Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
Now that Jesus has addressed the Seven Churches, we read the words, “After these things I looked” and “I will show you what must take place after these things” (Rev. 4:1). This shows that we are moving from the present Church Age into the future. In fact, Jesus gave us an outline for this book. Earlier, Jesus told John,
(Rev. 1:19) Write the things which you have seen [Revelation 1],
and the things which are [Revelation 2-3],
and the things which will take place after these things [Revelation 4-22]”
In Revelation 4:1, we see identical language: “After these things…” This outline of the book shows that we are now moving into a vision of the future.
Why is Revelation 4-5 included in the book?
These two chapters serve a very important purpose, being a prelude to the Great Tribulation at the end human history (Rev. 6-16). These two chapters are an apologetic for why God has the authority to invade and judge the world.[1] Before we get to the Tribulation (Rev. 6-16), Jesus reveals his unique authority to rule and reign over his creation. This is, no doubt, why the term “throne” occurs 18 times in these two chapters. Jesus is revealing to us why he has the unique right to be the judge of all the Earth.
(4:1) “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’”
The chronological marker (“after these things”) points back to Revelation 1:19. These events take place after the Church Age. Jesus (the one with a voice like “the sound of a trumpet,” Rev. 1:10) gives John a vision of the future from Heaven.
“Come up here.” Some dispensationalist authors hold that this refers to the rapture of the church. This is implausible for several reasons. First, John is the only one entering Heaven—not the entire church. Second, John receives revelation from God—not rescue from his suffering. Third, John is receiving a vision—not a change in his body’s location.
(4:2) “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.”
God the Father seems to be seated on the throne, because Jesus approaches him later (Rev. 5:7). John employs the term “throne” (thronos) a total of 37 times in this book, and he uses it 13 times in the 11 verses of chapter 4.[2] Here, he is emphasizing that there is a “a throne above every throne.”[3]
(4:3) “And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.”
God the Father sits on the throne. John doesn’t depict God as a humanoid deity. Instead, he describes him as brilliant light reflecting on precious stones (cf. Ezek. 1:26-28). This explains why Paul writes that God “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim. 6:16). Even as John tries to describe God the Father on the throne, he can’t quite capture it in words.
Much like interpreting the details in parables, we shouldn’t overinterpret the meaning of each individual stone or color. These simply show us the breathtaking beauty and splendor of God.[4] “Jasper” is a green quartz, but this might be translucent, because later it is described as a “crystal-clear jasper” (Rev. 21:11). “Sardius” was a red ruby,[5] and “emerald” is the color of the rainbow surrounding the throne. These descriptions are all of God himself. God the Father had the appearance of these precious stones that were backfilled by a brilliant light, displaying all of the colors on the spectrum.
Rich and poor alike often gaze into the sparkling splendor of a little diamond ring on a woman’s finger. There is something mesmerizing about staring into the shimmering reflections of a costly diamond. This is what makes this imagery of God so powerful. Just imagine seeing an enormous figure made entirely of colorful diamonds and filled with light. This is why John grasps at words, reverting to similes to capture what he is seeing (“like a jasper stone… like an emerald in appearance”).
(4:4) “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.”
(Rev. 4:4) Who are the 24 elders mentioned here? Some commentators like Thomas,[6] Mounce,[7] and Morris[8] hold that these 24-elders refer to angels—a “heavenly counterpart” to the Levitical priests (1 Chron. 24:4; 25:9-13). We disagree. Throughout the book of Revelation, believers are pictured as wearing white robes (Rev. 3:4-5, 18; 6:11; 7:9, 13; 19:14), as well as being given “crowns” and sitting on “thrones.” In Revelation 2:10, we read, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Later we read, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21). Indeed, in context, all these images were promised to believers in Revelation 3. Therefore, we hold that these “elders” refer to human beings.
(4:5) “Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
This must’ve been an overwhelming vision: Next lightning and thunder coming pouring out from Jesus’ throne. This surely communicates the almighty power of Jesus Christ. This isn’t the meek and mild Jesus of popular culture; he’s the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, sitting on his throne, ruling over creation.
(4:6) “And before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.”
