Revelation 4 is the fourth chapter of the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, but the precise identity of the author remains a point of academic debate.F. L. Cross, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 45 This chapter contains an inaugural vision of heaven, portraying the throne room of heaven,: New King James Version and the heavenly worship which the writer observes there.: New Revised Standard Version The throne visions and apocalyptic imagery is believed to draw upon Enochian literature such as 1 Enoch 14, which was combined with Ezekiel 1, Isaiah 6, and Daniel 7. The chapter can be considered mystical, being linked to early Jewish Merkavah mysticism.
Text The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 11 verses.
Textual witnesses Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are among others:Elliott, J. K. "Revelations from the apparatus criticus of the Book of Revelation: How Textual Criticism Can Help Historians." Union Seminary Quarterly Review 63, no. 3-4 (2012): 1-23. Codex Sinaiticus (330-360) Uncial 0169 (4th century; extant verses 1–3) Codex Alexandrinus (400-440)
Old Testament references
God on the Throne God's sovereignty over all things is symbolized by the throne, which visions are found both in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament prophetic tradition (cf. ) as well as in some Jewish apocalypses, and in this chapter (echoing Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1) is seen as "already fully acknowledged in heaven, and therefore as the true reality which must in the end prevail on earth". Taken up into heaven, John can see that "God's throne is the ultimate reality behind all earthly appearances".
Verse 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." NKJV "After these things" refers back to "the entire vision in Revelation 1:10 to ".Meyer, H. A. W., Meyer's NT Commentary on Revelation 4, accessed 15 October 2018
Verse 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” NKJV "Four living creatures": reflecting a combination of the cherubim in Ezekiel 1 and seraphim in Isaiah 6:2, they function as 'the priests of heavenly temple'. Their song is an adaption of Isaiah 6:3 with the incorporation of 'two of the key designations of God' (cf. Revelation 1:4, 8).
Verse 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." NKJV The depiction of God's sovereignty starts with him as the 'Creator of all things', then as 'Redeemer' to restore his universal sovereignty on earth (Revelation 5), with the expectation to renew his whole creation in the end (Revelation 21:5).
See also Book of Daniel Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty, 19th-century English Christian hymn John the Apostle John's vision of the Son of Man Revelation Song Tetramorph Related Bible parts: Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, Revelation 5, Revelation 6
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Bibliography
External links English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.) Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English) King James Bible - Wikisource