Revelation 4:4

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

And around God’s throne there were twenty-four [other] thrones, with twenty-four elders sitting on them. [Note: These “elders” are generally considered to represent all the saved of both covenants. The number twenty-four is thought to be derived from the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles]. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads.

Cross References

Revelation 11:16

And the twenty-four elders, who sit in front of God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God,

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, [since] you have become my followers, in the time of new beginnings [i.e., the church age], when the Son of man sits on His glorious throne, you apostles will also sit on twelve thrones, judging [i.e., through their writings] the twelve tribes of Israel [i.e., God’s people].

Revelation 4:10

[then] the twenty-four elders fall down in front of Him who sits on His throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they throw their crowns in front of the throne and say,

Revelation 7:11

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the [twenty-four] elders and the four living beings. And they fell down on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God,

Revelation 20:4

Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 5:14

And the four living beings said, “May it be so.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 5:8

And when He had taken the book, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down in front of the Lamb [i.e., to worship Him]. Each one of them held [in his hands] a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints [See Psa. 141:2; Rev. 8:3-4].

Luke 22:30

so you can eat and drink at my table in my [coming] kingdom. [Also] you will sit on [twelve] thrones [See Matt. 19:28], judging the twelve tribes of Israel [i.e., judging God’s people through their writings].

2 Timothy 4:8

So, now there is a crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, who is a just Judge, will award me on that day [i.e., the Judgment Day], and not to me only, but also to everyone who has loved [the prospect of] His appearing.

Revelation 19:4

Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who sits on His throne. They said, “May it be so, Hallelujah!”

Revelation 7:9

After seeing [all] these things, I looked and there [I saw] a huge crowd, which no one could count, from every nation, and tribe, and race, and language group, standing in front of the throne [of God] and in front of the Lamb. They were dressed in white robes and had palm tree branches in their hands.

Revelation 19:14

And the armies in heaven, dressed in expensive, white, clean linen, followed Him, [riding] on white horses.

Revelation 6:11

And a white robe was given to each one of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the [full] number of their fellow servants and their brothers would be killed like they were.

Revelation 9:7

And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads [they wore] what appeared to be golden crowns, and their faces looked like the faces of human beings.

Revelation 2:10

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. [For] look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. [But], you should be faithful [to God] even to the point of dying [for Him], and I will give you the crown of [never ending] life.

Revelation 3:18

[Because of that], I advise you to buy from me gold, refined by fire, so that you will become rich; and white clothing to wear, so that you can cover yourself and not be seen as shamefully naked; and eye drops for your eyes, so that you can see. [Note: The foregoing all refer to taking measures for becoming more spiritual].

Revelation 4:6

And there was an ocean, as crystal-clear as glass, in front of the throne. And at the center, surrounding the throne were four living beings, covered with eyes in the front and back of them. [Note: In view of Isa. 6:1-3 and especially Eze. 10:20ff, these “living beings” appear to be some special order of heavenly beings who inhabit the presence of God].

Revelation 5:6

Then I saw a Lamb, looking like it had been killed. He was standing in the center of the throne, surrounded by the four living beings and the [twenty-four] elders. He has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [i.e., the Holy Spirit. See 1:4], sent throughout the entire earth.

Revelation 5:11

Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living beings and elders. They numbered in the tens of thousands, and thousands and thousands [more]. [Note: The Greek says “myriads of myriads”].

Revelation 14:3

And they [i.e., the 144,000] were singing a new song in front of God’s throne, and in front of the four living beings and the [twenty-four] elders. No one could learn [to sing] this song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand [See 7:4,9] who had been purchased from the earth.