The voice John heard sounds like a trumpet, which is
shortened to trump elsewhere.
1Corinthians 15:52 In a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Come up hither or come up here is said two other times in the Bible
as such; Revelation 11:12 and Proverbs 25:7.
At this point there is no more
mention of the church, named as such, in the Book of Revelation. This voice is
going to tell John of things that are coming about hereafter, after the church
is gone.
Verse 2 - In chapter one, verse
ten, John was in the Spirit, uppercase S, which is the Holy Spirit of God.
Here, in verse 2 he is in his own spirit and carried up. Paul saw the third
heaven, as well, but was not sure if he was in his body or, presumably, in his
spirit. I want to read about this experience again.
2Corinthians 12:1 ¶ It is not
expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of
the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above
fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the
body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and
heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
In any event, this is John seeing
this for himself and it is not a vision shown to him in a trance or mystical
state. He saw a throne in heaven that had someone seated on it.
Verse 3 – The image is one of a
jewel-like beauty.
Exodus 24:10 And they saw the
God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a
sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
Ezekiel 1:26 ¶ And above the
firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the
appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the
likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Verse 4 – Who are the twenty four
elders? Are they the twelve Hebrew patriarchs and the twelve Apostles,
including Paul? Or, are they, being elders, twenty four elders of the early
church, representing those seven churches mentioned previously? If so, would
Antipas be among them? We don’t know because the Bible doesn’t say and you
can’t make an argument from silence. Here is evidence for at least twelve of
them being Jewish.
Matthew19:28 And Jesus said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Does this represent all Old
Testament Jewish believers? And does the following mean that twelve of these
elders represent all Christian believers?
2Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love
his appearing.
Crowns imply kingship and
authority, the ability to judge.
1Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not
that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Also, they are clothed in white
raiment.
Revelation 19:8 And to her was
granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
linen is the righteousness of saints.
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