And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever,
9, 10. And when those beasts, &c.] Read And when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sitteth upon the Throne, to Him that liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth , and shall worship Him , and shall cast.” The meaning of the futures is doubtful: some take it as “implying eternal repetition of the act.” Or the meaning may be (if one may say so reverently) a sort of stage direction: “during the future course of the vision, these (who never leave the scene) are to be understood to be thus employed.” But it is always a question in this Book whether the use of tenses be not accommodated to the rules of Hebrew rather than Greek grammar: the sense may after all be merely frequentative.
cast their crowns ] Alford compares Tac. Ann. XV. xxix. 3, 6, where Tiridates lays down his crown before the image of Nero, as a token of homage for his kingdom.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when those beasts give glory … – As often as those living beings ascribe glory to God. They did this continually Rev 4:8; and, if the above explanation be correct, then the idea is that the ways and acts of God in his providential government are continually of such a nature as to honor him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rev 4:9-11
The four and twenty elders fall down and cast their crowns before the throne.
Royal homage
I. The saints in heaven are all crowned. How is this?
1. They are all kings, Dei gratia. There is not a king in heaven that has his crown on any other terms than this, by the sovereign grace of God.
2. But, though it may seem astonishing, they are all kings by hereditary descent. They have been born again, and it is in their new nature that they are before the throne of God.
3. They are also kings by marriage alliance. There is many a crowned head that would not have been so by descent, but has come to be so by being given in wedlock to a royal consort.
4. They are kings by right of conquest and of victory. A crown should signify, and did signify in the olden times, battling and contending. They are kings, then, because they have fought with sin and with temptation. Yea, the brightest of them have had to bear the brunt of fiercest persecutions.
5. Then the crowned heads in heaven have their crowns, and their crowns befit them well, because of the nobility of their character. They are sanctified, delivered from every taint of corruption, and now they are like their Lord Himself in holiness of character. Well should they be crowned whose character has thus been made glorious by the work of the Spirit of God within them!
6. And, once more, they have another right to their crowns, because those crowns represent real possessions. All things are theirs–the gift of God–and God is theirs and Christ is theirs. They are clothed with honour and majesty–not outwardly only but inwardly–and they have all the concomitants that should go with royal dignity.
II. They all cast their crowns before the throne.
1. Solemn reverence. They see more of God than we do, therefore are they more filled with awe and thrilled with admiration. Our reverence will always make us feel in the lowliest state of self-abasement at the foot of the throne!
2. Moreover, they are no doubt actuated by sincere humility. Reverence to God always brings a humble opinion of ones own self.
3. Doubtless, also, they do this for another reason, namely, because of their profound gratitude. They bless God that they are where they are, and what they are.
4. Above all, they are actuated by intense affection. They love their Lord, and loving their Lord they do anything to adore Him. They are glad to fling their richest goods, their choicest trophy, their most cherished treasure, at His feet: they love Him so.
III. Practical lessons.
1. By this text we can know whether we are on the way to heaven or not; because no man goes to heaven to learn for the first time heavenly things.
2. The next lesson is a lesson of unanimity. Our text says that all cast their crowns before the throne. There are no divided opinions in heaven, no sects and parties, no schisms there.
3. Once again, these redeemed ones in heaven teach us the true way of happiness. They set before us what perfect bliss is. There is no happiness beneath the clouds like the happiness of unselfishness. Strip yourself, and you clothe yourself. Throw, money away, and you grow rich–I mean in a spiritual sense. Happiness, again, consists in adoration, for these blessed spirits find it to be their happiness to adore God. The happiest days you ever spent are those in which you worshipped God most. But then they were not merely happy because they were self-denying and adoring, but because they were practical. They took off their crowns and laid them before the throne. And our joy on earth must lie in practically carrying out our principles. Cast your ability to do and to suffer, as well as the crown of your labour and patience, at the foot of your God; serve Him with all your heart and wisdom and strength, and thus, your self-denial and adoration being mixed therewith, you shall realise on earth as much as possible a foretaste of what the joy of heaven may be. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The feelings of saints in heaven
I. The import of the action. It is necessary to recollect that all the rewards which await the righteous in heaven are often summed up in the comprehensive expression of a kingdom. Casting these crowns at the foot of the throne was, therefore, the same as casting their kingdom, with all its dignity, glory, and honour, at the feet of God and the Lamb.
