Revelation 4


Revelation 4 is the fourth chapter of the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, but the precise identity of the author remains a point of academic debate. This chapter contains an inaugural vision of heaven, portraying the throne room of heaven, and the heavenly worship which the writer observes there.

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 11 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are among others:
God's sovereignty over all things is symbolized by the throne, which visions are found both in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament prophetic tradition as well as in some Jewish apocalypses, and in this chapter is seen as "already fully acknowledged in heaven, and therefore as the true reality which must in the end prevail on earth". Taken up into heaven, John can see that "God's throne is the ultimate reality behind all earthly appearances".

Verse 1

"After these things" refers back to "the entire vision in to ".

Verse 8

The depiction of God's sovereignty starts with him as the 'Creator of all things', then as 'Redeemer' to restore his universal sovereignty on earth, with the expectation to renew his whole creation in the end.