Revelation Chapter Four Breakdown

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

John sees an open door in heaven and then is told to go through it in order to see the coming events of at the end of the world.

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

He is immediately removed from his physical body and sees YHWH on the throne in heaven.

3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

YHWH sat on the throne with a rainbow surrounding it.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

There were twenty four thrones with twenty four elders surrounding the throne. The elders all had crowns.

5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

YHWH has seven spirits and they are represented by the seven lamps of fire.

6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

John gives a description of the area around the throne as well as the four living creatures.

7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

The creatures were similar to a lion, a cow, a man, and an eagle.

8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

These creatures sing all day in praise.

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

When the creatures sing in praise, the elders bow down to YHWH and give praise to Him.