A Revelation to John 4:1-11

  • Vision of Jehovah’s heavenly presence (1-11)

    • Jehovah seated on his throne (2)

    • The 24 elders on thrones (4)

    • The four living creatures (6)

4  After this I saw, and look! an opened door in heaven, and the first voice that I heard speaking with me was like a trumpet, saying: “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place.” 2  After this I immediately came to be in the power of the spirit, and look! a throne was in its position in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne.+ 3  And the One seated had the appearance of a jasper stone+ and a sardius stone,* and all around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.+ 4  All around the throne were 24 thrones, and on these thrones I saw seated 24 elders+ dressed in white garments, and on their heads golden crowns. 5  From the throne were coming lightning+ and voices and thunders;+ and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God.+ 6  Before the throne was something resembling a glassy sea,+ like crystal. In the midst of the throne* and around the throne were four living creatures+ that were full of eyes in front and behind. 7  The first living creature was like a lion,+ and the second living creature was like a young bull,+ and the third living creature+ had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature+ was like a flying eagle.+ 8  As for the four living creatures, each one of them had six wings; they were full of eyes all around and underneath.+ And continuously, day and night, they say: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah*+ God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”+ 9  Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever,+ 10  the 24 elders+ fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11  “You are worthy, Jehovah* our God, to receive the glory+ and the honor+ and the power,+ because you created all things,+ and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”

Footnotes

Or “a precious red-colored stone.”
Or “In the middle with the throne.”