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1  After this I looked, and,                                                  John 1:51 ..Hereafter ye shall see      "things which must be hereafter":                                               /
behold, a door was opened in                                                     heaven open, and angels of God           Thus begins the prophetic portion                                           /
heaven: and the first voice which                                                ascending and descending upon the       of the Revelation that details the                                           /
I heard was as it were of a trum-                                                Son of man.                             final events that shall lead up to                                           /
pet talking with me; which said,                                              Colossians 3:1-3&4 If ye then be           the final triumphant victory when                                            /
Come up hither, and I will show                                                  risen with Christ, seek those           the Lord reclaims the fallen earth.                                          /
thee things which must be here-                                                  things which are above, where           Those who have read ahead will often                                         /
after.                                                                           Christ sitteth on the right hand        wonder why such a sequence of                                                /
2  And immediately I was in the       Ezekiel 1:26-28 And above the              of God.                                 events are necessary, why such                                               /
Spirit: and, behold, a throne was        firmament that was over their            Set your affection on things           suffering and destruction is                                                 /
set in heaven, and one sat on the        heads was the likeness of a             above, not on things on the earth.      necessary for the earth to be                                                /
throne.                                  throne, as the appearance of a           When Christ, who is our life,          reclaimed?  But we are informed                                              /
3  And he that sat was to look           sapphire stone: and upon the            shall appear, then shall ye also        that these things "must be" and                                              /
upon like a jasper and a sardine         likeness of the throne was the          with him in glory.                      that it is only through these pre-                                           /
stone: and there was a rainbow           likeness as the appearance of                                                   destined events that the final                                               /
round about the throne, in sight         a man above upon it.                                                            triumph can take place.  Our small                                           /
like unto an emerald.                     And I saw as the colour of                                                     earthly minds do not fully compre-                                           /
                                         amber, as the appearance of                                                     hend the true nature of the                                                  /
                                         fire round about within it,                                                     centuries old battle that has been                                           /
                                         from the appearance of his                                                      waging on earth and in heaven for                                            /
                                         loins even upward, and from                                                     domination of the hearts and minds                                           /
                                         the appearance of his loins                                                     of man.                                                                      /
                                         even downward, I saw as it                                                                                                                                   /
                                         were the appearance of fire,                                                 "A throne was set in heaven":                                                   /
                                         and it had brightness round                                                      A limited number of prophets                                                /
                                         about.                                                                          have been shown the heavenly scene                                           /
                                          As the appearance of the bow                                                   in visions and their description                                             /
                                         that is in the cloud in the                                                     of its beauty and majesty is again                                           /
                                         day of rain, so was the appea-                                                  very difficulty to comprehend.                                               /
                                         rance of the brightness round                                                   The true beauty is not in its                                                /
                                         about. This was the appearance                                                  majestic appearance, but in the                                              /
                                         of the likeness of the glory                                                    fact that the righteous Creator                                              /
                                         of the Lord.                                                                    occupies it.                                                                 /
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4  And round about the throne were    Isaiah 3:14 The Lord will enter         Matthew 19:28 That ye which have        "four and twenty elders sitting,                                                /
four and twenty seats: and upon          into judgement with the                 followed me, in the regeneration        clothed in white raiment"                                                    /
the seats I saw four and twenty          ancients of his people                  when the Son of man shall sit in         There is no listing in the Word                                             /
sitting, clothed in white             I Chronicles 24:4 ( in this verse          the throne of his glory, ye also        of the names of these elders, or                                             /
raiment; and they had on their           the priesthood is divided into          shall sit upon twelve thrones,          even a good explanation of their                                             /
heads crowns of gold.                    24 divisions, this was in the           judging the twelve tribes of            nature, except that they are true                                            /
5  And out of the throne proceeded       time of David)                          Israel.                                 worshipers of the Creator.  Many                                             /
