2 Straight away I was in the Spirit: and I saw a high seat in heaven, and one was seated on it;
I went on looking till the seats of kings were placed, and one like a very old man took his seat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool; his seat was flames of fire and its wheels burning fire.
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord seated in his place, high and lifted up, and the Temple was full of the wide skirts of his robe.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and a great voice at my back, as of a horn, came to my ears,
And when the beasts give glory and honour to him who is seated on the high seat, to him who is living for ever and ever,
A seat of glory, placed on high from the first, is our holy place.
And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the high seat, a book with writing inside it and on the back, shut with seven stamps of wax.
Now of the things we are saying this is the chief point: We have such a high priest, who has taken his place at the right hand of God's high seat of glory in heaven,
Then looking, I saw that on the arch which was over the head of the winged ones there was seen over them what seemed like a sapphire stone, having the form of a king's seat.
Then I was lifted up by the wind, and at my back the sound of a great rushing came to my ears when the glory of the Lord was lifted up from his place. And there was the sound of the wings of the living beings touching one another, and the sound of the wheels at their side, the sound of a great rushing. And the wind, lifting me up, took me away: and I went in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of the Lord was strong on me.
Like the bow in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the light shining round him. And this is what the glory of the Lord was like. And when I saw it I went down on my face, and the voice of one talking came to my ears.
To him who overcomes I will give a place with me on my high seat, even as I overcame, and am seated with my Father on his high seat.
And I saw a river of water of life, clear as glass, coming out of the high seat of God and of the Lamb, In the middle of its street. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, having twelve sorts of fruits, giving its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree give life to the nations. And there will be no more curse: and the high seat of God and of the Lamb will be there; and his servants will be worshipping him;
And he took me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and let me see the holy town Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
And he who is seated on the high seat said, See, I make all things new. And he said, Put it in the book; for these words are certain and true.
And the four and twenty rulers and the four beasts went down on their faces and gave worship to God who was seated on the high seat, saying, Even so, praise to the Lord.
And he took me away in the Spirit into a waste land: and I saw a woman seated on a bright red beast, full of evil names, having seven heads and ten horns,
After these things I saw a great army of people more than might be numbered, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and languages, taking their places before the high seat and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and with branches in their hands, Saying with a loud voice, Salvation to our God who is seated on the high seat, and to the Lamb. And all the angels were round about the high seat, and about the rulers and the four beasts; and they went down on their faces before the high seat, and gave worship to God, saying, So be it. Let blessing and glory and wisdom and praise and honour and power and strength be given to our God for ever and ever. So be it. And one of the rulers made answer, saying to me, These who have on white robes, who are they, and where did they come from? And I said to him, My lord, you have knowledge. And he said to me, These are they who came through the great testing, and their robes have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. This is why they are before the high seat of God; and they are his servants day and night in his house: and he who is seated on the high seat will be a tent over them. They will never be in need of food or drink: and they will never again be troubled by the burning heat of the sun: For the Lamb who is on the high seat will be their keeper and their guide to fountains of living water: and God will make glad their eyes for ever.
And they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Come down on us, covering us from the face of him who is seated on the high seat, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
And to my ears came the voice of everything in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and of all things which are in them, saying, To him who is seated on the high seat, and to the Lamb, may blessing and honour and glory and power be given for ever and ever.
And I saw in the middle of the high seat and of the four beasts, and in the middle of the rulers, a Lamb in his place, which seemed as if it had been put to death, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And he came and took it out of the right hand of him who was seated on the high seat.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 4
Commentary on Revelation 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the prophetical scene opens; and, as the epistolary part opened with a vision of Christ (ch. 1), so this part is introduced with a glorious appearance of the great God, whose throne is in heaven, compassed about with the heavenly host. This discovery was made to John, and in this chapter he,
Rev 4:1-8
We have here an account of a second vision with which the apostle John was favoured: After this, that is, not only "after I had seen the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks,' but "after I had taken his messages from his mouth, and written and sent them to the several churches, according to his command, after this I had another vision.' Those who well improve the discoveries they have had of God already are prepared thereby for more, and may expect them. Observe,
Rev 4:8-11
We have considered the sights that the apostle saw in heaven: now let us observe the songs that he heard, for there is in heaven not only that to be seen which will highly please a sanctified eye, but there is that to be heard which will greatly delight a sanctified ear. This is true concerning the church of Christ here, which is a heaven upon earth, and it will be eminently so in the church made perfect in the heaven of heavens.