The Book of Revelation
Chapter Four

Revelation 4:1, 2
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

Whereas the Apostle John has been describing what he has seen and “what is now” in the first three chapters of Revelation, he now addresses “what will take place later” (Revelation 1:19) - that is, what is in the future. Keep in mind that Revelation is a sequence-oriented book; therefore, we will see that 4:1 illustrates the Rapture and then 6:2 reveals the appearance of the Antichrist and the start of the Tribulation Period.

The sequence of events indicates a period of time between 4:1 (the Rapture) and 6:2 (the Antichrist), and we aren’t informed of the length of this period of time. It is most likely that during this time frame the Antichrist will rise in power and consolidate his authority in Europe (the Revived Roman Empire - European Union), will finalize (if not already) and take over the one-world government and will establish a covenant (treaty) with “many” (the nations of the world and Israel). Once the treaty is established, the Tribulation (a 7-year period of judgments by God upon the earth) will begin.

Because of current events, it’s not difficult to see how the foundation for a one-world government, a one-world currency, a one-world identification card, a one-world audio-visual system, a one-world judicial (court) system and a one-world “everything” is slowly but inevitably taking shape. How difficult it must have been for ministers of God’s prophetic Word to have understood some of what they believed the Bible to say regarding the “end times” during their lives so many years ago. How could they have seen the reestablishment of Israel in 1948, the retaking of Jerusalem by Israel in 1967, the formation of the United Nations and the European Union, the establishment of the Euro (European dollar), the formation of the International Court, and today’s technology (which will allow the entire world to see the death of the two witnesses at the same time as described in Revelation 11:3-10). I dare say for those ministers to have held to God’s prophetic Word then must have surely taken more faith then what is necessary today.

The word “Rapture,” which is not found in the New Testament (then again the word “Bible” isn’t found in the Bible), is probably the best single word to describe the event covered in several scriptural passages. The word itself comes from a Latin vulgate translation of the Greek word harpadzo, which is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The word may also be translated “caught up” or “snatched.” The Rapture refers to the time that our Lord Jesus Christ will return literally, visibly and bodily in the clouds to call up all believers, the “dead in Christ first” and then those who are alive and remain, to meet Him in the atmosphere and then be transferred to Heaven. This is an imminent event that can happen at any time, and is believed to be nearly at hand. Passages that refer to the Rapture are often confused with the Second Coming of Christ. Christ’s Second Coming can be expressed in two phases. The first part is called the “Rapture,” which is represented in Revelation 4:1, and it precedes the Tribulation, involves a meeting in the air and removes all believers from the earth. The second part is called the “Second Coming” (or the “Revelation” or “Glorious Appearing”), which is found in Revelation 19:11-16, and it follows the Tribulation wherein Christ and all believers return to earth. The chapters between these two events deal with the Tribulation Period.

There are at least 3 Rapture belief systems. They are (1) Pre-Tribulation Rapture, (2) Mid-Tribulation Rapture and (3) Post-Tribulation Rapture (also known as the Yo-Yo Rapture). The Post-Tribulation system has the Church Age transitioning into the Tribulation Period, only to end with the Rapture and then the immediate Second Coming (both happening almost simultaneously - hence, the term “Yo-Yo”). The Mid-Tribulation Rapture system has the same order of event, with the exception that the Rapture happens after three and one half years at the mid-point of the Tribulation Period and the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. The Pre-Tribulation belief system has the Rapture occurring at the end of the Church Age, then the introduction of the Antichrist and the covenant, which starts the 7-year Tribulation Period, only to end with the Second Coming of Christ. This author subscribes to and will advance the Pre-Tribulation Rapture system of belief. The Millennium Reign of Christ on earth for 1,000 years is accepted by all three systems and is established by and follows the Second Coming of Christ.

For your own individual study, the following is a list of Rapture passages and Second Coming passages:

Rapture

John 14:1-3; Romans 8:19; 1 Corinthians 1:7, 8; 15:51-53; 16:22; Philippians 3:20-21; 4:5; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2:19; 4:13-18; 5:9, 23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; James 5:7-9; 1 Peter 1:7, 13; 5:4; 1 John 2:28-3:2; Jude 1:21; Revelation 2:25; 3:10; 4:1.

Second Coming

Daniel 2:44, 45; 7:9-14; 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10; 14:1-15; Matthew 13:41; 24:15-31; 26:64; Mark 13:14-27; 14:62; Luke 21:25-28; Acts 1:9-11; 3:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; 2:8; 1 Peter 4:12, 13; 2 Peter 3:1-14; Jude 1:14, 15; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-20:6; 22:7, 12, 20.

These two events are most definitely different. Note the following:

Rapture

      1.    We won’t know the time of Christ’s coming. Matthew 24:36
      2.    Christ will return exactly as He left. Acts 1:9-11
      3.    Christ will have a physical body. Luke 24:39, 41-43; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
      4.    Christ will descend from His Father’s house, where He is preparing a place for believers. John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16
      5.    Christ will come to receive believers to Him. John 14:1-3
      6.    Christ will descend with a shout (loud command). 1Thessalonians 4:16
      7.    All will take place in the “twinkling of an eye” (some have taken GE’s computation of this as 11/100th of a second). 1 Corinthians 15:52
      8.    It will be accompanied by the voice of the archangel. 1 Thessalonians 4:16
      9.    It will be accompanied by the trumpet call of God. 1 Thessalonians 4:16
      10.    Christ will resurrect dead believers first. Their ashes will reunite into a physical but immortal body and then be joined with their spirits (which Christ will bring with Him) in the air. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16
      11.    Christ will then bring up (rapture or snatch up) live believers who will experience their bodies changing from a mortal state to an immortal state to join the resurrected believers in the clouds for a “grand reunion.” 1 Corinthians 15:51, 53; 1 Thessalonians 4:17
      12.    Together the resurrected believers and the presently alive believers will join Jesus Christ in the air, where He will receive and transport them to His Father’s house. John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17
      13.    The believers will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
      14.    The Judgment Seat of Christ and the issuance of rewards and crowns will occur immediately after this event. Luke 14:14; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 5:4

Second Coming (Revelation or Glorious Appearing)

      1.    It takes place immediately after the Tribulation. Matthew 24:29
      2.    It involves cosmic phenomena (sun, moon, and stars). Matthew 24:29
      3.    Heaven opens and Christ appears on a white horse. Revelation 19:11
      4.    Christ comes with the armies of heaven. Revelation 19:14
      5.    Everyone sees the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. Matthew 24:30
      6.    Christ comes in power and great glory. Matthew 24:30
      7.    The Beast (Antichrist) and his armies confront Christ. Revelation 19:19
      8.    The Beast and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 19:20
      9.    Those who had rejected Christ are killed. Revelation 19:21
      10.    Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-3
      11.    Tribulation saints are resurrected to be with Christ. Matthew 24:31; Revelation 20:4
      12.    Jesus Christ judges nations and establishes His kingdom. Matthew 25

The following are reasons why the Church will not go through the Tribulation, hence, the Rapture must take place prior to this 7-year period of God’s judgments:

