Revelation Chapter 7 – Jews And Gentiles Saved During The Tribulation.

I. Introduction.

The assertion that no one will survive the crescendo of God’s wrath, as implied in the question of panic-stricken humanity (Rev 6:17), is corrected by two new visions injected after the conclusion of the sixth seal. The first pictures angelic actions of restraint and sealing (Rev 7: 1-8). The second picture injected as a contrast to the panic of earth’s inhabitants under the sixth seal (Rev 6:17) has its setting in heaven (Rev 7:9-17).

II. Scripture Text.

A. The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ² And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having a seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³ saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”

⁴ And I heard the number of the ones who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

⁵ Out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, ⁶ out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, ⁷ out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, ⁸ out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

B.The Multitude from Every Nation

⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ and they cry with a great voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for the ages of the ages! Amen.”

¹³ And one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from? ¹⁴ And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 ¹⁵ Therefore they are they before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and the one seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ for the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

III. Verse Examination. Rev 7:1-8.

A. Rev 7: 3. The judgments are delayed until these 144,000 Jewish people can be “sealed;” i.e., protected supernaturally.

B. Rev 7:4. “one hundred and forty-four thousand.” These are Jews from the 12 tribes (12,000 each) who are protected in order to perform some service for God during these days. Perhaps they are evangelists. The omission of the tribe of Dan may be because Dan was guilty of idolatry on many occasions (Lev 24:11; Judg 18; 1 Kings 12:28, 29).

IV. Verse Examination. Rev 7:9-17.

A. Rev 7:9. “a great multitude.” This multitude is composed of many racial and geographic groups who will be redeemed during the Tribulation (v 14). In these difficult days, many will find Christ as Savior.

B. Rev 7: 15-17. Having died, or been martyred, during the Tribulation, this great multitude are seen in heaven enjoying its blessings.

V. Revelation 7 Summary.

Chapter 7 of the book of Revelation serves as a review of the situation described in the previous chapters and emphasizes two important facts. First, God is going to judge Israel in the period of great trial, and 12,000 from each tribe, totaling 144,000, will be protected and sealed from the judgments which will fall upon the world in general. Second, a great multitude of Gentiles will also be saved, but many of these will be martyred, and a multitude of the martyred dead are found in heaven rejoicing in the presence of the Lamb and representing every tongue and nation. It is an indication that even in the tragic closing hours prior to the second coming of Christ to the earth, countless souls will find Christ as Savior and be saved by His grace.

VI. References.

A. Paragraph I. Comment comes from the Revelation Commentary of Robert L. Thomas, Th. M., Th. D.

B. Paragraph II. Verses come from the Updated American Standard Version of the Bible.

C. Paragraphs III, IV. Notes come from the Ryrie Study Bible, Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph., D.

D. Paragraph V. Note comes from the Revelation Commentary of John F. Walvoord, Th. D.

The Seal Judgments – Revelation 6:1-17

I. Introduction.

A. The opening of chapter 6 of the book of Revelation marks an important milestone in the progressive revelation of the end of the age. In chapter 5 John is introduced to the seven-sealed book in the hand of Christ. In chapter 6 the first six seals are opened with the resultant tremendous events occurring in the earth. The interpretation of these events depends upon the understanding of other portions of the prophetic Word. If the events portrayed are taken in any literal sense, it should be clear that they describe an event yet future, in the words of Christ “the things which shall be hereafter” (1:19). Van Ryn expresses the common pretribulational position:

B. The opening of the seals ushers in the terrible judgments to fall upon this earth after the Church has been caught up to glory, as we saw in chap. 4:1. (August Van Ryn, Notes on the Book of Revelation, p. 87.) (Walvoord Commentary).

II. Scripture Text And Commentary.

The First Seal: Conqueror on a White Horse
1 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Note. 6:1. Here begins the first of three series of judgments in the book (seals, chap 6; trumpets, chap 8-9; bowls, chap 16).

