Revelation 4

AFTER this After I had the first Vision mentioned chap. 1. and had written, what it was the Pleasure of God I should write to the Churches, in a Book, perceiving the way God designed to reveal himself to me, was by Vision; I looked I looked again, hoping, and being desirous to see something further, as to the Mind of God., and behold, a door was opened I saw the Heavens opened, as Matth. 3.16. Acts 7.56. in heaven He, doubtless, meaneth the third Heavens. Such a Vision, as to this particular, Iohn had at Christ's Baptism, Matth. 3. and Stephen when he was stoned. and the first voice which I heard, was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me He also heard the Voice of one speaking aloud to him, like the Voice he heard. ch. 1.10., which said, Come up hither Which said, Come up hither into Heaven, the new Hierusalem which is above, as the old Hierusalem stood upon an Hill, or rising-ground, so as they who went thither, are constantly said to go up, Isa. 2.3. Acts 11.2. Gal. 1.17, 18. & 2.1., and I will show thee things which must be hereafter Not which have been, (for to what purpose had that been?) but which shall happen hereafter both to my Church, and to her Enemies: from which appears, that God did not here show his Prophet the Destruction of Hierusalem, (for that was already past in the time of Titus Vespasian the Roman Emperor, about the year 69, or 70, after the Incarnation) this (as all confess) was in Domitian's time, about the 11th, or 12th year of his Reign, about 26 or 27 years after that was past, which makes the Notion of two late Annotators very strange..

And immediately I was in the spirit In an Extasie, as Paul, 2 Cor. 12.2. and Peter, Acts 10.10. and Ezek. ch. 3.12. and himself was both before and after this, ch. 1.10. and 17.3. and 21.10., and behold, a throne was set in the heaven, and one sate on the throne God is constantly described in the Prophetical Visions, as sitting upon a Throne, to denote his Power and Dominion, that he is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. See Dan. 7.9, &c..

And he that ate, was, to look upon, like a jasper and sardine stone This is all but a Description of the Glory of God, as he appeared to Iohn in this Vision; the Iasper-stone is famous for its Transparency, and variety of Colours it offereth to the Eye, and may signifie the various, and infinite Perfections of God. The Sardi -stone is red, and of a bloody Colour, which may signifie the Power, Justice, and Terror of God., and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerauld The Rain-bow was the sign of God's Covenant with Noah, signifying his being so far reconciled to the World, as that he would not again destroy it by Water, Gen. 9.13. The Emera ld is green, and pleasant to the Eye, so as this Vision of God represents God powerful, just, and good, and of various and infinite Perfections..

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting Some think (and not improbably) that here is an Allusion to the twenty four Courses of the Priests and Levites, established by God for his Service in the Sanctuary and Temple of old, 1 Chron. 24.18. ch. 25.31. and that these twenty four Elders either typified the whole Church under the New-Testament, the Number of the Tribes of Israel, (which made up the Church under the Old-Testament) being doubled, to show the Increase of the Churches Territories under the Gospel) or the Heads of the Church, either under the Old-Testament, or New (there being Twelve Patriarchs, and Twelve Apostles.) They are represented sitting, to denote their state of Rest and Ease., clothed in white raiment And clothed in white Raiment, to denote their Purity and Holiness; or being clothed with Christ's Righteousness.; and they had on their heads crowns of Gold And having Crowns of Gold on their Heads, to denote that state of Dignity and Glory to which God had advanced them..

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices These words denote a very glorious, and terrible Appearance of God, denoting his Majesty, and Power over his Enemies. There is, possibly, an Allusion to God's Appearance at the giving of the Law, Exod. 19.16. only we read there but of one Voice, and that of a Trumpet inarticulate.. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne The Lamps of Fire before the Throne, have a correspondence with the seven Lamps of the Tabernacle, which gave light to the whole House of God, Exod. 27.20. and are here expounded to be,, which are the seven Spirits of God the seven Spirits of God, that s, the Holy Spirit in his seven-fold (that is, manifold) Dispensations of Grace, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5. by which he enlighteneth, quickneth, healeth, and comforteth the several Souls that are the true Members of his Church. See the Notes on ch. 1.4..

