. Transparent purity. Do not our hearts warm with expectation? How gracious of our God to give us such a revelation of the things that will surely take place in heaven, after “the things that now are “shall have passed away.
We must remember that in this chapter we are in the scenes of the creation-glories of the Lord God Almighty, and what brings us there; other glories we shall see in the next. In verse 7 we “have the heads of creation, as in the symbols of Eze. 1 and 10. The word “beast” should be “living creature.” In verse 8, we have the—seraphim action, of Isa. 6 All connected with the throne of God, as the “Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” The student of Scripture will have noticed that the action of the cherubim is judgment, and of the seraphim purification. Both these are combined in our chapter: the action of God’s throne towards the earth, will be for judgment and purification.
Verse 9. “And when those living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Thou art worthy, Ο Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created,” Not one of these royal priests says, I am worthy: no, “Thou art worthy, Ο Lord, to receive glory and honor and power:” this looks forward to His reign. Not merely over Israel or the earth. “For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” We see not all things put under Him. Yet all things shall be put under His feet.
This may suggest another reason why twice twelve or twenty-four is the symbolic number of these thrones, and the higher privileged elders who sit on them. Twelve is the number of administration; and will not the joint administration of the heavens and the earth be given to Him as “head over all things, to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all?” When that future administration is revealed, in chapter 21:12-14, we shall find the same twice twelve. As the last Adam, all things will be put under Him conjointly with His bride the church.