Once again, John grasps for words: “Something like a sea of glass, like crystal.” He can’t explain what he’s seeing in words, so he grasps for similes to describe it. Morris understands the “sea” to refer to the “majesty and holiness of God.”[9] Perhaps. But typically, in the book of Revelation, the “sea” represents hostile humanity, tossing and turning in rebellion against God (cf. Rev. 13:1). Here, however, we see a different picture: The “sea” of humanity is still and calm “like a sea of glass.” In our estimation, this symbol shows that Jesus is in control in Heaven. There is no hostile humanity or fallen angels rebelling against God in Heaven. This makes sense of Jesus’ prayer for the Father’s will to be done “one earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10).
“Four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.” These creatures look like the cherubim described in the OT (Ezek. 1:6-10; 10:2, 20), but with distinct differences. For one, these angels have six wings (Rev. 4:8), not four (Ezek. 1:6). Second, they have one face, not four. Third, they don’t have wheel-like descriptions (Ezek. 1:18). These angels seem similar to the cherubim in Ezekiel, but they may be a different species of angel. Indeed, what they communicate is quite similar to the seraphim of Isaiah 6:3 (“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory”).
(4:7-8) “The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’”
Following Irenaeus (Against Heresies, 3.11.11), pastor Chuck Smith takes these images to refer to the ways that the four gospels describe Jesus. We disagree. In our view, this interpretation is simply “groundless.”[10]
Johnson understands these creatures to refer to symbols of the “royal power, strength, spirituality, and swiftness”[11] of God. However, these are personified “creatures,” not literary descriptions of the Creator. Moreover, they address the Creator as “holy, holy, holy” (v.8). It seems odd if these creatures are themselves symbols of God’s attributes. That is, how could these creatures both symbolize God’s attributes and speak about God’s attributes?
Morris holds that these symbols represent “whatever is noblest, strongest, wisest, and swiftest in animate Nature.”[12] In this view, even the best of creation is still bowing to the grandeur of the Creator. Perhaps. But this would have difficulty explaining why the 24-elders are not included in all of creation.
We simply aren’t entirely sure what this symbolism of the lion, calf, man, and eagle represent. However, we do see direct similarities with the seraphim in Isaiah 6—especially because of their repeated refrain (“Holy, holy, holy” v.8). While these angels have symbolism, no doubt, they are still angels.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God.” In Hebrew, a double reference is a superlative—that is, a way to show emphasis. The threefold use of “holy, holy, holy” emphasizes God’s character to an ultimate degree. Jesus is worthy to rule the world because he is absolutely holy and distinct in his character.
(4:9-10) “And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying.”
Everything in creation is bowing down and worshipping the Father and the Son. This shows that “all other sovereignty must yield to his.”[13]
“[The elders] will fall down… will worship Him… will cast their crowns.” John uses the future tense to describe this. This would fit with the outline that places this event in the future (see comments on Revelation 4:1). This implies that this hasn’t happened yet. Some commentators understand this period of history to refer to the bema seat, because the elders already have their crowns. If so, the “crowns” would refer to the rewards that believers received from their labors on Earth. In Heaven, they throw these rewards at God’s feet, having something precious to give to him.
(4:11) “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
God is worthy to rule the world because he is the world’s Creator. This statement is a direct attack against the Gnostic dualism that plagued the churches in John’s day. There was nothing profane in God creating the world. In fact, God’s world was “very good” (Gen. 1:31), and he deserve “glory” and “honor” for creating it.
Questions for Reflection
Read chapter 4. We argued earlier that Revelation 4-5 was an apologetic for why God has the right to judge and rule the Earth. As you read this chapter, what reasons do you see for why God has the right to rule the world?
Any good Jewish author could’ve written what we just read in Revelation 4. However, John extends his vision to show that God the Son is also at the center of heavenly worship.
(5:1) “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.”
John was so blown away by the throne of heaven and distracted by everything happening that it took him a minute to see what God was holding in his hand: a book with seven seals.
What is the scroll? Thomas[14] and Morris[15] think this refers to the judgments of the rest of the book of Revelation, and this is why the seals are opened in Revelation 6. The contents of the scroll are never read, but they are acted out in what follows. Only Jesus has the right and authority to judge the world in the Tribulation, inaugurating his Millennial Kingdom.