1. It was an acknowledgment of what God is, and of what He deserves from His creatures.
2. It implied a more particular acknowledgment that to Him all the glory of their salvation belonged.
II. The feelings which prompted it, and of which it was an expression.
1. It was prompted by, it was an expression of, perfect humility.
2. It expressed, and was prompted by perfect love to God and the Redeemer.
3. It was prompted by, and expressed perfect gratitude.
4. It expresses the most profound reverence. (E. Payson, D. D.)
The crown
If we except the ever-blessed Cross, there is no such symbol as the crown. It speaks of honour and exaltation, and of the care which attends them. The crown denotes power, dominion, victory, and possession: it indicates, not less evidently, anxiety, responsibility, uneasiness, and toils of once. Beyond all these, It gives the idea of completeness; of such completeness as belongs to any creature, any estate, or any condition. That which perfects and finishes a joy or a sorrow is called its crown; the crown of happiness, the crown of misery, are set upon them by some event after which they cannot be enhanced. The Lord Protector Cromwell was wont to speak of a certain decisive battle as his crowning mercy; and the first of living poets says that a sorrows crown of sorrow is remembering happier things. So full of meaning is the word that there seems no end to what it can express. Those four-and-twenty are examples of such as enter into the rest of God; who have obtained the crown of righteousness, because they were counted worthy of it, and give proof of their merit in the perfection of their self-renunciation. What may be done by way of experiment to become true, sincere, and simple-hearted followers of the servants of God? Material for practice abounds. God hath made us kings and priests unto Himself: and even before this, in his natural estate, man is the head and lord of all the works of our Fathers hand. We wear as men the crown of dominion over inferior orders of animals; as redeemed men, we wear the crown of a royal estate of sons of God by adoption and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. Here are the crown of nature and the crown of grace both associated with our life in this world. These, moreover, denote privilege, power, and duty; and first a man should ask himself whether he be doing his duty in that state unto which it has pleased Almighty God to call him: for if not, the sign of his native dignity and superadded honour, even already, ere life be spent, is tarnishing around his temples, and looking as though presently it might crack asunder and fall into the dust. But this is merely the beginning; these things are common to us all. Over and above what pertains to our state as men, and what is generally necessary to our salvation, comes that which stamps the individual as distinct from his fellows. There be as many crowns as heads to wear them. God, who sees all, sees something in each life which makes that lifes crown. It may be a crown of happiness, or a hard ring of sorrow; a crown of mercy and blessing in basket and store, in goods and lands, in home and household, or a crown of poverty, affliction, and grief. Whatsoever it be, each life has its crown, to distinguish it from all the rest. These we must wear, each in the order of his lot: and, knowing that ye all have them, let me ask you whether you are offering, each his own crown, of joy, or pain, or care, as the case may be, to God? Some of you have the lot of toil: your crown is an iron band clasped around the head by the fingers of necessity: are you, in spirit, casting that before the throne, and offering your work and daily tasks to God? Some of you have been born to wealth, or have acquired it: your crowns are precious, and worth much money; are you, in spirit, offering them to God, and saying as you do mercy and give aims, Thine, O Lord, are these, and of Thine own do we offer to Thee? Some of you are very happy, in domestic relations, in social position, as life runs on smoothly and successfully; your crowns are crowns of mercies; are you daily offering them at the foot of the throne, acknowledging their Author and pouring out the tribute of your thanks? (Morgan Dix, D. D.)
Rightful homage
England was perhaps never more humiliated than when John took off his crown and placed it in the hands of Pandulph, the Popes legate, and then received it from him as from the Pope. It was mean in John so to abase himself, especially after he had boasted that no Italian priest shall tithe or toll in our dominion. It would have been less disgraceful in him to have hurled his crown among the reeds beside the Thames, than to have put it in the hands of Pandulph. But the royal people in heaven are right in doing homage for their crowns before the throne of God. By that act they confess their indebtedness to God for their crowns. (J. Marrat.)
Man in heaven
I. Man in heaven has reached the highest dignity. He has crowns.
1. Have faith in the improvability of our nature.
2. Let us be consoled under the departure by death of the good.
3. Let us not judge of providence without taking into account the future as well as the present.
II. Man in heaven ascribes the dignity he has reached to Jesus Christ. They cast their crowns, etc.
1. A conviction that they owed all their honours to Christ.
2. A readiness to acknowledge their obligation. The greater our nature the more ready to acknowledge our obligation.
3. The surpassing glories of Christ,. He is in the midst of the throne, and all ascribe their all to Him. Napoleon the First, after he had conquered empires, and planted his foot upon the neck of kingdoms, determined to be crowned Emperor. To give pageantry and lustre to the occasion, he compelled the Pope of Rome to be present. In the act of coronation, the emperor refused to receive the crown from the Pope; his proud spirit told him he had won it himself: he placed it upon his own brow, thus declaring to the spectators and the civilised world the fact that he was indebted to himself only for imperial power. There is nothing of this spirit in heaven; they all cast their crowns at the feet of Christ, and say, Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. (Homilist.)
Glory to the glorious One
Jesus, Messiah, the Lamb that was slain, the King on the throne, Creator of the universe, Head of all things, is He who is worthy to receive the glory! And why?
I. Because of His person. As having in Himself all the perfections of the Creator and of the creature; as very God and very man; the Word made flesh–He is worthy to receive glory. Godhead and manhood, united in one wondrous person, make Him infinitely glorious.
II. Because of His work. The excellency of His propitiation is infinite. It is–
1. Excellent in itself.
2. In its revelation of Divine wisdom.
3. In its manifestation of Divine love.
4. In its reconciliation of grace with righteousness.
5. In its everlasting results. Because of such a work it is said, Thou art worthy to receive glory.
III. Because of His life on earth. His whole earthly life was marvellous. There has been nothing like it, neither shall be. It was absolute perfection in every part: the perfection of a human life.
