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 apostacy will come. Its date is not revealed; nor
is it revealed as to the rapture. But I gather from 2 Thessalonians 2, that
the rapture will be before the apostacy. What we have stated then is, that
it is after all dealing with the assemblies by Christ is closed that the
subsequent dealings with the world in the Revelation begin. The assemblies
are " the things that are ;" what follows, "the things after these." Christ
is not now seen walking in their midst; He is the Lamb in the midst of the
throne. John is not occupied with seeing Him there, or sending messages to
the assemblies, but is called up to heaven where all the ways of God are
now carried on, and that towards the world, not the assembly. We have the
throne too, not the long-robed priest. The kings and priests we read of in chapter 1 are
now on high. Others may follow them; but they are in heavenly
places, seated on thrones, or worshiping, or presenting their censers full
of incense. On the other hand the Lord is not come to judge the world, but
about to receive the inheritance. The saints then, who will be caught up to
meet Christ, are seen only on high here; they belong to heaven, and are no
longer dealt with on earth, but have their own place in heaven.
The connection between the two parts of the Apocalypse is this:-Christ, who
was judging in the midst of the professing church, is now seen on high,
opening the book of this world's judgment, of which He is about to take the
inheritance publicly. From this scene of judgment the saints are far. The
apostle's occupation with the assembly now ceases- an important point, for
the Holy Spirit must be occupied with it as long as the saints are in it on
earth;-and he is taken up to heaven, and there he sees and in covenant with
creation, on a throne of government, with a rainbow round about it. The
living creatures celebrate Him as the creator, the One for whom all things
were created. The throne was not a throne of grace, but the signs of power
and judgment broke forth from it; but around it those who represent the
saints received at Christ's coming, the kings and priests, are sitting on th
rones in a circle round the throne. No altar of sacrifice is in view, as if
it were a time of approach; the brazen laver has glass instead of water. It
is a fixed accomplished holiness, not cleansing of feet. The elders are
crowned, the number twenty-four recalling the courses of the priests. The
seven Spirits of God are there in the temple, not Christ's to wield for the
assembly, or sent out into the world, but the perfections in attribute
which characterise the actions of God in the world. This it is bears light
now into the world.
Besides these, four living creatures are there in the circle of the throne
itself and around the throne. They may be viewed as forming the throne, or
apart from it, though connected with it as a centre. They have some of the
characters of the cherubim, some of the seraphim, but somewhat different
from both. They were full of eyes, before and behind, to see all things
according to God, and willing having also six wings; perfect in inward
perception, but given perception, and in the celerity of their motions.
They embraced also the four species of creation in the ordered earth: man,
cattle, beast of the field, fowl of the air: these symbolizing the powers
or attributes of God, them selves worshiped by the heathen, here only the
instruments of the throne. Him who sat on it the heathen knew not. The
intelligence, firmness, power, rapidity of execution which belong to God
were typified as elsewhere by them. They are symbols. Divers agents may be
the instruments of their activity. But though there was the general analogy
of the cherubim, judicial and governmental power, these had a peculiar
character.
The cherubim in the temple had two wings, which formed the throne; they
looked on the covenant, and at the same time, as of pure gold, were
characterised by the divine righteousness of the throne to be approached.
In Ezekiel they were the support of the firmament above which the God of
Israel was: it was a throne of executive judgment. They were like burnished
brass, and like fire-a symbol we have considered already. They had four
wings: two to fly with, two to cover themselves. From Ezekiel 10 it appears
they were full of eyes ("it is not said within") it was to govern what was
outside, according to God, not divine intelligence within. In Isaiah 6 the
seraphim (or burners) have six wings as here; they are above the throne,
and cry as here, Holy, holy, holy ! They, with a burning coal, cleansed the
prophet's lips; they were above the throne.
The symbols used here become clearer through these cases. The living
creatures are in and around the throne; for it is a throne of executory
judgment, with the attributes of cherubim united to it. But it is not, as
in Israel, mere earth]y providential judgment, a whirlwind out of the
north. There is before us the government of all the earth, and executory
judgment according to the holiness of God's nature. [see note #10]
There is not only full perception of all, but intrinsic perception morally.
It is no seat of gold to be approached, as in the tabernacle. The intrinsic
holiness of God is applied to judgment. He is making good His nature and
character in all creation. Providence would be no longer a riddle. It was
not complex attributes unsolved, so to speak, though applied in special
circumstances; each act would have its character.
Here too remark, it is not, as in the first chapter, the God who is, though
embracing past and future, God in Himself; but the God of ages, " who was,
and is, and is to come." Still He has all Old Testament names: Jehovah,
Elohim, Shaddai. His attributes now celebrate His full name, as the Holy
One who lives for ever and ever-has no passing power or being, like man at
his best estate, vanity And the saints here fall down before the throne,
bow themselves before His place in glory, and worship Him in His endless bei
ng, and lay down their given glory before His supreme and proper glory,
ascribing all glory to Him alone, as alone worthy of it; but here,
according to the nature of the celebration of it, the Creator for whom all
things are. In all changes these remained true.
It will be remarked here, that the living creatures only celebrate and
declare; the elders worship with understanding. All through the Revelation
the elders give their reason for worshiping. There is spiritual
intelligence in them.
Further, remark, that when thunderings and lightnings and voices, the signs
of terror in judgment, go forth from the throne, the throned elders remain
unmoved; they are on thrones around when the throne of judgment is
introduced. This is their place before God in respect of judgment. Whenever
He takes judgment in hand this is their position. They are part of the
glory-assessors of the throne from which its terror goes forth. When He
that sits on it is celebrated, they are all activity, own all glory to be
His, are prostrate on their faces, and cast their crowns before Him, more
blessed in owning His glory, than in possessing their own.
We do not find the Father here; it is Jehovah. And indeed should we ask in
whom He is personally displayed, it would be, as always, in the Son; but it
is in itself simply the Jehovah of the Old Testament here.
