Revelation 4:6

a sea of glass As there was a brazen "sea" in front of Solomon's Temple, 1 Kings 7:23 &c. We find from Revelation 11:19; Revelation 15:5, &c. that St John was now in front of the heavenly Temple whether the Throne was inside it seems doubtful: Revelation 16:17 looks as if it were, Revelation 11:19 as if it were not. That Temple had a real sea in front of it sea-like in extent, no doubt, but a glassysea, calm and transparent, and apparently solid, Revelation 15:2: its earthly representative (see Sir 50:3, and note on Revelation 2:17 above) was hardly more than a tank, though richly ornamented.

like unto crystal Ancient glass being not so clear as ours, a further term of comparison seemed necessary. The word maymean "ice," but Revelation 21:11 confirms the A. V.

in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne It is not quite clear how they are placed whether with their bodies partly underthe Throne, or only so far "in the midst" of it, that each of the four was in (or opposite to) the middle of one of its four sides. In Ezekiel 1:22 we see that the Cherubim supportthe Throne of God, which points to the first view.

four beasts Should be rendered living creatures, as Ezekiel 1:5 &c.: the word for the "beasts" of ch. 13 &c. is quite different: and that used here, like the Hebrew one in Ezekiel, is cognate with the word for "life."