Each had six wings
Each had eyes on body and under wings
One resembled a lion
One resembled an ox
One resembled a man
One resembled an eagle
Day and Night
They never cease saying:
‘HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
LORD GOD,
THE RULER OF ALL,
WHO WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME.’
When Living Creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who
is seated on the throne...
24 Elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne
Praise Worthy Glory
Honor Holy
Mighty Blessing Wisdom
Wonder Hope Praises
Holy Jesus Father Spirit
Almighty Savior Lover
Bridegroom King Creator
Full of Grace Merciful Lord
“Worthy are YOU, our Lord and God, to receive glory and
honor and power. For You did create all things. And it was
by Your will that they came into existence and were created.”
WORSHIP BEFORE THE THRONE
THE WONDER OF THE AGES
4:6 Before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne,
and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
- Holy Spirit expression
- Lamps burning
- John the Baptist a burning lamp
- John is like the Holy Spirit
- The Isaiah 62:1 burning lamp of God
- Matthew 25 – get into Holy Spirit flow
- Now seven lamps – where to put them? In river – suspended in mid air? Do they move when we pray? Spend time with
this – it will do something to your prayer life.
- Sea of glass – 50-100 yards? Hypothetically we are near – not far away – like 30 miles away. Revelation 15 adds harps
and flaming fire – saints stand – music of God in our spirit and musical instruments – we sing to the Lord.
- Rainbow – lights – colors – fragrance – power – energy – desire – dignity – fire
- Then around the throne – above the faces of God – four of them – they cry (looking on His person) “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
Seraphim above the throne in proximity – in midst and around it – near Father. Cherubim are actually under the blue
sapphire throne (Ezekiel 1).
- Moses saw the sapphire pavement in Exodus 24
- Creatures have supernatural ability to perceive
- God’s throne adorned by the majesty of the creatures around it – the attendants God the Father chose. And you
know if He chose them they’re magnificent in beauty.
- Four faces – of God’s divine beauty. They’re showing four faces of God in their own being. These four faces speak
of the enlarged capacity of creatures to perceive four-fold to us at this time. Four dimensions of salvation and four facets of
our ability to comprehend the beauty they unceasingly proclaim forever.
- Sea – night and day
- The beauty songs – transcendent beauty
- God’s fire has two distinct elements:
1. An enabling fire – an impartation of God’s Holy emotions
2. A destroying fire – judgment that destroys what hinders love
- Two sets of four living creatures – four below sapphire sea and four are around. Four below have four wings and
four faces and the ones above have six wings and one face each and their ministries are different. One group are cherubim
and one group seraphim. Eight total but could be more. Both very significant. They are filled with life that’s why called living
creatures. They are filled with life of God.
- Four is the number symbolic of creation and the earth. These four creatures thus represent creation. (TB)
- Four living creatures – the word “beast” was first used by Wycliffe and translators in general have followed him in this
uncouth rendering (AC)
- Sea of glass has four main passages that describe. And then counterfeit sea of iniquity with four wild beasts that
culminate in the reign of the antichrist.
- “The sea of glass” corresponds to the molten sea before the sanctuary, wherein the priests washed themselves before
entering on their holy service; so introduced here in connection with the redeemed “priests unto God” (JFB)
- This heavenly sea is the archetype of the ‘molten sea’ in Solomon’s temple, which is commonly taken to represent the
cosmic flood, over which God sits enthroned as king (Z)
- Crystal – not imperfectly transparent as the ancient common glass, but like rock crystal. – may symbolize the purity,
calmness, and majesty of God’s rule. (JFB)
- There is in this sea depth and transparency, but not the fluidity and instability of the natural sea. It stands solid, calm,
and clear, God’s judgments are called “a great deep” in Psalm 36:6 (JFB)
- In 15:2 it is a “sea of glass mingled with fire”. Thus there is symbolized here the purificatory baptism of water and
the Spirit of all who are made “kings and priests unto Go”. In 15:2 the baptism with the fire of trial is meant. Through both
all the king-priests have to pass in coming to God: His judgments, which overwhelm the ungodly, they stand firmly upon,
as on a solid sea of glass; able like Christ to walk on the sea, as though it were solid. (JFB)
- They were surprising declarations. Exodus 24 – Ezekiel 1 – surprising to us – but John had a biblical understanding
– both natural and spiritual. The sea of glass was awesome sapphire (not from here but Exodus 24:10) – blue, crystal.