Note. 6:2. “he who sat on it.” Evidently a reference to Antichrist. His method of conquest at first does not seem to include open warfare, since peace is not removed from the earth until the second seal is opened (v 3). This corresponds to the description of delusion (1 Thes 5:3).

The Second Seal: War
3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that people would kill one another; and a large sword was given to him.

Note. 6:3-4. Everything about the second seal judgment indicates bloodshed (e.g., “red horse”, “take peace from,” “sword”).

The Third Seal: Famine
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

Note. 6:6. “a denarius.” A Roman silver coin that had a normal purchasing power of 10 qt (9.5 lit) of wheat was the daily ration for a soldier. Thus a daily wage will buy for food for only one person, who will have to share with his family.

The Fourth Seal: Death
7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and the one who sat on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, and famine, and plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

Note. 6:8. “ashen=a sickly, yellowish-green. Probably representing the inevitable result of disease that accompanies war and famine. “Death” claims the bodies, and “Hades,” the souls and spirits of one-fourth of the world’s population in this single judgment (cf 9:18).

The Fifth Seal: Martyrs
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

Note. 6:9. “the souls of those who had been slain.” Evidently the martyrs of the first months of the tribulation period.

Note 6:10. Notice that these martyrs are alive and conversing with the Lord in His presence.

Note 6:11. “rest for a little while longer.” I.e., wait a little while. It is difficult for these martyrs to understand why God would allow their murderers to live; yet, God asks these saints to trust Him.

The Sixth Seal: Terror
12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Note. 6:12. These cosmic disturbances are predicted elsewhere in Scripture (Isa 34:4; Joel 2:30-31; Matt 24:29).

Note 6:16. When the Tribulation comes, men will act as if they believe the end of the world is at hand, not simply talk as if it were.

III. Additional Examination.

A. It is important to understand that the Seal judgments, as well as the Trumpet and Bowl judgments, are released upon the earth as God’s judgments, through Christ and angels, as they broke each seal.

6:1. “the Lamb broke one of the seven seals”

6:3. “when He (the Lamb) broke the second seal”

6:5. “When He (the Lamb) broke the third seal”

6:7. “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal”

6:8. “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal”

6:12. “I looked when He (the Lamb) broke the sixth seal”

6:16. ” and they said, hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb.”

6:17. “the great day of their wrath has come”

B. All of the Tribulation judgments are God’s wrath, beginning with Rev 6:1. In 6:15-17, those whom will have been left behind from the rapture have come to recognize that “wrath has come” (has already come), as opposed to, “will come” in the future, (beyond this account of God’s seal judgments). These verse accounts show that the wrath is of God, and not of mankind, Antichrist or of “mother nature,”

C. God’s wrath is not confined to the Book of Revelation. The Noahic flood was of God’s wrath (Gen 6:13, 2448 B.C.). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was of God’s wrath (Gen 19:24, 2056 B.C.). The overthrow of Jerusalem and the Temple by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. was of God’ wrath (2 Chron 36:14-21).

IV. References.

A. Paragraph I. Revelation Commentary, John F. Walvoord, Th. D.

B. Paragraph II. New American Standard Bible Text was cut and pasted from Bible Gateway. Comments come from Ryrie Study Bible, Charles C Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.

C. Paragraph III. Comments are mine, using data and notes from Scofield Study Bible and Ryrie Study Bible.

Revelation 5:1-14 – The Book in Heaven – 96 A.D.

I. Introduction.

A. There are two key verses of Scripture in which great emphasis must be placed.

1. Verse 9. “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals”

2. Verse 12. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

B. Only Christ will be found to be worthy to break the seals of the tribulation judgments which will come on the whole world, on those which will be left behind from the rapture (Rev 3:10), which will begin in Rev 6:1, and continue until the second coming of Christ at the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-21). God, through Christ and His angels, will bring the judgments of the tribulation, “upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Every bit of the tribulation will be God’s wrath, and not the wrath of Satan, Anti-Christ, mankind, or of “mother nature.”

C. Only Christ is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing (vs 12), all of which come from, “every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them,” per Philippians 2:9-11…..⁹ For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

II. Scripture Text.

The Book with Seven Seals

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. ² And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 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. ⁴ Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 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.”