lightnings and thunderings and        Psalms 97:4-6 His lightnings            Hebrews 12:9-10 ...we have had             scholars assume that they once had                                           /
voices: and there were seven lamps       enlightened the world: the earth        fathers of our flesh which corr-        an earthly existence since being                                             /
of fire burning before the throne,       saw and trembled.                       ected us, and we gave them rever-       clothed in white raiment is most                                             /
which are seven Spirits of God.           The hills melted like wax at           ence: shall we not much rather          often symbolic of redeemed man.                                              /
                                         the presence of the Lord of the         be in subjection unto the Father         We could make a list of saints                                              /
                                         whole earth.                            of spirits, and live?                   that man would consider as being                                             /
                                          The heavens declare his right-          For they verily for a few days         qualified as elder saints, such                                              /
                                         teousness, and all the people           chastened us after their own            as Abraham, Moses, Enoch, Isaiah,                                            /
                                         see his glory.                          pleasure; but he for our profit,        Elijah, etc., but that would only                                            /
6  And before the throne there was    Psalms 80:1 ...thou that dwellest          that we might be partakers of his       be speculation.  We are also not                                             /
a sea of glass like unto crystal.        between the cherubim, shine forth.      holiness.                               sure that these are the Apostles,                                            /
And in the midst of the throne,       Ezekiel 1:5&10 Also out of the                                                     since they will set on thrones of                                            /
and round about the throne were          midst thereof came the like-                                                    judgment during the regeneration,                                            /
four beasts full of eyes before          ness of four living creatures.                                                  when the new heavens and the new                                             /
and behind.                              And this was their appearance;                                                  earth are in existence, and this                                             /
7  And the first beast was like a        they had the likeness of a man.                                                 event would seem to be prior to                                              /
lion, and the second beast like a         As for the likeness of their                                                   the final regeneration.                                                      /
calf, and the third beast had a          faces, they four had the face                                                                                                                                /
face as a man, and the fourth            of a man, and the face of a                                                  "seven Spirits of God":                                                         /
beast was like a flying eagle.           lion, on the right side: and                                                     Once again our information is                                               /
                                         they four had the face of an                                                    sketchy, many scholars conclude                                              /
                                         ox on the left side; they four                                                  that this represents the holy                                                /
                                         also had the face of an eagle.                                                  Spirit of God which has a seven                                              /
8  And the four beasts had each of    Isaiah 6:1-3 .. I saw also the                                                     fold nature (that number seven                                               /
them six wings about him; and they       Lord sitting upon a throne,                                                     again).                                                                      /
were full of eyes within: and they       high and lifted up, and his                                                                                                                                  /
rest not day and night, saying,          train filled the temple.                                                     "four beasts"                                                                   /
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God                Above it stood the seraphims:                                                   These four living creatures are                                             /
Almighty, which was, and is, and         each one had six wings; with                                                    taken to be symbolic of four                                                 /
is to come.                              twain he covered his face, and                                                  natures of the Lord as symbolized                                            /
9  And when those beasts give            with twain he did fly.               Hebrews 1:8-10 But unto the Son he         by their four separate appearances.                                          /
glory and honour and thinks to him        And one cried unto another,            saith, Thy throne, O God, is for         Lion--majesty and omnipotence                                               /
that sat on the throne, who liveth       and said, Holy, holy, holy, is          ever and ever: a sceptre of right-       Calf or Ox--patience and faith-                                             /
for ever and ever,                       the Lord of hosts: the whole            eousness is the sceptre of thy                       fulness                                                         /
                                         earth is full of his glory.             kingdom.                                 Man--intelligence                                                           /
10 The four and twenty elders fall                                                Thou hast loved righteousness,          Eagle--supreme sovereignty                                                  /
down before him that sat on the                                                  and hated iniquity, therefore God,       Many scholars see these as the                                              /
throne, and worship him that                                                     even thy God, hath anointed thee        four natures of the Savior as                                                /
liveth for ever and ever, and cast                                               with the oil of gladness above thy      presented in the four Gospels,                                               /
their crowns before the throne,                                                  fellows.                                Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John                                                /
