Rev 4 | EE | STEP | After this I looked. There in front of me was an open door in heaven. I heard the same voice that I had heard before. It spoke like a trumpet and it said to me, ‘Come up here. I will show you the things that must happen after this.’

Revelation of John 4

God on his throne

1 After this I looked. There in front of me was an open door in heaven. I heard the same voice that I had heard before. It spoke like a trumpet and it said to me, ‘Come up here. I will show you the things that must happen after this.’

2 Immediately God’s Spirit caused me to see and to hear more things. It was like a dream. I saw a throne in heaven, with someone sitting on it. 3 The person who sat there shone with bright red and white light, like beautiful stones called jasper and ruby. Round the throne there was a rainbow that shone with bright green light like an emerald stone. 4 All round the throne there were 24 other thrones. 24 leaders were sitting on these thrones. They were wearing white clothes and they had gold crowns on their heads. 5 It was like a storm with bright lightning around the throne. The noise and sounds of thunder came from there. In front of the throne there were 7 lights of fire burning brightly. These lights are the 7 spirits of God. ^{▼▼4:5 The number 7 shows that something is complete or perfect. The 7 spirits together show God’s Holy Spirit.} 6 Also in front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass. This sea shone with light like a mirror.

In the middle, round the throne, there were 4 other beings that were alive. They had eyes all over them, on their fronts and on their backs. 7 The first of these beings was like a lion. The second being was like an ox. The third being had a face like a man’s face. And the fourth being was like an eagle that was flying. 8 Each of these 4 beings had 6 wings. They had eyes all over them, even under their wings. All day and all night they never stop saying:

‘The Lord God has all power and authority.
He is has no bad thing in him. He is completely good.
He has always been alive. He is alive now.
He will continue to be alive for ever.’

9 God sits on the throne and he is alive for ever. The 4 beings that are alive worship him and they thank him. 10 When they do this, the 24 leaders bend down to the ground. They also worship the Lord God, who sits on the throne and is alive for ever. They put their crowns in front of God’s throne, and they praise him. They say: 11 ‘Our Lord and our God, you are very good!
Everyone should say how great and powerful you are!
Everyone should worship you, because you made all things.
You decided to make them and so you made them!
That is why everything in the world is here.’