HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 548
Revelation 4
The Heavenly Worship
1After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2At once I was in the spirit,a and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 3And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; 6and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.”
9And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,
11“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
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a Or in the Spirit
4.1–11 Several visions of the heavenly throne-room occur in Revelation, usually preceding punitive actions on earth implying divine sovereignty over all earthly events, for events in heaven determine events in the world (7.9–17; 8.1–5; 11.15–19; 14.2–3; 15.2–8; 19.1–10; 21.3–8; see also 1 Kings 22.19–23; Job 1.6–12; 2.1–6).
4.1 Door, here a metaphor for the entrance to heaven (see Gen 28.17; Ps 78.23; 1 Enoch 14.14b–15), which must be open for revelation (see 19.11) or a heavenly ascent. First voice, mentioned in 1.10–11, that of the exalted Christ himself.
4.2 In the spirit, in a vision trance (see 1.10); here the vision trance is a prelude to a heavenly ascent. The throne symbolizes God’s sovereignty, and heaven is conceived as a throne room filled with angelic courtiers in which the only activity is the worship of God (see 1 Kings 22.19). One seated on the throne, a circumlocution for the name of God frequently used in Revelation.
4.3 Jasper and carnelian. Precious stones and metals were sometimes used in descriptions to emphasize the heavenly splendor of God enthroned (see Ezek 1.16, 26, 27). Rainbow that looks like an emerald alludes to the throne vision in Ezek 1.27–28.
4.4 Twenty-four elders, angelic courtiers possibly representing the sum of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, thus binding the old covenant and the new covenant together.
4.5 Flashes of lightning…thunder. Storm phenomena associated with God’s theophany on Mount Sinai (Ex 19.16–19) became incorporated into the stereotypical features found in theophanies (see Ps 18.6–16; Isa 29.6) and are mentioned frequently in Revelation at critical points (8.5; 11.19; 16.18). Seven spirits of God. See 1.4.
4.6 The sea of glass (see 15.2), an allusion to Ezek 1.22, represents the celestial ocean above which the throne of God is located (see Gen 1.7; Pss 29.10; 104.3); it is perhaps symbolized by the enormous bronze basin (called “the sea”) associated with Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 7.23–26). Four living creatures (a designation drawn from Ezek 1.5–25), cherubim, angelic beings that guard and support the throne of God (Ex 25.17–22; 1 Kings 6.23–28; Ps 18.10; Isa 6.2; Ezek 10). Full of eyes (an allusion to Ezek 1.18; 10.12) symbolizes unceasing watchfulness or omnipresence.
4.7 Three creatures have animal forms and one has a human face. This description modifies that in Ezek 1.10, where each creature has four faces. The four creatures later came to represent the four Evangelists: lion, Mark; ox, Luke; man, Matthew; flying eagle, John (see Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.11.8).
4.8 Holy, holy, holy. The Trisagion, or “thrice-holy,” occurs first in Isa 6.3 and frequently in Jewish and Christian liturgies.
4.10 Cast their crowns before the throne, an act of homage and worship. Throne, here a pious circumlocution for the name of God (7.9; 8.3; see also Heb 4.16; 8.1; 12.2).
4.11 Worthy, a term applied to God as the creator, also applied to the Lamb in two hymns (5.9, 12).
Revelation 5
The Scroll and the Lamb
1Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealeda with seven seals; 2and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints fromb every tribe and language and people and nation;
10you have made them to be a kingdom and priests servingc our God,
and they will reign on earth.”
11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”
14And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
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a Or written on the inside, and sealed on the back
b Gk ransomed for God from
c Gk priests to
5.1–14 The focus of the vision shifts to a scroll, probably representing God’s final plan for the world or perhaps the contents of 8.2–22.5.
5.1 The scroll written on the inside and on the back, technically an opisthograph, is unusual because papyrus rolls were usually used on one side only, though legal rolls could have a summary of the contents on the outside. Sealed with seven seals. The number of seals has a magically protective significance, meaning that only a fully authorized person has the power to open it (v. 3).
5.2 Worthy, both able and authorized.
5.5 Lion of the tribe of Judah (Gen 49.9–10), a metaphor for the king or Messiah expected to come from the royal tribe of Judah, a claim frequently made for Jesus (Heb 7.14). Root of Da
vid (see also 22.16), meaning stock of David or descendant of David, king of Israel, is a messianic title (see Isa 11.1, 10; Jer 23.5; 33.15; Zech 3.8; 6.12; Rom 15.12). The Davidic ancestry of Jesus is frequently mentioned in the NT (Mt 1.1; Lk 2.4; Jn 7.42; Acts 2.30–32; 13.22–23; Rom 1.3; 2 Tim 2.8).
5.6 The image of Jesus as a Lamb who has been slaughtered is a surprising contrast to his designation as a lion (v. 5), perhaps alluding to the Passover sacrifice (1 Cor 5.7) or the morning and evening sacrifice of a lamb in the temple at Jerusalem. Revelation uses Lamb as a designation for the exalted Christ twenty-eight times, highlighting his sacrificial role (see e.g., 5.9; 7.14; 12.11; 13.8; 17.14; see also Jn 1.29, 36; cf. Isa 53.7). Horns symbolize kingly power, while eyes (an allusion to Zech 4.10) represent divine omnipresence and omniscience (see Judg 18.6; 2 Chr 16.9; Ps 139.16; Prov 15.3).
