Revelation 4:8-11 sits inside this longer paragraph.
2Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 3that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. 5Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
9When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, 11“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv8–11 Every beast had six wings.
Every beast had six wings.
By events, in that for all the causes before mentioned God is glorified both of Angels, as holy, Judge, omnipotent, eternal and immutable, verse 8, and also after their example he is glorified of holy men (verse 9) in sign and in speech, verses 10, 11.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv9–11 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour…
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.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv8–11 And the four beasts had each of them six…
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him: the seraphims in Isaiah’s vision, Rev 6:2, had so; there their use is declared, —with twain he covered his face, with twain his feet, and with twain he did fly. If we understand all the wings here for flight, they signify the readiness of God’s ministers to move every way that God will send them: if we understand them as interpreted by Isa 6:2, they signify their various graces, their fear, dread, and reverence of God; their humility and modesty; their agility, or readiness to obey all the commands of God.
And they were full of eyes within: this denotes that large measure of knowledge, and diligence, and watchfulness, which should be in a minister of Christ.
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And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty: this was the song of the seraphims, Isa 6:3, and shows how much it should be the care of ministers to make God known in all his attributes, his holiness especially, and his power.
Which was, and is, and is to come; and his eternity and simplicity, as he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, without variableness or shadow of change.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On v9 Observe here, 1. How St. John saw both beasts…
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.
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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.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v8 We have considered the sights that the apostle saw…
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, Isa 6:1-13. 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.
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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, Rev 4:11. 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, Pro 16:4. 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.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–11 And the four beasts had each of them six…
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him,.... As the seraphim in Isa 6:2 with two of which they might cover their faces as they did, testifying thereby their reverence of God, when in his presence; and with the other two cover their feet, signifying their sense of their sinfulness, weakness, and imperfection, in their conversation, even in their best works, and in the ministry of the word; and with the other two fly about, as denoting their readiness to minister the word and ordinances, to visit the members of the church, and do all good offices of love and service to them that lie in their power:
and they were full of eyes within; to look into the sin and corruption of their own hearts, which is a means of keeping them humble amidst all their attainments, gifts, and graces, and of qualifying them to speak aptly of the cases of others; and they have eyes within, to look into and consult their own experience; for besides the word of God, which lies before them, they have a testimony in themselves of the truth of the doctrines of the Gospel, which they do well to attend unto; and they have these inward eyes to look into that treasure which God has put into their earthen vessels, in order to bring out of it things new and old.
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And they rest not day and night; they give up themselves to the ministry of the word, and prayer; are wholly in these things, meditate on the word continually, and preach the Gospel in season, and out of season:
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; living under a continual sense of the holiness of God, Father, Son, and Spirit; and how necessary holiness is in themselves, who bear the vessels of the Lord, and in the churches and house of God; taking care that all their doctrines are according to godliness, and serve to promote holiness of life and conversation; and also under a sense of the power of God, and of their need of it, to carry them through their work, and make their ministry successful; and of the eternity and immutability of God, which is a wonderful support unto them amidst all the difficulties and troubles that attend them. The word "holy" is three times used here, as by the seraphim in Isa 6:3; and in some copies it is repeated six times, and in others nine times, as in the Complutensian edition.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11 Each of them hath six wings - As had…
