Revelation 4

Darby Translation · 11 verses

1After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard as of a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will shew thee the things which must take place after these things. 2Immediately I became in [the] Spirit; and behold, a throne stood in the heaven, and upon the throne one sitting, 3and he [that was] sitting like in appearance to a stone [of] jasper and a sardius, and a rainbow round the throne like in appearance to an emerald. 4And round the throne twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, clothed with white garments; and on their heads golden crowns. 5And out of the throne go forth lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and seven lamps of fire, burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6and before the throne, as a glass sea, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, four living creatures, full of eyes, before and behind; 7and the first living creature like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature having the face as of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each one of them having respectively six wings; round and within they are full of eyes; and they cease not day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. 9And when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanksgiving to him that sits upon the throne, who lives to the ages of ages, 10the twenty-four elders shall fall before him that sits upon the throne, and do homage to him that lives to the ages of ages; and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11Thou art worthy, O our Lord and [our] God, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy will they were, and they have been created.

Darby's Synopsis

But we have to consider where the fourth chapter commences God's ways. It does not follow necessarily that the assembly has been spued out of Christ's mouth. It had been threatened; but the judgment on Sardis, or even on Thyatira, was not yet come. But it is after Christ has ceased to deal with the professing assembly as such, looking to it as His light-bearer before the world. What it may call itself still is not stated; He is not dealing with it. An open apostasy will come.

Read Darby's Synopsis on Revelation 4

Study resources for this chapter

Commentary and exposition

Adrian Roach

The Revelation of Jesus Christ Chapters 4–5 "The things which shall be hereafter" begins herePDF, 1 page
Adrian Roach

Arthur C. Brown

The Revelation Chronologically Arranged The Throne and the Lamb — Chapters 4–5PDF, 1 page
Arthur C. Brown

H. H. Snell

Revelation 4–5 — The Throne of God in Heaven and the Lamb PDF, 8 pages
H. H. Snell

J. G. Bellett

Revelation 4 PDF, 5 pages
J. G. Bellett, Musings on the Apocalypse by J. G. Bellet

Walter Scott

Revelation — Chapters 4 & 5 PDF, 3 pages
Walter Scott

William Kelly

Revelation 4–5 PDF, 6 pages
William Kelly, W. Kelly's Writings on Prophecy; edition courtesy of Present Truth Publishers

Charts

Present Truth Publishers

Part 1, Section 2: Rev. 5PDF, 1 page
courtesy of Present Truth Publishers

Symbols

Present Truth Publishers

Revelation Chapter 04PDF, 1 page
courtesy of Present Truth Publishers (Types and Symbols of Scripture, Part 2: Symbols)

Text: J. N. Darby, The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation from the Original Languages, public domain. Emphasized words are Darby's own. Provenance on the sources page.