      1.    There is no mention of the Church in Revelation 4-18 (Tribulation Period). It is mentioned some 17 times in the first three chapters and again in chapter 19 when it returns with Christ at His Second Coming.
      2.    The Tribulation Period is Israel’s time of suffering. Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 12:1
      3.    The “seventy sevens” (or as in some translations, “seventy weeks”) in Daniel 9:24-27 are decreed for “your people,” which are the Jews and not the Church. It is unreasonable to think that only the first 69 sevens (weeks) pertain to Israel and not the 70th seven/week (Tribulation). Additionally, the seventy sevens pertain also to the “holy city,” i.e., Jerusalem. This is why the signs in Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 17, 21 apply to Israel and the Middle East.
      4.    In Matthew 24:20 our Lord instructs that those in the Tribulation should pray that their flight not take place on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is applicable only to the Jews - not the Church. Ezekiel 20:12, 20
      5.    Referring to those in the Tribulation in Mark 13:9, Christ says they will be beaten (flogged) in the synagogues - a place of worship for the Jews and not the Church.
      6.    Jesus Christ promised to deliver the Church from “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” - the Tribulation. Revelation 3:10
      7.    The Apostle Paul during his discourse to the Thessalonians regarding the Rapture and the Tribulation promises the Church (believers - body of Christ) that they will be delivered from the “coming wrath,” which is the Tribulation Period. 1 Thessalonians 1:10
      8.    During this same discourse, the Apostle Paul assures believers that they are not appointed to “suffer wrath,” a phrase which follows one of the strongest passages in the Bible pertaining to the Rapture and therefore should be taken in context. 1 Thessalonians 5:9
      9.    One of the chief characteristics of the Rapture is that it is imminent, i.e., it may happen at any time and believers will not know exactly when it will occur. This was and is a primary incentive to believers to stay alert and in the Lord’s service. If in fact it were to take place in the middle or at the end of the Tribulation Period, believers would know exactly when it would occur and it wouldn’t be imminent. Matthew 24:44

There are those who advance the notion that the “Pre-Tribulation” position regarding the Rapture was originated with John Darby in the mid-1800s and was never mentioned before that time. This is false. Not only is the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” the clear teaching of the early church, as is reflected in the numerous passages mentioned above, but it was also the position of Morgan Edwards, a Baptist pastor in Philadelphia who described the pre-Tribulation return of Christ in his 1788 book Millennium, Last Days Novelties. He maintained that he had been preaching this doctrine since 1742.

Having covered these “preliminaries” to this commentary on the first verse, let’s take a close look at the first two verses. It is striking to see the similarity between what happens in this verse and other New Testament Rapture passages (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). There is a trumpet sound, a voice command, the instant change of a believer from a mortal to an immortal state and a believer being caught up through the air from the earth to Heaven - all of which are representative of the Rapture. The voice John hears is that of Jesus Christ, who calls him up to Heaven. John is transferred “in his spirit by the Holy Spirit,” since he does not have his resurrected (glorified) body at that time. On the other hand his spirit could enter Heaven, because of the imputed righteousness of Christ (Romans 8:10). Immediately he sees a throne and someone is on it. The bottom line - this verse illustrates the Rapture, John being the representative of all believers.

Revelation 4:3
And the One who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

The One sitting on the throne is God the Father, which we learn from verse 8 (is the One “who was, and is, and is to come” - the Eternal God) and verse 11 (He “created all things” - John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1, 2). The two precious stones mentioned, which speak of the qualities that emanate from the Throne of God, are jasper and carnelian (sardine stone). These were the first and last precious stones embedded in the breastplate of the High Priests (Exodus 28:15-20), a reminder that Jesus Christ is our High Priest forever. Jasper is a translucent stone very similar to a diamond. It represents the holiness and purity of God. Carnelian is fiery red, a reminder of the blood of Jesus (which takes away the sins of the world) and the righteous judgment or wrath of God (should one not avail himself of His Son’s blood) and which will be revealed against the earth in chapters 6-18.

Round the throne was a rainbow, a reminder of God’s promise to Noah that He would nevermore judge by way of flood (Genesis 9:8-17). This tells us that God will not use a flood to destroy all mankind during the Tribulation Period. It also reminds us that God is faithful - He keeps His Word. The rainbow is green, the color of “life.” This reminds us that through Jesus Christ alone we have eternal life (1 John 5:11, 12).