Each of them hath six wings - As had each of the seraphim in Isaiah's vision. "Two covered his face," in token of humility and reverence: "two his feet," perhaps in token of readiness and diligence for executing divine commissions. Round about and within they are full of eyes. Round about - To see everything which is farther off from the throne than they are themselves. And within - On the inner part of the circle which they make with one another. First, they look from the center to the circumference, then from the circumference to the center. And they rest not - O happy unrest! Day and night - As we speak on earth. But there is no night in heaven. And say, Holy, holy, holy - Is the Three-One God. There are two words in the original, very different from each other; both which we translate holy. The one means properly merciful; but the other, which occurs here, implies much more. This holiness is the sum of all praise, which is given to the almighty Creator, for all that he does and reveals concerning himself, till the new song brings with it new matter of glory. This word properly signifies separated, both in Hebrew and other languages. And when God is termed holy, it denotes that excellence which is altogether peculiar to himself; and the glory flowing from all his attributes conjoined, shining forth from all his works, and darkening all things besides itself, whereby he is, and eternally remains, in an incomprehensible manner separate and at a distance, not only from all that is impure, but likewise from all that is created. God is separate from all things. He is, and works from himself, out of himself, in himself, through himself, for himself. Therefore, he is the first and the last, the only one and the Eternal, living and happy, endless and unchangeable, almighty, omniscient, wise and true, just and faithful, gracious and merciful. Hence it is, that holy and holiness mean the same as God and Godhead: and as we say of a king, "His Majesty;" so the scripture says of God, "His Holiness," Heb. xii, 10. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. When God is spoken of, he is often named "the Holy One:" and as God swears by his name, so he does also by his holiness; that is, by himself. This holiness is often styled glory: often his holiness and glory are celebrated together, Lev. x, 3; Isaiah vi, 3. For holiness is covered glory, and glory is uncovered holiness. The scripture speaks abundantly of the holiness and glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And hereby is the mystery of the Holy Trinity eminently confirmed. That is also termed holy which is consecrated to him, and for that end separated from other things: and so is that wherein we may be like God, or united to him. In the hymn resembling this, recorded by Isaiah, Isaiah vi, 3, is added, "The whole earth is full of his glory." But this is deferred in the Revelation, till the glory of the Lord (his enemies being destroyed) fills the earth.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv8, 10, 11 Verse 8. The four beasts had each of them…
Verse 8. The four beasts had each of them six wings] I have already observed, in the preface to this book, that the phraseology is rabbinical; I might have added, and the imagery also. We have almost a counterpart of this description in Pirkey Elieser. chap. 4. I shall give the substance of this from Schoettgen. "Four troops of ministering angels praise the holy blessed God: the first is Michael, at the right hand; the next is Gabriel, at the left; the third is Uriel, before; and the fourth is Raphael, behind him. The shechinah of the holy, blessed God is in the midst, and he himself sits upon a throne high and elevated, hanging in the air; and his magnificence is as amber חשמל , (chashmal,) in the midst of the fire, Eze 1:4, On his head is placed a crown and a diadem, with the incommunicable name (יהוה Yehovah) inscribed on the front of it. His eyes go throughout the whole earth; a part of them is fire, and a part of them hail. At his right hand stands Life, and at his left hand Death; and he has a fiery sceptre in his hand. Before him is the veil spread, that veil which is between the temple and the holy of holies; and seven angels minister before him within that veil: the veil and his footstool are like fire and lightning; and under the throne of glory there is a shining like fire and sapphire, and about his throne are justice and judgment.
"The place of the throne are the seven clouds of glory; and the chariot wheels, and the cherub, and the living creatures which give glory before his face. The throne is in similitude like sapphire; and at the four feet of it are four living creatures, each of which has four faces and four wings. When God speaks from the east, then it is from between the two cherubim with the face of a MAN; when he speaks from the south, then it is from between the two cherubim with the face of a LION; when from the west, then it is from between the two cherubim with the face of an OX; and when from the north, then it is from between the two cherubim with the face of an EAGLE.
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"And the living creatures stand before the throne of glory; and they stand in fear, in trembling, in horror, and in great agitation; and from this agitation a stream of fire flows before them. Of the two seraphim one stands at the right hand of the holy blessed God, and one stands at the left; and each has six wings: with two they cover their face lest they should see the face of the shechina; with two they cover their feet lest they should find out the footstool of the shechinah; and with two they fly, and sanctify his great name. And they answer each other, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. And the living creatures stand near his glory, yet they do not know the place of his glory; but wheresoever his glory is, they cry out and say, Blessed be the glory of the Lord in his place."
