The Heavenly Scene

Revelation 4



1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."

Most people who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture show this verse as an indicator of the church being raptured. This verse is similar to that of the 2 witnesses also called up to heaven following their death and resurrection. The clear facts that the church is no longer mentioned following the seven churches is a solid aspect of truth that leads to the pre-tribulation rapture and the Rev 3:10 promise to the Philadelphia church. However, the focus of the Book of Revelation is on Jesus and not the church. To read something into the usage or absence of the word, church, violates other Scriptures if that were the basis for the pre-trubulation rapture. We know that Jesus had said in Matthew 24, "After the tribulation of those days..." which then comes the rapture as Jesus appears in the clouds in the midst of the smoke and war streaked sky.

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

We see the rainbow of mercy around the throne conspicuously absent when you view the throne in Chapter 20, also known as the White Throne judgment!

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders [**These are my comments. For an article about the 24 Elders, click here] sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

Here we get into some problems with many positions. Who are the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures around the throne? When we go to the next chapter we see these individuals are people from every nation, tribe, and tongue because they sing the song of deliverance and salvation and state they are thankful and will reign with the Lord as kings and priests. This clear;ly means they were human, they're in heaven, and they have been washed in the blood. Now who are they? Well if you don't want anyone in heaven until the resurrection that you place at tribulation's end, then you must deny their existence or manipulate the Scriptures like so many do because of their stance about life after death. That is to say, if you believe that you sleep in death, then you must deny these are people. If you are a post-tribulationalist then you place these people in heaven and call them the church up to this point. This means you have those who have died in Christ now present with the Lord, and here are the 24 elders, the OT and NT saints: 12 for the patriarchs, and 12 for the church!

5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.

The details are explicit, keep in mind the Seven Spirits of God previously given, the sea of glass-mass humanity or a multitude so large it is uncountable all showing the church in heaven up to this point.

And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures [**These are my comments. For an article about the 4 Beasts, click here] full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

Compare Ezekiel Ch 1 with Ezkiel Ch 10 and their description of the creature. Then consider the 4 gospels and each author's representation of Jesus Christ to the people they write their gospel. You'll see Matthew presents Jesus as the Lion, Mark shows Jesus as the Ox, Luke reveals Jesus as the Man, and John proclaims Jesus as the Eagle. Once you compare the Ezekiel pictures, you will see Jesus Christ's first advent and His willingness to lay His life on Calvary and His second advent where He comes to conquer and set His kingdom in place. My conclusion is somehow these living creatures are a revelation of Jesus through the gospels establishing God's intent before the foundations of the world.

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

Such a glorious worship that soon we will be ap part wnd take part with them around the throne, but only if we have repented and have been washed in the blood. As long as we are not lukewarm and belong to Satan's bride, the apostate church, we still have a chance to repent and be set free from judgment.

Revelation 5



1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

The scroll, sealed, and held in the Lord's hand.

2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?"

The call of who is worthy is given!!

3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.

John's sorrow is profound and disturbing moving him to sob. The was no man worthy to open th scroll!

5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

But Jesus is more than a man, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the second Adam, Creator, and the First Fruits of the first resurrection! He has overcome sin, death, and the grave! Yashua haMashiach is worthy to open the scroll!!

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

The glorious song sung by the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders is one of salvation! This clearly makes them human and thus, the church.

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

Now the choir is increased when the angels join in with the rest. Now because the angels are involved, the song changes to reflect the character of the Lord rather than the salvation song sung previously giving more credence that the 24 elders are the church.

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

Everywhere, the Lord receives worship! Every creature now worships the Lord. 14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

Again the worship of the church is focal and the point because the Lord is the Redeemer and He redeemed the church with His blood. The caution must be given that the church is all who have Jesus, Jew or Gentile. At this point we see those who were in Abraham's Bosom, all Jews, now in heaven, and those who committed their lives to Yashua after His first advent, dead in Christ, all worshiping! The church doesn't replace the Jew but consists of believing Jews as well.