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Chapter 17 Revelation Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of Revelation is often pointed to as the point in Revelation where the Rapture of the Church occurs. This chapter takes an objective look into the details
of this unique chapter.
Behold, a Door
Chapter 4 of Revelation begins with a door being opened and the command for John to
‘come up hither.’ Many equate this to be a‘type’ of the Rapture or that this is where the Rapture of the Church occurs in the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”
The reasons for the assumption that this is a ‘type’ of the Rapture vary but most include
some or all of the following:
1. There is a ‘door’ opened in Heaven which must be the same door referred to in
Revelation 3:8 that was said of the Church of Philadelphia.
2. ‘Come up hither’ is very similar to the command given to believers at the Rapture.
3. The 24 elders are said to represent the Raptured Church in Heaven.
4. The Church is not mentioned (conspicuously missing) in Revelation Chapter
4 through Chapter 18.
A Door is Opened
John details a vision he is given in Heaven regarding events of the end times. We
know that it is a vision because John is there in the ‘spirit’ (Revelation 4:2). Other prophets have been given visions:
Isaiah 1:1 “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
Ezekiel 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.”
Ezekiel 8:3 “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.”
Obadiah 1:1a “The vision of Obadiah.”
Nahum 1:1 “The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.”
Ezekiel even referred to the heavens being opened (Ezekiel 1:1) much like John seeing
a ‘door opened.’ But there isn’t any postulation that Ezekiel was ‘Raptured’ in Ezekiel 1:1.
So is this door (Revelation 4:1) the same door that the Church of Philadelphia was promised?
Revelation 3:7-8 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no
man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have
set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
In Revelation 3:7-8, John is quoting from the Old Testament when he uses the phrase ‘key of David.’ King Hezekiah entrusted his Prime Minister and treasurer, Shebna, with
the key of the house of David. It gave Shebna control over the entry into Jerusalem.
Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”
From the attributes (he is holy, he is true, he holds the key of David, he opens and no man can’t shut, and he shuts and no man can open), Jesus is the one holding the key. The door is set before them at the time John writes this. The door is not set before
them when they are to be Raptured or when they die. The door is set before them
on Earth and not in Heaven because the Church was on the Earth when John wrote this. (Otherwise the door could not have been ‘set before them.’)
We need to remember that an ‘open door’ has often been used to refer to the opportunity to spread or present the Gospel:
Acts 14:27 “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
2 Corinthians 2:12 “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and adoor was opened unto me of the Lord,”
Colossians 4:3 “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, andopen the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
In Revelation 3:7-8, John is obviously stating that the Philadelphia Church has been given an ‘open door’ opportunity to spread the Gospel of Christ. This is consistent with Peter being given the ‘keys of the kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 16:19).
This cannot be the same ‘door’ John uses to enter Heaven in Revelation 4:1.
Come Up Hither
‘Come up hither’ is the command given to John. At the Rapture, there is the sound of the last trump, the voice of the Archangel, and a shout. In Revelation 4:1, there is no Archangel and no trump (it just states that the voice sounded like a trumpet) even if this was the ‘shout’at the Rapture. Nowhere does the Scripture use the terminology ‘come
up hither’ when the Church is Raptured (of course many insist that this is the ‘shout’ referenced in 1 Thessalonians 4:16). However, the ‘shout’ given at the Rapture is not defined and to define it as anything in particular is speculative.
At the Rapture, believers will meet Jesus in the air first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Many believe that when the Rapture occurs, Jesus returns to Heaven. These
verses do not actually say that! It does say that Jesus will descend from Heaven. The implication is that there is a starting point (Heaven) and a destination point (Earth). Every time the word ‘descend’ is used in the New Testament, the journey is always completed. There is no indication that there is any kind of time interval between the beginning of the descent and its completion (let alone a seven year wait).
Mark 15:32 “Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.”
Acts 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:”
Romans 10:7 “Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)”
1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
There is no indication from the usage of the word ‘descend’ that the travel would be interrupted. There is not even a hint of a suggestion from the context that Jesus would backtrack to Heaven. So where does the idea that Jesus comes down halfway and then returns to Heaven? Perhaps it is the final resting place that Jesus has made for us is in Heaven (John 14:2-3). It may be that the Marriage Supper (Jesus and the Church) occurs before the Second Coming in Revelation 19. Regardless, there is nothing to suggest fromjust these verses that Jesus takes believers to Heaven at the time of the Rapture. It is possible that a return to Heaven takes place, but we would have to find such a reference to believers going to Heaven first in verses other than these (as noted in Revelation Chapter 19).