In Shemoth Rabba, sec. 23, fol. 122, 4, Rabbi Abin says: "There are four which have principality in this world: among intellectual creatures, MAN; among birds, the EAGLE; among cattle, the OX; and among wild beasts, the LION: each of these has a kingdom and a certain magnificence, and they are placed under the throne of glory, Eze 1:10, to show that no creature is to exalt itself in this world, and that the kingdom of God is over all." These creatures may be considered the representatives of the whole creation.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv8–9 Rev 4:8. And the four living creatures — With…
Rev 4:8. And the four living creatures — With an allusion to the seraphim represented in Isaiah’s vision; had each of them six wings about him — Which they used in part to express their reverence and humility, and in part to show readiness and expedition in performing the orders and commands of God. See on Isa 6:2-3. And they were full of eyes within — Bengelius reads κυκλοθεν και εσωθεν γεμουσιν οφθαλμων, round about and within they are full of eyes: round about signifying their attention to and knowledge of the state of the world and church in general; or rather, perhaps, their vigilance and circumspection, their attention to their duty to God and man, and their watchful observance of the designs, wiles, devices, and various motions and snares of their spiritual enemies; and they are said to be full of eyes within, to signify their self-knowledge, their diligent attention to the state of their own hearts, and the various workings of their passions and appetites, their affections and thoughts. And they rest not — O happy unrest! day and night — They are incessant in the spiritual worship, adoration, and praise of him who is a Spirit; and at all proper opportunities they unite in acts of solemn and external worship; saying — With their lips, as well as in their hearts; Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which ever was, and now is, and is still to come — Or, for ever will be; the one true God, the everlasting Lord, the Supreme Governor of all beings.
There are two words in the original very different from each other, both which we translate holy. The one, οσιος, means properly, merciful: but the other, αγιος, which occurs here, implies much more. “This holiness is the sum of all the praise which is given to the Almighty Creator, for all that he does and reveals concerning himself, till the new song brings with it new matter of glory. This word properly signifies separated. And when God is termed holy, it denotes that excellence which is altogether peculiar to himself; and the glory flowing from all his attributes conjoined, shining forth from all his works, and darkening all things besides itself, whereby he is, and eternally remains, in an incomprehensible manner, separate, and at a distance, not only from all that is impure, but likewise from all that is created. God is separate from all things. He is, and works from himself, out of himself, in himself, through himself, for himself. Therefore he is the First and the Last, the only One, and the Eternal; living and happy, endless and unchangeable, almighty, omniscient, wise and true, just and faithful, gracious and merciful. When God is spoken of, he is often named, The Holy One. And as God swears by his name, so he does also by his holiness, that is, by himself. This holiness is often styled glory; often his holiness and glory are celebrated together, Lev 10:3; Isa 6:4. For holiness is covered glory, and glory is uncovered holiness. The Scripture speaks abundantly of the holiness and glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And hereby is the mystery of the Holy Trinity eminently confirmed. That is also termed holy, which is consecrated to him, and for that end separated from other things. And so is that wherein we may be like God, or united to him. In the hymn resembling this, recorded by Isaiah, (Rev 6:3,) is added, The whole earth is full of his glory. But this is deferred in the Revelation, till the glory of the Lord (his enemies being destroyed) fills the earth.” — Wesley.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv8–11 And the four beasts had each of them six…
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him - An emblem common to them all, denoting that, in reference to each and all the things here symbolized, there was one common characteristic - that in heaven there is the utmost promptness in executing the divine commands. Compare Isa 6:2; Psa 18:10; Psa 104:3; Jer 48:40. No mention is made of the manner in which these wings were arranged, and conjecture in regard to that is vain. The seraphim, as seen by Isaiah, had each one six wings, with two of which the face was covered, to denote profound reverence; with two the feet, or lower parts - emblematic of modesty; and with two they flew - emblematic of their celerity in executing the commands of God, Isa 6:2. Perhaps without impropriety we may suppose that, in regard to these living beings seen by John, two of the wings of each were employed, as in Isaiah, to cover the face - token of profound reverence; and that the remainder were employed in flight denoting the rapidity with which the divine commands are executed. Mercury, the messenger of Jupiter among the pagan, was represented with wings, and nothing is more common in the paintings and basreliefs of antiquity than such representations.
