Revelation 4 - What Are We Going to Be Doing in Heaven?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Revelation 4 

Click Here to Read the TPT (The Passion Translation)

The Throne in Heaven

4 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.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 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. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

Whereas John heard the vision spoken to him by God's angel, now he was brought into the heavenly realms to see what would happen next. The same angel who spoke to him opened the door in heaven to see the next revelation of God. John experienced this "in the Spirit", which would suggest it was not a bodily experience. The one sitting on the throne would be Jesus. Whenever there was one on the throne it would suggest it is the Almighty, especially with all the brilliant gems and glass structures. 

The twenty elders could represent different people. Some of the popular interpretations include:

1. Some think they are angels, but elders in the New Testament always represents leaders in the church. 

2. Some think one of the 12 represents the twelve tribes plus the 12 apostles. 

3. The 24 elders could be representative of all the Christians in heaven, who will receive one of the crowns. including the crown of being a "co-ruler" with Jesus. 

4. A symbol of 24 prophets in the Old Testament. 

I would favor 1 or 3. As you can see there will be many symbolic figures in the book of Revelaton with multiple viable interpretations of who they are and what they mean, which makes it so hard to intepret. This is why one must focus on the overarching principles not get caught up in literal meanings. We will come back to this many times in the next several chapters.  

The text says in heaven we will have responsibilities possibly based on our faithfulness to our calling here on earth. I.e. Parable of the Talents in Matthew. 

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 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. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

So the question that begs to answered is who are the four creatures? And, why are they covered with four eyes? 

Because they cry out "holy, holy, holy" most assume they are "cheribum/angels". Ezekiel 1 and 10 both mention four living creatures. 

From comparison with Ezekiel 1:4-14 and 10:20-22, we understand these creatures to be cherubim, the spectacular angelic beings surrounding the throne of God. Satan was once one of these high angelic beings, according to Ezekiel 28:14.

Cherubim were also prominent in design of the tabernacle, particularly in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 25:17-22 and 26:1-31). The Scriptures show us that the tabernacle is a model of the throne of God, in some manner (Exodus 25:8-9).

What around their eyes on every side? 

Their multitude of eyes indicates these living creatures (not “beasts” as in the KJV) are not blind instruments or robots. They know and understand, and have greater insight and perception than any man.

These beings of great intelligence and understanding live their existence to worship God. All failure to truly worship is rooted in a lack of seeing and understanding. (Guzik)

The eyes could represent past, present, and future! (TPT)

What is the significance of how they are described as an ox, lion, and eagle, and one with the face of a man? 

The four faces have been said to represent the elements, the cardinal virtues, the faculties and powers of the human soul, the patriarchal churches, the great apostles, the orders of churchmen, the principal angels, and so forth.

Because there is no specific connection between the four faces of the cherubim and a particular gospel, different traditions have connected these four faces of the cherubim in different ways. Some have seen Matthew as the “Lion” gospel, showing Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Mark is seen as the “Ox” gospel, showing Jesus as a humble servant, a worker. Luke is seen as the “Man” gospel, showing Jesus as the perfect man, the second Adam. John is seen as the “Eagle” gospel, showing Jesus as the man from heaven, the sky. Still, this approach also has other interpretations. 

Poole says that these four faces illustrate the different personalities God’s ministers have: “By them is signified the various gifts with which God blesseth his ministers, giving to some more courage and fortitude, that they are like lions; to others more mildness and meekness, that they are like oxen or calves; others have more wisdom and prudence, which most adorn a man; others a more piercing insight into the mysteries of God’s kindgom, rendering them like eagles.”

In my opinion the four animals represent spiritual beings with all different types of power and authority in heaven. Their main job is to worship Jesus on his throne. This is why one depiction of heaven is we will fall down and worship the glorified Jesus all day long with all of the angels. Since four always represents a number of "completeness" i.e. four gospels, four winds of the earth, it could represent that totality of angelic authority. We know from Ezekiel 28 that Satan was an high ranking angel who rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven. He has been trying to rebel against God and His people ever since. 

So within heaven there is mainly Jesus, the holy angels, and the glorified saints of God (Christians). 

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 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: 11 “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.”

As we close out Revelation 4 we see primary the primary theme of Revelation is worship! I also joke when people are in Sunday worship, "I hope you like being in worship, because this is what you are going to be doing in heaven!" 

There are times when we worship, we have a sense of what it might be like in heaven, but then we might get distracted with worldly matters. Those have been very sweet times for me.  But in heaven we will see Jesus' in a special way.

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

 Question of the Day

When you worship in church have you ever thought about what it might be like to worship in heaven? If you have ever wondered about what you will do in heaven, did you ever think this would be what you will be doing? We will also have a role of ruling with Christ in heaven, and also be rewarded with one of the five different crowns, which represent faithfulness on earth. I.e. Martyrs who die for their witness for Christ!