Moses saw it first. Ezekiel saw 600 BC – then John saw around 100 AD. A mighty ocean that surrounds throne of God –
a vast sea (not a pond) before, around or before – surrounds entire throne of God. A vast sea of glory of God. Nothing
else like it. My theory is that it is 1,500 miles cubed – the eternal city – 1,500 miles high – there is a reason.
- Book on testimonies of those who say they’ve viewed the eternal city – some see same things – 1500-mile high city.
Some say different realms of glory ascend upwards and the throne of God at the very pinnacle. Some suggest a different
level every mile and different planes of glory. A number of levels within – some suggest it’s a pyramid city but not certain
and surrounded by heavenly sea. Ephesians 2:6 seated in heavenly places and the only place we see people seated is
before the throne of God – the 24 elders.
- It is a vast sea that all believers – billions – can be on at the same time. 4:6 and 15:2 – two references to the sea.
In Old Testament Exodus 24:10 and Ezekiel 1:22 carry the most description.
#1 point – a heavenly sea – a staggering concept. Before Genesis 1 there was no sea. He created a sea. Why a
sea? Why thousands of miles of water? What a way to run planet earth – with oceans and seas. Why did God in His genius
create a sea? Exodus 24:10 – sapphire blue. It is more than coincidental that the earthly sea is blue – the heavenly sea is
blue and the earthly sea is blue in terms of God’s design.
#2 point – before the throne. Maybe it means surround or around – we don’t know. But the fact that it is before –
one of the 15 revelations of the beauty of God – makes it very significant – undoubtedly there are thousands of items of
description of the throne, so this fact is described and exists – touching the throne – makes it significant.
#3 point – sea is glass – it’s crystal. Touching is significant. Glass like crystal. Glass is manufactured by human
beings and crystal is part of the created order. So the fact that it is glass and crystal is a distinct description set forth by
the Holy Spirit. Glass is a man-made thing – found in the throne of God is a very curious and interesting fact. There is a
human cooperation that is important in liking it to glass – though it isn’t – John just can’t find words to fully describe. It’s like
glass – it’s like crystal – it’s like a sea. It’s not a sea. But he has no words to describe what he’s looking at.
- So there is the dimension of the human working and then the crystal from natural order. This crystal sea upholds the
congregation of God. It’s the place where the saints gather. Seven times in the Book of Revelation the saints all gather –
the holy convocations – the most significant ones. It’s the conference nobody misses in eternity. It’s big stuff. Apparently the
sapphire sea it supports the throne of God and the seraphim under this sea ministering to the Lord with the wheel and other
things we’ll look at later. This translucent divine brightness of this crystal sea – it is a vast sea.
- Another point is that it is unoccupied. There is nobody on the sea as John sees it. The saints are on the sea at the
end of natural history. The scroll that the human King takes – the scroll that brings God’s plan to completion – the sea is
unoccupied – there is nobody on it. But at end in Revelation 15 it is filled with voluntary lovers with harps worshipping and
lovesick. Because the scroll is not open, it is empty. In a few moments in God’s economy it will be there.
- Two Old Testament passages – Exodus 24 – first time sea of glass mentioned – now what has happened in
Exodus 19 all three million of the nation of Israel (600,000 men with women and children) all gathered. The fire and thunder
and earthquake are like Revelation 19 and is all happening on this mountain. And they were absolutely terrified in
Exodus 19 and it was only a little hint of what happening around throne of God.
