As soon as John heard this invitation, he entered another visionary state (cf. Revelation 1:10). His body remained on the earth, but he saw a throne and someone sitting on it in heaven (cf. Ezekiel 11:1; Ezekiel 11:5). [1] "Throne" occurs45 times in Revelation and only15 times in the rest of the New Testament. The tense of the Greek verb translated "sitting" (present participle here and in Revelation 4:3) suggests continuous sitting. The person on the throne was undoubtedly God the Father (cf. Revelation 4:5; Revelation 5:5; Revelation 5:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:4). John apparently saw a very large room with a throne in the center of it and someone sitting on the throne (cf. 1 Kings 22:19; 2 Chronicles 18:18; Psalm 11:4; Psalm 47:8; Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:9). [source][source][source]
" Daniel , the prophet, saw the same glorious sight ( Daniel 7): the Ancient of Days enthroned, and "One like unto a son of man brought near before him" and given "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, and languages should serve him."" [2][source]
This was probably a room in the heavenly temple since later John also saw the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant there ( Revelation 8:3; Revelation 11:19). [source][source][source]
"The major focus of chapter4upon the throne is its symbolism of God"s sovereignty exercised in judgment. From this point of origination proceeds the outworking of God"s wrath described in the body of the Apocalypse (cf. Revelation 6:10; Revelation 6:16-17; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 15:1; Revelation 16:5; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:20; Revelation 19:2; Revelation 19:11). Though evil reigns for a time on earth, God will ultimately prevail." [3][source]
Some pretribulational commentators have seen a representation of the rapture of the church in this verse. They view John entering heaven in his vision as symbolic of Christians entering heaven at the Rapture. [4] This is probably reading too much into the text since it was John himself who entered heaven, and he entered heaven in a vision, not in reality. [source][source][source]
The absence of specific reference to the Rapture in Revelation has led some (posttribulational) interpreters to conclude that it will occur at the Second Coming, following the Tribulation judgments. Yet the differences between the Rapture and the Second Coming, as various Scriptures refer to these events, make this extremely improbable (cf. John 14:1-3,1 Corinthians 15:50-58, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 with Revelation 19). The unusual absence of reference to the Rapture may be due to God"s purpose in chapters4-19 , namely, to focus on the judgments coming on unbelievers culminating in the Second Coming. There are20 references to the church in chapters1-3but none until Revelation 22:17. This strongly implies that the church is not on earth during the Tribulation. Evidently the Rapture takes place between chapters3,4. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Revelation 4:1-11 - "a Throne Set In Heaven"
The vision of the ascended Lord introduced the seven letters to the churches, so the visions of this and the next chapters introduce the seven seals. They resemble the frontispiece or illuminated capitals of the old missals. There is no form for the Divine Being. God is Spirit, and His glory can only be hinted at by appropriate imagery. His being should excite emotions in our spirit similar to those which these objects excite in our mind. The jasper with its transparent brilliance, the sardine or cornelian with its fiery red, the emerald with its refreshing beauty, are laid under contribution to describe what cannot be described. The throne bespeaks majestic authority and power. The worship of the elders reflects that of Israel and the Church, Revelation 21:12; Revelation 21:14; the thunder, God's awful holiness; the seven lamps, the searching, cleansing purity of His Spirit; the glassy sea, the mystery of His ways; the four living creatures, the homage of creation.
