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Chapter 4 | |
1 | After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. |
2 | And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. |
3 | And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. |
4 | And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. |
5 | And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. |
6 | And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. |
7 | And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. |
8 | And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. |
9 | And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, |
10 | The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, |
11 | Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. |
Notes on Chapter 4 | |
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7 | beast - "And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle." These are the emblems of Israel, and were used on the standards or ensigns raised in the wilderness (Numbers 2:2) to show where each tribe was located in the camp. The Tribes of Israel had a standard with a picture that described that tribe's blessing from their father Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28). Numbers 2:3 states "And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies:" The sign of the tribe of Judah is the Lion (Genesis 49:9), and was the most prominent standard on the east side of the camp. Numbers 2:10 states "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies:" The sign of the tribe of Reuben is a Man as he was the firstborn (Genesis 49:3) of Israel. Numbers 2:18 states "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies:" Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph (Genesis 41:51) The sign of Joseph and of his son Ephraim is the Bull as given in the blessings of Moses in Deuteronomy 33:17. Numbers 2:25 states "The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies:" The sign of the tribe of Dan is the eagle, which was substituted for the serpent of Genesis 49:17. |
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