The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Jehovah's Praises Ring Out - Continue

 The 24 elders have the same mental attituded that Jesus displays, even casting their crowns down before Jehovah. It is furthest from their minds to exalt themselves in the presence of God. They humbly recognize that the only purpose of their kingship is to bring honor and glory to him, just as Jesus always does. (Philippians 2:5. 6. 9-11) Submissively, they acknowledge their own inferiority and confess that their rulership is dependent on the sovereignty of Jehovah. Thus, they are in heartfelt harmony with the cherubs and the rest of faithful creation in giving praise and glory to the God who created all things. - PSALM 150:1-6. 

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Jehovah's Praises Ring Out - Continue

 Listen! Melodious, soul stirring is the song of praise that the cherubs render to Jehovah: "Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming." Again, the threeness indicates intensity. The cherubs strongly affirm the holiness of Jehovah God. He is the Source and the ultimate Standard of holiness. He is also "the King of eternity, "always the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 22:13) The cherubs take no rest periods as they proclaim the matchless quality of Jehovah before all creation.  

The heaven of heavens resounds with praises to Jehovah! John's description continues: "And whenever the living creatures offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to the one seated upon the throne, the one that lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 'You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.' " (Revelation 4:9-11) In all Scripture, this one of the grandest declarations of homage to Jehovah our God and Sovereign Lord!

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Jehovah's Praises Ring Out

 John continues his description: "And as for the four living creatures. each one of them respectively has six wings; round about and underneath they are full of eyes. And they have no rest day and night as they say: 'Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming. ' " (Revelation4:8) This fullness of eyes suggests complete and farsighted vision. The four living creatures exercise this unceasingly, as they have no need of sleep. They imitate the One of whom it is written: "As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those who heart is complete toward him."(2 Chronicles 16:9) Having so great a number if eyes, the cherubs can see everywhere. Nothing escapes their attention. Thus they are well-equipped to serve God in his work of judging. Of him, it is said: "The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, keeping watch upon the bad ones and the good ones." (Proverbs 15:3) And with three pairs   of wings-the number three being used in the Bible for emphasis-the cherubs can move with lightning swiftness to herald Jehovah's judgments and execute them. 

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Behold "Four Living Creatures" -Conclusion

 The third living creature has a face like a man's. This must represent godlike love, since on earth man alone was created in God's image, with the superlative quality of love. (Genesis 1:26-28; Matthew 22:36-40; 1 John 4:8, 16) Undoubtedly, the cherubs display this quality as they serve around Jehovah's throne. What now of the fourth living creature? This one is like a flying eagle in appearance. Jehovah himself calls attention to the eagle's great vision: "Far into the distance his eyes keep looking." (Job 39:29) Hence, the eagle well symbolizes farsighted wisdom. Jehovah is the Source of the wisdom. His cherubs exercise divine wisdom as they obey his commands. - PROVERBS 2:6; JAMES 3:17.

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Behold "Four Living Creatures" -Continue

John continues: "And the first living creature is like a lion, and the second living creature is like a young bull, and the third living creature has a face like a man's, and the fourth living creature is like a flying eager." (Revelation 4:7) Why do these four living creatures look so different, one from another? These distinctive living creatures evidently highlight specific godly qualities. First, there is the lion. A lion is used in the Bible as  a symbol of courage, especially in the pursuit of justice and righteousness. 2 Samuel 17:10; Proverbs 28:1) Thus, the lion well represents the godly quality of courageous justice. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14) The second living creature resembles a young bull. What quality does a bull bring to your mind? To the Israelites the bull was a valuable possession because of its power. (Proverbs 14:4; see also Job 39:9-11) The young bull then represents power, dynamic energy as supplied by Jehovah. 

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Behold "Four Living Creatures" - Continue

 These four living creatures are "in the midst of the throne and around the throne." Exactly what does that mean? It could signify that they are positioned around the throne in such a way that one is standing in the middle of each side. Thus, the translators of Today's English Version paraphrased the original Greek expression in this way "surrounding the throne on each of it's sides." Alternatively, the expression could mean that the four living creatures ae in the central position in heaven where the throne is. Likely, that is why the Jerusalem Bible renders the phrase "in the center, grouped round the throne itself." The important thing is the closeness of the cherubs to Jehovah's throne, comparable to that of the cherubs that Ezekiel saw at each corner of Jehovah's organizational chariot. (Ezekiel 1:15-22) All of this harmonizes with the words of Psalm 99:1: Jehovah himself has become the king. . . . He is sitting upon the cherubs." 

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Behold "Four Living Creatures"

 John now observes another feature. He writes: "And in the midst of the throne and around the throne there are four living creatures that are full of eyes in front and behind." - REVELATION 4:6b. 

What do these creatures picture? A vision reported by another prophet, Ezekiel, helps us to find another answer. Ezekiel saw Jehovah enthroned on a celestial chariot, which was accompanied by living creatures embodying characteristics similar to those described by John. (Ezekiel 1:5-11, 22-28) Later, Ezekiel saw again that chariot throne accompanied by the living creatures. This time, however, he referred to the living creatures as cherubs. (Ezekiel 10:9-15) The four living creatures that John sees must represent the cherubs of God-creatures of high rank in his spirit organization. John would not think it unusual to see cherubs positioned so close to Jehovah's person, since in the ancient tabernacle arrangement, two cherubs of gold were displayed upon the lid of the ark of the covenant, which represented Jehovah's throne. From between these cherubs, Jehovhah's voice issued commandments to the nation. - EXODAUS 25:22; PSALM 80:1.

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Lamps of Fire and a Glassy Sea - Conclusion

 John see also a "glassy sea like crystal." What would this symbolize with regard to those invited into Jehovah's heavenly court? Paul spoke of the way that Jesus sanctified the congregation, "cleansing it with the bath of water by means of the word." (Ephesians 5:26) Before his death, Jesus told his disciples: "You already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." (John 15:3) Hence, this glassy sea like crystal must represent the cleansing, recorded Word of God.  Those of the royal priesthood who came into Jehovah's presence must have been thoroughly cleansed by his Word.  

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Celestial Throne - Lamps of Fire and a Glassy Sea

 What does John further see? This: "And there are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there is, as it were, a glassy sea like crystal." (Revelation 4:5b, 6a) John himself tells us the magnificence of the seven lamps: "These mean the seven spirits of God." The number seven symbolizes divine completeness; so the seven lamps must represent the fullness of the enlightening force of the holy spirit. How grateful the John class is today that it has been entrusted with this enlightenment, together with the hungry peoples of earth! How glad we are that each year over 2oo million copies of the Watchtower magazine continue to beam forth this light in more than a hundred languages! - PSALM 43:3.

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Chapter Fourteen/The Magnificence of Jehovah's Throne - Lightnings, Voices, and Thunders - Conclusion

 Thunder usually follows lightning. David referred to literal thunder as "the voice of Jehovah." (Psalm 29:3, 4) When Jehovah fought for David against his enemies, thunder was said to come from Him. (2 Samuel 22:14; Psalm 18:13) Elihu told Job that Jehovah's voice sounded like thunder, as He does "great things that we cannot know." (Job 37:4, 5) During this part of the Lord's day, Jehovah has 'thundered' warning of the great acts he will perform against his enemies. These symbolic peals of thunder have echoed and reechoed throughout the earth. Happy you are if you have paid attention to these thunderous proclamations and are making wise use of your tongue in added to their volume! - ISAIAH 50:4, 5; 61:1, 2. 

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