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. ⁷ And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 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. 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.

¹⁰ “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

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, 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.”

¹³ 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.

III. Verse Examination.

A. Ryrie Study Bible.

1. Rev 5:1. “a book.” Lit. a scroll. This may be called the “Book of Redemption,” as it contains the story of man’s fall through sin, and rise through Christ (Heb 2:5-9).

2.Rev 5:5. “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah.” The noblest and victorious of the kingly tribe (cf. Gen 49:9). “the root of David.” The one who fulfills the covenant with David (cf. Isa 11:1, 10). The Messiah, John is assured, is competent and worthy to break the seven seals and open the scroll to release the plagues.

3. Rev 5:6. “as if slain.” Christ, the Lamb, bears the mark of His death (See Luke 24:40; John 20:20, 27) even in His glorified state. “horns” are a symbol of strength (cf. 1 Kings 22:11; Zech 1:18).

4. Rev 5:8. “bowls,” like saucers.

5. Rev 5:9-10. The Lamb is worthy because He died in the past to pay the ransom price for the sins of the world; positioned us in the present as a kingdom and priests before God, and gave us a promise of reigning on the earth in the future. A few mss. read “us” and “we” in verse 10 instead of “them” and “they.” In either case, the elders could be singing of their own redemption in either the first or third person.

6. Rev 5:13. All creation joins in praise to God and the Lamb.

7. Rev 5:14. The heavenly scene of chapters 4 and 5 gives heaven’s perspective on the need for the awful judgments to follow, for Christ’s right to reign must be realized and sin must be punished.

B. Holman Christian Standard Bible.

1. Rev 5:1. A scroll …sealed with seven seals cannot be read until all the seals have been opened. The scroll apparently contains the judgments and redemption seen in later chapters. It may also be the scroll that was sealed in Dan 12:4. There appears to be an allusion to the scroll the Lord handed Ezekiel in Ezek 2:9-10.2.

2. Rev 5:2-4. No creature in all of creation was found worthy to open the seals on the scroll in God’s hand (v. 1).

3. Rev 5:5-6. Here we see the consummation of God’s twofold purpose in history: to reclaim His kingdom and to redeem His people. This twofold victory over Satan is first predicted in Gen 3:15 and then covenanted to Abraham in the promise of a land and a Seed (see Gen 12:1-3; Deu 30:1-5; 2 Sam 7:12-16).

4. Rev 5:7. The reception of the scroll from the Father demonstrates that judgment and authority over the earth is committed to the Son (see Dan 7:13-14). The scroll is likely the same one sealed by Daniel (see Dan 12:9-10).

5. Rev 5:8. The prayers of the saints (believers) play an important role in the Lamb’s opening of the scroll and the ensuing judgment.

5. Rev 5:9. The new song celebrates the redemptive work of the Son as the basis of His right to judge. Divine rule has its basis in creation (ch. 4) and redemption.

6. Rev 5:13-14. Blessing and honor and glory and power: From the vantage point of heaven, these verses look forward to the climactic point when “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil 2:11)

IV. Additional Examination.

THE SCROLL AND THE LAMB

This chapter is part of the vision that begins at 4:1 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (6:1-8:1; cf. comment on 4:1-8:1). Its center of gravity lies in the three hymns (vv 9, 12, 13) addressed to the Lamb. They beautifully combine the worship of the Lamb (hymns 1 and 2) with the worship of the one who sits on the throne (hymn 3, addressed to both God and the Lamb). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The actions of all other participants are described in terms of worship directed to the Lamb and the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.

V. References.

A. Paragraph I. Holman New Testament Commentary.

B. Paragraph II. The NASB 95 verses were cut and pasted from Bible Hub

C. Paragraph III. References for Paragraph II are stated in the paragraph.

D. Paragraph IV. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament. Comments were cut and posted from Bible Hub.

Revelation 4:1-11 – Our Worship of God in Heaven.

