And 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,
Chapter 4 shows John an open door in heaven and a throne. Crowned elders sit around it, and four living creatures are nearest to it. Verse 9 tells us what those creatures give to the One on the throne, and their praise sets the whole scene in motion.
Commentators read the living creatures as symbols of how God governs His creation. Their praise rises out of what they see.
Ezekiel 1, Revelation 4 and Revelation 5 are records of visions given to prophets. In them the living creatures seem to be symbols of how God acts in governing creation. God's ways have the strength of the lion, the endurance of the ox, the intelligence of a man, and the speed and height of an eagle. The living creatures are also "full of eyes," not only in front and behind, but within as well. They search all the future, all the past, and the deep inner secrets of God's ways. So they add to His praise, giving glory and honour and thanks to Him without pause, declaring Him three times Holy, the One who lives for ever and ever.
Glory, honour and thanks come as a set of three, matching the threefold "Holy" just before. Their words also differ from the words of the elders that follow.
Each living creature is itself a symbol of one or more of God's attributes. Now the four join together, before we see them acting in government, and give Him the glory, honour and thanks due to His Name. They have already announced His essential purity by saying the word "Holy" three times. Now their praise (v. 9), like that of the elders (v. 11), comes in three parts. One more thing marks off the deeper worship of the elders from that of the living creatures. The elders speak to God directly, as "You"; the living creatures speak about God as "Him." Notice this carefully. The living creatures stand here as symbols of the throne's judicial authority. Whoever the instruments are, angels or men, all must turn to Him in increased power and fullness.
That gap between speaking about God and speaking to Him goes deep. It comes down to redemption.
Someone has said "that the living creatures only celebrate and declare; the elders worship with understanding." All God's works will praise Him. But only the redeemed have the mind of Christ. Only they can enter into the things of God through the Holy Spirit and share them with Him, whether in grace or in judgment.
This title marks out a life that never fades. It holds steady while everything else changes.
He still has all the Old Testament names: Jehovah, Elohim, Shaddai. His attributes now celebrate His full name, as the Holy One who lives for ever and ever. His power and His being never fade away, unlike man, who at his best is empty. Through all changes these names remained true.
The chapter gives this One no personal name. That silence teaches something.
This worship is not addressed to the Father, but to the God of creation and providence. In this chapter Jesus is never named or seen on His own. Yet in creation He is the person of the Godhead who works; for "all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Col. 1:16-17.) So the One worshipped here is not the Father as distinct from the Son. It is God the Creator — Father, Son, and Spirit.
Judgment from that throne had not moved the crowned elders. Verse 9 is what moves them.
Terror did not disturb them at all. Judgment does not shake them from their thrones. But when those living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, the twenty-four elders fall down. The moment the ones who carry out judgment give honour to Him who sits on the throne, the elders worship. What satisfaction in God this shows — what certainty that sin was at an end! He is certainly going to judge, but He will not judge those who are made His righteousness in Christ.
- Seeing. The living creatures are full of eyes, in front, behind and within. They take in all of God's ways, past and future. That sight feeds their praise.
- Saying. What they see, they declare: glory, honour and thanks. The three match their threefold "Holy." They speak about God, not to Him.
- The One addressed. Not the Father as distinct from the Son, but God the Creator — Father, Son and Spirit. His life never fades, and He stays the same through every change.
- Setting off worship. Judgment from the throne left the crowned elders seated. Honour given to God brings them off their thrones and onto their faces.
- The difference. The living creatures celebrate and declare. The redeemed worship with understanding, because only they have the mind of Christ.
the 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,
Around the throne John sees twenty-four crowned figures on thrones of their own. At one moment they leave those thrones, fall to the floor, and throw their crowns down in front of God. Why would anyone give up an honour God Himself had handed them? And who are these crowned worshippers?
Gold crowns and thrones set this company apart. One writer links the number twenty-four to the twenty-four divisions of Israel's priests, making the group royal and priestly at once.
John saw thrones filled with twenty-four elders, the chiefs of the twenty-four divisions of the priesthood. They exercised priestly functions in Revelation 5:8. But they are a royal priesthood also; they wear crowns of gold and sit on thrones; and their clothing matches. Can there be a doubt that they are the glorified saints?
Their worship has content. One writer sets out what they bow before, and what they put down as they bow.
He is the Holy One who lives forever and ever. He has no passing power or being, as man has, who at his best is vanity. And the saints here fall down before the throne. They bow before His place in glory, and worship Him in His endless being. They lay down their given glory before His supreme and proper glory, giving all glory to Him alone, as alone worthy of it.
Notice where the crowns land: in front of the throne. One writer names the source of their dignity, and the ground of this worship.
The elders fall down before HIM whom they love and revere. They cast their crowns before the THRONE, recognising where their royal dignity comes from and what keeps it. God's glory as Creator is the ground of the elders' worship here. It rests on knowing God — what He is in His own Being, and as Creator and Sustainer of the universe. The worship in the next chapter is founded on redemption by blood, and so the Lamb becomes the central figure.
Seen from outside, throwing away a badge of honour looks like loss. One writer admits it seems strange, then says the heart that knows the Lord needs no command.
What were they? A rightful privilege given to be worn in front of everyone's eyes as a witness to their right to be kings and priests. The thought of a crown can appeal to the natural mind of man. But "casting them down" seems a strange thing. It means throwing off the badge of our link with the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is not strange to the heart that knows the Lord Jesus, that knows God. When He brings us into the glory, will it be a word of command to cast our crowns before Him? It will be a word springing from the very depths of the heart.
The elders lose nothing here. One writer sets their gladness against the pride of the natural heart.
The saint in glory is glad there should be something above himself there. He can strip himself of glory so that the Lord should have it all. What a contrast to the spirit of unbelief in the heart that does not like this! The pride of the heart cannot bear anything above it. But the saint in light is glad that Christ should have all the glory.
For these elders the question of judgment is already settled. One writer shows what does draw them off their thrones.
As far as judgment goes, the cross met every demand of righteousness. If there had been any sin left unremoved, oh, what trouble there would have been among all the twenty-four! But no; they sit in perfect peace on their thrones. But when His holiness is in view, they fall down before Him. They pay homage to Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne. Their hearts are swallowed up in the delight of what God is.
Since the crowns end up on the floor, some ask whether it is worth pursuing them at all. One writer answers that having more to give away is the whole attraction.
I remember someone saying to us, "Go in for as many crowns as you can get." Then he added, "so that you may cast them all at the feet of Jesus." The more you can get, the more you will have for His praise and glory.
- Crowned — the elders are glorified saints, sitting on thrones as kings and serving as priests.
- Derived — their royal dignity came from the throne and is kept by it, so that is where the crowns land.
- Cast — no command produces this. It springs from a heart that knows the One on the throne.
- Glad — pride cannot bear anything above it. The saint in glory is happy for Christ to have it all.
- Now — go after every crown you can, because the more you carry into that scene, the more you have to lay at His feet.