Back to the comparison with the ‘come up hither’ in Chapter 4 of Revelation: John is
called all the way from Earth to Heaven (in the spirit). John does not meet Jesus in
the air on the way to Heaven. John does not even meet Jesus when he first
gets to Heaven. The Rapture had living believers physically meeting Jesus in the air. John’s experience is spiritual and the Rapture is physical. John goes all the way to Heaven without stopping and the Rapture goes part way and possibly returns back to Earth. John is the only living person transported and the Rapture has a multitude ofliving and dead participants.
There are not enough parallels between these two events to suggest or establish that any kind of correlation exists between the Rapture and the ‘come up hither’ command given to John in Revelation 4. This command is merely consistent with visions experienced by other prophets in the Old Testament. To assert such a connection of the command given to John and the Rapture is to add to Scripture something that does not exist.
The 24 Elders
There are 24 elders mentioned that have seats of authority around the throne of Jesus in Heaven. They are mentioned several times in Revelation.
Revelation 4:4 “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”
Revelation 4:10-11 “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Revelation 5:8-10 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:14 “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”
Revelation 11:16 “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,”
Revelation 14:3 “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
Revelation 19:4 “And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.”
The postulation that is frequently put forth is that these 24 elders represent the RapturedChurch. Let’s evaluate that assertion.
Who Are the Elders?
There is some debate over the identity of the 24 elders. Some say that they are angels and others claim they are the Raptured Church. It is clearly revealed in Revelation 5:9-10 that these are men and not angels:
Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and weshall reign on the earth.”
There is no doubt that the 24 elders are believers (men) that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. In the Old Testament, men shed the blood of animals (sacrifices) in
accordance with the Will of God looking forward to the crucifixion of Jesus and His shed blood. During the Church Age, men look back to the cross and the blood Jesus shed. Redemption only comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, regardless whether they are Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, or Tribulational saints (or even the saints of the Millennium). This identifies the 24 elders as men and believers. It does not establish the era or age they represent.
Some might claim that they sang this as a ‘new song’ shows that they are from the Church. This ‘new song’ just means that the time for this song (when believers
are made kings and priests and will reign with Jesus on the Earth) would have been premature and inappropriate to sing until this point in time. They sing this song as the promises it declares for believers (kings, priests and reigning) begins to come to pass.
The 24 elders do not sing the new song that “the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth” sing before the elders. So the 24 elders most likely do not come out of the Tribulation. That, coupled with the fact that the elders are presentprior to the breaking of the seals tells us that these elders have been redeemed prior to the Tribulation. But it does not show us whether or not they are exclusively from the
Church Age (let alone a Raptured Church).
Ruling and Reigning
The promise to rule and reign with Christ has been made to the Church (Revelation 1:6),
the ‘Tribulation saint’ (Revelation 20:6) and now to the 24 elders (Revelation 5:10).
Israel has been promised, through David, an earthly kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-13). It should be noted that this promise has been made to Israelites that are living and haven’t died. What about the deceased Israelites who were believers prior to the Church? It is foolish to assert that these deceased Israelites will inherit an earthly kingdom. Their inheritance, other than the promise of a resurrection (Daniel 12:2), is undefined. The inheritance for other Old Testament saints is likewise ‘undefined.’
Isaiah states that during the Millennium, there will be Israelites that will be priest and ministers. Isaiah does not specify that these were believers that had died and were resurrected to hold these offices. But then he doesn’t say that they are not.
Isaiah 61:6 “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”
Just because there is no recorded promise to the Old Testament saint does not mean that the deceased Old Testament saint will not have the same inheritance as the Church (to
rule and reign with Christ). If that is not the reward for the deceased Old Testament saint, then what is their reward? Any kind of earthly inheritance for a spiritual and eternal being (once resurrected they will have glorified bodies) is a ridiculous concept.
The fact that the 24 elders will eventually be ‘kings and priests’ does not ‘prove’ that the 24 elders are members of the New Testament Church. They could have come from believers of any era starting with Adam.
They are Elders
In the Bible, the term elder always refers to a group of older men that represent a larger group of people. In the Old Testament, ‘elders’ was the term used most often of the older men who were leaders of the various tribes of Israel (Exodus 3:16; 19:7, Numbers 11:16).
