Revelation 4:9-11

Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 12

Text Revelation 4:9-11

9 And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever, 10 the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.

Initial Questions Revelation 4:9-11

1.

Who are the living creatures - Revelation 4:9.

2.

Is the imagery of Revelation 4:10 that of lesser sovereigns surrendering completely to the Lord?

3.

Who alone is worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power - Revelation 4:11?

4.

What is the source of all created things according to Revelation 4:11?

Revelation 4:9

And whenever (hotan - plus future tense implies constant repetition of the act of worshipful praise) the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanks to the one sitting on the throne to the living one unto the ages of the ages; The same is the constant worship of God which takes place in The Throne room itself.

Revelation 4:10

The twenty-four Elders will fall (pesountai - future ind.) before the one sitting on the throne, and they will worship (proskunesousin - future ind.) the living one unto the ages of the ages, and will cast (balousin - future) their crowns (see comment on Revelation 4:4) before (in front of) the throne saying: The will cast down their crowns relates their act of surrender or complete submission to the Lord.

Revelation 4:11

Compare this verse with Paul's declarations in Colossians 1:16. The only one worthy to receive the continued praises is the Lord God Himself. This verse is important for what follows in chapter 5. The declaration has been made that the only one who is found worthy of praise is almighty God, then in chapter 5 - we see that Jesus Christ is found worthy. This is a clear assertion of the deity of Christ.

Note: Compare Revelation 4:11 with John 1:1-18 and Hebrews 1:1-4. Jesus Christ is there declared to be the source of creation. For an excellent analysis of those eighteen verses see, M.E. Boismard, St. John's Prologue, Blackfriars Pub., 34 Bloomsbury Street, London, W. C.1M. E., Boismard's Commentary on The Revelation is one of the best Roman Catholic Commentaries available. We shall discuss this work later.

Review Questions

Chp. Revelation 4:1-11

1.

What is the point of reference when John says after these things - Revelation 4:1?

2.

How important is chp. 4 for the remaining parts of The Revelation - Revelation 4:1?

3.

What and who did John see - Revelation 4:2?

4.

What is the possible difference between stephanous and diadçma as discussed in Revelation 4:4? Discuss the significance of the difference.

5.

What Old Testament sources were mentioned for the imagery in Revelation 4:6? Read the Old Testament passages, and then discuss.

6.

Much of the imagery of The Revelation is taken from the Old Testament. Is there anything added as it is used in this Christian book which would enable us to see a transition from Jewish to Christian imagery?