Here is the song of creation, Revelation 4:11. Originally all things did the will of God, and if creation is now subject to vanity, some day it will be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and God's will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Notice that the will of God brought all things into existence, and that that will guarantees their ultimate redemption. [source]
Chapter Summary: Revelation 4
1John sees the throne of God in heaven 4The twenty-four elders 6The four beasts full of eyes before and behind 10The elders lay down their crowns, and worship him who sat on the throne
Greek Commentary for Revelation 4:02
Straightway I was in the Spirit [ευτεως εγενομην εν πνευματι] But John had already “come to be in the Spirit” (Revelation 1:10, the very same phrase). Perhaps here effective aorist middle indicative while ingressive aorist in Revelation 1:10 (sequel or result, not entrance), “At once I found myself in the Spirit” (Swete), not “I came to be in the Spirit” as in Revelation 1:10. [source]
I was in the Spirit [ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι] Strictly, I became: I found myself in. Appropriate to the sudden and unconscious transportation of the seer into the ecstatic state. Thus Dante describes his unconscious rapture into Paradise:“And suddenly it seemed that day to dayWas added, as if He who had the powerHad with another sun the heaven adorned.”Beatrice, noticing his amazement, says:“Thou makest thyself so dullWith false imagining, that thou seest not What thou wouldst see if thou hadst shaken it off. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Thou art not upon earth as thou believest;-DIVIDER-
But lightning, fleeing its appropriate site,-DIVIDER-
Ne'er ran as thou, who thitherward returnest.”“Paradiso,” i., 60-93. [source]
Was set [ἔκειτο] Denoting merely position, not that the seer saw the placing of the throne. Compare John 2:6. [source]
One sitting [] He is called henceforward throughout the book He that sitteth on the throne, and is distinguished from the Son in Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:10, and from the Holy Spirit in Revelation 4:5. He is commonly understood to be God the Father; but some understand the triune God. [source]
What do the individual words in Revelation 4:02 mean?
Greek Commentary for Revelation 4:02
But John had already “come to be in the Spirit” (Revelation 1:10, the very same phrase). Perhaps here effective aorist middle indicative while ingressive aorist in Revelation 1:10 (sequel or result, not entrance), “At once I found myself in the Spirit” (Swete), not “I came to be in the Spirit” as in Revelation 1:10. [source]
Imperfect middle of κειμαι keimai old verb, used as passive of τιτημι tithēmi As the vision opens John sees the throne already in place as the first thing in heaven. This bold imagery comes chiefly from 1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1.; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Daniel 7:9. One should not forget that this language is glorious imagery, not actual objects in heaven. God is spirit. The picture of God on the throne is common in the O.T. and the N.T. (Matthew 5:34.; Matthew 23:22; Hebrews 1:3 and in nearly every chapter in the Revelation, Revelation 1:4, etc.). The use of κατημενος kathēmenos (sitting) for the name of God is like the Hebrew avoidance of the name επι τον τρονον Jahweh and is distinguished from the Son in Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:10.Upon the throne (Επι epi ton thronon). επι του τρονου Epi with the accusative, as in Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4.; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 20:4, but in Revelation 4:9, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:15 we have επι τωι τρονωι epi tou thronou (genitive), while in Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:4; Revelation 21:5 we have epi tōi thronōi (locative) with no great distinction in the resultant idea. [source]
επι του τρονου Epi with the accusative, as in Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4.; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 20:4, but in Revelation 4:9, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:15 we have επι τωι τρονωι epi tou thronou (genitive), while in Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:4; Revelation 21:5 we have epi tōi thronōi (locative) with no great distinction in the resultant idea. [source]
Strictly, I became: I found myself in. Appropriate to the sudden and unconscious transportation of the seer into the ecstatic state. Thus Dante describes his unconscious rapture into Paradise:“And suddenly it seemed that day to dayWas added, as if He who had the powerHad with another sun the heaven adorned.”Beatrice, noticing his amazement, says:“Thou makest thyself so dullWith false imagining, that thou seest not What thou wouldst see if thou hadst shaken it off. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Thou art not upon earth as thou believest;-DIVIDER- But lightning, fleeing its appropriate site,-DIVIDER- Ne'er ran as thou, who thitherward returnest.”“Paradiso,” i., 60-93. [source]
See Ezekiel 1:26-28. [source]
Denoting merely position, not that the seer saw the placing of the throne. Compare John 2:6. [source]
He is called henceforward throughout the book He that sitteth on the throne, and is distinguished from the Son in Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:10, and from the Holy Spirit in Revelation 4:5. He is commonly understood to be God the Father; but some understand the triune God. [source]