IV. Because of the redemption of His church.
V. Because of what He is now in heaven. He has triumphed over His enemies; He has abolished death; He has emptied the grave; He has risen; He has ascended on high; He ever lives to intercede; He is the head of principalities and powers; He sits on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
VI. Because of what He is to be and to do when He comes again.
1. Let us appreciate His excellency.
2. Let us thoroughly trust and love Him.
3. Let us make use of His fulness.
4. Let us bow before Him.
5. Let us sing the song of praise. (H. Bonar, D. D.)
God glorified in heaven for tits works of creation and providence
I. The heavenly Church acknowledge that God created all things.
II. That all things are and were created for Gods pleasure or will.
III. That all intelligent beings are bound to glorify God for His works of creation and providence.
1. These works should lead us to the knowledge and contemplation of their great and glorious Author.
2. We should glorify God in His works, by improving them to awaken in our souls pious affections to Him.
3. The works of God should invite us to Him in the humble exercises of devotion.
4. We are to glorify God for our own existence.
5. If creation deserves our praise, redemption deserves it still more, for this is our hope. (J. Lathrop, D. D.)
Give God the glory
After the battle of Agincourt it is said of Henry V. that, desiring to acknowledge the Divine interposition, he ordered the chaplain to read a Psalm of David, and, when he came to these words, Not unto us–not unto us, O Lord! but unto Thy name give glory and praise, the king dismounted, his officers dismounted–the cavalry all dismounted, great hosts of officers and men fell on their faces in reverence to their Great Deliverer. When we contemplate what great victories we have attained over sin, through Christ, how fitting to fall before God in thanksgiving and praise, crying, Not unto us, but unto Thy name be the praise. (A. J. Gordon, D. D.)
For Thy pleasure they are and were created.—
Creation the consequence of love
I. Remember what is involved in the notion of creation. It is not the bringing order out of disorder, beauty out of shapelessness and confusion. To create is to make out of nothing. But the truth that God created out of nothing, whilst it exalts immeasurably our conception of His Majesty, makes the question yet more urgent: Why did He create? We reply, that it seems to follow from the very nature of God, that He should create. God we believe to be all Good, the Fountain of Love, yea, Love itself. Must not a Being thus gracious, and thus in Himself an inexhaustible source of happiness, desire to communicate of His fulness unto others? Must not He, who is both wise and beneficent, desire to dispense wisdom? Must not He who has all power, if He be liberal, seek to give power? Throned in the light inaccessible, alone, and all-sufficient, He dwells in the plenitude of His own glory, lacking nothing, dependent upon none–a universe to Himself, to Himself all in all. Myriads of angels growing up around Him would add nought to His happiness. And not therefore for any selfish ends (as we term them) did God become a Creator. And yet was it for Himself? Yea, for Himself, we read throughout Scripture, God made the worlds. Of Him are all things, and for Him are all things, writes the apostle. Even so. Gods nature urged Him, nay, if we may dare so speak, compelled Him to create. Abounding in love, His love would not let Him dwell alone. The air and the water, the very dust of the ground teem, you know, with living things. Life meets us everywhere. We can detect no end answered by millions of creatures which swarm around us. It may be they do answer no end. But the love of God constrains Him to create, ay, if it be but to give to the tiny animalculae in the drop of water a moments taste of the pleasure of existence. And thus we seem to apprehend, in a measure at any rate, why God is to be rejoiced in as a Creator; ay, why the heavenly inhabitants should praise Him as having created all things for His pleasure. Creation is the most overwhelming demonstration that God is Love; creation is the Ocean of Divine love, overflowing its banks, and pouring itself forth beyond all bounds.
II. Has the act of creation been, on the whole, productive of more happiness or misery? What if, where Gods love is manifested, Gods justice must also be revealed; is this a reason why His love should be restrained? Nay; we still find in that love the cause of the authorship of our being; we recognise in that love the source of creation, though love could not have free course without giving scope for vengeance also; and we marvel not that the eternal dwellers should unweariedly say, Worthy art Thou to receive glory, etc. (Bp. Woodford.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
And when those beasts, the living creatures before expressed, signifying the ministers of the gospel,
give glory, &c.; when they praise God who is eternal.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9-11. The ground of praise hereis God’s eternity, and God’s power and glorymanifested in the creation of all things for His pleasure. Creationis the foundation of all God’s other acts of power, wisdom, and love,and therefore forms the first theme of His creatures’ thanksgivings.The four living creatures take the lead of the twenty-four elders,both in this anthem, and in that new song which follows on theground of their redemption (Re5:8-10).
whenthat is,whensoever: as often as. A simultaneous giving of glory on the partof the beasts, and on the part of the elders.
give“shall give”in one oldest manuscript.
for ever and everGreek,“unto the ages of the ages.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when these beasts give glory,…. When they give God the glory of all his perfections, covenant, and promises, and of all the gifts and grace bestowed on them, and of the success of their ministry; and in it glorify Father, Son, and Spirit, who bear their respective parts in the business of salvation; and ascribe to each their due glory in election, redemption, and sanctification:
and honour; in the several parts of religious worship performed by them; and not with their lips only, but with their hearts also:
and thanks; for all blessings, temporal and spiritual, bestowed on them, and on the saints: even
to him that sat on the throne; God the Father, Re 4:3;
who liveth for ever and ever; he who is the living God, and will always continue so.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Vision of Heaven. | A. D. 95. |
–8 And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
We have considered the sights that the apostle saw in heaven: now let us observe the songs that he heard, for there is in heaven not only that to be seen which will highly please a sanctified eye, but there is that to be heard which will greatly delight a sanctified ear. This is true concerning the church of Christ here, which is a heaven upon earth, and it will be eminently so in the church made perfect in the heaven of heavens.