I. Introduction.

A. Consider what it will be like for us to be in the Presence of God.

B. Have you ever wondered what you will do in Heaven? Of course, many people have no idea of the details of Heaven, e.g., where it will be, when it will be, and who will be there. Chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation, especially discuss who will be in Heaven. An understanding of Heaven, and those who will occupy it, will help us to understand who will be in Heaven during the time of Revelation, Chapters 6 through 19. As we learn more about Heaven, we will learn more about who will occupy “the eternal state of the new Heaven, new Earth, and new Jerusalem, of Revelation, Chapters 21 and 22, as the eternal state is introduced in Revelation 21:1-2.

C. In this article we will discuss the events that are recorded in Revelation 4:1-11, as to timing, events, and participants. Through this study of the Throne Room of God, we should gain an increased desire to be in constant worship of God. We should also come to understand that the primary purpose of mankind is not to lead souls to saving faith in Christ, but to glorify God, whether, inside or outside of a Church sanctuary. If we do not glorify God, soul winning can become an academic exercise, based on “how many people” may have led “how many other people” to Christ. However, whenever a soul is saved, God is glorified.

B. Overview. Revelation Chapters 4-5.

1. Chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation show the events in Heaven, preceding and during the Godly judgments of the Tribulation (Seal, Trumpet, Bowl), which will be released on earth, “by God,” through the Lamb (the Risen and Glorified Christ) and the angels of God.

(a) Rev 6:1 “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals.”

(b) Rev 8:6-7. “6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. 7 The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”

(c) Rev 16:1, “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”…

2. We will go into greater detail of the judgments of God (Seal, Trumpet, Bowl), that will be poured out on the earth, which will affect all whom will be left behind from the “catching up” of the born again believers in Christ (Rev 3:10,”…the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Born again believers in Christ have no need to be tested; “we” have passed the test by knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior.) The catching up of the believers in Christ is known as the rapture (English), harpazo (Greek), rapio (Latin); (John 14:2-6, 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

C. Scripture Disussion.

1. Rev 4:1 shows John at the “door standing open in Heaven.” John could only have had access to Heaven by having been born again (John 3:3, “you must be born again”). We, also, will be caught up to Heaven (after also having been born again). This view of Heaven is the same one that is described in John 14:1-6. Consider the following verses that relate to Heaven, and to a special place “in My Father’s house” in heaven, where Christ will be taking “His” bride (the born again believers in Christ), at the time of the rapture. Think! Christ will take His bride to a place in His Father’s house that will be specially made for His redeemed of the Old and New Testament times. Let me add this thought. On the way to that specially built place in the Father’s house, the Bride will not be “brow beat” at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and will not be subjected to the Godly judgments of the Tribulation. Additionally, Scripture has no such promise for anyone, other than the redeemed in Christ, to being taken to “a specially prepared place” in “My Father’s house.” The promise is not made to the Tribulation saints; the promise is made only to those whom will be caught up in the resurrection and rapture of believers in Christ (John 14:2-6; 1 Cor 15:50-54; 1 Thes 4:13-18). The Old Testament redeemed will have already been taken to Heaven, per Ephesians 4:8.

2. John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” (Christ told the disciples that He was going to prepare a place in Heaven.)

3. John 14:3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (Christ will prepare such a place in Heaven where He will His take born again believers.)

4. John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (This verse is often related to faith in Christ as being the only way to heaven, which is true. But, the words in the verse show this to be an event of action, where Christ will take His born again believers to Heaven, and that He is the only one who can take His believers to Heaven.)

5 The Heaven that Christ describes in John 14:2-6, is the place where all raptured saints will be taken after they have been caught up by Christ. On the way to Heaven (John 14:2-3), these born again saints will be taken to the Judgment Seat of Christ where they will receive spiritual rewards (2 Cor 5:10). I like the wording of the HCSB, which also capitalizes pronouns that refer to God. This is also the place where the Old Testament saints have been taken by Christ (Ephesians 4:8).

a. 2 Corinthians 5:10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

b. From the Judgment Seat of Christ, we are on our way to an eternity with our Lord. On our way to Heaven (as is described in John 14:2,3), as we are taken by Christ (John 14:6), we and Christ are present at the Marriage of the Lamb.