The term ‘elder’ in the New Testament is used most prominently for the leaders of local churches. (Acts 14:23, 15: 22)
The term ‘elder’ is never used of angels in Scripture. This means that these 24 elders are human beings representing or administrating over a larger group of human beings.
They are on Thrones
Sitting on thrones means that the 24 are reigning or prepared to reign with God. In the
New Testament, it is the apostles (Matthew 19:28) or the Church (2 Timothy 2:12) that will reign with Christ. The 24 elders are on thrones in anticipation of their earthly roles.
Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and weshall reign on the earth.”
During the Millennium, saints will reign with Christ on the Earth. (Revelation 20:4, 6)
They Perform Acts of the Priesthood
These 24 elders are associated with a priestly act, which is never said of angels. They must be believer-priests associated with the Great High Priest (Lord Jesus Christ).
Revelation 5:8 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
They Wear Gold Crowns
The gold crown on the heads of the 24 elders has been cited as ‘proof’ that these elders
have been through the Bema Seat of Christ and have received their rewards (i.e. this had to occur after the Rapture). Let’s take a look at the crowns believers receive from Jesus.
Chapter 4 of Revelation is often pointed to as the point in Revelation where the Rapture of the Church occurs. This chapter takes an objective look into the details
of this unique chapter.
Behold, a Door
Chapter 4 of Revelation begins with a door being opened and the command for John to
‘come up hither.’ Many equate this to be a‘type’ of the Rapture or that this is where the Rapture of the Church occurs in the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”
The reasons for the assumption that this is a ‘type’ of the Rapture vary but most include
some or all of the following:
1. There is a ‘door’ opened in Heaven which must be the same door referred to in
Revelation 3:8 that was said of the Church of Philadelphia.
2. ‘Come up hither’ is very similar to the command given to believers at the Rapture.
3. The 24 elders are said to represent the Raptured Church in Heaven.
4. The Church is not mentioned (conspicuously missing) in Revelation Chapter
4 through Chapter 18.
A Door is Opened
John details a vision he is given in Heaven regarding events of the end times. We
know that it is a vision because John is there in the ‘spirit’ (Revelation 4:2). Other prophets have been given visions:
Isaiah 1:1 “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
Ezekiel 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.”
Ezekiel 8:3 “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.”
Obadiah 1:1a “The vision of Obadiah.”
Nahum 1:1 “The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.”
Ezekiel even referred to the heavens being opened (Ezekiel 1:1) much like John seeing
a ‘door opened.’ But there isn’t any postulation that Ezekiel was ‘Raptured’ in Ezekiel 1:1.
So is this door (Revelation 4:1) the same door that the Church of Philadelphia was promised?
Revelation 3:7-8 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no
man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have
set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
In Revelation 3:7-8, John is quoting from the Old Testament when he uses the phrase ‘key of David.’ King Hezekiah entrusted his Prime Minister and treasurer, Shebna, with
the key of the house of David. It gave Shebna control over the entry into Jerusalem.
Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”
From the attributes (he is holy, he is true, he holds the key of David, he opens and no man can’t shut, and he shuts and no man can open), Jesus is the one holding the key. The door is set before them at the time John writes this. The door is not set before
them when they are to be Raptured or when they die. The door is set before them
on Earth and not in Heaven because the Church was on the Earth when John wrote this. (Otherwise the door could not have been ‘set before them.’)
We need to remember that an ‘open door’ has often been used to refer to the opportunity to spread or present the Gospel:
Acts 14:27 “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
2 Corinthians 2:12 “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and adoor was opened unto me of the Lord,”
Colossians 4:3 “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, andopen the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
In Revelation 3:7-8, John is obviously stating that the Philadelphia Church has been given an ‘open door’ opportunity to spread the Gospel of Christ. This is consistent with Peter being given the ‘keys of the kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 16:19).
This cannot be the same ‘door’ John uses to enter Heaven in Revelation 4:1.
Come Up Hither
‘Come up hither’ is the command given to John. At the Rapture, there is the sound of the last trump, the voice of the Archangel, and a shout. In Revelation 4:1, there is no Archangel and no trump (it just states that the voice sounded like a trumpet) even if this was the ‘shout’at the Rapture. Nowhere does the Scripture use the terminology ‘come
up hither’ when the Church is Raptured (of course many insist that this is the ‘shout’ referenced in 1 Thessalonians 4:16). However, the ‘shout’ given at the Rapture is not defined and to define it as anything in particular is speculative.
