Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 1 Study # 6
February 18, 2024
Broadlands, Louisiana
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Thesis: The twenty-four elders are the "associate rulers" of God's program made up of men of the "Church".
Introduction: Last week we considered the circle of emerald around the primary throne upon which The Father sits. We saw that it was a further development of the thesis of this "Revelation of Jesus Christ" in that its focus is upon the "Levites" as the executors of the "Law".
My conclusion is that this means that the focus in the Book is upon God's "Judgments" as the outworking of the "Justice" of God upon the world.
This evening we are going to look into the part of the picture that includes the twenty-four thrones that surround the primary throne.
- I. This Chapter Is The Ultimate Background For All That Follows.
- A. It is a vision of The Heaven as the initial presentation of the realm of Heaven (with its characteristics and significances) in respect to "what must take place after these things..." (4:1).
- B. The relationship of "being in the spirit" to the summons to Heaven.
- C. What John saw...
- 1. The "First" issue: he saw a throne...
- 2. The "Second" Issue: he describes the One sitting upon the "Throne of Heaven".
- 3. The "Third" Issue: the emerald "iris".
- 4. The "Fourth" Issue: the twenty-four thrones.
- a. The issue of "thrones" is, apparently, the same for the twenty-four as it is for the initial "throne" ("sovereign rule"), with the exception that the twenty-four are not "the highest throne".
- b. That there are twenty-four signals several truths...
- 1) In general, we have already seen the concept of "rule together with Him"...
- a) 2:26-27 -- " And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; 27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received [authority] from My Father."
- b) Revelation 3:21 -- "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His throne".
- c) 2 Timothy 2:12 -- "If we suffer, we shall also reign with [Him]..."
- d) Matthew 19:28 -- "And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:30 repeats this).
- 2) The issue of the number, "twenty-four" as it relates to "ruling together".
- a) We already have "twelve" (Matthew 19:28).
- b) That there may be two sets of "twelve" is entirely possible, but what might be the makeup of the "two"?
- (1) The twelve apostles sit upon twelve thrones in governance over the twelve tribes: this exalts the "Church" over the "Nation" (with a possible parallel to the Jasper/Sardius concept of the first shall be last and the last first because the "Nation" crucified The Christ, and the "Church" is His Bride.
- (2) The "woman" of Revelation 12:1 has "twelve stars" in her crown, which has a possible implication for "rulers" of her lineage (Jews; not Gentiles).
- (3) Jesus made mention of "twelve Legions of angels" in Matthew 26:53 so that it is "possible" (but not likely) that the "twenty-four elders" are a mix of two "servant creature types" (angels [Hebrews 1:14] and men, the bond-servants of the Lord) who, together, bring the creation of "persons" together under one "ruling council".
- 3) The description of the "twenty-four".
- a) They are called "elders".
- (1) There are twelve references in this Revelation to "elders".
- (a) This is the first reference: it consists of the number, the "Perfect Tense" of "having had something cast all around them" (i.e., "garments"), the "something" being "white 'imatioi'"), and "upon their heads, 'stefanous crusous'".
- i. The "white garments".
- i) Can be "soiled" (3:4); indicating "garments which reveal the behavior of the wearers (not the "stole" of 6:11 which refers to the garment that is given to "brethren" before they are rewarded for their loyalty under threat of martyrdom, and in 7:9 where it is the garment of everyone who comes out of the Great Tribulation because they, according to 7:14, "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (these are "robes of justification" (Isaiah 61:10), not of personal achievement).
- ii) Are the "garments" of the "overcomers" of the church in Sardis (3:5, the church of the "false reputation").
- iii) Are "for sale" to buyers who wish to cover their nakedness (3:18; and 16:15).
- iv) Are worn by "elders" who also wear golden "stephanoi" (4:4; our current text).
- v) Is the garment "dipped in blood" of the coming "Word of God" (19:13) which also bears His name, "King of kings and Lord of lords" (19:16).
- vi) Are associated with "white" in all of the references to the elders except 16:15 where the only consideration is the ability of the "garments" to hide the nakedness.
- ii. Are associated with the garments of those who have already undergone the "judgment seat of Christ" and wear garments which "match" their walk in this world as "disciples".
- (b) There is one more reference in 4:10 (worship leaders), five in 5:5-14 (one of the twenty-four who instructs John regarding the Lion of Judah), two in 7:11-13 (one of the twenty-four informs John of the identity of the great crowd who comes out of the Great Tribulation who are wearing "stolai"), and one each in 11:16; 14:3; and 19:4 (again, as worship leaders).
- (2) They wear the "stephanoi" of "overcomers", not the diadems of the "natural born" ruler.
- (a) The "stephanos" is able to be "gained by faithfulness" (2:10), lost by not "holding fast" (3:11), and signify "rule" as in 2 Timothy 2:12.
- (b) This signals an evaluation in the past that resulted in position in the present.
- c) They, apparently, are of those who have been evaluated for their positions prior to God's return to His "Israel" agenda.
