Revelation 4:1-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 4:1-7

We have here an account of a second vision with which the apostle John was favoured: After this, that is, not only ?after I had seen the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks,? but ?after I had taken his messages from his mouth, and written and sent them to the several churches, according to his command, after this I had another vision.? Those who well improve the discoveries they have had of God already are prepared thereby for more, and may expect them. Observe, I.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 4:1

4:1 After this I saw, and, behold, a door in heaven was standing open, and there came to me the voice that I had heard before, speaking to me like the sound of a trumpet, and the speaker said: "Come up here, and I will show you the events which must follow these things." In Revelation 2:1-29 ; Revelation 3:1-22 we saw the Risen Christ walking amidst his churches upon earth. Now the scene changes to the court of heaven. A door was opened in heaven for the seer. There are two... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 4:2-3

4:2-3 Immediately, I fell under the influence of the Spirit; and, behold, a throne stood in heaven, and there was One seated on it. And he who was seated on the throne was like a jasper stone and a sardian to look at; and there was a rainbow circling round the throne, like an emerald to look at. When the seer entered the door into heaven, he fell into an ecstasy. In heaven he saw a throne and God on the throne. The throne of God is a common Old Testament picture. The prophet said: "I saw... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 4:4

4:4 And in a circle round the throne I saw twenty-four thrones, and seated upon the thrones twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads. We now approach one of the difficult passages for which the Revelation is notorious. In it we meet twenty-four elders and then four living creatures; and we have to try to identify them. We find the twenty-four elders frequently appearing in the Revelation. Let us set down the facts about them. They sit around the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 4:5-6

4:5-6a And flashes of lightning and voices and peals of thunder were coming forth from the throne. There were seven torches of fire burning before the throne, and these are the seven Spirits of God. And in front of the throne there was what I can only call a sea of glass like crystal. John adds more details to his mysterious and awe-inspiring picture of heaven. The voices are the voices of the thunder; and thunder and lightning are often connected with the manifestation of God. In the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:1

After this I looked ,.... After John had seen the vision of Christ, in the midst of the golden candlesticks, with seven stars in his right hand; after he was bid to write what he had seen, and what were, and should be hereafter; and after he had by order written the seven epistles to the seven churches, he looked about him to see what else he could, having his desires and expectations raised of seeing more, and other things, for the eye is never satisfied with seeing; though this is to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:2

And immediately I was in the Spirit ,.... As he had been before, Revelation 1:10 ; it seems he had been some little time out of his ecstasy, how long cannot be said, and now, upon this new scene of things, returned to it; upon the opening of the door in heaven, and hearing the former voice, and the things it said, the Spirit of God at once possessed and filled him, in an extraordinary manner; and his soul or spirit was immediately taken from the consideration of all sensible objects, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:3

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper ,.... For the brightness, glory, and majesty of his countenance, and for his being light itself, clothed with it, and dwelling in it; see Revelation 21:11 ; and for the various perfections of his nature, as eternity, infinity, immutability, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, wisdom, power, goodness, truth, love, grace, and mercy; for the jasper, at least one sort of them, is of various colours, and spotted with divers spots; that which is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:4

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats ,.... In a semicircular form, as the rainbow also was; the thrones in the above form, came to both ends, or sides of it; just as when the sanhedrim, or great court of judicature among the Jews say F13 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 3. & Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 3. , the "Nasi", or prince, sat in the uppermost seat, at his right hand was "Ab beth din", or the father or the sanhedrim, and at his left hand a doctor or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:5

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings , and voices ,.... Which may be understood either of the doctrines of the Gospel which come out of Zion, and out of Jerusalem, the church of God, where he has his throne; and which are comparable to "lightning", both for the light and knowledge they give, and for the swiftness with which they were spread over the world, by the apostles of Christ; and to "thunderings", for the awfulness, authority, and majesty of them, especially... read more

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