Will You Sit Round the Throne of God?

“And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” ~ Revelation 4:4

Here is the cloud spoken of in the comments and scriptures related to Revelation 4:3! The rainbow in verse three was seen “round about the throne” and here we see also “round about the throne” the four and twenty elders. These represent the “cloud of witnesses” throughout history where the rainbow is able to be visibly seen from the heavenly perspective! The rainbow was “in sight like unto an emerald” because the people of God are spoken of as being a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) and emeralds are associated with the throne of the King. In this case the King is the King of kings who is also the King over the all the saved for he “hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Revelation 1:6)

Twelve of the twenty-four elders represent the Apostles of the Lamb. Jesus said unto his twelve Apostles:

“And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” ~ Luke 22:29-30

These Apostles went forth preaching and establishing the Gospel that we know today, and in that context have established the Gospel foundations upon what true Christians believe, and that establish the foundation for the heavenly Jerusalem, the true church of God:

• “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” ~ Ephesians 2:18-20
• “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” ~ Revelation 21:14

Now the other twelve elders represent the twelve elders of the tribes of Israel, therefore representing all the children of Israel (or all the spiritual children of God.) James in his epistle addressed all the saved as the twelve tribes of Israel:

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” ~ James 1:1

For a true Christian is actually a true spiritual Jew and a spiritual Israelite:

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” ~ Romans 2:28-29

These also have a key role in the spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem “that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). They represent the twelve gates and the twelve angels at the gates to the city of God, the church of God. The gates to a city in Bible times were the places where judgement went forth, and the angels represent the messengers for that judgment:

“And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.” ~ Revelation 21:12-13

So not only are the twelve Apostles sitting on thrones with Jesus judging by the Gospel, but also all the true people of God:

• “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” ~ Revelation 3:20-22
• “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” ~ 1 Corinthians 6:2-3
• “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” ~ Jude 14-15

Note: Remember how “the Lord cometh”? “Behold, he cometh with clouds” (Revelation 1:7) The cloud represents the saved in the “cloud of witnesses.”
These elders are all dressed in white raiment because “…fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8) And they have crowns on because they are not only holy priests “Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy” (Psalms 132:9), but they are also kings! “…hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Revelation 1:6)

Will you sit round about the throne of God and worship the King of kings?

Note: this message reflects some of the spiritual insights from the scriptures between the “wake up” message to Laodicea, and the opening of the seven seals by Jesus “the Lamb.” To better understand a high level view of Revelation, you can also see the “Roadmap of Revelation.”