Chuck Smith takes the seals to refer to the title deed of the world. Similarly, Hitchcock holds that the scroll is a will or an inheritance. Originally, God gave the inheritance of the Earth to Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:28), but God promised to give the inheritance to the Messianic King (Ps. 2:8). Because of his complete redemptive and victorious work on the Cross, Jesus is receiving his inheritance here.
Johnson holds a middle view: “The scroll, then, is not only about judgment or about the inheritance of the kingdom. Rather, it contains the announcement of the consummation of all history—how things will ultimately end for all people: judgment for the world and the final reward of the saints (11:18). Christ alone, as the Messiah, is the executor of the purposes of God and the heir of the inheritance of the world. He obtained this by his substitutionary and propitiatory death on the cross (5:9).”[16]
Why is the scroll sealed? This draws from the OT, where God would command the prophets to seal up their writings for a later time. For instance, after receiving an explanation of a vision, an angel tells Daniel, “Seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future” (Dan. 8:26 NIV). Likewise, Isaiah writes, “The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed book, which when they give it to the one who is literate, saying, ‘Please read this,’ he will say, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed’” (Isa. 29:11). Mounce writes, “When the time has fully come, the seals will be removed and history will move swiftly to its consummation.”[17] This fits with our view that Jesus’ return will be “soon” and “near” in the sense that it will be “rapid” and “quick” (Rev. 1:1, 3). That is, once the seals are opened, the events of the Tribulation will occur rapidly.
The wax seals were spread out throughout the document. Most people think of this scroll as being sealed with all seven wax seals on the opening page. Not so. Revelation 6 describes the seals being broken one by one, releasing more and more of the contents. Therefore, as the scroll was unrolled, God would break open each seal—one after another.
“Written inside and on the back.” Normally, writers only wrote on one side of the scroll. The two-sided writing is likely “symbolizes the fullness of the contents.”[18]
(5:2) “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”
Only One person is capable of ushering in God’s kingdom: Jesus.
(5:3) “And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.”
No mere human—or anything else in all of creation—has the power or authority to redeem or judge the world. No created thing can bring about the Kingdom of God on Earth.
(5:4) “Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it.”
Jesus had told John that he would see the future (Rev. 4:1). Here, John sees that no one can peer into the contents of the scroll to discover what will happen: “Unless the seals are broken and the scroll of destiny unrolled, God’s plan for the universe will be frustrated.”[19] This causes John to weep uncontrollably.
(5:5) “And one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’”
“Stop weeping.” It is a great comfort to know who holds the future. Morris writes, “The world’s destiny is not under the control of some blind fate. We are all in the hands of a loving Father and a Saviour who died for us.”[20]
“The Lion… tribe of Judah… Root of David.” All of these are messianic titles from the OT (Gen. 49:9-10; Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5; 33:5; Rev. 22:16). One of the elders tells him to anticipate seeing a Lion. Instead, he witnesses something else…
(5:6) “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.”
The term “lamb” (arnion) occurs 29 times in Revelation, and only one other time in the rest of the NT (1 Pet. 1:19). This is one of John’s favorite descriptions of Jesus. Yet, how odd that John would choose a little lamb as the symbol for the Creator and Redeemer of the universe! One commentator writes, “None but an inspired composer of heavenly visions would ever have thought of it. When earth-bound men want symbols of power they conjure up mighty beasts and birds of prey. Russia elevates the bear, Britain the lion, France the tiger, the United States the bald eagle—all of them ravenous. It is only the Kingdom of Heaven that would dare to use as its symbol of might, not the Lion for which John was looking but the helpless Lamb, and at that, a slain lamb.”[21]
Yet, this wounded lamb is immensely powerful. While this is a humble and wounded lamb, he is not weak or feeble. Throughout the book, we read of his great power. The kings of the Earth ask to be saved from “the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:16). Then John writes, “The great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Of course, this is a rhetorical question: No one can stand up to the Lamb! The kings of the earth “will wage war against the Lamb.” Yet, “the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. 17:14).
