Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Revelation
Book: Revelation
Chapter: 4
Overview:
A
Vision of
God, as
On his glorious
Throne, around which were
twenty-four elders and four
Living creatures.
(1-8) Whose
Songs,
and those of the holy angels, the
Apostle heard.
(9-11)
1-8 After the
Lord Jesus had instructed the
Apostle to write to
the churches "the things that are," there was another
Vision.
The
Apostle saw a
Throne set in
Heaven, an emblem of the
universal dominion of
Jehovah. He saw a glorious One upon the
Throne, not described
By human features,
So as to be represented
By a likeness or image, but only
By his surpassing brightness.
These seem emblems of the excellence of the Divine nature, and
of
God's awful
Justice. The
Rainbow is a fit emblem of that
Covenant of promise which
God has made with
Christ, as the Head
of the
Church, and with all his people in him. The prevailing
Colour was a pleasant green, showing the reviving and refreshing
nature of the new
Covenant. Four-and-twenty seats around the
Throne, were filled with four-and-twenty elders, representing,
probably, the whole
Church of
God. Their
Sitting denotes honour,
Rest, and satisfaction; their
Sitting about the
Throne signifies
nearness to
God, the sight and enjoyment they have of him. They
were clothed in
White raiment; the imputed
Righteousness of the
saints and their
Holiness: they had
On their heads crowns of
Gold, signifying the
Glory they have with him. Lightnings and
voices came from the
Throne; the awful declarations
God makes to
his
Church, of his sovereign will and pleasure.
Seven lamps of
Fire were burning before the
Throne; the
Gifts, graces, and
operations of the
Spirit of
God in the churches of
Christ,
dispensed according to the will and pleasure of Him who sits
upon the
Throne. In the
Gospel Church, the
Laver for
Purification is the
Blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ, which
cleanses from all
Sin. In this all must be washed, to be
admitted into the gracious presence of
God On Earth, and his
glorious presence in
Heaven. The
Apostle saw four living
creatures, between the
Throne and the circle of the elders,
standing between
God and the people. These seem to signify the
true ministers of the
Gospel, because of their place between
God
and the people. This also is shown
By the description given,
denoting
Wisdom, courage, diligence, and discretion, and the
affections
By which they
Mount up toward
Heaven.
9-11 All true believers wholly ascribe their
Redemption and
Conversion, their present privileges and future hopes, to the
eternal and most holy
God. Thus rise the for-ever harmonious,
thankful
Songs of the redeemed in
Heaven. Would we
On Earth do
like them, let our praises be constant, not interrupted; united,
not divided; thankful, not cold and formal; humble, not
self-confident.