I. He heard the song of the four living creatures, of the ministers of the church, which refers to the prophet Isaiah’s vision, ch. vi. And here, 1. They adore one God, and one only, the Lord God Almighty, unchangeable and everlasting. 2. They adore three holies in this one God, the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these are one infinitely holy and eternal Being, who sits upon the throne, and lives for ever and ever. In this glory the prophet saw Christ, and spoke of him.
II. He heard the adorations of the four-and-twenty elders, that is, of the Christian people represented by them; the ministers led, and the people followed, in the praises of God, Rev 4:10; Rev 4:11. Here observe,
1. The object of their worship, the same with that which the ministers adored: Him that sat on the throne, the eternal everliving God. The true church of God has one and the same object of worship. Two different objects of worship, either co-ordinate or sub-ordinate, would confound the worship and divide the worshippers. It is unlawful to join in divine worship with those who either mistake or multiply the object. There is but one God, and he alone, as God, is worshipped by the church on earth and in heaven.
2. The acts of adoration. (1.) They fell down before him that sat on the throne; they discovered the most profound humility, reverence, and godly fear. (2.) They cast their crowns before the throne; they gave God the glory of the holiness wherewith he had crowned their souls on earth and the honour and happiness with which he crowns them in heaven. They owe all their graces and all their glories to him, and acknowledge that his crown is infinitely more glorious than theirs, and that it is their glory to be glorifying God.
3. The words of adoration: they said, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, v. 11. Observe, (1.) They do not say, We give thee glory, and honour, and power; for what can any creature pretend to give unto God? But they say, thou art worthy to receive glory. (2.) In this they tacitly acknowledge that God is exalted far above all blessing and praise. He was worthy to receive glory, but they were not worthy to praise, nor able to do it according to his infinite excellences.
4. We have the ground and reason of their adoration, which is threefold:– (1.) He is the Creator of all things, the first cause; and none but the Creator of all things should be adored; no made thing can be the object of religious worship. (2.) He is the preserver of all things, and his preservation is a continual creation; they are created still by the sustaining power of God. All beings but God are dependent upon the will and power of God, and no dependent being must be set up as an object of religious worship. It is the part of the best dependent beings to be worshippers, not to be worshipped. (3.) He is the final cause of all things: For thy pleasure they are and were created. It was his will and pleasure to create all things; he was not put upon it by the will of another; there is no such thing as a subordinate creator, that acts under and by the will and power of another; and, if there were, he ought not to be worshipped. As God made all things at his pleasure, so he made them for his pleasure, to deal with them as he pleases and to glorify himself by them one way or other. Though he delights not in the death of sinners, but rather that they should turn and live, yet he hath made all things for himself, Prov. xvi. 4. Now if these be true and sufficient grounds for religious worship, as they are proper to God alone, Christ must needs be God, one with the Father and Spirit, and be worshipped as such; for we find the same causality ascribed to him. Col 1:16; Col 1:17, All things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
When the living creatures shall give ( ). Indefinite temporal clause with and the future active indicative () rather than the more common second aorist active subjunctive () with the notion of repetition rather than unbroken continuance, “whenever they give.” The giving of praise and glory to God by the four living creatures (representatives of nature) is met by corresponding worship by the redeemed (the four and twenty elders). “Created life adores the Uncreated” (Swete), “to the one living for ages of ages.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
When [] . Whensoever, implying, with the future tense, the eternal repetition of the act of praise.
Give [] . Lit., as Rev., shall give.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
OCCASION OF WORSHIP OF ELDERS AND LIVING CREATURES
(Because of Creation) v. 9-11
1) “And when those beasts give glory,” (kai hoton dosousin ta zoa doksan) “And whenever those living creatures shall give out glory; The future tense here indicates (points toward) things that shall always take place, go on forever and ever, in ages (to come), Mat 6:13; Eph 3:21.
2) “And honor and thanks,” (kai timen kai eucharistan) “And honor and thanks; Honor veneration and expressions of gratitude were, are, and shall be given to God upon the throne for the gift of his Son in redemptive work. The four living creatures, representing the Gentile redeemed of the ages in the midst of heaven’s lower thrones, gave out exultations of thanks to God upon His central heavenly throne and majesty, Joh 3:16; 1Jn 3:1-3; Rev 5:8; Rev 5:12; Rev 7:9-15.
