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Day 9 Revelation 4:1 Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he who 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. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their head crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him who sat on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him who sat on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Immediately after the letters were sent, Jesus invited John to go up to heaven and He would show him everything that would take place during the Tribulation. The first thing John saw when he arrived was God’s throne. His description of the throne is the same as Ezekiel’s vision of God. Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one who spoke. John saw the glory of the Lord with the angels who surrounded the throne and worshiped Him day and night and as they worshiped, the twenty-four elders fell on their knees in worship. Jesus told his disciples they would judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. 29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (KJV) That accounts for twelve of those seats the other twelve seats were reserved for the elders of the twelve tribes of Israel who would judge their people. On the elders’ heads were crowns of gold. These crowns represent their ministry. Isaiah 62:3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. (KJV) 1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (KJV) 2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also who love his appearing. James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them who love him. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (KJV) These are the crowns that sat on the elders’ heads and the crowns you will receive in your faithfulness to Jesus Christ. When the angels around the throne worshiped the elders cast their crowns at Jesus’ feet. Thunder and lightning around the throne represent the voice of God. Exodus 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. The seven lamps of fire around the throne are seven angels whose purpose is to declare God’s glory and as they did so, they worshiped The four beasts spoken of here are angels with specific duties. You see those beasts mentioned in Ezekiel. Ezekiel 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass. 8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. Four faces on each angel represented their ministry in the earth to man, untamed animals, domesticated animals, and birds. Their ministry is to protect God’s creation. They had six wings and eyes that saw everything. Isaiah spoke of those angels as Seraphim who stood before God day and night and worshipped Him. Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. (KJV) This is the same song that brings the elders to their knees in worship and cast their crowns at Jesus’ feet because He is the only one worthy of worship. As Christians, you will cast your crowns at Jesus’ feet at the song of the angels around God’s throne. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for Your Son, Jesus, who is worthy of all honor and glory. Help me praise You daily for all You have done and will do for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 7 July 2019 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay