Revelation - THE THRONE

The Book of Revelation
Unit 5

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THE THRONE OF GOD [Chapter 4] - THE LITTLE LAMB [Chapter 5]

VISION

THE SCENE SET

John was no doubt familiar with these churches and the Greek culture of these cities, which John, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has utilised to illustrate heavenly concepts in the 7 letters of chapters 2 and 3. Each city had its theatre and god/goddess. Plays would be staged to evoke unflinching devotion to their gods. In a similar way the visions of the following chapters are to evoke unflinching devotion to Almighty God and the little Lamb.

Two aspects of Greek drama were unity of time and unity of location. The unit of time in the Revelation is from creation to consummation, seen as one, not as a chronological sequence of events, though some scenarios do precipitate others. The unit of location is the scenario portrayed in these two chapters.

Another similarity is the stage. Dominating a raised stage is the permanent backdrop in which their god in his splendour, with his courtiers and attendants are arrayed. Various scenarios are played out on the stage. Members of the chorus call the characters onto the stage and explain to the audience what they portray and their part in the drama.
[see A Typical Greek Theatre]

There are three major characters in the drama, the god, his champion and the plotting opponent. The drama is the conflict between the tragic figure and the god. The god has a champion who brings about the tragic figure's downfall. The tragic figure has a major flaw which contributes to his downfall and the downfall of his agents and all who side with him.

In the Revelation the scene is set in chapters 4 and 5. Throughout the rest of the Revelation the drama is played out before this dramatic commanding awesome backdrop of the enthroned Almighty and his Little Lamb. To understand the Revelation we have to visualise the vision. It is portraying why we must have unflinching devotion to Almighty God and the little Lamb.

In chapters 4 and 5 the scene is set. The worthiness of Almighty God is portrayed. Then the worthiness of His champion, the Lion of Judah, is portrayed. This raised vision of God's realm remains with us throughout the rest of the drama, the various scenarios being displayed before it.

Chapter 4 THE THRONE OF GOD BACK

vv.1-2

"in heaven" to the Greeks thier gods were above in a heavenly realm looking down on the human realm as though observing and manipulating human affairs.
The upper stage was to give the impression of the abode of the gods, and the lower stage being where the human scenario is unfolded.
"immediately I am in the spirit ... " Some translaters say that John confuses his tenses and try to "correct" him. They fail to realise that he is recording the vision as though he is re-living it. It is essential to bear in mind that the Revelation is vision.
"... in heaven"John is transported into the heaven. This is not depicting physical things. It is portraying the real spiritual scenario as it is.
"See! A throne was being set" We like John, in the mind's eye, must enter into the vision.
"a trumpet" trumpets summond, but the paradox is that this voice is "talking with him."
"of necessity" [dei] present tense. "with these" [meta tauta] In chapters 4 and 5 The scene is being set for enlargment on the type of spiritual situations that have been portrayed in the letters to the seven churches. So perhaps "After these things" [meta tauta] would be better translated "with regard to these things"

v.3

"he the one who is sitting was to look on like" The book of Revelation is full of allusions to the Old Covenant events.
Isaiah 6:¹ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up and his train filled the temple. ²Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one cried to the others and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. ⁴And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him who cried and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ Then I said, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

v.4

"twenty-four thrones ... crowns of gold" Twenty-four elders reigning

v.5

"seven lamps of fire burning before the throne"
"which are the seven Spirits of God"

vv.6-8

The "sea of glass" .
Isaiah 6:¹ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up and his train filled the temple. ²Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one cried to the others and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. ⁴And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him who cried and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ Then I said, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

The "four living creatures"
Four creatures like: 1) a lion, 2) a calf, 3) a man's face and 4) a flying eagle.
In Ezekiel 1:5-25 all four were like a man and all four had the face of a man, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side and the face of an eagle.
In Ezekiel 10:14 four beings each with four faces: a cherub, a man, a lion, an eagle.
"full of eyes ... do not rest"
In Ezekiel 10:12 "their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the wheels, were full of eyes all around ... ".

vv.9-11

"and when ..."
"worthy"
"for your purpose" purpose [qelhma] God created all the universe. He had a specific reason for creating it.
Colossians 1:¹⁶ For by him (the Son) all things were created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him:

Chapter 5 THE LITTLE LAMB BACK

v.1

"sealed" Enigma of life and death, sin and eternity.
Isaiah 29:⁹Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry out, and say: they are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. ¹⁰For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes the prophets, and your leaders the seers, has he covered. ¹¹And the vision of all is become to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed: ¹²And the book is delivered to him who is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I am not learned. ¹³Therefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: ¹⁴Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

"seven seals" see comment on verse 5.
"on the front and on the back"
Ezekiel 2:⁹And when I looked, behold, a hand was sent to me; and, lo, a roll of a book was in it; ¹⁰And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written in it lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

v.4

"wept"
Isaiah 63:5 "and there was none to help ... therefore my own brought salvation* to me ..." [*Hebrew: YASHUA, which in English is: Jesus]

"prevailed" Conquered so as to conquer [chapter 6 verse 2]. The sword proceeded from his mouth. [ See the notes on chapter 1 verse 16]

v.5

"the Lion - Judah" Genesis 49:⁹Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? ¹⁰The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come; and to him shall the gathering of the people be
*["seven seals"]

v.6 *["seven horns" "seven eyes" "seven Spirits"]

"being sent forth"
"I beheld ... a little Lamb"
Note the paradox! The victorious lion was a little Lamb. Note God's strategy:-
Zechariah 4:⁶ "Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts."

"a little Lamb standing as though it had been slain"
Note another paradox! Slain lambs do not stand. This Lamb is victorious in death. It is standing victorious, not fallen in defeat. Compare that with the paradoxical use of the word "accomplish" in the topic under discussion between The Lord Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration:-
Luke 9:³⁰ And, behold, there talked with Jesus two men, who were Moses and Elijah: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he would accomplish at Jerusalem.

The death of the Lord Jesus was not defeat or failure but his personal triumphal success out of supreme love and for the sake of "his sheep"
John 10:¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known by mine. 15 Just as the Father knows me, so I know the Father: and I am laying down my life for the sheep ... 17 for this reason my Father loves me, because I am laying down my life, in order that I might take it up again. 18 No man is taking it from me, but I am laying it down by myself. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it again. I received this directive from my Father. [direct translation]
John 12:³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me. ³³ This he said, signifying what death he should die.

What, to the intellectuals of the world seems foolish, is God's wisdom - our salvation.
1.Corinthians 1:²³But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks; ²⁴But Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks.

"having - seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God" The Lamb's eyes are God's "seven Spirits"
"being sent forth into all the earth" compare John 16:7-11 They penetrate everywhere in the whole of the inhabited earth. [See notes on Revelation 3:1]

v.7

"has taken"

v.8

"when he takes"
"odours" (incense)

v.9

"are singing" (continuous present tense) "a new song"
"slain"
Isaiah 53:⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
John 1: ²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world
³⁶And looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
1.Corinthians 5:⁷ ... For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
"redeem us to God" [Greek: "buy us to God"]
1.Corinthians 6:¹⁹ ... you are not your own? ²⁰For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's
1.Corinthians 7:²³You are bought with a price ...
1.Peter 1:¹⁸Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: ²⁰Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
2.Peter 2:¹But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately will bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

v.10

"make us"
"will reign" compare with chapter 1 verse 6.
"the blessing and the honour and the glory and the power"
Philippians 2:⁹Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

v.14

"four living creatures"

RESEARCH TOPICS

1 Not done

2 Not done

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