3) “To him that sat on the throne,” (to kathemeno epi to throno) “To or toward the one sitting upon the central throne; To the majesty of God, who in royal majestic power and dignity sat upon a conquering throne, surrounded by good angels, Israel, The Church, and the Gentiles redeemed to all nations, who had never served him thru the covenant of Israel or the church, 1Co 10:32; 1Ti 1:17; 1Ti 6:16.
4) “Who liveth for ever and ever,” (to zonti eis tous aionas ton aionon) “To the one continually living into the ages of the ages,” in contrast with the “dead gods”, the idol worshippers had served, Psa 115:1-8; Rev 1:18; He lives is alive forevermore, even brought forth his Son from death, forevermore, Rom 8:11; 1Ti 1:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Strauss Comments
SECTION 12
Text Rev. 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 Rev. 4:9-11
1.
Who are the living creatures Rev. 4:9.
2.
Is the imagery of Rev. 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 Rev. 4:11?
4.
What is the source of all created things according to Rev. 4:11?
Rev. 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.
Rev. 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 Rev. 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.
Rev. 4:11
Compare this verse with Pauls declarations in Col. 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 Rev. 4:11 with Joh. 1:1-18 and Heb. 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. Johns Prologue, Blackfriars Pub., 34 Bloomsbury Street, London, W. C.1M. E., Boismards Commentary on The Revelation is one of the best Roman Catholic Commentaries available. We shall discuss this work later.
Review Questions
Chp. Rev. 4:1-11
1.
What is the point of reference when John says after these things Rev. 4:1?
2.
How important is chp. 4 for the remaining parts of The Revelation Rev. 4:1?
3.
What and who did John see Rev. 4:2?
4.
What is the possible difference between stephanous and diadma as discussed in Rev. 4:4? Discuss the significance of the difference.
5.
What Old Testament sources were mentioned for the imagery in Rev. 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?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(9, 10) And when those beasts . . .Better, And whensoever the living beings shall give (the future is used) glory and honour and thanks to Him who sitteth upon the throne, to Him who liveth to the ages of ages, the four-and-twenty elders shall (as is their wont) fall down before Him who sitteth on the throne, and worship Him that liveth unto the ages of ages, and shall (as is their wont) cast their crowns before the throne, saying … It is not to Him who sat upon the throne, but to Him who sitteth there, as he liveth to the ages of ages, that this homage is paid. The future tense (shall give glory, &c.) implies the eternal repetition of the act. The connection between the praise given by creation, and the consequent homage of the twenty-four elders, expresses a truth. The Church of Christ does not always hear the voice of praise from created things. Often the creation groaneth and travaileth; but her chorus of praise rises when she perceives that every thing that hath breath praiseth the Lord. The converse of this thought the earth bringeth forth her fruit when the people praise Godis hinted in Psa. 67:5-6, the earth ceases her travail when the sons of God are made manifest (Rom. 8:19-21).
Crowns.The crowns are not royal crowns, but the crowns of conquerors. These are laid down before the throne by those who overcame, not in their own might, but through the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11; comp. Rev. 7:14).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Glory and honour and thanks A threefold divine ascription.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when the living creatures will give glory and honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives for ever and ever (unto the ages of the ages), the four and twenty elders will fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship him who lives for ever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive the honour and the glory and the power, for you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence (‘they were’) and were created”.’
The living creatures, as the close servants of God, lead the praise. They continually give glory and honour and thanks to Him Who is seated on the throne, the One Who created all things, the One Who reigns. (The ‘continually’ comes from the use of the future tense, which here means ‘whenever they do it then —-’ , the writer’s way of rendering the Hebrew ‘imperfect’).
Then the elders make their reply. They, of course, are aware that the living creatures represent the whole of creation, and they cast their crowns before God and speak of God’s whole creation. All things came into existence through His will, He created them in accordance with His will. Thus is He worthy to receive the worship of all creation through the living creatures. It is the fact that He is the Lord of Creation that gives Him the right to do what is about to be done, the releasing of creation from its dreadful bondage (Rom 8:19-25). It came into being by His will, and it is His. Now He will restore it fully. (The song is fourfold as befits a song celebrating creation, compare Rev 5:13).
Notice the stress on the fact that He is the One Who lives for ever and ever and that He is the One Who sits on the throne. From everlasting to everlasting He is God. As the living creatures had earlier said, He is the One Who was and Who is and Who is to come, the Almighty God. He is the One Who created all things, He is the One Who is sovereign over all things, He is the One Who will bring all things into subjection to Himself, and in recognition of this the elders fling their crowns at His feet in submission and worship Him, on behalf of His people whom they represent. This leads on to the next action.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rev 4:9 . . The fut., instead of the regular sub., [1825] does not present a conception that is strictly future, [1826] but has, like the Heb. imperfect, the force of a frequentative: “when, as often as.” [1827]
. Viz., the worshipful acknowledgment of the glory and honor [1828] belonging to the Lord; [1829] while by is designated immediately, and without metonymy, the thanksgiving [1830] rendered by the creature.
. So God calls the enthroned God very similarly as the four beasts praise him, and in the same respect. Hence, also on cemore in Rev 4:10 , the same designation of God, comprising the reason for the praise, and the ground of all hope and prophecy.