5.8 The harp, or kithara, was used to accompany hymns (15.2–4; Pss 33.2–3; 43.4), while the golden bowls full of incense, representing the prayers of the saints (8.4; Pss 33.2–3; 141.2), suggest the priestly role of the elders.
5.9 New song, a new composition written to celebrate a very special occasion (14.3; see Pss 33.3; 40.3; 96.1; Isa 42.10); in Greek culture, new songs were considered the best songs. Slaughtered, a violent term for the crucifixion of Jesus (see 5.9, 12; 13.8) suggesting the Jewish Passover sacrifice (Ex 12.1–28; 1 Cor 5.7). By your blood alludes to the atoning death of Jesus using the metaphor of the twice-daily expiatory sacrifice of a lamb (Ex 29.38–42; Num 28; see also Rev 1.5; 7.14; 12.11). Ransomed, or “redeemed,” a metaphor from the slave market meaning “released after a price is paid” (see 14.3; 1 Cor 6.20; 7.23).
5.11 Myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, an allusion to the innumerable angelic beings in the throne scene of Dan 7.10 (see also Rev 7.9; Jude 14).
Revelation 6
The Seven Seals
1Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!”a 2I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.
3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, “Come!”b 4And out camec another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.
5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come!”d I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, 6and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay,e and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay,f but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”
7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, “Come!”g 8I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.
9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; 10they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” 11They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servantsh and of their brothers and sisters,i who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.
12When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
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a Or “Go!”
b Or “Go!”
c Or went
d Or “Go!”
e Gk a denarius
f Gk a denarius
g Or “Go!”
h Gk slaves
i Gk brothers
6.1–8.1 The Lamb opens the seven seals and so shows himself as God’s plenipotentiary in control of history.
6.1–8 The opening of the first four seals, which form a group, unleashes four riders mounted on horses of different colors who are emissaries of God sent to inflict divine punishment on the world (loosely based on Zech 1.7–11; 6.1–8).
6.2 The rider on the white horse represents warfare (see 19.11, where, unlike here, the rider on the white horse represents the Messiah); the bow can be a symbol of divine chastisement (Lam 3.12–13; Hab 3.9), and his crown indicates victory in war.
6.4 The bright red horse and rider suggest violence and death in battle.
6.5 The black horse and rider represent famine. Pair of scales, a tool used by merchants to weigh their products, used as a symbol of justice.
6.6 A quart of wheat for a day’s pay represents an exorbitant price for wheat, fifteen times higher than normal; shortages were often caused by hoarding for the purpose of profiteering. Do not damage…wine, i.e., do not fraudulently withhold oil and wine to extort exorbitant prices.
6.8 Death and Hades are personified together in Revelation (1.18; 20.13–14), as they are in poetic contexts in the OT (Job 18.13; Isa 28.15, 18; Hos 13.14). Hades, the Greek world of the dead, Hebrew Sheol. Sword, famine, and pestilence, and…wild animals, stereotypical horrors of war (see Deut 32.23–25; Jer 14.12; 15.3; Ezek 5.16–17; 14.21; Psalms of Solomon 13.2–3).
6.9 The souls of the martyrs are under the altar, the heavenly altar of incense (8.3, 5; 9.13; 14.18; 16.7); this represents their proximity to God. Those…slaughtered, the martyrs.
6.10 How long, a cry for vengeance by the murdered righteous (see also 2 Esd 4.35–37; 1 Enoch 47.4) modeled after petitions for justice directed to a king (1 Macc 6.22–27) or to God (2 Macc 8.2–4). The inhabitants of the earth, a frequent formula in Revelation (e.g., 8.13; 11.10; 13.8) referring to the enemies of God.
6.11 White robe, symbol of heavenly existence or worthiness of those wearing it in heaven (see 3.4; 4.4; 7.13). Rest, metaphor for the repose of death (14.13; Prov 21.16; Sir 30.17; 38.23), though this rest will last only until the final consummation (see 2 Esd 7.75). A widespread ancient tradition affirmed a predetermined number of martyrs known only to God (2 Esd 2.38; 4.36; 1 Enoch 47.4; cf. Rom 11.25; 1 Clement 2.4; 59.2).
6.12–13 The darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars (see 8.10; 9.1; 12.4), cosmic signs of upheaval, are metaphors anticipating the day of the Lord (see Isa 13.10; Ezek 32.7–8; Joel 2.30–31; Am 8.9; Zeph 1.15; Mt 24.29). Black as sackcloth. See note on 11.3.
6.14 The sky…up, a simile used in Isa 34.4 (see also Sibylline Oracles 3.82–83; 8.233; cf. Heb 1.12), here a preview of the eventual destruction of the heavens (20.11; 21.1).
6.16 Fall on us suggests that physical death is preferable to experiencing the wrath of God; see Hos 10.8.
6.17 The great day of their wrath, the eschatological “day of the Lord,” involving judgment for the wicked (see 1 Cor 5.5; 1 Thess 5.2; 2 Thess 2.2; 2 Pet 3.10).
Revelation 7
The 144,000 of Israel Sealed
1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the fou
r angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea, 3saying, “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have marked the servantsa of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”
4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel:
5From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
The Multitude from Every Nation
9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing,