After this I had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpetlike voice that had spoken to me before, saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.” 2 At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat 3 one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. 4 Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. 7 The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a human being, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. 8 The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming: 11 “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.”
In a vision, John sees the heavenly court worshipping God on His throne and the Universe from Heaven’s point of view (see Is. 6; Ezek. 1 & 10 for comparable OT visions of heaven). He is invited to go on a heavenly journey. The door to heaven is always open but only those whose eyes have been spiritually opened can see it. John hears the voice that spoke to him before and, caught up in a deeper ecstasy, he saw a throne with a being seated upon it that he could not specifically name or describe who sparkled like Jasper, the finest form of diamond, and ruby red carnelian. Precious gems and other symbols traditionally express the majesty of God.
The twenty-four elders on their thrones dressed in their triumphant white robes and priestly gold crowns represent the twelve apostles and the twelve tribes of Israel (Is. 24:23). Lightening, voices, and thunder are traditional signs of a theophany (Ex. 19:16). The seven flaming torches and the seven spirits represent the many facets of the Holy Spirit. The sea of glass in front of the throne was similar to Moses’ vision of God (Ex. 24:10). The all-seeing four living creatures giving glory to God (Is. 6:2-3) represent the noblest (lion), strongest (calf), wisest (human), and swiftest (eagle) in creation. These four symbols have been used to represent the four evangelists Mark, Luke, Matthew, and John, respectively, since the second century. When the living creatures give glory to God, the 24 elders fall down and throw down their crowns before God in an unceasing act of reverence and adoration.
Almighty God, grant us the vision to see the open door to heaven, the wisdom to continue our journey, and the strength to persevere to the end. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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