Revelation 4: Casting Crowns

Buckle your seat belts.  Revelation takes a turn in chapter 4 and ventures into a view of history (and future) that may strike you as bizarre, mysterious, and even terrifying.

John is invited up into heaven to see the world from that perspective.  The first thing he sees is a throne.  God's rule is firmly established in heaven.  As so often happens in the Bible when a human being encounters the divine, we hear all about the surroundings rather than God Himself.  In this case, John tells us about the colors, living creatures, and elders.

Let's take a look at some of these elements.  My wife Debbie and I were once reading together about the four living creatures.  She mumbled something along the lines of "Gross."  That's a natural reaction to hearing about these strange beings covered with eyes and wings!  One theory I have heard is that the four living creatures represent the different spheres of the animal kingdom that God created, with each of them giving Him glory.  You have the wild animals (lion), the domesticated animals (ox), the human beings (man), and the birds (eagle).  The numerous eyes and wings indicate the totality of their presence - they are all throughout the earth, present and aware, and giving God the glory.  [Remember, Revelation is full of symbolism!]

One of God's powerful titles in Revelation is mentioned in verse 8: "The Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."  Reminds me an awful lot of the great "I Am" statements of Exodus and John's Gospel.

Along with the four living creatures are the 24 elders who have thrones and crowns of their own.  Do they represent the twelve tribes of Israel in addition to the twelve apostles?  Whatever the case may be, their posture, too, is one of utmost worship before the throne.  They get off their own thrones in worship, and they cast their crowns before the One in the center.

One final note: at this point, in Revelation 4, the song of worship and the reason for praise is identified in verse 11 as the Creation.  The One on the throne, who lives forever and ever, is worthy to be praised because of His role in creation.  Keep this in mind when you read Revelation 5.