On Rev 4:10 , cf. Rev 5:8 ; Rev 19:4 . The casting-down of the crowns is, together with the falling down and worshipping, the sign of humiliation before the King and Lord, in whose presence no creature whatever has any glory or honor of its own. [1831]
[1825] Winer, p. 289 sq.
[1826] From now, and to all the future. Cf. Rev 7:15 sq. It is not so earlier, because only since the work of redemption is in progress, and the victory of Christ in development, are the twenty-four elders in this position and occupation. De Wette; cf. Stern.
[1827] Vitr., Beng., Hengstenb., Ebrard, etc.
[1828] Cf. Psa 29:1 ; Psa 96:7 . Hengstenb., etc.
[1829] Cf. Rev 1:6 .
[1830] Hengstenb.
[1831] Cf. Tacit., Annal ., xv. 29: “To which (statue of Nero) Tiridates, having advanced, cast before the image the diadem removed from his head.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Rev 4:9-11 . The ascription of praise to God by the representatives of the creation, viz., the four beasts, is joined by that of the twenty-four elders, the representatives of redeemed humanity; [1824] yet here the praise of the elders (Rev 4:11 ) refers not to redemption itself, which first occurs in Rev 5:9 sq., but to the power and glory of God revealed in creation, so that the words of the elders stand in beautiful harmony with the praise of the four beings, as well as with the significance of the entire vision; of course not without the relation expressly indicated in Rev 4:8 , and lying at the basis, that Almighty God, who has made the beginning of all things, will also bring them to a completion.
[1824] Cf. De Wette, Hengstenb., Ebrard.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
Ver. 9. And when those beasts ] When the preachers are performing their office, as heralds of God’s praises.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9 11 .] The everlasting song of praise of creation, in which the church joins . It is well observed by Dsterd., that the ground of this ascription of praise is not redemption , which first comes in ch. Rev 5:9 ff., but the power and glory of God as manifested in Creation; so that the words of the elders are in beautiful harmony with the praise of the four living-beings, and with the signification of the whole vision. And whensoever the living-beings shall give (the future must not be pressed quite so strongly as is done by De Wette (so also Stern), “from henceforth for all the time to come: see ch. Rev 7:15 ff.: beforetime it was not so, seeing that the 24 elders have only assumed their place since Christ’s work of Redemption has been proceeding and His victory developing.” Still, it is more than a mere frequentative put for the regular subjunctive, as Dsterd., after Vitr., Beng., Hengstb., and Ebr. It has a distinct pointing onward towards the future, implying eternal repetition of the act, which the subjunctive would not carry) glory and honour (i. e., recognition of His glory and honour) and thanksgiving (i. e. actual giving of thanks: the 3 accusatives are not strictly co-ordinate in meaning) to Him that sitteth upon the throne, to Him that liveth to the ages of the ages, the twenty-four elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and shall worship Him that liveth to the ages of the ages (cf. ch. Rev 5:8 , Rev 19:4 ), and shall cast down their crowns (to disclaim all honour and dignity of their own, and acknowledge that all belongs to Him. See instances of casting down crowns cited in Wetstein. Cf. especially Tacit. Ann. xv. 29: “ad quam (effigiem Neronis) progressus Tiridates sublatum capiti diadema imagini subjecit”) before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord and our (Dsterd. remarks that the has a force here peculiarly belonging to the 24 elders, as representing the redeemed, and thus standing in a covenant relation to God nearer than that of the 4 living-beings. But we must not forget, that Creation is only a part of Redemption, Col 1:20 ) God, to receive the glory ( . &c., as alluding to the &c., Rev 4:9 , ascribed by the living-beings. The articles are improperly omitted in E. V.) and the honour and the might (observe that in the mouth of the 24 elders represents in that of the 4 living-beings. The elders, though themselves belonging to creation, in this ascription of praise look on creation from without, and that thanksgiving, which creation renders for its being, becomes in their view a tribute to Him who called them into being , and thus a testimony to His creative power. And thus the reason follows): because Thou didst create all things ( , “this universal whole,” the universe), and on account of Thy will (i. e. because Thou didst will it: “propter voluntatem tuam,” as Vulg.: not durch Deinen Willen , as Luther, which represents with a gen. “ For thy pleasure ,” of the E. V., introduces an element entirely strange to the context, and however true in fact, most inappropriate here, where the renders a reason for the of , , and ) they were ( , not = , came into being , as De W., al.: for this it cannot signify: nor again, though thus the requirement of would be satisfied, as Lyra, “in dispositione tua ab terno, antequam crearentur:” nor, as Grot., “ erant jam homines quia tu volueras, et conditi sunt, id est, iterum conditi , per Christum:” nor again as Bengel, “all things were, from the creation down to the time of this ascription of praise and henceforward.” The best explanation is that of Dsterd., they existed , as in contrast to their previous non-existence: whereby not their coming into being, but the simple fact of their being, is asserted.
