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2. The Immediate Vicinity of the Almighty (Revelation 4:4-8)
REVELATION 4:4
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.
Twenty-four elders sitting on thrones round about the throne: After John had described humbly and discreetly the one sitting on the throne as the centre of heaven, he is beginning to realize the surroundings of the throne.
At first the twenty-four elders who were sitting around the throne of the Almighty caught his eye.
John does not report who these elders were and what function they had. They may have been the representatives of the Old Covenant and the twelve tribes together with the representatives of the New Covenant and its twelve apostles.
Other expositors assume that the twenty-four elders are exclusively patriarchs of the Old Testament. For the vision of John culminates in the following chapter in the arrival of Jesus Christ in heaven after his ascension. Who may be in this case the twenty-four chosen ones who are enthroned as justified saints of the Old Covenant before God in white clothes?
The twenty-four have acknowledged their sins and confessed them (Psalm 51; Isaiah 6:5-7) and believed that solely the Lord is their righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). The Lord has clothed them with garments of salvation (Isaiah. 61:10). Now they do not pray because of their own righteousness, but with confidence in his great mercies (Genesis 32:11; Psalm 51:3; Daniel 9:18; Hosea 2:21).
May be that Adam, Abel, Japheth, Methuselah, Enoch and Noah are among them? Or has the Lord called Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph as patriarchs so that they are constantly in his vicinity? He called himself already very early "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" (Exodus 3:6.15.16; Matthew 8:11; 22:23-32; Mark 12:26; Luke. 13:28; 20:37-38).
It is also likely that Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisa and king Josiah are among the chosen ones (2 Kings 22:1-23:25). Also Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, and other prophets who had been faithful admonishers and witnesses of Yahweh likely belong to them. About John the Baptist Jesus told that he is the greatest of all prophets of the Old Covenant (Matthew 11:11-14).
The epistle of Hebrews after a concise enumeration of the patriarchs and martyrs speaks of a "cloud of witnesses" who are eager to look from heaven so as to see which one of the present generation will victoriously finish the course of faith (Hebrews. 11:1-12:1).
All these witnesses have golden victor's laurels on their heads, because they believed even though there was no victory to see, because they loved when they were overwhelmed by hatred, and because they hoped when there seemed to be only every reason for desperation.
In spite of all these hints in the Bible we do not know who the saints are sitting on the twenty-four thrones before God. May be that also women are among them as in heaven there is no difference between man and woman any longer. All of them will be as the angels of God (Matthew 22:29-30).
These statements are not based on the Bible, but are only presumptions. They may, however, inspire us to pray, to repent and to believe. They may help us to think over who are the representatives of the creation in the throne room of God. If also members of the New Covenant should be among them, then it may be taken into account that at the time of these visions of John already all apostles except John had been died or put to death including Paul, Jacob, Barnabas, Silas and most of the eye-witnesses of Christ who are mentioned in the twenty-six books of the New Testament preceding the book of Revelation.
Finally, several expositors think that the twenty-four elders are not human beings who are justified and holy and living in the presence of God, but rather the fullness of the elders may indicate to a higher type of created spirits who worship all times the holy All-Compassionate.
The seer does not share in our questions and speculations. He rather was deeply impressed of the existence, majesty and holiness of these twenty-four royal priests sitting on their thrones before the throne of God so that he was not interested who they were and where they came from. In the presence of God standards and laws are valid which are different from our framework of thinking (Isaiah 55:8-9; 57:15; Romans 11:33-36).
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You brought the heroes of faith as elders in Your presence. Help our churches to find faithful elders for them, who will serve You according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
QUESTION:
- Who are the twenty fours elders on thrones around the throne of God?