At the Rapture, believers will meet Jesus in the air first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Many believe that when the Rapture occurs, Jesus returns to Heaven. These
verses do not actually say that! It does say that Jesus will descend from Heaven. The implication is that there is a starting point (Heaven) and a destination point (Earth). Every time the word ‘descend’ is used in the New Testament, the journey is always completed. There is no indication that there is any kind of time interval between the beginning of the descent and its completion (let alone a seven year wait).
Mark 15:32 “Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.”
Acts 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:”
Romans 10:7 “Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)”
1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
There is no indication from the usage of the word ‘descend’ that the travel would be interrupted. There is not even a hint of a suggestion from the context that Jesus would backtrack to Heaven. So where does the idea that Jesus comes down halfway and then returns to Heaven? Perhaps it is the final resting place that Jesus has made for us is in Heaven (John 14:2-3). It may be that the Marriage Supper (Jesus and the Church) occurs before the Second Coming in Revelation 19. Regardless, there is nothing to suggest fromjust these verses that Jesus takes believers to Heaven at the time of the Rapture. It is possible that a return to Heaven takes place, but we would have to find such a reference to believers going to Heaven first in verses other than these (as noted in Revelation Chapter 19).
Back to the comparison with the ‘come up hither’ in Chapter 4 of Revelation: John is
called all the way from Earth to Heaven (in the spirit). John does not meet Jesus in
the air on the way to Heaven. John does not even meet Jesus when he first
gets to Heaven. The Rapture had living believers physically meeting Jesus in the air. John’s experience is spiritual and the Rapture is physical. John goes all the way to Heaven without stopping and the Rapture goes part way and possibly returns back to Earth. John is the only living person transported and the Rapture has a multitude ofliving and dead participants.
There are not enough parallels between these two events to suggest or establish that any kind of correlation exists between the Rapture and the ‘come up hither’ command given to John in Revelation 4. This command is merely consistent with visions experienced by other prophets in the Old Testament. To assert such a connection of the command given to John and the Rapture is to add to Scripture something that does not exist.
The 24 Elders
There are 24 elders mentioned that have seats of authority around the throne of Jesus in Heaven. They are mentioned several times in Revelation.
Revelation 4:4 “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”
Revelation 4:10-11 “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Revelation 5:8-10 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:14 “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”
Revelation 11:16 “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,”
Revelation 14:3 “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
Revelation 19:4 “And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.”
The postulation that is frequently put forth is that these 24 elders represent the RapturedChurch. Let’s evaluate that assertion.
Who Are the Elders?
There is some debate over the identity of the 24 elders. Some say that they are angels and others claim they are the Raptured Church. It is clearly revealed in Revelation 5:9-10 that these are men and not angels:
Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and weshall reign on the earth.”
There is no doubt that the 24 elders are believers (men) that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. In the Old Testament, men shed the blood of animals (sacrifices) in
accordance with the Will of God looking forward to the crucifixion of Jesus and His shed blood. During the Church Age, men look back to the cross and the blood Jesus shed. Redemption only comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, regardless whether they are Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, or Tribulational saints (or even the saints of the Millennium). This identifies the 24 elders as men and believers. It does not establish the era or age they represent.
Some might claim that they sang this as a ‘new song’ shows that they are from the Church. This ‘new song’ just means that the time for this song (when believers
are made kings and priests and will reign with Jesus on the Earth) would have been premature and inappropriate to sing until this point in time. They sing this song as the promises it declares for believers (kings, priests and reigning) begins to come to pass.
The 24 elders do not sing the new song that “the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth” sing before the elders. So the 24 elders most likely do not come out of the Tribulation. That, coupled with the fact that the elders are presentprior to the breaking of the seals tells us that these elders have been redeemed prior to the Tribulation. But it does not show us whether or not they are exclusively from the
Church Age (let alone a Raptured Church).
Ruling and Reigning
The promise to rule and reign with Christ has been made to the Church (Revelation 1:6),
the ‘Tribulation saint’ (Revelation 20:6) and now to the 24 elders (Revelation 5:10).