And they were full of eyes within - Prof. Stuart more correctly renders this, “around and within are full of eyes”; connecting the word “around” (“about”), not with the wings, as in our version, but with the eyes. The meaning is, that the portions of the beasts that were visible from the outside of the throne, and the portions under or within the throne, were covered with eyes. The obvious design of this is to mark the universal vigilance of divine providence.
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And they rest not - Margin, have no rest. That is, they are constantly employed; there is no intermission. The meaning, as above explained, is, that the works and ways of God are constantly bringing praise to him.
Day and night - Continually. They who are employed day and night fill up the whole time - for this is all.
Saying, Holy, holy, holy - For the meaning of this, see the notes on Isa 6:3.
Lord God Almighty - Isaiah Isa 6:3 expresses it, “Yahweh of hosts.” The reference is to the true God, and the epithet Almighty is one that is often given him. It is especially appropriate here, as there were to be, as the sequel shows, remarkable exhibitions of power in executing the purposes described in this book.
Which was, and is, and is to come - Who is eternal - existing in all past time; existing now; and to continue to exist forever. See the notes on Rev 1:4.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv8, 10 Each of them six wings. See the like visions,…
Each of them six wings. See the like visions, Ezechiel i. 4; Isaias vi. 2. These signify their swiftness in executing God’s just commands. --- Full of eyes: a symbol of knowledge and watchfulness. --- They rested not day and night. There is no night in heaven; but hereby is signified, that they praised God without intermission for all eternity, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, our[2] God, &c. (Witham) --- They repeat the word holy three times, probably in honour of the blessed Trinity. And the four and twenty elders prostrate before the throne, in token of their acknowledging all their happiness and pre-eminence to be his gift. (Walmesley)
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Dignus est, Domine Deus. God is wanting in many copies, but Dr. Wells restored it as the true reading.
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George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv8–11 about him--Greek, "round about him." ALFORD connects this with…
about him--Greek, "round about him." ALFORD connects this with the following sentence: "All round and within (their wings) they are (so two oldest manuscripts, A, B, and Vulgate read) full of eyes." John's object is to show that the six wings in each did not interfere with that which he had before declared, namely, that they were "full of eyes before and behind." The eyes were round the outside of each wing, and up the inside of each when half expanded, and of the part of body in that inward recess.
rest not--literally, "have no rest." How awfully different the reason why the worshippers of the beast "have no rest day nor night," namely, "their torment for ever and ever."
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Holy, holy, holy--The "tris-hagion" of the Greek liturgies. In Isa 6:3, as here, it occurs; also Psa 99:3, Psa 99:5, Psa 99:9, where He is praised as "holy," (1) on account of His majesty (Rev 4:1) about to display itself; (2) His justice (Rev 4:4) already displaying itself; (3) His mercy (Rev 4:6-8) which displayed itself in times past. So here "Holy," as He "who was"; "Holy," as He "who is": "Holy," as He "who is to come." He showed Himself an object of holy worship in the past creation of all things: more fully He shows Himself so in governing all things: He will, in the highest degree, show Himself so in the consummation of all things. "Of (from) Him, through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." In Isa 6:3 there is added, "the whole EARTH is full of His glory." But in Revelation this is deferred until the glory of THE LORD fills the earth, His enemies having been destroyed [BENGEL].
Almighty--answering to "Lord of hosts" (Sabaoth), Isa 6:3.
