As the throne room scene opens, John sees and hears lightning and thundering and angelic voices. Some writers see these displays as signs of more judgments, but based on similar Old Testament verses, they are more likely indications of God’s mighty power and presence. The scene John sees is an echo of the Mount Sinai experience of Exodus 19:16. There, the clouds and lightning were not so much signs of coming judgment as symbols of Divine power. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook (Psa 77:18).
(*All Bible verses are from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
Chapter 4:5-11
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.
6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.
7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever),
10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Rev 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder:
Note once again of the contrast between literal natural events and the rich use of symbolic language to describe God’s majesty and power:
Literal:
Gen 7:12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Ps 77:17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder..
Gen 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan…
Symbolic:
Amos 8:11 Be certain of this, the time is coming,” says the sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land – not a shortage of food or water but an end to divine revelation!
Isa 29:6 …the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.
John continues to describe the heavenly scenes opened before him. They are filled with symbolic images that take the reader beyond literal fire-lit torches and common numbers.
Rev 4:5
In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God:
Review the use of the symbolic number “seven” in Rev 1:4, and 1:20. Consider the use of seven and its multiples in the following verse:
Matt 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
It’s unlikely that Jesus was setting a limit on the times we should forgive someone. His use of the number seven as a symbol of perfection and completeness teaches us that forgiving love has no end. Remember the seven lampstands of Chapter 1? They not only symbolize the seven churches addressed in Revelation, but as an eternal principle, they represent the light of Gospel truth shared with the entire world. The seven spirits before God’s throne in Chapter 3 don’t limit the Father’s goodness to a few attributes, but glorify His endless love and dominion!
These symbolic elements – lightning, thunder, blazing lamps, and seven spirits– combine to create an astounding picture of God’s Omnipotence and Power!
Rev 4:6
Also, before the throne, there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal:
The following verses use the “sea” and “waters” as metaphors for humanity and the kingdoms of the earth:
Isa 57:20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.
Rev 17:15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
Isa 23:11 The LORD has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble…
Isa 17:12 Woe to the many nations that rage— they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar— they roar like the roaring of great waters!
Jer 6:23 They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
The word crystal used in this verse comes from the Greek krustallos, meaning “ice”, referring to a clear and transparent substance1. If the “sea” that stretches out before God’s throne represents humanity, the fact that it is “clear as crystal” implies that nothing is hidden from God. If the word “sea” is replaced with terms like “humanity,” “multitudes,” “nations,” or “peoples,” other verses gain some interesting perspective. For example, Rev 4:6 might read, “In front of the throne were what looked like multitudes and nations, all of whom God could see clearly…” Rev 15:2 could be interpreted to mean, “John saw what looked like multitudes who were clearly visible to God and were glowing with fire. Standing beside this multitude were those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name…”
These illustrations are consistent with what Jesus’ disciples experienced. Jesus used the sea to illustrate the mass of humanity surrounding his disciples and fish as the people who could be saved by his good news of redemption:
Matt 4:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break…10 … “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
Rev 4:6-8
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.
The prophecies of Ezekiel provide insights into the symbolism of these peculiar creatures. Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah in 598 BC and deported much of its population back to Babylon where they remained in captivity for seventy years (2 Kings 24; Jer 25:11). Ezekiel, one of the exiles, had an experience similar to John’s:
Ezek 1:4-7 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God…5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze…10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
Ezek 10:20-22 20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings were what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River. Each one went straight ahead.
Examine each component of John’s images (review “Learning To Interpret Prophetic Images“):
They were covered with eyes, in front and in back:
Eyes are often regarded as the “windows to the soul,” symbolizing a gateway to an individual’s most intimate emotions and thoughts. They can also symbolize wisdom and knowledge, keen perception, and awareness. The image of multiple eyes is a symbol of divine omniscience and a reflection of God’s omnipresent, all-seeing nature.
Prov 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
Job 28:24 …for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
Jer 16:17 My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.
Heb 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The first living creature was like a lion:
The lion is often associated with pride, strength, and courage. For centuries, it has been a symbol of noble houses and royalty, representing the king of the plains and the king of the beasts. In Christianity, Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God (John 1:36), symbolizing His gentleness and willingness to be the sacrifice for our sins. He is also called the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), symbolizing His absolute authority and power over all creation.
Gen 49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah;you return from the prey, my son.Like a lion he crouches and lies down,like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
Isa 31:4 This is what the LORD says to me:“As a lion growls,a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it,it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor—so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
Rev 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
The second, like an ox (calf):
To the ancients, an ox or calf would represent strength, hard work, and at times, a sacrifice offering:
Prov 14:4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.
Deut 33:17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth…
Lev 9:2 He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the LORD.
Num 7:83 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.
The third had a face like a man: The Greek term anthropos is used here and means “man-faced”, “human being” (man or woman), “someone”2. The Hebrew word adam, means “a human being”, “mankind”3, and iysh is translated as “a man as an individual or a male person”4. This creature had the attributes of a human being:
Jer 50:40 As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns,” declares the LORD, “so no one [iysh] will live there; no people [adam] will dwell in it.
Mic 5:7 The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone [iysh] or depend on man [adam].
The fourth was Like a flying eagle: In the Bible, eagles are often used to symbolize strength, victory, and God’s care for his people. They represent the regal bird of prey with sharp eyesight, speed, and the ability to soar to great heights.
Jer 48:40 This is what the LORD says:“Look! An eagle is swooping down, spreading its wings over Moab.
Job 9:26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
Each had six wings: In the Bible, wings can represent a spiritual journey, a path to ascent, rising high above the world around us. They also symbolize freedom and protection. The wings of a dove symbolize purity and innocence, while the wings of an eagle symbolize strength and power. God’s protection over his people is symbolized by His covering them with the shadow of his wings.
2Sam 22:11 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
Ps 55:6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
Exod 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Ps 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Isa 34:15 The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate.
Matt 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
When combined, these images illustrate the eternal attributes of God in Christ:
- The Son is the mighty Lion of Judah, king of all!
- He, like the ox, carries our burdens and is a sacrifice for all.
- Jesus came as a man, yet he is high and lifted up, gathering all who will hear him under his protection.
- Through all eternity Christ embodies the holiness of the Father, who was, and is, and is to come!
Rev 4:8
Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Isa 6:3 And they were calling to one another:“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Isa 55:12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Psa 66:4 All the earth bows down to you;they sing praise to you,they sing the praises of your name.”
Rev 4:9-10
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him… the twenty-four elders fall down before him… They lay their crowns before the throne:
Receiving a crown or garland is a reward for a job well done or a victory won. Jesus promises victory to those who persevere and remain faithful to the Father, symbolized by receiving a crown of glory. Laying those crowns at the feet of Jesus indicates that, despite what a person may have done on earth in faithful obedience, only Jesus is truly worthy of glory and honor. A crown will seem like an insignificant gift to present to the One who gave His life for us (Galatians 2:20).
Rev 4:11
You are worthy, our Lord and God…:
The Son proclaims that the Father alone is good and worthy of praise!
Mark 10:18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
1Cor 15:28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
Rev 4-11:
By your will they were created and have their being:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Footnotes
- Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. ↩︎
- Strong’s G444. ↩︎
- Strong’s H120. ↩︎
- Strong’s H376. ↩︎
*All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