- If study natural lightning, it originates coming out of God before it was ever a part of the natural order. Now a little
time is past and they are terrified of God. Then in Exodus 24, God tells Moses to come up to the Lord – you, Aaron,
Nadab and Abihu, (only two of four sons ?) and seventy of the elders of Israel and worship Him from afar. Now they are
going to come up to the actual sapphire pavement – up that mountain – and God says no matter where I bring you in the
Spirit, you’re not going to be near me like you’re going to be when its all over.
- Exodus 24:2 and Moses alone shall come up “near” the Lord. So Moses goes on even farther than the elders.
The elders have quite an experience. Verse 9 – Moses went up and the others – 74 men (verse 10); they saw the God of
Israel and there under His feet – they don’t see His face – they only see His feet – is the sapphire sea – the crystal sea that
is under the throne. You don’t know where its all at – you’re going to need all the passages and Ezekiel 1:22 to make the
story complete and Revelation - like the very heavens in its clarity or brightness. Ezekiel takes off on this and calls it
terrifying brightness – awesome crystal – this sapphire sea they are standing on. Exodus 33 – not His face – His feet –
sapphire pavement – God did not lay His hand on these 73 – it means God did not kill them because they were close to
Him. So near God (nearer than us) in terms of physical proximity – god did not kill them – but rather He gives them a down
payment of the marriage supper of the Lamb. On that sapphire pavement they sit down and eat with God – they celebrate.
- A meal of intimacy because that’s what this sapphire pavement is about – it’s about intimacy with the bride and fire as
lovesick worshipers on the last day – encircling the whole throne – 1500 miles in diameter. We need to touch now.
Romans 8:18 – sufferings; 2 Corinthians 4:17 – nothing compares.
- Ezekiel 1:22 – this is about 900 years after Moses (1500 BC) in 600 BC – the likeness of the firmament. This
firmament – this pavement – awesome crystal sea – very clear like the heavens (Moses). Moses – it was terrifying to you.
“Yes, but the Holy Spirit said to write clear as the heavens”. I accept it.
- It stretches out – the color of crystal – Scripture tells us its next to the throne of Jesus and verse 28 will describe
the rainbow around it so we know we are at the same place John is – but looking at it from a different perspective. Its
verse 26 the sapphire blue is attributed to Jesus throne. Jesus throne is the same color as the awesome pavement.
We know its awesome crystal. Exodus 24 – the pavement and the throne are sapphire – right through Hebrew history the
pavement of Ezekiel was the same as the pavement of Moses. It is interesting that Jesus’ throne is sapphire. Daniel 7:9 –
the Father’s throne is flaming fire – no color attributed to it; but a throne of flaming fire that God wraps a garment of light
around it so you can’t gaze into it. Daniel 7:9 he saw a throne of fire. Psalm 104:2 God wraps Himself in garments of light
to protect the created order. And we know the colors of His garments of light are jasper and sardus and we know that from
John. But the throne engulfed in flaming fire. Verse 28 links the throne of Jesus – the sapphire throne – to Revelation 4 –
the one with the rainbow around it. We know the rainbow is emerald from John.
- Midst – center – middle of the throne and around (NAS)
- Sea of glass – Exodus 24 – the first reference – so significant to beauty realm around the throne of God. Two
thrones (Father and Son) – one in its essence but two together – at center a royal palace called throne of God – heavenly
temple – throne of glory (3:21 Jesus throne a distinction) under the same rainbow. This sea significant to our testimony –
so central to throne scene. Reason this reality communicated for the perseverance of the martyrs – as to those today –
changed the way they viewed martyrdom – such spectacular supernatural qualities – the supernatural qualities unique to
sea itself.
- There are all kinds of divine dynamics we will experience – the vibrant presence of God. The Father’s throne is
the same color as Jesus’ throne. The Fathers throne is jasper and sardus and flames of fire. The Son’s throne is sapphire.
And the sea is sapphire. There is a particular relationship between the people on the sea and the human King on the
sapphire throne – as the redeemed come to their place – how much more the martyrs in the end time. You may be one of
those martyrs – it’s a gift, it’s a great reward. Certainly this sea strengthens our hope. Our resurrected bodies are made to
be receptive to the atmosphere of that sea. Beloved we will have our highest form of sheer pleasure and ecstasy around the
throne. When think of this ea and compromise and this world it is really a hope.