This Lamb is in the center of everything in Heaven (Rev. 5:12), and he should be at the center of everything on Earth. The one who will rule the world and usher in the Kingdom will be a standing—though slain—lamb (arnion, “a young sheep”). This refers to Jesus’ death and resurrection.
What will Jesus look like when we first see him? We often expect our first sight of Jesus to be beautiful and breathtaking. But Chuck Smith states that our first look at Jesus might be a very traumatic and shocking experience. It’s possible that Jesus will appear to us with scars all over his body. We’re not sure how this agrees with the glorious picture of Jesus in chapter 1, but Smith could very well be right. After all, both pictures of the resurrected Christ appear in the NT.
“Seven horns.” In the OT, horns were symbols of strength (Num. 23:22; Deut. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:1; 2 Sam. 22:3; 1 Kings 22:11; Ps. 75:4; 132:17; Dan. 7:20-21; 8:5). The fact that there are seven indicates perfection: “The Lamb with seven horns is, then, an all-powerful warrior and king.”[22]
“Seven eyes.” The eyes are symbols for his knowledge. Once again, the number seven indicates perfection of his knowledge. Thomas writes, “Nothing escapes the notice of the Lamb. Not only is He omnipotent, as indicated by His seven horns, He is also omniscient.”[23]
(5:7) “And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”
God the Father is seated on the throne. So, only the Son is able to get up and approach the throne. When Jesus opens this book, this will inaugurate the beginning of the end on Earth.
(5:8) “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
These are literally the “petitions (proseuchē) of the saints.” We often minimize the importance or value of prayer. In Heaven, we see a different picture. Our prayers are so valuable to God that they are symbolically carried in bowls made of pure “gold.” This imagery shows just how precious our prayers are in God’s sight.
(5:9) “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.’”
Jesus is worthy because of his work on the Cross. Creation sings a “new song” because this had never happened before. The end had finally arrived, and this required writing some new music. If music in a fallen world can move our soul in profound ways, what will music in Heaven sound like?
(5:10) “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Peter concurs that we are currently God’s priests on the Earth, bringing people to God (1 Pet. 2:9). Yet, we aren’t ruling and reigning yet. This is still future (“they will reign upon the earth”).
(5:11) “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands.”
A “myriad” is 10,000. So, this is at least 100 million angels. The plural “myriads” means that there are at least two sets of 10,000. This doesn’t imply that John was precisely counting all the angels with a clicker: “Myriads and myriads” is hardly an exact number. Rather, he saw an innumerable amount of angels.
(5:12) “Saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’”
They sing about seven qualities that Christ has. Jesus receives this worthiness because of his unthinkable act of love on the Cross (“the Lamb that was slain”).
(5:13-14) “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’ 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, ‘Amen.’ And the elders fell down and worshiped.”
All of creation gives equal worship to the Father (“Him who sits on his throne”) and to the Son (“the Lamb”). This is an excellent passage that supports the deity of Christ: After all, Jesus receives the same level of worship as God the Father, and only God himself can receive worship (Rev. 22:8; Mt. 4:10; Deut. 6:13).
Questions for Reflection
Read chapter 5. We argued earlier that Revelation 4-5 was an apologetic for why God has the right to judge and rule the Earth. What reasons does John give for why God has the right to rule the world?
Isn’t chapter 4 enough? Why did John continue to write about this imagery of Heaven in chapter 5? Put another way, what does chapter 5 add that chapter 4 doesn’t contain?
DEVOTIONAL: “Does Jesus have the right to judge the world?”
Readers of the book of Revelation have often puzzled over the purpose of chapters 4 and 5. Before describing the Great Tribulation, John describes a beautiful and breathtaking scene of Heaven, where all of creation bows before God. But why does John include this heavenly scene? Why not just jump into the descriptions of judgment in chapter 6 instead?
In our estimation,[24] these chapters serve as an apologetic for why Jesus has the right to judge the world. Indeed, even a quick and cursory reading of Revelation will reveal vivid and visceral descriptions of God’s judgment. Readers will ask themselves: “How can God judge the world in this way? Isn’t he the God of love?”