The cherubim here have six wings, like the seraphim in Isa 6:2; whereas the cherubim in Eze 1:6 had four wings each. They are called by the same name, "living creatures." But whereas in Ezekiel each living creature has all four faces, here the four belong severally one to each. See on Eze 1:6. The four living creatures answer by contrast to the four world powers represented by four beasts. The Fathers identified them with the four Gospels, Matthew the lion, Mark the ox, Luke the man, John the eagle: these symbols, thus viewed, express not the personal character of the Evangelists, but the manifold aspect of Christ in relation to the world (four being the number significant of world-wide extension, for example, the four quarters of the world) presented by them severally: the lion expressing royalty, as Matthew gives prominence to this feature of Christ; the ox, laborious endurance, Christ's prominent characteristic in Mark; man, brotherly sympathy with the whole race of man, Christ's prominent feature in Luke; the eagle, soaring majesty, prominent in John's description of Christ as the Divine Word. But here the context best suits the view which regards the four living creatures as representing the redeemed election-Church in its relation of ministering king-priests to God, and ministers of blessing to the redeemed earth, and the nations on it, and the animal creation, in which man stands at the head of all, the lion at the head of wild beasts, the ox at the head of tame beasts, the eagle at the head of birds and of the creatures of the waters. Compare Rev 5:8-10, "Thou hast redeemed us by Thy blood out of every kindred . . . and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth"; and Rev 20:4, the partakers with Christ of the first resurrection, who conjointly with Him reign over the redeemed nations that are in the flesh. Compare as to the happy and willing subjection of the lower animal world, Isa 11:6-8; Isa 65:25; Eze 34:25; Hos 2:18. Jewish tradition says the "four standards" under which Israel encamped in the wilderness, to the east, Judah, to the north, Dan, to the west, Ephraim, to the south, Reuben, were respectively a lion, an eagle, an ox, and a man, while in the midst was the tabernacle containing the Shekinah symbol of the Divine Presence. Thus we have "the picture of that blessed period when--the earth having been fitted for being the kingdom of the Father--the court of heaven will be transferred to earth, and the 'tabernacle of God shall be with men' (Rev 21:3), and the whole world will be subject to a never-ending theocracy" (compare DE BURGH, Exposition of Revelation). The point of union between the two views given above is: Christ is the perfect realization of the ideal of man; Christ is presented in His fourfold aspect in the four Gospels respectively. The redeemed election-Church similarly, when in and through Christ (with whom she shall reign) she realizes the ideal of man, shall combine in herself human perfections having a fourfold aspect: (1) kingly righteousness with hatred of evil and judicial equity, answering to the "lion"; (2) laborious diligence in every duty, the "ox"; (3) human sympathy, the "man"; (4) the contemplation of heavenly truth, the "eagle." As the high-soaring intelligence, the eagle, forms the contrasted complement to practical labor, the ox bound to the soil; so holy judicial vengeance against evil, the lion springing suddenly and terribly on the doomed, forms the contrasted complement to human sympathy, the man. In Isa 6:2 we read, "Each had six wings: with twain he covered his face (in reverence, as not presuming to lift up his face to God), with twain he covered his feet (in humility, as not worthy to stand in God's holy presence), and with twain he did fly [in obedient readiness to do instantly God's command]."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv8–11 8. Six wings—Like the seraphim of Isa_6:2; which with…
8. Six wings—Like the seraphim of Isa_6:2; which with two of their wings covered the face in reverence before Jehovah; with two, their feet, as a decorum; and with the intermediate two they flew. John, however, makes no such distinction; the six wings apparently symbolize intense activity in obeying the behests of the Creator.
About him—A period should be put after wings, closing the sentence. Him should be struck out, and the reading should be: around and within (the wings) they (the cherubim) were full of eyes. In Rev_4:6, their bodies were described as full of eyes before and behind. Here they are described as to their wings; which wings were also full of eyes; both around, that is, on their outer side, and within, that is, on their inner side, coming in contact with the body when closed, and revealed to John’s eye when expanded. So are these cherubim most swift, as is symbolized by their six wings; and most divinely perceptive, both in their nature, as symbolized by their many-eyed bodies, and in their activities, as symbolized by their many-eyed wings. These living beings represent, not merely the animal kingdom, but also the very structure of the earth, and all things known under physical philosophy. This is shown by their number four, which refers to the cardinal points, and so to the physical system. The term ζωον implies that the whole mundane system is, as Hengstenberg terms it, “inspirited.” The Spirit of God is the soul of nature. The whole is impregnate with his all-wise power, and is thereby enabled to move by the law of its true development. Each and every particle of matter thereby sees, with divine eyes, which way to move to incorporate itself into an organism; and so physiology and generative races are possible. Each chemical element sees how to act to carry out God’s prescribed affinities, and with all its six wings hasten to be in exact time. And so it is that matter and motion, under rule of intelligence, form a systematic universe.