Israel has been promised, through David, an earthly kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-13). It should be noted that this promise has been made to Israelites that are living and haven’t died. What about the deceased Israelites who were believers prior to the Church? It is foolish to assert that these deceased Israelites will inherit an earthly kingdom. Their inheritance, other than the promise of a resurrection (Daniel 12:2), is undefined. The inheritance for other Old Testament saints is likewise ‘undefined.’
Isaiah states that during the Millennium, there will be Israelites that will be priest and ministers. Isaiah does not specify that these were believers that had died and were resurrected to hold these offices. But then he doesn’t say that they are not.
Isaiah 61:6 “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”
Just because there is no recorded promise to the Old Testament saint does not mean that the deceased Old Testament saint will not have the same inheritance as the Church (to
rule and reign with Christ). If that is not the reward for the deceased Old Testament saint, then what is their reward? Any kind of earthly inheritance for a spiritual and eternal being (once resurrected they will have glorified bodies) is a ridiculous concept.
The fact that the 24 elders will eventually be ‘kings and priests’ does not ‘prove’ that the 24 elders are members of the New Testament Church. They could have come from believers of any era starting with Adam.
They are Elders
In the Bible, the term elder always refers to a group of older men that represent a larger group of people. In the Old Testament, ‘elders’ was the term used most often of the older men who were leaders of the various tribes of Israel (Exodus 3:16; 19:7, Numbers 11:16).
The term ‘elder’ in the New Testament is used most prominently for the leaders of local churches. (Acts 14:23, 15: 22)
The term ‘elder’ is never used of angels in Scripture. This means that these 24 elders are human beings representing or administrating over a larger group of human beings.
They are on Thrones
Sitting on thrones means that the 24 are reigning or prepared to reign with God. In the
New Testament, it is the apostles (Matthew 19:28) or the Church (2 Timothy 2:12) that will reign with Christ. The 24 elders are on thrones in anticipation of their earthly roles.
Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and weshall reign on the earth.”
During the Millennium, saints will reign with Christ on the Earth. (Revelation 20:4, 6)
They Perform Acts of the Priesthood
These 24 elders are associated with a priestly act, which is never said of angels. They must be believer-priests associated with the Great High Priest (Lord Jesus Christ).
Revelation 5:8 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
They Wear Gold Crowns
The gold crown on the heads of the 24 elders has been cited as ‘proof’ that these elders
have been through the Bema Seat of Christ and have received their rewards (i.e. this had to occur after the Rapture). Let’s take a look at the crowns believers receive from Jesus.
Crowns for the Believer
Verse
|
Type of Crown
|
1 Corinthians 9:25 “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”
|
The believer will obtain an incorruptible crown.
|
Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved |
Brethren brought to the Lord and edified are the believer’s crown. (Crowns for witnessing and teaching.)
|
1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”
|
The believer will obtain a crown of rejoicing.
|
2 Timothy 4:8 “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
|
The believer will obtain a crown of righteousness.
|
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
|
The believer will obtain a crown of life.
|
1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
|
The believer will obtain a crown of glory that does not fade.
|
Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” |
The believer will obtain a crown of life.
|
Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
|
Which crown? I don’t think this refers to the crown of life since Jesus promised that we wouldn’t lose that one. It will probably be the one for witnessing and teaching that can be lost.
|
The crowns believers will receive, probably at the Bema Seat or Judgment Seat of Christ, include:
1. An incorruptible crown.
2. Crowns for witnessing and teaching (this crown can be lost).
3. A crown of rejoicing.
4. A crown of righteousness.
5. A crown of glory that does not fade.
6. A crown of life.
Which of these crowns is the gold one? None of them! A gold crown is not one of the crowns a believer receives at the Bema Seat of Christ. A gold crown is a sign of authority for the wearer:
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto
the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle (Revelation 14:14).
The 24 elders wearing gold crowns (along with sitting on thrones) show that they have been given authority to reign with Christ. There is no mention of any of the crowns
believers are promised to receive at the Bema Seat of Christ. So the ‘fact’ that they are wearing gold crowns has nothing to do with the Rapture.
‘Stephanos’ Crown
There are those that contend that the crowns the elders wear are crowns of reward because of the Greek word used in Revelation 4:4 is ‘stephanos.’ The Greek word
‘stephanos’ can be used for either a crown of reward (like the original Olympia games
laurel wreath used to crown victors) or a crown used by royalty. The Greek word John uses for the crowns Jesus wears (Revelation 19:12) is ‘diadema’ and is only a kingly type of crown.
