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After these things, I looked; and there before me was a door standing open in heaven; and the voice like a trumpet which I had heard speaking with me before said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” Instantly I was in the Spirit, and there before me in heaven stood a throne, and on the throne Someone was sitting. The One sitting there gleamed like diamonds and rubies, and a rainbow shining like emerald encircled the throne.

Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing and wearing gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came forth lightnings, voices and thunderings; and before the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living beings covered with eyes in front and behind. The first living being was like a lion, the second living being was like an ox, the third living being had a face that looked human, and the fourth living being was like a flying eagle.[a] Each of the four living beings had six wings[b] and was covered with eyes inside and out; and day and night they never stop saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is Adonai, God of heaven’s armies[c]
the One who was, who is and who is coming!”

And whenever the living beings give glory, honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne, to the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One sitting on the throne, who lives forever and ever, and worship him. They throw their crowns in front of the throne and say,

11 “You are worthy, Adonai Eloheinu,
to have glory, honor and power,
because you created all things —
yes, because of your will they were created
and came into being!”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:7 Ezekiel 1:5–10
  2. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:2
  3. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3; Amos 3:13; 4:13

1 Another vision containing the glory of God’s Majesty:  3 which is magnified of the four beasts, 10 and the four and twenty Elders.

After [a]this I looked, and behold, a door was open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be done hereafter.

And [b]immediately I was ravished [c]in the spirit, [d]and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat upon the throne.

[e]And he that sat, was to look upon, like unto a Jasper stone, and a sardine, and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like to an emerald.

[f]And round about the throne were four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four and twenty Elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and had on their heads crowns of gold.

[g]And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings and voices, and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

[h]And before the throne there was a Sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne were four beasts, full of eyes before and behind.

And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle.

And the [i]four beasts had each one of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they ceased not [j]day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Which was, and which is, and which is to come.

And when those beasts [k]gave glory, and honor, and thanks to him that sat on the throne, which liveth forever and ever,

10 [l]The four and twenty Elders fell down before him that sat on the throne, and worshipped him that liveth for evermore, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 [m]Thou art (A)worthy, O Lord, [n]to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy will’s sake they are, and have been created.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:1 Hereafter followeth the second part of this book, altogether prophetical, foretelling those things which were to come, as was said before, Rev. 1:19. This is divided into two histories: one common unto the whole world, unto Chapter 9: and another singular of the Church of God, thence unto chapter 22. And these histories are said to be described in several books, Rev. 5:1 and 10:2. Now this verse is as it were a passage from the former part unto this second: where it is said, that the heaven was opened, that is, that heavenly things were unlocked, and that a voice as of a trumpet sounded in heaven to stir up the Apostle, and call him to the understanding of things to come. The first history hath two parts: one the causes of things done, and of this whole Revelation, in that and the next chapter. Another of the acts done, in the next 4 chapters. The principal causes according to the distinction of persons in the vanity of divine essence, and according to the economy or dispensation thereof, are two. One the beginning, which none can approach unto, that is, God the Father, of whom is spoken in this chapter. The other, the Son, who is the mean cause, easy to be approached unto us, in respect that he is God and man in one person: of whom, Rev. 5.
  2. Revelation 4:2 The manner of revelation, as before, 1:10.
  3. Revelation 4:2 See Rev. 1:12.
  4. Revelation 4:2 A description of God the Father, and of his glory in the heavens, framed unto the manner of men, by his office, nature, company, attending, effect, instruments and events that follow afterwards. In this verse, he is presented in office a judge, as Abraham said, Gen. 18, which is declared by his throne, as an ensign of judgment, and his sitting thereupon.
  5. Revelation 4:3 By his nature, in that he is the Father, most glorious in his own person, and with his glory overshining all other things.
  6. Revelation 4:4 By the company attending about him in that, as that most high Judge, he is accompanied with the most honorable attendance of Prophets and Apostles, both of the old and new Church, whom Christ hath made to be Priests and Kings, Rev. 1:6 and 5:10.
  7. Revelation 4:5 By effects, in that most mightily he speaketh all things by his voice and word, as Ps. 29:3, and with the light of his spirit and providence peruseth and passes through all.
  8. Revelation 4:6 By instruments used, in that he both hath a most ready treasury, and as it were a workhouse excellently furnished with all things, unto the executing of his will, which things flow from his commandment, as is repeated, Rev.15:2. And hath also the Angels most ready administers of his counsels and pleasure unto all parts of the world, continually watching (in this verse) working by reason otherwise than the instruments, without life last mentioned, courageous as lions, mighty as bulls, wise as men, swift as eagles, verse 7, most apt unto all purposes, as furnished with wings on every part, most piercing of sight, and finally pure and perfect Spirits, always in continual motion, verse 8.
  9. Revelation 4:8 Every beast had six wings.
  10. Revelation 4:8 By events, in that for all the causes before mentioned God is glorified both of Angels, as holy, Judge, omnipotent, eternal and immutable, verse 8, and also after their example he is glorified of holy men (verse 9) in sign and in speech, verses 10, 11.
  11. Revelation 4:9 God is said to have glory, honor, kingdom, and such like given unto him, when we godly and reverently set forth that which is properly and only his.
  12. Revelation 4:10 Three signs of divine honor given unto God, prostration or falling down, adoration and casting their crowns before God, in which the godly, though made kings by Christ, do willingly empty themselves of all glory, moved with a religious respect for the majesty of God.
  13. Revelation 4:11 The sum of their speech: that all glory must be given unto God: the reason, because he is the eternal beginning of all things, from whose only will they have their being and are governed: and finally in all respects are that which they are.
  14. Revelation 4:11 That is, that thou shouldest challenge the same to thyself alone. But as for us, we are unworthy, that even by thy goodness we should be made partakers of this glory. And hitherto hath been handled the principal cause unapproachable, which is God.

