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William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:1-11

CHAPTER III.ANTICIPATIONS OF THE CHURCH’S VICTORY.Revelation 4:1-11; Revelation 5:1-14.WE have seen in considering the first chapter of the Apocalypse that the book as a whole is to be occupied with the Church’s struggle in the world; and in the second and third chapters the Church herself has been placed before us as she occupies her position upon the field of history. But the struggle has not yet begun, nor will it begin until we reach the sixth chapter. Rev. 4 and 5 are therefore still to be... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Revelation 4:1-11

III. THE THINGS WHICH ARE AFTER THESE, THE END OF THE AGE, THE CONSUMMATION, AND FINAL MESSAGES (4-22) CHAPTERS 4-5 1. The open door and the vision of the throne (Revelation 4:1-3 ) 2. The twenty-four elders and the throne (Revelation 4:4-5 ). 3. The four living creatures and the worship (Revelation 4:6-11 ) 4. Who is worthy to open the book? (Revelation 5:1-3 ) 5. The answer (Revelation 5:4-5 ) 6. The vision of the Lamb (Revelation 5:6-7 ) 7. Worship and praise (Revelation 5:8-14 )... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 4:1-11

A Door Opened in Heaven From this point in Revelation the Church is never again seen on earth, but always in heaven or coming as the armies in heaven with her Lord to judge the earth (Revelation 19:11-14). The indication of her being raptured to glory is seen in the first verse, for John himself plainly represents the Church, and a door is opened in heaven for him to enter. A number of times in Scripture we read of heaven being opened, always indicating a public event of great significance,... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:1-11

THE SEVEN SEALS This section might also be entitled “The things which shall be hereafter.” It is assumed that the true church is not upon the earth at the beginning of chapter 4, but that the translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 has taken place. Christendom is here, but the church is with the Lord in the air. To some this may seem a bold assumption, but not to those who have pursued the study of the earlier books in this commentary. To them it will appear natural and proper that the church... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Revelation 4:4-11

(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 heads 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... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:7

Like a lion, &c. The qualities in these animals are observed to be courage and strength in the lion; profit to human life, by the calf; reason and wisdom, by the face of man: soaring high, and rapidity or swiftness, by the eagle: whether we understand those spiritual perfections to belong to blessed spirits, or to the apostles in general, or to the four evangelists. (Witham) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 4:1-8

1-8 After the Lord Jesus had instructed the apostle to write to the churches "the things that are," there was another vision. The apostle saw a throne set in heaven, an emblem of the universal dominion of Jehovah. He saw a glorious One upon the throne, not described by human features, so as to be represented by a likeness or image, but only by his surpassing brightness. These seem emblems of the excellence of the Divine nature, and of God's awful justice. The rainbow is a fit emblem of that... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - Revelation 4:1-99

Revelation 4 THE FIRST verse of chapter 4 is, we judge, a very important one. It introduces the unveiling of “the things which must be hereafter;” that is, according to Rev_1:19 , the third section of the book. The vision now takes a fresh departure, and John sees a door opened in heaven and hears an authoritative call to come up into heavenly scenes. Being, as he tells us, “in the Spirit,” all that he experienced and saw had to him a vivid reality, and though a vision it conveys prophetic... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Revelation 4:6-11

The sea of glass, the beasts, and the hymn of praise: v. 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. v. 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. v. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Revelation 4:1-11

SPECIAL DOCTRINO-ETHICAL AND HOMILETICAL NOTES (ADDENDUM)Section FourthSecond Grand Vision. Heaven-picture of the Seals. (Chs. 4, 5)General.—a. Translation of the Seer to Heaven. A vision within a vision, at the same time denoting a momentary translation into the light of the consummation.—The import of Heaven in the whole of Sacred Writ, from Genesis 1:1 throughout, is at once cosmical and spiritual. Heaven is, so to speak, the plastic symbol of religion, and especially of Christianity. God’s... read more

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