- God’s songs, God’s music, God’s fire – the multitudes are standing before the Lord. In regards to this group
dynamic it’s for one thing for one man to go to this sea – its another thing for 74 to have this visitation. We see a down
payment of a group visitation. Acts 2 – some of sea glory touches the upper room and break in upon the 120 (fire, wind).
The sounds: intercessors are worshipping and interceding and some of that glory from the sea break in upon the early
church – Acts 2:1-3. It’s interesting that the 74 elders are only going to be up there a brief time. Moses is going to go up
there for forty days – the very forty days the son of Man appears and trains the apostles in Acts 1. Jesus unveils the
kingdom in the very forty days Moses sees the Law revealed – the apostles see the working of the kingdom.
- Here’s my premise: Moses saw the glory for forty days and the apostles saw even greater glory for forty days – the
resurrected God man comes in their midst. I believe the end time church will have corporate visitations like the Old
Testament under Moses and like Acts 1 for forth days – the 120 like the elements of that sea of glass break in worshipping
intercessors because that’s what they o on the sea of glass. The wind and the fire and the sounds and thunder broke in
upon them.
- Four living creatures – symbols of the storm-winds upbearing the chariot-throne of God in His progress through the
heavens … and also represent the powers of creation in the service of the Creator (Z)
- Four – symbolic of creation and the earth. These four creatures represent creation.
- Eyes – all-knowing nature; the eye the window of the soul; look into the eye of nature and see God
- Eyes – “As the sense of sight is very quick, and exercises an entire influence over the whole frame, it is not
uncommon thing to find all the affections denoted in the term “eyes”. John Calvin
- Many eyes represent the open, all-inclusive vision that is the result of being in God’s presence
- Full of eyes–indicating their great intelligence, as also their readiness and capability to discern the will of God (W)
- Eyes within – eyes that monitor the motives that guide self, inner eyes which stand guard against sin. The more
our vision opens up, the greater we see God in His holiness.
- The eyes were round the outside of each wing, and up the inside of each when half expanded, and of the part of
body in that inward recess (JFB)
- Face – countenance, overall appearance, intelligence
References: Revelation 15:2 (And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his
image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God); Ezekiel 1:5 (Also from within it
came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man); 1:22 (The likeness of the firmament
above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads); Ezekiel 1:18 (As for their rims,
they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them); 10:12 (And their whole body, with their back,
their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around); Psalm 36:6 (Your righteousness is like the great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.); Psalm 29:10 (the Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as
King forever)
4:7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature
had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
- It is supposed that there is a reference here to the four standards or ensigns of the four divisions of the tribes in
the Israelitish camp, as they are described by Jewish writers (AC)
- Lion – the standard of Judah on the east, with the two tribes of Issachar and Zabulon
- Calf (or ox) – the emblem of Ephraim, who pitched on the west with the two tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin
- Face of a man – the standard of Reuben who pitched on the south with the two tribes of Simeon and Gad
- Eagle (flying and spread) – the emblem on the ensign of Dan who pitched on the north with the two tribes of Asher and
Naphtali
- Face as a man – indicative of reason, intelligence, humanity (W)
- Flying eagle – denoting swiftness, far-sightedness, and elevation (W)
- Each creature symbolize the principal divisions of the animal creation (Z)
References: Ezekiel 1:10 (As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side,
each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle); 10:14 (Each one had four faces: the first face
was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.)
4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest
day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
- Around and within – the eyes were round the outside of each wing, and up the inside of each when half expanded,
and of the part of body in that inward recess (JFB)
- Ministry to the Lord:
- Seraphim minister/worship Him
- Altar of Incense there near the throne – Revelation 8 – where intercession is
- Seraphim mostly worship
- Altar of Incense where worship and intercession meet
- Where fire loosed to the earth
- The first time in Chapter 8 – one earthly dynamic takes place – an earthquake
- In Chapter 11 and 16 – there is also hail
- We pray against tornadoes, but there is a place in God where they are loosed.