Revelation 4:4
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

Around the Throne of God are 24 other thrones. Seated on them were 24 elders. Elders in the Bible never depict angelic beings. They always represent or portray human beings, in this case glorified human beings. The number “24” occurs 6 times in the Old Testament. In every case it is associated with the priests of Israel. Just as 24 priests represented all of Israel, 24 elders will one day represent all believers (who are a “royal priesthood” - 1 Peter 2:9) before the Throne of God. An alternate proposal that is advanced by some regarding these 24, which is not out of line with this view, is that the 24 represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 New Testament Apostles. This is conjectured, since Revelation 21:12-14 reveals that the New Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven has the 12 names of the 12 tribes inscribed on its 12 gates and the 12 names of the 12 Apostles inscribed on its 12 wall foundations. This may be correct, but in every case it will represent “believers” - those associated with God’s Old Covenant and His New Covenant.

Notice that these elders are sitting and are clothed. Spirits don’t sit and cannot be clothed. The elders are dressed in white, depicting the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). The elders are also wearing crowns, which represent deeds (works) of divine good (by the filling of the Holy Spirit) while alive on earth. When are believers crowned? They are crowned immediately after the Rapture (Luke 14:14; 1 Peter 5:4), so this is another proof of the pre-Tribulation Rapture. The elders who represent all believers are in Heaven with Christ before the Tribulation begins.

Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven Spirits of God.

This activity emanating from the Throne of God portends what is about to befall the earth. It shows that a great storm is coming to the earth, and this holy storm called the Tribulation stems from the righteous wrath of God. We know from Revelation 1:4 that the “seven spirits of God” represents the “sevenfold nature” of the Holy Spirit as revealed in Isaiah 11:2. “Blazing” lamps represent the Holy Spirit in this verse, an indication that God’s righteous wrath is burning hot and will be administered toward His creation by way of His Spirit.

Revelation 4:6-8
Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Before the throne is a sea of glass, depicting “total calm.” Even though a might storm is about to break upon the earth; there is only calmness in the presence of God Almighty. Later in Revelation 17:1, 15 the term “many waters” is used to represent people. This being the case, we may understand that the “sea of glass” represents all believers who exist in a state of tranquility before the Throne of God.

The four beasts (Gk. zoon - “living creature”) are four created angelic beings, otherwise known as seraphims (Isaiah 6:1-3). These created angelic beings were created to praise and worship God Almighty. They are also symbolic, since we see the use of the words “like a” and “like an.” The rule of interpreting God’s Word is to always interpret in a literal fashion, unless God shows otherwise. While these are literally created beings, the portrait of them indicates several things symbolically.

      1.    Six wings and multiple all-seeing eyes reveal that they are creatures of strength and knowledge.
      2.    Lion, ox, man and eagle reveal the four aspects or qualities of Christ as depicted by the Four Gospels.
      a.    Matthew - Christ is the King of the Jews (the lion is the king of beasts) Matthew 2:2; 21:5; Revelation 5:5
      b.    Mark - Christ is a Servant (the ox is a beast of burden) Mark 10:45
      c.    Luke - Christ is the Son of Man (man speaks of Christ’s humanity) Luke 5:24; 6:5; 7:34
      d.    John - Christ is Ruler or God of All (the eagle is ruler of the skies) John 1:1-3

The adulation, which never stops, of “Holy, holy, holy” is 3-fold and is for God Almighty, the Triune God (Trinity), who is composed of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The description of God as “who was, and is, and is to come” applies to all three of the Godhead, i.e., the Father (1:4), the Son (1:8) and the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 4:9-11
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

All God’s created beings, angelic and human, together and continuously worship and praise God. Those who are human and who have received crowns representing rewards for their deeds on earth “lay their crowns before the throne,” which indicates that they are fully aware that their rewards were only due to “Christ working through them” while they sojourned as believers on earth. It is their conclusion that only Christ is worthy to receive “glory and honor and power,” because He was the Creator and by Him alone could created beings come into existence and now continue to live.