The remarkable reading is worth notice: “by reason of Thy will they were not, and were created:” i. e. “they were created out of nothing.” But besides the preponderance of authority the other way, there is the double chance, that may have arisen from the preceding , and that it may have been an escape from the difficulty of ) and were created (they both had their being, ; and received it from Thee by a definite act of Thine, ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rev 4:9 . The frequentative meaning of comes from the sense rather than from the grammar of the passage. “Whenever,” etc. ( i.e. , throughout the course of this book, Rev 5:8 f., Rev 11:16 f., Rev 19:4 ) is “a sort of stage-direction” (Simcox). It would be harsh to take the words as a proleptic allusion to the single occurrence at Rev 11:15 f. (J. Weiss). To give or ascribe to God is reverently to acknowledge his supreme authority, either spontaneously and gladly (as here and Rev 19:7 , where “honour” becomes almost “praise”) or under stress of punishment (Rev 11:13 , Rev 14:7 , Rev 16:9 ) and fear of judgment. The addition of in doxologies amplifies the idea, by slightly emphasising the expression of that veneration and awe felt inwardly by those who recognise his . To fear God or to be his servants is thus equivalent upon the part of men to an attitude of pious submission and homage. To “give thanks” is hardly co-ordinate with . . ., but follows from it as a corollary ( cf. Psalms 96-98). Such worship is the due of the living God (Rev 7:2 , Rev 10:6 , Rev 15:7 ), whereas to eat “meat sacrificed to idols is to worship dead gods” (Did. vi. 3, cf. Rev 2:14 ; Rev 2:20 ). The Apocalypse, however, never dwells on the danger of idolatry within the Christian church; its attention is almost absorbed by the supreme idolatry of the Emperor, which is silently contrasted in this and in other passages with the genuine Imperial worship of the Christian church. “He who sits on the throne” (a title of Osiris in E. B. D. ) is the only true recipient of worship. Cf. the hymn to “Ra when he riseth”: “Those who are in thy following sing unto thee with joy and bow down their foreheads to the earth when they meet thee, thou lord of heaven and earth, thou king of Right and Truth, thou creator of eternity”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
those = the.
give = shall give.
glory. See p. 1511.
That sat = the One sitting.
for ever, &c. App-151.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9-11.] The everlasting song of praise of creation, in which the church joins. It is well observed by Dsterd., that the ground of this ascription of praise is not redemption, which first comes in ch. Rev 5:9 ff.,-but the power and glory of God as manifested in Creation; so that the words of the elders are in beautiful harmony with the praise of the four living-beings, and with the signification of the whole vision. And whensoever the living-beings shall give (the future must not be pressed quite so strongly as is done by De Wette (so also Stern), from henceforth for all the time to come: see ch. Rev 7:15 ff.: beforetime it was not so, seeing that the 24 elders have only assumed their place since Christs work of Redemption has been proceeding and His victory developing. Still, it is more than a mere frequentative put for the regular subjunctive, as Dsterd., after Vitr., Beng., Hengstb., and Ebr. It has a distinct pointing onward towards the future, implying eternal repetition of the act, which the subjunctive would not carry) glory and honour (i. e., recognition of His glory and honour) and thanksgiving (i. e. actual giving of thanks: the 3 accusatives are not strictly co-ordinate in meaning) to Him that sitteth upon the throne, to Him that liveth to the ages of the ages, the twenty-four elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and shall worship Him that liveth to the ages of the ages (cf. ch. Rev 5:8, Rev 19:4), and shall cast down their crowns (to disclaim all honour and dignity of their own, and acknowledge that all belongs to Him. See instances of casting down crowns cited in Wetstein. Cf. especially Tacit. Ann. xv. 29: ad quam (effigiem Neronis) progressus Tiridates sublatum capiti diadema imagini subjecit) before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord and our (Dsterd. remarks that the has a force here peculiarly belonging to the 24 elders, as representing the redeemed, and thus standing in a covenant relation to God nearer than that of the 4 living-beings. But we must not forget, that Creation is only a part of Redemption, Col 1:20) God, to receive the glory ( . &c., as alluding to the &c., Rev 4:9, ascribed by the living-beings. The articles are improperly omitted in E. V.) and the honour and the might (observe that in the mouth of the 24 elders represents in that of the 4 living-beings. The elders, though themselves belonging to creation, in this ascription of praise look on creation from without, and that thanksgiving, which creation renders for its being, becomes in their view a tribute to Him who called them into being, and thus a testimony to His creative power. And thus the reason follows): because Thou didst create all things ( , this universal whole, the universe), and on account of Thy will (i. e. because Thou didst will it: propter voluntatem tuam, as Vulg.: not durch Deinen Willen, as Luther, which represents with a gen. For thy pleasure, of the E. V., introduces an element entirely strange to the context, and however true in fact, most inappropriate here, where the renders a reason for the of , , and ) they were (, not = , came into being, as De W., al.: for this it cannot signify: nor again, though thus the requirement of would be satisfied, as Lyra, in dispositione tua ab terno, antequam crearentur: nor, as Grot., erant jam homines quia tu volueras, et conditi sunt, id est, iterum conditi, per Christum: nor again as Bengel, all things were, from the creation down to the time of this ascription of praise and henceforward. The best explanation is that of Dsterd., they existed, as in contrast to their previous non-existence: whereby not their coming into being, but the simple fact of their being, is asserted.