saying,                                                                           And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning      in that same sequence.                                                       /
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to        I Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O Lord           hast laid the foundation of the                                                                                      /
receive glory and honour and power:      is the greatness, and the               earth; and the heavens are the       "for thy pleasure they are and                                                  /
for thou hast created all things,        power, and the glory, and the           works of thine hands.                 were created"                                                                  /
and for thy pleasure they are and        victory, and the majesty: for        Hebrews 3:3&3-4 ...consider the             As we experience many troubles                                              /
were created.                            all that is in the heaven and           Apostle and High Priest of our          on this earth and see many injust-                                           /
                                         in the earth is thine; thine            profession, Christ Jesus                ices we often forget the reason                                              /
                                         is the kingdom,                          For this man was counted worthy        this fallen universe was created                                             /
                                      Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that            of more glory than Moses, inasmuch      and that it is only for the pleas-                                           /
                                         is called by my name: for I             as he who hath builded the house        ure of the Creator.  His will be                                             /
                                         have created him for my glory,          hath more honour than the house.        the final joy, glory, power and                                              /
                                         I have formed him; yea, I have           For every house is builded by          honor.  This time of trouble and                                             /
                                         made him.                               some man; but he that built all         the brief tribulation to come is                                             /
                                                                                 things is God.                          only to accomplish His purposes.                                             /
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1  And I saw in the right hand of     Ezekiel 2:9-10 And when I looked,                                               "a book ... sealed with seven seals"                                            /
him that sat on the throne a book        behold, a hand was sent unto                                                     The great importance of this book                                           /
written within and on the backside,      me; and, lo, a roll of a book                                                   is demonstrated by the uncontrolled                                          /
sealed with seven seals.                 was therein;                         I Timothy 6:14-16 ...until the             weeping of the Apostle John when he                                          /
2  And I saw a strong angel procl-        And he spread it before me;            appearing of our Lord Jesus             thinks that no man was qualified to                                          /
aiming with a loud voice, Who is         and it was written within and           Christ:                                 open the book.  Many scholars see                                            /
worthy to open the book, and to          without: and there was written           Which in his times he shall            this book as being of the same                                               /
loose the seals thereof?                 therein lamentations, and               show, who is the blessed and            nature as that of a title deed,                                              /
3  And no man in heaven, nor in          mourning, and woe.                      only Potentate, the Kings of            a title deed to the fallen universe.                                         /
earth, neither under the earth,       Daniel 12:8-9 And I heard, but I           kings, and Lord of lords;               As we will see the opening of the                                            /
was able to open the book, neither       understood not: then said I,             Who only hath immortality,             seals by the only qualified One,                                             /
to look thereon:                         O my Lord, what shall be the            dwelling in the light which no          the Redeemer, starts the final                                               /
4  And I wept much, because no man       end of these things?                    man hath seen, nor can see: to          events that will lead up to the                                              /
was found worthy to open and to           And he said, Go thy way,               whom be honour and power ever-          final victory in which the "Lamb"                                            /
read the book, neither to look           Daniel: for the words are               lasting. Amen.                          returns the universe to a glorious                                           /
thereon.                                 closed up and sealed till the                                                   condition of perfection.  Possibly                                           /
5  And one of the elders saith           time of the end.                     II Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus         this is the same scroll of Words                                             /
unto me, Weep not; behold, the        Isaiah 11:10 And in that day               Christ of the seed of David was         that Daniel was informed was                                                 /
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the          there shall be a root of                raised from the dead,...                "closed up and sealed till the                                               /
Root of David, hath prevailed to         Jesse, which shall stand for         Luke 1:68-69 Blessed be the Lord God       time of the end".                                                            /
open the book, and to loose the          an ensign of the people; to it          of Israel; for he hath visited and                                                                                   /
seven seals thereof.                     shall the Gentiles seek: and            redeemed his people,                                                                                                 /
                                         his rest shall be glorious.              And hath raised up a horn of        "hath prevailed to open the book"                                               /
                                      Genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion's             salvation for us in the house of         Only the Lamb that had been slain                                           /
                                         whelp: from the prey, my son,           his servant David;                      for the sins of this universe is                                             /
                                         thou art gone up: he stooped         Acts 2:22-24 ...Jesus of Nazareth,         found qualified to open the seals.                                           /
