| Revelation 4 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter 1 After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was as though a trumpet was talking to me, which said, "Come up here, and I will show you things that must take place from now on." 2 Immediately I was in the spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 He who sat on the throne appeared like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow encircling the throne that looked like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty four seats; and upon the seats I saw twenty four elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 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 Before the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around the throne there were four creatures full of eyes in front and behind. [The Greek word "zwa" for "creatures" in this verse and the following verses 7-9, means 1) a living being, or 2) and animal, brute, beast. Note: The word for the beast in Revelation 13, is different, "yhrion," which means: 1) an animal, 2) a wild animal, wild beast, beast, 3) metaphor: a brutal, bestial man, savage, ferocious.] 7 The first creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. [This is very, very similar to the "living creatures" in Ezekiel 1:5-7.] 8 Each of the four beasts had six wings, and they were full of eyes around and within. They did not rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9 And whenever those beasts gave glory and honor and thanks to him who sat on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 The twenty four elders fell down before him who sat on the throne, and worshiped him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created." Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | |||||||||