And before the throne The Throne mentioned before, v. 2, 3. upon which one sate, &c.. there was a sea of glass like unto chrystal Another Allusion to the Tabernacle or Temple, in which was a Sea, that is, a large Vessel full of Water it was for Aaron and his Sons to wash their Hands, and Feet, and Sacrifices in, Exod. 30.19. 1 King. 7.23. it was to O bits broad, 5 Cubits high, and 30 Cubits about. Here it is said to have been Glass; this, probably, signified the Blood of Christ, in which all those Souls and Services must be washed, which are accepted of, and acceptable unto God. Its being represented here, as of Glass, may signifie the Purity, and Spotlesness of him, whose Blood it was. Other guesses there are many at the Significancy of this Sea of Glass, but this seems to me most probable, because the use of the Sea in the Temple is made good in Christ., and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes, before and behind Iohn in this Vision also saw four Beasts, which Beasts are said, 1. to be in the midst of, and round about the Throne. 2. To be full of Eyes before, and behind. 3. They are, v. 7. said to have resembled a Lio, a Calf, a Man in the Fast, and a Flying-Eagle, v. 8. each of them had six Wings, and they were full of Eyes within, and incessantly glorified God. Q. Whom did these Beasts signifie? Sol. There are various Notions about them. Some judge them the four Evangelists; (but Iohn himself was one of these, and yet alive) some will have them four Apostles that were mostly at Hierusalem; (but I see no ground for that); some will have them Angels; others, glorified Saints, (but we shall afterwards find them distinguished from both these); others will have them the whole Church. But the most probable Sense is, that they represented the Ministers of the Church, who are living Creatures, whose place is betwixt God and his Church, as those Beasts are placed betwixt the Throne and the Elders; and who are but four to the twenty four Elders, being but few in comparison with the Multitude of Believers; and yet have Eyes on all sides, being enough to see to the Affairs of the whole Church of Christ on the Earth. In this Sense I rest, only here remains a Question; Quest. How these are said to be in the midst of the Throne, and yet round about the Throne? To which various Answers are given; that which pleaseth me best, is, in the middle, is not to be strained to ignifie a place at equal distance from two Extreams, but more largely and proverbially for near the Throne, or near him who sate upon the Throne. See the several Notions about this Phrase in Mr. Pool's Latin Synops s..

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 It is observed concerning these four living Creatures, (for so they were not Beasts in a strict Sense, as it is opposed to flying things; for the fourth was a Fowl) that they were the same mentioned in Ezekiel's Vision, Ezek. 1.10. only each one there is said to have had the four Faces of these Creatures; here each one had a single Face proper to it. 2. That these were the four Creatures whose Protraitures were in the four Ensigns of the Isaelites as they were marshelled into four Companies, allotting the Men of three Tribes to each Company. Iudah's Standard had a Lion in its Colours, according to Iacob's Prophecy of that Tribe, Gen. 49.9. Ephraim had an Ox, Reuben had a Man, Dan an Eagle. This the learned Mede proves from the Rabbins, who (tho fabulous enough) yet in such a thing may be credited. It is also thought they answered the four Cherubims in the Temple. Quest. But what is signified by these f ur living Creatures? Sol. Some say the four Evangelists; others, four Apostles, &c. But certainly they judge best who say, That by them is signified the various Gifts with which God blesseth his Ministers, giving 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 Kingdom, rendring them like Eagles..

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him The Seraphims in Isaiah's Vision, ch. 6.2. had so; there their use is declared,—with twain they covered, their Faces, with twain their Feet, and with twain they did fly. If we understand all the Wings here for Flight, they signifie the Readiness of God's Ministers to move every way that God will send them: if we understand them as interpreted by Isaiah, 6.2 they signifie their various Graces, their Fear, Dread, and Reverence of God; their Humility, and Modesty, their Agility or Readiness to obey all the Commands of God., and they were full of eyes within This denotes that large measure of Knowledge, and Diligence, and Watchfulness, which should be in a Minister of Christ., and they rest not day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty This was the Song of the Seraphi s, Isa. 6.3. and shows how much it should be the care of Ministers to make God known in all his Attributes, his Holiness especially, and his Power., which was, and is, and is to come And his Eternity and Simplicity, as he is the same Yesterday, to day, and for ever, without variableness, or shadow of change..

And when those beasts The living Creatures before expressed, signifying the Ministers of the Gospel. give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that sate on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever When they praise God who is eternal..

The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sate on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever The whole Church also paid an Homage of Reverence and Adoration to the same God., and cast their crowns before the throne, saying Acknowledging all the Good done to them, or wrought in them, to proceeed from God, and the Glory of it to be due unto God alone. The Ministers of the Gospel are, by their preaching unto People their Duty, an Occasion, or Instruments of that Homage and Adoration, which he has from all his People.,

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power All the Praises, Homages, and Acknowledgments of all the Creatures is thy due.: for thou hast created all things As thou are he who gavest the first Being to all Creatures., and for thy pleasure they are and were created And therefore gavest it them, that they might praise, honour, serve, and obey thee..