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The living beings and the elders are here both present at the throne in this day of the divine levee, because the purpose of the day is to unfold the future of both the living world and the living Church. And to the eye and ear of faith, the creation and the Church are a perpetual choir, offering an endless anthem to the Creator.
They rest not—A faulty translation, as suggesting weariness in the truly tireless. The literal Greek is, they have no cessation—no pause in their movements, no silence of their hymn. Day and night creation moves in rhythmic measures, and day and night the universal Church rolls up its trisagion.
Saying—It may seem strange to some that it is not the Church, but creation, that first offers its praise to God. Not so thought the psalmist, (<19E510>Psa_145:10,) “All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.” There is a desperate pessimism at present infecting our age, which finds in creation no proof of the goodness of God. The blessed faith of our Bible teaches a more benign philosophy. It holds that this is, on the whole, the best possible system, and beholds the world rejoicing in its existence and blessing its Creator. The permission of moral evil, and the partial production of natural evil, are methods and means of producing a higher result than could have existed without them.
Holy, holy, holy—This trine ascription (called the trisagion, or thrice-holy) is based on Isa_6:3, but carried out to a New Testament and trinitarian completeness. The trinality is emphasized by the thrice-three of the entire verse. Stuart remarks that he would not “rest” or “risk” a leading doctrine on this verse. But there is no “risk” in corroborating the proof of the trinity derived from a whole body of texts, making three a number for the divine by this, which is perhaps a crowning instance.
The word holy, thrice uttered, cannot well be applied to the three persons severally, as is shown by the fact that the second and third three in the verse cannot. It is the repetition of intensity. The divine holiness, omnipotence, and eternity, are sublimely recognised by the creational representatives.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11 8. And the four beasts &c.] Render, And the…
8. And the four beasts &c.] Render, And the four living creatures, having each of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within:” i.e. the statement of Rev_4:6, that they are “full of eyes before and behind,” is extended to tell us that they are covered with eyes, not only on the parts ordinarily visible, but when they spread their wings (and the Eagle at least was in the attitude of flight) it is seen that the inside of the wings, and the parts beneath it, are full of eyes too.
they rest not] Lit. have no rest. The order of words in the original makes it doubtful whether “day and night” should be connected with these words or with “saying:” but Rev_14:11 (where the same words occur in a very different sense) proves that the A. V. is right. There is some resemblance between this place and Enoch xxxix. 11, where Isa_6:3 is referred to, much as here: it is hardly likely that St John had the passage from Enoch in his mind.
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Holy, holy, holy] Isa_6:3. It will be observed that “Almighty” represents the Hebrew [God] “of Hosts:” see on Rev_1:8.
which was, &c.] Rev_1:4.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11 (8) And the four beasts (or, living beings) had…
(8) And the four beasts (or, living beings) had each of them (literally, one by one of them) six wings about him; and they were full of (or, teeming with) eyes.—The last verse spoke of the living beings teeming with eyes; this tells us that neither the dropping nor the raising of their wings hindered their view.
