This is a well-researched and thought-provoking book which fulfills Watertree's motto: Read. Here in the throne room scene of Revelation 4, John emphasizes Yahweh’s dominion over everything “because John is exhorting the Church to remain faithful to the end, even in spite of persecution” (36).Īmazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Watertree Press pleased to announce our first release entitled Beyond the Firmament: Understanding Science and the Theology of Creation by Gordon J. So, in Revelation 4.11 when the living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before Yahweh and sing, “ Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created,” it is “both creation and the people of God fall down before ” and sing praises to him (36). “And will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth,” Revelation 20.8. “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree,” Revelation 7.1. and by the diversity of the creatures)” (36). Emerson says, “he creatures likely represent the fullness of creation (represented both by the number four, which is the number of creation. The twenty-four elders receive a lot of attention, but we mustn’t forget the equally head-scratching four creatures around Yahweh’s throne. These 24 elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. The 24 elders would represent the Church, as we are a “kingdom of priests” (Ex 19.6 1 Pet 2.5) in Christ (though, to be honest, I don’t remember exactly what Leithart said, but I think it was roughly that idea). In his lectures on Revelation, Peter Liethart sees the 24 elders as representing the 24 divisions of the priesthood in Chronicles with Jesus Christ as the 25 priest, the High Priest. While the issue of who the 24 elders represent is ever the debate, Emerson sees 12 elders as representative of Israel and the other 12 of the Church. Revelation 4.4 and 11.16 together speak of 24 white-robed elders who sit on 24 thrones before God. Thus, “ the image of God sitting on or over the sea shows his authority over chaos and evil” (35-36). In the new creation there will be no chaos nor evil. The sea being “the place from which evil arises” explains why Revelation 21.2 says there will be no sea. “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads,” Revelation 13.1. In the rest of Revelation, the sea “is the place from which evil arises” (35). The disciples were shocked when Jesus stilled the wind and the waves in Mark 4, saying, “ Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” If only Yahweh can control the waters, who then is this who does the same? He is able to dry “up ever-flowing streams” (v15b). God is the sovereign one who rules over the seas. You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. Working salvation in the midst of the earth. What do we make of this “sea of glass”? Why is there a sea before God’s throne, and why is it of glass? Emerson says, “In the Old Testament, the sea represents chaos and evil” (35). “And before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal,” Revelation 4.6. He reveals three of the images which John uses “ to describe Yahweh’s rule over his enemies, his people, and his creation” (35). In chapter four, The Portrait of God and His People, Emerson gives us the Skeleton Key to understand some of the cryptic images John uses about God. A few days ago I reviewed Matthew Emerson’s Between the Cross and the Throne.
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