The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet 1844 Rev. kc 11-2

Please join us for this fantastic trip into the heavens.

Rev. 4:1
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Rev. 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

Wow, here we go! John saw a throne in heaven and Someone was sitting on it. Guess who!

[3] And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

Now to the stones. Did you know that there were Twelve Stones, gems, in the breastplate of the Levitical Priests, each one each representing one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel? The jasper and the sardine (sardius) stone are the last and the first stones in the breastplate, respectively. So we see the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, once again.

These two stones, the jasper and the sardine, also represent Benjamin and Reuben. It is interesting that the younger is put before the elder once again, as we see so many times in scripture.

Below are the names of the stones, as they appear in the Authorized and Revised Version and as marginal readings: (Exod. 28)

(1) Sardius (marg. Ruby)
(2) Topaz
(3) Carbuncle
(4) Emerald
(5) Sapphire
(6) Diamond (marg. R.V. Sardonyx)
(7) Ligure
(8) Agate
(9) Amethyst
(10) Beryl (marg. R.V. Chalcedony)
(11) Onyx (marg. R.V. Beryl)
(12) Jasper

[4] 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.

Who are they? Well, John doesn't exactly tell us, but if we've read the rest of the Book, and in as much as the gemstones in the breastplate, representing the 12 Tribes, are mentioned, then we are left to conclude that 12 of them are the 12 Patriarchs of the Old Testament. The other 12 would most likely be the 12 Apostles of the New Testament, the founding pillars of the NT Church. The number "12" in Biblical numerics represents "Governmental Perfection" (see appendix 10 of the Companion Bible).

So all the board members are present and accounted for.

[5] And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

The seven lamps are the seven Spirits of God. They will be mentioned again, even individually, at which time we'll learn what they are and discuss them in greater detail.

[6] And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Uh, oh! Four beasts with lots of eyeballs all over them! Good grief! Everything was looking so good and beautiful and even made a lot of sense. So, where'd the monsters come from?

Actually, this is an example of how the Biblically illiterate think, which unfortunately includes many of those ministers whom Christ warned would come in His name and deceive many. That should come as no surprise! You've read about the seven churches, so you know they've infested five of them with their deception, false teachings, and ignorance.

Therefore, in tomorrow's study we will learn who these beautiful "living beings" are who reside at the very throne of our Father. We will also learn that they are described elsewhere in God's Word and that their appearance is so familiar to a student of the Word that sometimes they forget how aghast the unlearned become when they read without foundation.

Please join us. It's a fantastic trip into the heavens. He who gave us the key of David has left the portal into the other dimension wide open for us.