The Heavenly Throne of Adonai
4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door was standing open in heaven.[a] And the first voice, which I had heard speaking with me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
2 Immediately I was in the Ruach;[b] and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One seated on the throne. [c] 3 And the One who was seated was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. [d] 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads. 5 And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder[e]—and seven torches of fire burning before the throne,[f] which are the seven spirits of God. 6 And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind.[g]
7 The first living creature was like a lion,
the second living creature was like an ox,
the third living creature had a face
like a man,
and the fourth living creature was
like a flying eagle.[h]
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes all around and within.[i] They do not rest day or night, chanting,
“Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh
Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot,[j]
asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo!
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God of Hosts,
who was and who is
and who is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [k] 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they throw their crowns down before the throne, chanting,
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
For You created all things,
and because of Your will
they existed and were created!”
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:1 cf. Ezek. 1:1.
- Revelation 4:2 Or spirit.
- Revelation 4:3 cf. 1 Kings 22:19; Is. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26; Dan. 7:9.
- Revelation 4:4 cf. Ezek. 1:28.
- Revelation 4:5 cf. Exod. 19:16.
- Revelation 4:5 cf. Ex. 25:37; Zech. 4:2.
- Revelation 4:6 cf. Ezek. 1:5, 18; 10:22.
- Revelation 4:7 cf. Ezek. 1:10; 10:14.
- Revelation 4:8 cf. Isa. 6:2-3; Ezek. 1:18; 10:12.
- Revelation 4:8 Grk. Kurios o Theos o Pantokrator (Lord God Almighty); cf. Amos 4:13.
- Revelation 4:10 cf. Dan. 4:34; 12:7.