Theology Index
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. (Rev. 4:4 KJV)
The four and twenty elders of Revelation 4:4 have been in heaven with God from the beginning... They can not be the members of the church or the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve apostles...
After Moses led Israel out of Egypt and went up onto the mountain he was instructed to build the tabernacle according to what he was shown... When we look at all the ordinances concerning the tabernacle we see twenty four companies of priests that serve in the sanctuary.
Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; (1 Chr 23:28 KJV)
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. (Exod 25:8-9 KJV)
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. (Exod 25:40 KJV)
In 1 Chronicles 24 the Levites are divided up into 24 companies of priests that represent the twenty four elders according to the pattern shown Moses...
These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him. (1 Chr 24:19 KJV)
A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. (Heb 8:2-5 KJV)
I'm sure to catch hell for this (from the KJV only crowd) but here goes...
The King James Version says: us / we...
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Rev 5:10 (KJV)
whereas the New International Version is correct when it says: them / they...
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Rev 5:10 (NIV)
From all these passages it is seen that the elders are grouped, not with the martyrs, or redeemed, or the one, hundred and forty and four thousand not with saved men, but with the angels and the cherubim about the throne of God.
That being the case, The four and twenty elders are in a different class altogether, more akin to cherubim and not of the redeemed.
1. They are about the throne.
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. Rev 4:4 (NIV)
2. When the cherubim give glory to God, they also worship.
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: Rev 4:10 (NIV)
3. Together they sing the new song.
And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Rev 5:9 (NIV)
4. When the angels honor the Lamb, these unite in saying, Amen.
The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped. Rev 5:14 (NIV)
5. When the innumerable multitude of redeemed, clothed in white robes, praise God for salvation, the angels and elders, and four beasts are not with these redeemed ones, but about the throne, and join together in a separate form of praise from that offered by men.
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
(Rev 7:9-12 NIV)
6. One of the elders informs John concerning those arrayed in white robes, and it is evident that he does not belong to their number.
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come from?" (Rev 7:13 NIV)
7. When the final triumph comes, and the seventh trumpet angel proclaims that "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." the four and twenty elders who were sitting on their seats before the throne fell upon their faces and gave thanks to God.
saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
(Rev 11:17 NIV)
8. Last but not least the elders are before the redeemed along with the four living creatures...
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (Rev 14:3 NIV)
I believe these twenty-four elders are represented by the groups of priests engaged in the service of the temple, the institutions of which were "a copy and shadow of what is in heaven" They are of the company that surround the throne and serve in the presence of God.
They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." (Heb 8:5 NIV)
The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites-- one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.
The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
the fifth to Malkijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
the twenty-first to Jakin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
the twenty-third to Delaiah and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
(1 Chr 24:6-19 NIV)
Theology Index