- The prayers of the saints are loosing the activity because in unity with God’s heart
- Revelation 4:8 Seraphim cry “Holy, Holy, Holy” – boils down to transcendent beauty, transcendent beauty,
transcendent beauty. They proclaim it night and day – when they gaze upon Him they can only proclaim one song “Beauty,
Beauty, Beauty”.
- “Holy” as He “who was”; “Holy” as He “who is”; “Holy” as He “is to come”. He showed Himself an object of holy
worship in the past creation of all things; more fully He shows Himself so in governing all things; He will, in the highest degree,
show Himself so in the consummation of all things (JFB)
- In Isaiah 6:3 there is added, “the whole earth is full of His glory”. But in Revelation this is deferred until the glory of
the Lord fills the earth, His enemies having been destroyed.
- Holy, holy, holy – the “tris-hagion”. Praised as holy: (JFB)
1. On account of His majesty about to display itself
2. His justice already displaying itself
3. His mercy which displayed itself in times past
- Almighty – answering to “Lord of hosts”
- Now the seraphim appear only two times in Scripture and both times when a prophet of God is receiving a
message of end time judgment. Here to John and then in Isaiah 6. six-winged creatures with one face. It must pull some
string in the human heart. 750 BC was Isaiah – 100AD – singing same song. We haven’t begun to scratch the surface.
Know it exists and then experience it. The river called desire will get a hold of you. The paradox is that you will gain new
strength as you lose strength for the life you lived before. The seraphim are in the river of the fire of God. Isaiah 6 is the
beauty of Jesus but Revelation 4 is the beauty of the Father – but it’s the same song in essence.
- One original version lists “holy nine times
- Worship is from the old form of the verb worth. To worth-ship somebody is to tell them how much they are worth
to you (DP)
- The four living creatures answer by contrast to the four world powers represented by four beasts. The Fathers
identified them with the four Gospels, Matthew the lion, Mark the ox, Luke the man, John the eagle: these symbols, thus
viewed, express not the personal character of the evangelists, but the manifold aspect of Christ in relation to the world
(four being the number significant of world-wide extension, e., the four quarters of the world) presented by them severally:
the lion expressing royalty, as Matthew gives prominence to this feature of Christ; the ox, laborious endurance, Christ’s
prominent characteristic in Mark; man, brotherly sympathy with the whole race of man, Christ’s prominent feature in Luke;
the eagle, soaring majesty, prominent in John’s description of Christ as the Divine Word. But here the context best suits
the view which regards the four living creatures as representing the redeemed election-Church in its relation of ministering
king-priests to God, and ministers of blessing to the redeemed earth. (JFB)
- Rest not – how awfully different the reason why the worshippers of the beast “have o rest day nor night” vix., “their
torment for ever and ever”
References: Exodus 3:14 (I will ever be what I now am); Isaiah 6:2 (Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings; with two he covered his
face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew), 3 (And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole
earth is full of His glory!”); Revelation 1:4 (John, to the seven churches which are in Asia; grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was
and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne), 8 (I am Alpha and Omega says the Lord who is and who was and who
is to come, the Almighty); Ezekiel 1:5 (And within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had
human form), 18 (As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about); 10:12 (And their
whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them)
4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who
lives forever and ever,
- The living creatures, being nearest the throne of God, seem to catch His mind first, and give it forth to the others (W)
- The ground of praise here is God’s eternity, and God’s power and glory manifested in the creation of all things for His
pleasure. Creation is the foundation of all God’s other acts of power, wisdom, and love, and therefore forms the first
theme of His creatures’ thanksgivings. (JFB)
- Forever and ever – unto the ages of the ages (JFB)
References: Revelation 1:18 (I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and
of Death); Isaiah 6:1; Psalm 47:8 (God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne); Revelation 10:6; 15:7; Deuteronomy 32:40 (Indeed,
I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, as I live forever); Daniel 4:34 (…..For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures
from generation to generation); 12:7 (….swore by him who lives forever….)
