24 elders in the new testament

[gallenwalsh]

Any one have any Idea what that whole scene pictures in revelation?. There are 24 elders, a beast with four heads( man, lion,bull,eagle).jewels ( sounds like a rainbow). I know there are 12tribes of Israel( the church) 12 apostles (the pillars) that would equal 24. Many accounts of rainbows:  urim and thumin, coat of many colors,rainbow covenant. I am thinking this fulfills the government of GOD, the foundation laid in Christ, the work of Christ to begin the new age. The beast with the four heads is throwing me off:my recollection of the beast with four heads is somewhere in the OT, Daniel (I think ). I always thought that was describing an ARC angle. I have no real back round in ancient Babylon history only what I recognize from the pyramids and some of the creatures resembled just that configuration or compilation of creatures: a combination of man, eagle,etc.Would any one have any insight to the creature with four heads ( many eyes)?

[Kat]

Hi Gallenwalsh,

You have to understand that what is being said in Revelation is symbolic and represents something else. Like for example if you said someone's head was in the clouds, you don't mean that literally or if you said someone was pig headed, you don't mean they literally have a pig's head. So these symbols in Revelation stand for something else. If you will look at this passage in Rev. 5, it says whom it is speaking of.

Rev 5:8  Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

That gives you a big clue right there, "the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders" which is repersentive of a certain group, had these symbolic things, "harp" and "incense, which are the prayers of the saints." This group has the "prayers" of the saints, that is their's. They were prayed up to God, as incense, but they are the saints prayers.

Rev 5:9  And they sang a new song, saying:
      "You are worthy to take the scroll,
      And to open its seals;
      For You were slain,
      And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
      Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Rev 5:10  And have made us kings and priests to our God;
      And we shall reign on the earth."

So there it tells you who that group is; "the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders... they sang a new song, saying... For You... have redeemed us... And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

Rev 11:15  Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
v. 16  And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

Rev 20:4-5  And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection.
v. 6  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Hope that is of some help.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

p.s. that's cute John  

[Aatos]

Personally I'm of the camp that believes that the four beasts, and the 24 elders are celestial beings. 

[aqrinc]

Hi Kat,

Not to be too nosey , but how much more than me, do you get paid as a moderator . How come no one told me, in all this time that there were bucks being passed out

george.

Oh, i do concur with that explanation of Symbols in Revelation.

[Dave in Tenn]

If the beasts and 24 Elders are celestial beings, then to my mind, that's the end of it--full stop--no need to go further--they're new 'spiritual characters' in the huge history of the Bible.

If, however, the Revelation (like the rest of Scripture) is inspired by God, and is beneficial for teaching, for exposure, for correction, for discipline in righteousness, that the man of God may be equipped, fitted out for every good act, and is the revelation of Christ in the life of the saints, then that's not the end of it and I might oughta better spiritually listen to what the Spirit is saying to the spiritual saints.

I'm not saying one is right and the other wrong.  How am I supposed to know?  I DO have an opinion, but since I haven't been paid in MONTHS, there's no way I'm going to tell you guys.  

[soberxp]

TO ALL
THIS IS NOT TEACHING ,JUST MY GUESS FROM .........................http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,10924.0.html

creatures　http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatures_(artificial_life_program)



the four living creatures  by god

1.chinese dragon，(China)
2.Pyramid,(Egypt ，CENTRAL SOUTH AMERICA ，)
3.Sphinx,(Egypt )
4.Athena(Greece)

review The history of humanity,just my/I guess
not about modern civilization; culture，
but about a country with an ancient civilization.
that's the living creatures by god
or
if you are not a believer, you could call it (artificial_life_program).

and the four culture could be representative of the review The history of humanity





I can't express good than any of you yet,but I have no other words to express about the four living creatures



blessings

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi Gallenwalsh

You ask : Any one have any Idea what that whole scene pictures in revelation?.

It pictures everything that is to happen within us spiritually as we are made into the Image of God and  is the revelation of Jesus Christ as He is to be revealed to us within.

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

This has to happen within us. As Kat notes, this is symbolic.

Ray expounds that "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard BEHIND me a great voice, as of a trumpet... And I turned to see the voice that spoke with ME. And being TURNED, I saw seven gold candlesticks; [the complete church of God in all generations, with MY sins outlined in each and every one of them] LOF X1V

Even the creature with four heads and many eyes has to be the unveiling of Christ within us as the Revelation of Christ is the whole scene pictured in Revelation, not adding or subtracting anything.   

Arc