A little over 700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah had a vision whereby he saw the glory of YHWH, descending from heaven and filling the temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah's vision was so magnificent and so awe inspiring that it would make the most pyrotechnic/audio-visually stimulating rock concert feel like an acoustic set in a coffee shop. All Isaiah could do in response was to utter, "Woe is me...I'm lost...I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips." You can read about this experience in Isaiah 6.
Over a hundred years later, another prophet, this time in exile, had a similar vision of the glory of God. In both visions, a direct unobstructed view of God is not possible, but what is seen is nearly indescribable. Surrounding YWHW are heavenly creatures that resemble and yet transcend animals and people on earth in their splendor and majesty. Their sole job seems to be to perpetually worship the God of all creation, displaying his glory and honor for those lucky few who are given access to this incredible vision. Like Isaiah, Ezekiel is at a loss and simply falls on his face in response.
In the 90s of our common era, another prophet with Judean roots experiences something similar when he is given a glimpse of what is presently taking place in heaven, while he and his fellow disciples of Christ are struggling to remain faithful to the Lord in a hostile pagan environment on earth. Let's pick up John's narrative description of his ecstatic vision from Revelation 4.
Revelation 4 - The Glory of God the Father
John immediately sees the throne of God in heaven, but he cannot see God himself. He tries to describe it by saying that the one seated on the throne looks like precious gems and surrounding the throne is a rainbow, that looks like emerald. This doesn't do justice to the visual, but it is an attempt of describing the indescribable.
Like in Isaiah's and Ezekiel's vision, surrounding God are others whose sole purpose is to perpetually proclaim the majestic greatness of the Father. Around the throne are 24 elders, probably representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles (see later Rev 21:12-14). Also surrounding the throne are 4 living creatures, which are a kind of amalgamation of Isaiah's and Ezekiel's visions. These strange creatures sing day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come." In response to this worship, like Ezekiel, the 24 elders fall before God's throne, casting their crowns before him (they acknowledge that all authority belongs to God). They too sing, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."
In Rev 4, God the creator is worshiped. In Rev 5, God the redeemer will also receive the worship due his name.
Revelation 5 - The Worthiness of God the Son
Though God's appearance is not completely accessible to John, he sees the right hand of God the Father, holding a scroll, sealed with 7 seals. A mighty angel asks the question, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" As we discover later in Revelation, the scroll contains the message to be revealed - the things that are and the things that must soon take place. However, there seems to be no one who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals. Will this message remain forever hidden? John believes so and begins to weep. But one of the elders informs him that there is in fact a person who is worthy to reveal the contents of the scroll - it is Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the descendant of King David and because he has conquered, he can perform the task at hand.
But as John looks to see the Lion of Judah, instead, he sees a little Lamb who bears the signs of having been slaughtered. This is an oxymoronic vision. The Lion who has conquered, is simultaneously the Lamb who has been slain. We discover that this is ultimately how God wins his victory - he conquers through submission and surrender. And this one whose death has opened up a way of life takes the scroll from the right hand of God the Father. Immediately, the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders burst into praise, not for God's work in creation, but for his work in redemption. They sing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth."
Revelation 5 continues with the worship of the Lamb as the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders are joined by thousands upon thousands of angels singing in full voice! What a choir! What a scene. The elders can only respond just as Isaiah and Ezekiel had - they fall down and they worship!
Revelation 4 and 5 Sets the Scene for the Remainder of the Book
The 7 churches described in Revelation 2-3 need to hear and see what John hears and sees in Revelation 4-5. They are bombarded with the message that Domitian is lord of the world. They are being told that he is the one who sits on the throne and that only he is worthy of their worship. But the message of Revelation 4-5 is that God is both creator and redeemer and only he is worthy of their worship. It may seem that Domitian reigns on the earth, but as Revelation 5:10 states, it will be those faithful to Christ who will one day reign on earth, as they will be invited by God the Father and God the Son to sit upon the throne and to share in God's reign over the renewed creation. The rest of Revelation will describe how that will come about. Read on... - Shay