And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almightly, which was, and is, and is to come.—The resemblance to Isaiah’s vision (Rev_6:1-4) may remind us that the voice of God’s creation has in every age proclaimed His eternal holiness. The word “holy” is repeated eight times in the Sinaitic version. The “six wings” are taken to express reverence, for with twain (Isa_6:2) he covered his face; humility, for with twain he covered his feet; and obedience, for with twain he did fly. Some have understood these living beings to betoken rather the creative power of God than the actual creation. There is much to be said for this; but the analogy of the passage suits better the view here adopted. The twenty-four elders represent, not the regenerating power of God, but the regenerate Church. The new creation in Christ Jesus join in praise with all created things. The doxology in Rev_4:11 favours the interpretation, “Thou hast created all things.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv8–11 And the four beasts had each of them six…
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within. The stop should probably be after wings: are full of eyes about and within. In Isa_6:2 we have "six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." These actions appear to indicate reverence, humility, obedience. The eyes denote ceaseless activity. And they rest not day and night, saying. In the Authorized Version "day and night" is attached to "rest not." but probably should be taken with "saying," for, if connected with the negative phrase, "nor" would be more likely to occur than "and.
But the point is practically immaterial, since the sense of the passage is the same in both readings. These representatives of life display the characteristics of life in its fullest energy. They have no part in anything which savours of death no stillness, rest, or sleep. Holy, holy, holy. The thrice-repeated "holy" has very generally been held to indicate the Trinity of the Godhead. Such is evidently the intention of the English Church in ordering this passage to be read in the Epistle for Trinity Sunday. This ascription of praise is often, though wrongly, spoken of as the "Trisagion. Lord God Almighty. "Almighty" is pantokratwr , the "All-Ruler," not pantodunamov , the "All-Powerful." The former, as Bishop Pearson says, embraces the latter. Which was, and is, and is to come. This phrase is no doubt intended to attribute to God the quality of eternal existence. But it may also symbolize three aspects or departments of God"s dealings with mankind: the creation, which has been effected by the Father; the redemption, which is now occurring by the intercession of the Son; and the final perfect sanctification by the Holy Ghost.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v9 The four and twenty elders fall down … and…
Rev_4:9-11
The four and twenty elders fall down … and cast their crowns before the throne.
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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.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv8–11 8. The four living creatures. Their common characteristics are…
8. The four living creatures. Their common characteristics are now pointed out. All have six wings; they are full of eyes, and they all unite in a ceaseless cry of praise to God. Full of eyes within. They were full of eyes before and behind, and when the wings were lifted John saw that they were full of eyes within also. The eyes, sleepless, possibly symbolize never resting, wakeful activity. They have no rest. They never rest from praising the Lord.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv8–9 beasts living creatures. (See Scofield "Eze 1:5")
beasts
beasts living creatures. (See Scofield "Eze 1:5")
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God Almighty Jehovah of hosts. Isa 6:3
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v9 the one who sits on the throne, the one…
the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever
This is one person. The one who sits on the throne lives forever and ever.
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forever and ever
These two words mean about the same thing and are repeated for emphasis. AT: "for all eternity" (See: Doublet)
twenty-four elders
"24 elders." See how you translated this in Revelation 4:4. (See: Numbers)
fall down
They purposely lie down facing the ground to show that they are worshiping.
They lay their crowns before the throne
These crowns looked like wreaths of olive branches or laurel leaves, hammered out in gold. The elders were respectfully placing the crowns on the ground, showing that they were submitting to God's authority to rule. AT: "they lay their crowns before the throne to show that they were submitting to him" (See: Symbolic Action)
lay
Possible meanings are 1) to place or 2) to throw down forcibly, as of something worthless ("throw," Revelation 2:22). The reader should understand that the elders are acting respectfully.
our Lord and our God
"our Lord and God." This is one person, the one who was sitting on the throne.
to receive glory and honor and power
These are things that God always has. Being praised for having them is spoken of as receiving them. AT: "to be praised for your glory, honor, and power" or "for everyone to praise you because you are glorious, honorable, and powerful" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
life
creature
glory
honor
throne
eternity
elder
bow
crown
worthy
lord
God
power
create
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv8, 9, 11 4:8 day and night: The four beings ceaselessly praised…
4:8 day and night: The four beings ceaselessly praised God’s basic characteristics: his holiness, his power (the Almighty), and his eternity (see study note on 1:4). • Holy, holy, holy comes from Isa 6:3 and is the highest worship affirmation in Scripture. To double something makes it emphatic; to triple it makes it ultimate.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.