THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS.
By John Nevins Andrews
[Translated for the Review, from Les Signes Des Temps.] Who are the twenty-four elders and the four beasts? These elders are mentioned in Rev. 4:4, 10; 5:5, 6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4. With the elders there are four living beings. These are mentioned in Rev. 4:6, 7, 9; 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5, 6, 7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4. They were before the throne of God when John had his vision, as we will show. John was commanded to present himself before God, so that future events might be shown to him. He saw the Father seated on the throne of glory. In his hand was a sealed book, which no living creature could open or69look upon. This book was opened by the Son of God. Chap. 5. When it was opened, seal after seal, the successive events of time to come were revealed to John. In other words, this book was the revelation that the Father gave to the Son, that he might make it known to John, by the ministry of his angel. Chap. 1:1. The elders and the four living beings were before the throne when the Father gave this book to the Son. John wept, when he saw that no man or angel could be found worthy to unseal the book; but one of the elders told him to cease weeping; for the Lion of the tribe of Juda, was worthy to loose the seals thereof. This shows that they were in the presence of God when the revelation was given to John. When each one of the first four seals had been opened, one of the four living beings said, “Come and see.” This shows that they were before the throne of God, when the revelation was given to John, by Christ. Now, if we turn to chap. 5:7–10, we learn who they were, and from whence they came. They sang a song of praise, saying, “Thou HAST REDEEMED us to God, by thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation.” These words indicate that they were human beings who had been made immortal. This establishes another fact. They had been made kings and priests to God; and John saw them thus, in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, where he saw the seven lamps of fire, and the golden altar of incense. Rev. 4:5; 8:3. See also the object of this position in the earthly sanctuary. Ex. 40:24–27; 27:19, 20. It thus appears that, as in the earthly sanctuary there is a high priest and below him other priests who serve as assistants, so there is also in the heavenly sanctuary, under the high priest, those who perform the duties of assistants. Christ is the only mediator between God and man. But angels and men can render some service in certain parts of the heavenly sanctuary. We find in the earthly sanctuary several things pertaining to the twenty-four elders and the four beasts. God gave to David a pattern of the temple, as he had given to Moses a pattern of the tabernacle. 1 Chron. 28:11–19; Ex. 25:40. The object of this was to make the earthly sanctuary as exact a representation of the heavenly sanctuary as possible. Heb. 8:5; 9:23, 24. When God gave to David the pattern of the earthly temple, he told him to divide the priests into twenty-four classes. These were to act under the high priest. 1 Chron. 24. This was designed to represent the order of things in the heavenly sanctuary. The four living beings were represented by the four standards under which the people of God camped in the wilderness. But, it might be asked, how do you prove that these human beings had been glorified before the time when John had his revelation? We think the reply will not be hard to find. When our Saviour was raised from the dead, many saints were raised with him. Matt. 27:51–53. When he ascended to Heaven they ascended with him. Eph. 4:8. The high priest is seated on the throne of the Father. The twenty-four elders are seated on thrones in the presence of God. Heb. 8:1; Rev. 4. In the great day of Judgment, when the saints will be united to Christ to judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2, 3), all those who have had part in the first resurrection, will be seated on thrones of judgment. Rev. 20:4. When all the redeemed are assembled before God, they will bow before his throne. Rev. 7:9, 10. And when Christ seats himself on his own throne, all those who have overcome will be seated with him on his throne as Christ has overcome and is now seated on the throne of his Father. Rev. 3:21.
J. N. A.