4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives
forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
- The response
- 24 elders overwhelmed – fall awestruck – absolutely stunned by the pronouncements of the seraphim
- They unfold/proclaim the beauty of God and the elders gain more insight when seraphim proclaim it.
- It hits them hard and they fall. -The elders in the presence of God but they don’t see what the seraphim see
- Elders really experience in Holy Spirit but fall every time they hear new proclamation
- I want to hear what they’re hearing. The Lord would say “You couldn’t take what they’re hearing right now.” A billion
volts in a 110 unit. --Their worship sets off extravagant love
- The essence of their ministry: they worship, they fall, they cast, and then give five-fold declaration.
- There is a 1500-mile plane wide and the throne at the center surrounded by sea and fire mingled – billions of
believers gather to worship like the Holy of Holies in the eternal city. Now this fire – the seven burning torches of the Holy
Spirit – are moving about – the seraphim (the burning ones) are there – and we know from Daniel 7:10 that fire comes like
a river from the throne of God and this fire is breaking forth from the throne of God. Where is this river going? I believe its
going into the sea of glass. It’s the power of the Holy Spirit flowing throughout. There are a number of other descriptions of
fire. John adds the dimension of flaming fire. (MB)
- Then John adds the dimension of human beings. Beloved this is not a small thing that he is adding the dimension
of human beings to be that high up in the glory of God – on the sea of glass. How did we get there? The slain lamb has
made a way for us to be there to the immediate presence of God. The House of Prayer is a little touch of it. The fire of the
Holy Spirit over all things - it’s not empty or neither are angels standing on it. But humans are standing on it – that is
fantastic – human beings make it to that level – the redeemed do – does that tell you about God’s heart?
- Fall – immediately; implies that this ascription of praise shall be repeated onward to eternity (JFB)
- Crowns – not kingly diadems, but the crowns of conquerors (JFB)
- In this particular scene there’s the note of victory of standing on the sea. Peter walked on water and Jesus could
have said, “You think this is something? Wait until you stand on a sea of His glorious fire and you’ll stand and it will
exhilarate you more.”
- They have harps in their hands – it’s a place of worship. This lets us know that it is a significant gathering place
of the redeemed. Exodus 24:10, 11 and the 74 men stood on this sapphire pavement and ate a meal with God. They ate,
sat down and ate a meal. There’s only one feast in God’s economy – it’s the marriage supper of the Lamb.
- Every other table flows out of that table. We know that on this sapphire expanse – sea of crystal – we know there is
worship and we know there is celebration. We know that the saints will celebrate and they’ll eat in the kingdom of God –
at the table on the crystal sea. I don’t know what they ate, but I’m sure it was good.
- I think it is interesting that when the saints are there at the end of natural history in unity and worshipping,
standing in the power of God and the Holy Spirit – then the temple opens up – the ark of the covenant – they receive views
into the very throne room of God because the ark of the covenant – the heavenly temple – is the reality of which Moses
tabernacle, David’s tabernacle, and Solomon’s temple were only dim pictures of that which exists in the eternal realm.
Matter of act the word of God is very clear about that.
References: Revelation 5:8 (Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb,
each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints), 14 (Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And
the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever); 7:11 (All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and
the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God); 11:16 (And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on
their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God); 19:4 (And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God
who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”; Isaiah 6:1; Psalm 47:8; Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34; 12:7
4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
- The point of this chapter is summed up in this verse: all creation will praise Him (LB)
- Lord – our Lord and God (NKJ)
- For – on account of (JFB)
- Exist – existed (NKJ)
- With God to ‘will’ is to effect: to determine is to perform (JFB)
- The ground of their adoration (MH)
1. He is the Creator of all things
2. He is the Preserver of all things
3. He is the final cause of all things
References: Revelation 1:6 (and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen);
5:12 (saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and
blessing); Genesis 1:1 (In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth); Colossians 1:16 (For by Him all things were created that are in
heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him
and for Him); Acts 14:15 (….turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the and the sea, and all that is in
them)