                                         down, he crouched as a lion,            a man approved of God among you         Only one that has lived a perfect                                            /
                                         and as an old lion; who shall           by miracles and wonders and signs..     life and overcome all temptations                                            /
                                         rouse him up?                            Him, being delivered by the deter-     is qualified. But He is also the                                             /
6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the      Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and          minate counsel and foreknowledge        Lion of the tribe of Judah, He                                               /
midst of the throne and of the           he was afflicted, yet he                of God, ye have taken, and by           became as the sacrificial lamb,                                              /
four beasts, and in the midst of         opened not his mouth: he is             wicked hands have crucified and         now he is ready to reign in power                                            /
the elders, stood a Lamb as it had       brought as a lamb to the slau-          slain:                                  and majesty.  All glory and power of                                         /
been slain, having seven horns and       ghter, and as a sheep before             Whom God hath raised up, having        the ultimate victory will be His.                                            /
seven eyes, which are the seven          her shearers is dumb, so he             loosed the pains of death:                                                                                           /
Spirits of God sent forth into all       opened not his mouth.                I Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the        "having seven horns and seven eyes"                                             /
the earth.                            Zechariah 4:10 .. with those               Lord are over the righteous, and         Horns are representative of power                                           /
7  And he came and took the book         seven; they are the eyes of             his ears are open unto their            and eyes are representative of                                               /
out of the right hand of him that        the Lord, which run to and fro          prayers:                                knowledge.  The Lamb has complete-                                           /
sat upon the throne.                     through the whole earth.             Romans 5:8-9...Christ died for us,         ness of power and knowledge since                                            /
8  And when he had taken the book,    Psalms 112:9 his horn shall be             ..being now justified by his blood,     the number seven represents compl-                                           /
the four beasts and four and twenty      exalted with honour.                    we shall be saved from wrath ...        eteness.                                                                     /
elders fell down before the Lamb,     Psalms 33:2 Praise the Lord with        I Peter 1:18-19 ...ye know that ye                                                                                      /
having every one of them harps,          harp: ...                               were not redeemed with corruptible    "out of every kindred, and tongue,                                             /
and golden vials full of odours,      Psalms 141:2  Let my prayer be             things,...                             and people, and nation"                                                       /
which are the prayers of saints.         set forth before thee as                 But with the precious blood of          The deceiver has tried to convince                                          /
9  And they sung a new song, say-        incense; ...                            Christ, as of a lamb without            all mankind with many misconceptions                                         /
ing, Thou are worthy to take the      Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new          blemish and without spot:               such as that only people of a                                                /
book, and to open the seals there-       song in my mouth, even praise        Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed        certain genealogy can qualify, or                                            /
of: for thou wast slain, and hast        unto our God:                           us from the curse of the law,           that redemption can be earned, or                                            /
redeemed us to God by thy blood       Psalms 49:15 But God will redeem           being made a curse for us: for it       that no human can possibly qualify.                                          /
out of every kindred, and tongue,        my soul from the power of the           is written, Cursed is every one         However, the Word will be sufficient                                         /
and people, and nation;                  grave: for he shall receive me.         that hangeth on a tree:                 to lead all mankind that are willing                                         /
10 And hast made us unto our God      Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night       Luke 21:28 And when these things           to accept the simple plan of belief                                          /
kings and priests: and we shall          visions, and, behold, one like          begin to come to pass, then look        to redemption per the plan of God.                                           /
reign on the earth.                      the Son of man came with the            up, and lift up your heads; for         No other plan is valid.                                                      /
11 And I beheld, and I heard the         clouds of heaven, and came to           your redemption draweth nigh.                                                                                        /
voice of many angels round about         the ancient of days, and they        Colossians 1:14 In whom we have         "and every creature which is in heaven,                                         /
the throne, and the beasts, and          brought him near before him.            redemption through his blood,         and on the earth, and under the earth,                                         /
the elders: and the number of them        And there was given him                even the forgiveness of sins:         and such as are in the sea,"                                                   /
was ten thousand times ten thou-         dominion, and glory, and a           Hebrew 1:6 ..And let all the angels        It is hard to imagine a praise                                               /
sand, and thousands of thousands;        kingdom, that all people,               of God worship him.                     celebration that spreads to include                                          /
12 Saying with a loud voice,             nations, and languages, should       John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as        all creatures of God's created                                               /
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain        serve him: his dominion is an           he walked, he saith, Behold the         universe, but that is what is                                                /
to receive power, and riches, and        everlasting dominion, which             Lamb of God!                            indicated.  Imagine if you can,                                              /
wisdom, and strength, and honour,        shall not pass away, and his         Ephesians 1:6-7 To the praise of the       all breathing creatures on the                                               /