(1) Revelation 19:7-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Marriage of the Lamb
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

(2) The born again believers in Christ are the Bride of Christ, and are clothed in righteousness (no need to go through the Tribulation).

(3) 2 Corinthians 11:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

c. While the righteous Bride of Christ is present in Heaven with Christ, the following events will take place.

Revelation, Chapters 4-5 will precede the Tribulation. The “One” sitting on the throne (Rev 4:2) is God, the Father. The twenty-four elders (Rev 4:4) are the redeemed of the New Testament and Old Testament times. Tribulation Jews will not be redeemed until they call on Christ to save them at the end of the Tribulation (Psalm 118:26/Matt 23:39/Zech 12:10). The seven Spirits of God (Rev 4:5) represent the fullness of God (John 4:24, “God is Spirit;” not, “God is a spirit,” which would make Him “one of many spirits.”). The four living creatures (Rev 4:6) are angels, probably Cherubim (Ezek 10:15-20). The redeemed saints (body of Christ) will worship God (the Father), and cast “their” crowns at the feet of God (the Father), in Rev 4:9-11.

d. We will now discuss the crowns that we will “throw, or cast” at the feet of God.

(1) Will we throw “our” crowns at the feet of God, and “leave them there” or, will we pick them up, and cast them at the feet of God again? Will we have only one occurrence of such worship (Rev 4:9-11) during the seven years of tribulation, when we are in heaven, when we will “fall down before God” (vs 10), and “cast our crowns before God,” (vs 10), and say, ““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” (vs 11)? I think not.

(2) Let’s consider the crowns.

(a) 2 Cor 5:10 a, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body”

1. The Imperishable Crown – (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
2. The Crown of Rejoicing – (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
3. The Crown of Righteousness – (2 Timothy 4:8)
4. The Crown of Glory – (1 Peter 5:4)
5. The Crown of Life – (Revelation 2:10)

(b) The crowns that we cast at the feet of God are “our crowns.” I believe that we will continue in our worship of God in Heaven throughout the entire seven year period of time of the Tribulation, and that we will repeatedly cast our crowns at the feet of God. Scripture shows that the crowns are our crowns, as follows.

(c) Rev 2:10, “I will give you the crown of life.”

(d) Rev 3:11, “hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” (Salvation can not be lost, but a crown can be (lost), 2 John 8, “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.”

e. The events of Revelation, Chapters 4 and 5, take place after the rapture of the church and before the time of the Tribulation.

f. The events, that follow Revelation Chapter 5, take place during Revelation Chapters 6 through 19, which are the Tribulation’s seven years.

(1) In Matt 24:3, “the disciples came to Christ “privately,” saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Notice that the conversation is only among Christ and His disciples; no Gentiles are present.)

(2) The events of Matthew, Chapters, 24:3-25:46, take place during Revelation, Chapters 6-19. The Ryrie Study Bible states that Matt 24:29-31 speaks of the sign of “Christ’s coming.” (second coming, mine) 25:4-28 speaks of the sign of the end of the age. Verses 4-14 list characteristics of the first half of the Tribulation period, whereas verses 15-28 deal with the second half (of the Tribulation, mine). This passage is called the Olivet discourse, which was given by Christ (a Jew), to His disciples (also Jews), about Jews in the Tribulation. For example, are we concerned about, “fleeing Judea to the mountains, and if our flight will happen on a Sabbath?” (Matt 24:16-18). Such things will be of significance to the Jews that will have been left behind from the rapture, and who will be experiencing the persecutions and judgments that will be taking place during the Tribulation.

(3) During Rev 6-19, the redeemed of the Old Testament and New Testament times will be in Heaven worshiping God. At the call of Israel to Christ to save them, (at the end of the Tribulation, Zech 12:10), Christ, His redeemed and angels, will descend to earth for the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-21), where He will stand on the Mount of Olives, and defeat the forces of the world that are attacking Israel (Zech 14:1-15) (Consider China in Rev 16:12.) The battle victory will come quickly (Rev 19:15).