The remarkable reading is worth notice: by reason of Thy will they were not, and were created: i. e. they were created out of nothing. But besides the preponderance of authority the other way, there is the double chance, that may have arisen from the preceding , and that it may have been an escape from the difficulty of ) and were created (they both had their being,-; and received it from Thee by a definite act of Thine,-).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rev 4:9-10. -) Each future expresses a simultaneous act of giving of glory on the part of the beasts and on the part of the elders: and, at the same time, it has a frequentative force: As often as the beasts give glory, immediately the elders fall.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
beasts
living creatures. (See Scofield “Eze 1:5”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
when: Rev 5:13, Rev 5:14, Rev 7:11, Rev 7:12
who: Rev 1:18, Rev 5:14, Rev 10:6, Rev 15:7, Exo 15:18, Psa 48:14, Heb 7:8, Heb 7:25
Reciprocal: Lev 9:24 – they shouted 1Ch 16:29 – the glory Psa 30:12 – I will Isa 6:3 – Holy Rom 16:27 – God 2Co 9:15 – Thanks Gal 1:5 – whom Eph 1:3 – Blessed Eph 3:21 – be Phi 4:20 – unto Rev 4:2 – and one Rev 4:6 – four beasts Rev 4:10 – worship Rev 5:11 – the throne Rev 6:16 – the face Rev 7:10 – sitteth Rev 10:5 – lifted Rev 11:17 – We give Rev 14:7 – give Rev 14:11 – for Rev 21:5 – that sat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 4:9. And when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever. In these words we have a description of the Trisagion which has just been sung, and the description introduces the fact that the four-and-twenty elders are stirred by the lofty melody. It is remarkable that this should be the order of the song of praise. We might have expected that the twenty-four elders as representing the Church would be first, and that by them the representatives of creation would be stirred to a like enthusiasm. As it is, the order is reversed. The explanation is to be sought in the general character of this chapter, as compared with the one that follows it. The song raised is not so much one of praise for redemption, as of praise for that creation and providence of God which preceded and prepared the way for redemption. Redeemed creation therefore begins it; but it is immediately taken up by the Church.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. How St. John saw both beasts and elders, representing ministers and people, unitedly joining together; and with one consent sounding forth the high praises of their God; intimating, how the whole body of sincere Christians ought heartily to join with their faithful ministers in that blessed work of praising and worshipping the eternal God.
Observe, 2. That as a farther act of homage and adoration, the four and twenty elders cast their crowns down to the ground; not in a way of contempt and disdain, as if they slighted the glory conferred upon them by God, but in a way of humble gratitude; attributing their victory and reward to God, and not to themselves of it, that they may put honour upon God; professing hereby, that all the goodness wrought in them, or done by them, does proceed from God’s free grace and mercy, and that the glory of it is entirely due to him.
Observe, 3. The hymn of thanksgiving itself, which was jointly sung among them. Worthy art thou O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power. As if they had said, That God thou art, unto whom all the homage and adoration of thy creatures are justly and peculiarly due; for thou hast created all things by thy omnipotent power, and for thy pleasure and the manifestation of thy glory, they are still preserved as they were at first created.
Where remark, That every moment’s preservation is virtually a new creation, and that the same omnipotent power is necessary every moment to preserve us, which was at first requisite to create us.
Therefore worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and everlasting praises, as thou art He who givest being to all creatures, and therefore givest it them, that they might love and laud, magnify and bless, glorify and serve, honour and obey, thee, their great creator and gracious preserver. Amen.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verses 9-11 Upon hearing praise given to God, the twenty-four elders join in praise and cast their crowns down before him as an acknowledgment of the source of those crowns. Earthly rulers might demand worship but they are not eternal, did not create all things and do no therefore deserve the worship that only a creator can demand.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Rev 4:9-11. And when those living creatures give glory, &c., the elders fall down That is, as often as the living creatures begin their song of adoration and praise, the elders immediately fall down. The expression implies that they did so at the same instant, and that they both did this frequently. The living creatures do not say directly, Holy, holy, holy art thou; but only bend a little, out of deep reverence, and say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. But the elders, when they are fallen down, say, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory This he receives, not only when he is thus praised, but also when he destroys his enemies, and glorifies himself anew; glory, &c. In the Greek, (which has the article with each noun,) it is, the glory, and the honour, and the power; answering the thrice holy of the living creatures, Rev 4:9. For thou hast created all things By thine almighty energy. Creation is the ground of all the works of God. Therefore for this, as well as for all his other works, he must and will be praised to all eternity. And for thy pleasure , on account of thy will; they are They exist; and were at first created Their first production and continued existence are owing to the riches of thy free goodness; and therefore they are all under the strongest obligations, according to their respective natures, to subserve the purposes of thy glory.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4:9 And when those beasts {c} give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
(c) God is said to have glory, honour, kingdom, and such like given to him, when we godly and reverently set forth that which is properly and only his.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The worship of God 4:9-11
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Whenever it is appropriate and possible the four living creatures give praise to eternal God. They glorify and honor Him for His perfections, and they thank Him for His great works, especially His creation (Rev 4:11).