0304

CONTENTS

| * 3.4.1 - Revelation 4:1

3.4.2 - Revelation 4:2
3.4.3 - Revelation 4:3
3.4.4 - Revelation 4:4

| * 3.4.5 - Revelation 4:5

3.4.6 - Revelation 4:6
3.4.7 - Revelation 4:7
3.4.8 - Revelation 4:8

| * 3.4.9 - Revelation 4:9

3.4.10 - Revelation 4:10
3.4.11 - Revelation 4:11

|

Him who lives forever
The one living into the ages of the ages. This is God the Father seated on His throne. How similar His identity is with that of Jesus: the Living One, and dead I became and behold living I am into the ages of the ages (Rev. 1:18+). See commentary on Revelation 1:18. His eternal existence is coupled with His role as Creator (see next verse) because He alone is without previous cause. He is the unique "uncaused cause" which has always existed and from which all else was brought forth. If God were not eternal, then all eternity would have been nothingness because no agent would have preexisted creation to bring it forth. "This is the strongest possible expression for an unending eternity. We make special mention of it because later we shall see that the same phrase is used of the duration of the punishment of Satan, his captains and those of earth who have followed him."1 cast their crowns
They recognized the supreme worthiness of the One on the throne. Their own crowns are entirely dependent upon His grace and bestowal. "What are these crowns? . . . they are the symbols of reward. They are the prizes, which have come from God's heart of grace, given unto those who, at the best, were unprofitable servants. When we shall see the worship of the mighty cherubim, we shall realize therefore, that no crown belongs to us rightfully and we shall cast them down before the presence of Him who lives forever."2 See Crowns.----

Notes

1 Donald Grey Barnhouse, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971), 98.

2 Barnhouse, Revelation, 98.

CONTENTS