(4) Christ and His believers of all times will rule and reign for 1,000 years (Rev 20:4, Tribulation resurrected martyrs); (Dan 12:1-3 and Matt 19:28, Old Testament resurrected saints); (1 Cor 6:2, Church age saints).

(5) At the end of the 1,000 years (millennium/Kingdom Age), those whom have not been born again, from all of the ages, will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15). The born again believers of all ages will enter the Eternal State of the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-2). At this time the New Jerusalem, which has been hovering above the earth, will begin its descent to our present earth, which will have been destroyed by God.

g. A New Heaven And Earth.

2 Peter 3:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

h. Considering Heaven.

(1) Three heavens are described in 1 Cor 15:40: the first heaven, “terrestrial,” is where the birds fly; the second heaven, “celestial,” is where the astronauts fly; and the third heaven, being the Presence of God, is where God “doesn’t need to fly.”

(2) The Apostle Paul described his trip to the Presence of God. In the following passage; Paul is the man.

i. Paul’s Vision Of Heaven

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

j. We must not forget the place, in “my Father’s house,” that Christ promised to His bride, His born again believers.

(a) John 14:2-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

(b) As stated above, it is in “The Father’s House” that Christ has been preparing a place for His Bride, whom are the born again believers in Christ. No such promise has been made to any other group of people in all of history. A bride is the joy of every bride groom. No loving bride groom is going to subject his bride to the persecution and judgments, as those which will take place during the Tribulation. Neither will a bride groom “stop off on the way to the wedding alter” to treat his bride with great disrespect, such as has been the teaching of many about the Judgment Seat of Christ.

k. The New Heaven will exist in the eternal state of the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-2).

D. Encouragement for Believers In Christ.

1. Church! We are “the Bride!” We are special! Don’t let anybody tell you anything less about your place in Christ! If we are not raptured, we can not be taken to the Marriage of the Lamb in Heaven. If we are not “raptured and taken to Heaven,” we can not return with Christ from Heaven for the Battle of Armageddon. If the church is not raptured, we will be left on earth to go through the tribulation.

2. There are many people who are saying that we are in the Tribulation, because of COVID-19. I must add this thought. During 1918-1920, an estimated 500 million people from the South Seas to the North Pole fell victim to Spanish Flu. The deaths that we are experiencing now, are minuscule, in relation to the number of deaths that occurred during the Spanish Flu.
https://www.livescience.com/worst-epidemics-and-pandemics-in-history.html

3. The Tribulation can come only after a peace treaty is made between the anti-Christ and Israel.

(a) Jeremiah 30:7, “Jacob’s distress.” The coming days of Tribulation that will come upon all Israel (Jacob) [Ryrie Study Bible].

(b) Daniel 9:24:27, vs 27, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” “he”. the anti-Christ, will make a pact with many (of the Jewish people) at the beginning of the Tribulation period. But “in the middle of the week” (i.e., 3 1/2 years later) anti-Christ will break his covenant and desecrate the Temple by demanding worship of himself in it. At Christ’s second coming, anti-Christ and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20). [Ryrie Study Bible]. {mine. No such pact has been made. No such temple exists.}

II. Conclusion.

A. The events of Revelation, Chapters 4 and 5, will occur after the rapture of the church occurs (Jn 14:2-6, 1 Cor 15:50-54, 1 Thes 4:13-18). The raptured church will not be on earth while the tribulation is taking place, but will be in Heaven worshiping God. We are not in the tribulation now. The anti-Christ has not made a peace treaty with Israel, which will mark the beginning of the Tribulation. Israel is not now living in peace.

B. What is necessary for a person to be present during the worship of God, as explained in Revelation, Chapter 4?

1. We must be born again. John 3:3, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

2. We must have an intimate relationship with God the Father, through God the Son, being empowered by God the Holy Spirit. John 17:3,

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”