In this heavenly scene, John proactively anticipates this response. This is why the creatures ask, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” (Rev. 5:2) No mere creature is “worthy” to usher in God’s judgment—for everyone else is disqualified: “No one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it” (Rev. 5:4). However, John writes, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals… Worthy is the Lamb” (Rev. 5:9, 12). Clearly, John states that Jesus is “worthy” to inaugurate judgment on the Planet Earth, but the question is, “Why?” What makes Jesus uniquely worthy to judge?
Jesus is “worthy” to judge because he created everything that exists. Jesus says that he is the “originator of God’s creation” (Rev. 3:14 NET). In Greek philosophy, the term “originator” (archē) referred to “the first cause,”[25] and it is the root for our modern term “architect.” Hence, Jesus is the Creator and Designer of the universe. Consequently, the people in Heaven proclaim, “You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created” (Rev. 4:11). Because Jesus created everything, he also owns everything. Since he is the creator and sustainer of all people, he has the right to judge his creation—bound only by his own moral nature.
But can’t we bargain with God regarding his judgment? No, not at all. Humans are fallen and finite, and we possess nothing with which to bargain. We would have better chances bargaining with the owner of a beach by negotiating with a grain of sand. We didn’t bring ourselves into existence in the past, nor do we sustain our lives in the present. We live everyday—not as a right—but as an ongoing mercy of God.
Neither can we haggle with God based on some sort of moral high ground. After all, every single person is sinful, and therefore, we have no ethical standard with which to make an appeal. One theologian was once asked why God allows bad things to happen to good people. He responded, “I haven’t met any good people yet, so I don’t know.”[26] As soon as we appeal to justice, we lose any ground we might’ve stood on—for all of us deserve complete and exhaustive justice from God.
Jesus is “worthy” to judge because he has repeatedly warned us about the future judgment (Rev. 1:1; 4:1). Jesus Christ is an infinite being, but he is also personal. This means that he chose to condescend to communicate to us about judgment. We might not like the idea of judgment, but at least we know it’s coming. Indeed, people wouldn’t raise this objection regarding judgment if it wasn’t for the fact that Jesus spoke about it so much. Therefore, we are without excuse.
Jesus is “worthy” to judge the world because he died for the world. Only Jesus had this right because he was “slain” for our sins (Rev. 5:6). This is why creation sings, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).
What should we do when we are confronted with a God like this?
The postmodern person stands in defiance of God, rejecting his right to judge or denying the reality of judgment. They are free to do this, but they are not right in doing this. In Heaven, the response is not to argue with God or cynically question his character. The response is unadulterated gratitude. Some cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God the Almighty” (Rev. 4:8). Others throw whatever they possess at the Creator’s feet (Rev. 4:10), and fall at his feet in “worship” (Rev. 5:14). Amidst all of this, John could hear the clamor and cacophony of voices giving “glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne” (Rev. 4:9).
Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). It’s overwhelming to try to rehabilitate our fractured world, but we can surely begin by restoring our fallen hearts. When we express gratitude to God, we bring God’s will into our world. When we give thanks to God for his mercy, we are experiencing a little bit of the reality of heaven here on earth.
[1] I am indebted to my friend Gary Delashmutt for this insight.
[2] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 339.
[3] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 88.
[4] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 120-121.
[5] Morris comments that these were the first and last of the stones mentioned on the high priest’s breastplate (Ex. 28:17-21). Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 88.
[6] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 348.
[7] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 121.
[8] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 89.
[9] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 91.
[10] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 125.
[11] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 463.
[12] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 92.
[13] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 93.
[14] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 379.
[15] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 96.
[16] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 468.
[17] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 130.
[18] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 380.
[19] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 131.
[20] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 103.
[21] J. P. Love, I, II, III John, Jude, Revelation (SCM, 1960; Layman’s Bible Commentaries). Cited in Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 97-98.
[22] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 392.
[23] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 392.
[24] I am indebted to my friend Gary Delashmutt for this insight.
[25] D. Müller, L. Coenen, and H. Bietenhard, “Beginning, Origin, Rule, Ruler, Originator,” ed. Lothar Coenen, Erich Beyreuther, and Hans Bietenhard, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 164.
[26] This quote comes from R.C. Sproul. Cited in Ron Rhodes, Why Do Bad Things Happen If God Is Good? (Eugene, Or.: Harvest House, 2004), 68.