and glory, and blessing.                 kingdom that which shall not            glory of his grace, wherein he          planet earth shouting the praise                                             /
13 And every creature which is in        be destroyed.                           hath made us accepted in the            of the Lamb.  The ultimate praise                                            /
heaven, and on the earth, and         Daniel 7:10  A fiery stream                beloved:                                celebration!                                                                 /
under the earth, and such as are         issued and came forth from               In whom we have redemption                                                                                          /
in the sea, and all that are in          before him: thousand thousands          through his blood, the forgive-                                                                                      /
them, heard I saying, Blessing,          ministered unto him, and ten            ness of sins, according to the                                                                                       /
and honour, and glory, and power,        thousand times ten thousand             riches of his grace;                                                                                                 /
be unto him that sitteth upon the        stood before him: the judgment       I Peter 5:10-11 But the God of all                                                                                      /
throne, and unto the Lamb for ever       was set, and the books were             grace, who hath called us unto his                                                                                   /
and ever.                                opened.                                 eternal glory by Christ Jesus,                                                                                       /
14 And the four beasts said, Amen.                                               after that ye have suffered a while,                                                                                 /
And the four and twenty elders                                                   made you perfect, stablish, streng-                                                                                  /
fell down and worshiped him that                                                 then, settle you.                                                                                                    /
liveth for ever and ever.                                                         To him be glory and dominion for                                                                                    /
                                                                                 ever and ever. Amen.                                                                                                 /
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 Matters of Contention:                                                                                                                                                                               /
     Hereafter:  We are informed that from now on the subject matter of the       Twenty four elders:  Some scholars have concluded that these are in                                                 /
             book concerns things of the future.  But not all scholars are               fact angels.  Some translations have the song being sung to                                                  /
             in agreement that all things are in the future from this time               say "didst purchase unto God" instead of "hast redeemed us to                                                /
             on, or possibly some of the prophetic happenings have occurred              God".  In which case it is not necessary for the elders to be                                                /
             between the time of the writing and the present time.  In fact              redeemed humans and the entire multitude including the four                                                  /
             some scholars in the minority have concluded that most of the               beasts (living creatures) could be heavenly creatures.  This                                                 /
             prophecy was fulfilled in the early suffering of the church                 would also tend to discredit the theory that the elders repre-                                               /
             and wars and plagues of that time period. However, the majority             sent the resurrected church.  Other scholars still contend                                                   /
             interpretation of today seems to be that the majority of the                that being "clothed in white raiment" is a repeat of 3:5                                                     /
             events have yet to be fulfilled.  Nearly all scholars would                 "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment"                                             /
             agree that the final victory and the appearing of the new                   and they must then be redeemed humans.  As stated earlier those                                              /
             heavens and the new earth have yet to occur.                                that feel the elders represent the redeemed, would not agree as                                              /
     The church:  The first three chapters have concerned Jesus Christ and               to who the elders are.  Some would propose twelve elders from the                                            /
             the church, now the topic has suddenly changed to visions of                old testament prophets and the twelve Apostles.  Others would                                                /
             happenings in heaven and the church will not be mentioned or                say that if it was necessary to know the names of the elders                                                 /
             referred to again until 19:7 when it appears as the wife of the             they would have been listed, so why risk false conclusions by                                                /
             Lamb.  This has caused many scholars to infer that the church               unnecessary speculation which has undoubtedly contributed                                                    /
             has been resurrected and is represented by the twelve elders                greatly to the confusion that exists with the world concerning                                               /
             that appear before the throne.  However this must be inferred               these prophecies.  Why not be satisfied with the facts given?                                                /
             and is not explicitly stated. If the church has been resurr-                                                                                                                             /
             ected, it is then required that the 144,000 sealed of the                                                                                                                                /
             tribes of Israel in chapter 7 and the "brethren, that should be                                                                                                                          /
             killed as they were" of 6:11 would be those that are redeemed                                                                                                                            /
             after the rapture of the church.  Again this must be inferred.                                                                                                                           /
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