O trono no céu

Depois disto olhei e vi uma porta aberta no céu. E a primeira voz que ouvi, semelhante ao toque de uma trombeta, falou comigo e disse: “Sobe aqui e eu te mostrarei o que há de acontecer no futuro.” E logo me encontrei em espírito no céu e ali, diante dos meus olhos, deparei com um trono e alguém sentado sobre ele. E jorravam cintilações daquele que estava sentado no trono, como de um diamante ou de um rubi, e um arco-íris fulgurante como uma esmeralda envolvia esse trono. E outros vinte e quatro tronos estavam à volta do primeiro, e vinte e quatro anciãos se sentavam neles, todos vestidos de branco com coroas de ouro nas suas cabeças. E saíam relâmpagos e trovões do trono e misturados com eles ouviam-se vozes. Diante do trono estavam sete fachos acesos, que são os sete espíritos de Deus. Na parte da frente do trono estendia-se um mar de vidro cuja superfície brilhava como cristal.

Diante e em volta do trono havia quatro seres viventes, cheios de olhos à frente e atrás. O primeiro desses seres tinha a forma de um leão; o segundo parecia um bezerro; o terceiro tinha o rosto de um homem; e o quarto a forma de uma águia, com as asas abertas como se estivesse a voar. Cada um destes seres viventes tinha seis asas e estavam totalmente cobertos de olhos, mesmo debaixo das asas. E de dia e de noite, sem descanso, diziam:

“Santo, santo, santo
é o Senhor Deus, que tem todo o poder,
que era, que é, e que há de vir.”[a]

E quando os seres viventes davam glória, honra e graças àquele que está sentado no trono e que vive para todo o sempre, 10 os vinte e quatro anciãos lançaram-se aos seus pés e adoraram esse cuja vida não tem limite de tempo, e lançaram as suas coroas diante do trono dizendo:

11 “Tu, nosso Senhor e nosso Deus,
és digno de receber glória, honra e poder
porque criaste todas as coisas.
É por tua vontade que elas existem.”

Footnotes

  1. 4.8 Is 6.3.