Why this rather extensive consideration of the twenty-four elders over the past few days? Because it is important to see what the Book of Revelation is all about. Even before the seven missionary epistles are sent to the seven churches, Christ says that the whole book must be sent to the seven churches, to His Church throughout all the centuries and at every place.1
The message of the seven letters concerns the whole of His Church. This is also true of what John is allowed to see in chapter four and thereafter. That concerns the Church as well. If the Church were to be taken up to Heaven with John as from chapter four (this is not stated to be the case, but it is assumed by some to be so), the content of the rest of the Book of Revelation would be superfluous and meaningless as far as the Church and Christians are concerned. It might be interesting to know how things develop further on earth but, if we as Christians were all taken up, it does not really matter to us anymore. After all, we are already in Heaven then, right? This is a view that some people hold.
Then for whom are the judgements, the trials and tribulations in the Book of Revelation, that break out after we have gone to Heaven? To the nations of this world and to Israel, they say. Alas, here again we find the idea that has been predominant in Christianity during the ages, the idea that the blessings in the Bible are for the Church, and the judgments for the Jewish people, for Israel. It is my conviction that the Lord, through the Book of Revelation, is preparing all of us—the church and Israel—for what has already been taking place for two thousand years, but will assume hitherto untold proportions towards the end. Those bad things will come to a climax, with oppression, persecution and judgments, trials and tribulations all over the earth, brought by God’s angels of judgment. “Judgment begins with God’s household,” says Peter.2 “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you.”3
The judgments, trials and tribulations brought by the angels of judgment upon planet earth are not the last and final judgments. They are God’s final attempts to bring the unconverted to conversion. Unrestrained the hatred of the world and of the powers of darkness will hit the children of God, both the Old and the New Covenant people, upon Israel and the Church. And the trials and tribulations will be upon the nations as well. Christians in the past had suffered much persecution. Recall the martyrs killed by lions in Roman times, the victims of the Inquisition, the martyrs behind the Iron Curtain and the Bamboo Curtain and in the Islamic countries, the Inquisition, the pogroms, the gas-chambers and the Holocaust. Whatever kinds of suffering this hatred of the children of God will bring, this oppression and persecution is a trial for the church, as well as for the Jewish people. It is not God’s final judgment, for the Church does not come under judgment.4 Christ suffered judgment in our place. God’s wrath does not rest upon us, therefore; but when the hatred of the children of darkness as well as the evil powers in Heavenly places hit us, the true Church will experience this as trials and cleansing. Like Peter said: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”
Twenty-four elders, twenty-four angelic rulers, generals of the Heavenly hosts who captain the millions of angels in their fight against the powers of evil —were revealed to John. He was John is permitted to see Heaven open and to enter therein to behold God’s Heavenly court. This is what this chapter begins with. This is the other side of the reality. This remains into eternity, but evil is temporary and will pass away.
DIAGRAM OF THE VISION DESCRIBED IN REVELATION 4 AND 5 V=FATHER, L=LAMB, Z=ZOôN meaning LIVING BEING/CREATURE, SR=EMERALD COLOURED RAINBOW, T=THRONE STEPS AND THE SEA OF GLASS, 1–24=ELDERS/ ANGELIC RULERS, ME=MILLIONS OF ANGELS, GS=THE WHOLE OF CREATION, HG=SEVEN SPIRITS/HOLY SPIRIT
HERE IS A DIAGRAM OF THIS HEAVENLY COURT:
This is what the picture represents: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit at the centre, on the throne, surrounded by the rainbow and the sea of glass. Around them and carried by them the four living beings, the four ‘creatures’, the cherubs. Around these are the twenty- four angelic rulers, the generals of the millions of angels. All of this is as the nucleus of all of Creation.
• What a tremendous liberation it will be when Jesus returns and the dead rise first and we, who are alive, are changed in a moment of time (a little particle of time, an atom of time, in a split-second)! The righteous dead will receive their everlasting resurrection bodies, and join those who died in Christ in meeting the Lord in the air, in the cloud covering the Shekinah Glory!
Bible References:
1. Revelation 1:11, see also Revelation 1:4 and 22:16 2. 1 Peter 4:17 3.1 Peter 4:12 4.John 3:36, 5:24; Romans 5:9, 8:1: Ephesians 2:3–7, 5:6–8; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9