One has to be careful to dogmatically differentiate that crowns the elders wear is only a crown of reward: the same Greek word (stephanos) is used to describe the crowns that the demons for the bottomless pit are wearing (Revelation 9:7). Those that dogmatically insist that ‘stephanos’ is only a crown of reward are implying that the demons ‘like locusts’
are rewarded with the same crown of reward as believers.
Besides, Jesus Himself wear the ‘stephanos’ crown in Revelation 14:14. Does that mean
that Jesus receives a crown of reward at the Bema Seat of Christ, too?
There is not enough clear biblical information to dogmatically assert that the ‘stephanos’ crown of the elders ‘prove’ that they have been to the Bema Seat of Christ and are therefore part of a Raptured Church. As previously shown, there is enough information to show that the ‘gold’ crowns that the elders wear has nothing to do with the Bema Seat of Christ.
White Raiment
Likewise, the white raiment of the 24 elders has been cited as ‘proof’ that these elders have been through the Bema Seat of Christ and have received their rewards. Let’s take a look at the white raiment.
White Garments
White Robes
|
Who is wearing it?
|
Revelation 6:11 “And white robes were given unto
every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” |
“The souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:” (Revelation 6:9) This does not differentiate when these people had been slain. They obviously have not been Raptured since they do not have glorified bodies. These are not the same as those that come out of the Tribulation in
Revelation 7:9 because these are under the altar. So they must have been slain prior to the Tribulation. |
Revelation 7:9 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands;” |
Those that came out of the ribulation: believers of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.
|
Revelation 7:13 “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?”
|
Those that came out of the Tribulation.
|
White Linen
|
Who is wearing it?
|
2 Chronicles 5:12 “Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white
linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)” |
Priests from the tribe of Levi.
|
Revelation 15:6 “And the seven angels came out of the
temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure andwhite linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.” |
The seven angels.
|
White Raiment
|
Who is wearing it?
|
Revelation 3:5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
|
Believers from the Church of Sardis.
|
Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment,
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” |
Believers from the Church of Laodicea.
|
Revelation 4:4 “And round about the throne were four
and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” |
The twenty four elders.
|
Fine Linen
|
Who is wearing it?
|
Exodus 39:27 “And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,”
|
Fine linen was the garment for the priest hood.
|
Revelation 19:8 “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
linen is the righteousness of saints.” |
Saints at the Marriage Supper, which can only occur after the Rapture. Note that this garment is more than just ‘fine linen.’
|
White raiment is given to the souls of believers. Even angels have white raiment. The
fact that the 24 elders are wearing white raiment (white robes) just shows that they are dead believers in Heaven. It is not a sign that they have been Raptured. The fact that the 24 elders are not wearing the ‘fine linen, clean and white’ that believers receive at the Marriage Supper shows that they have not been Raptured and have not been to
the Marriage Supper.
Summary of the 24 Elders
The things that can be positively determined about these 24 elders include:
1. They are on thrones in anticipation of reigning with Christ.
2. They perform priestly duties.
3. They wear crowns of authority and not crowns of reward.
4. They wear white raiment of the purity of Heaven and not the fine linen,
clean and white given at the Marriage Supper.
5. They are men who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, but not necessarily
only from the Church Age.
6. They have not been Raptured.
Any more assumptions regarding these elders would be unsupported by Scripture.
The Holy Spirit is Removed
There is a postulation that John sees and records that the Holy Spirit has been totally removed (at the Rapture) and He now ‘completely’and totally resides in Heaven. This is based on the fact that John sees the Seven Spirits of God (seven is the number of completion in the Bible).
Revelation 5:6 “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is what draws men to Christ (Romans 8:10-14; 1 Corinthians 12:3). If the Holy Spirit was totally absent on Earth, then the multitude of new
converts (Revelation 7:14) would never happen.
To postulate that the Holy Spirit has been removed is mere speculation that is unsupported in Scripture.
The Church is Not Mentioned
There is a postulation that since the words “church” and “churches” are absent from Revelation Chapters 4 through 18, the Church must be absent from the Earth during that time. In other words, the Rapture would have to have occurred in order to remove the Church from the events that occur during these chapters (i.e. the Tribulation).
However, the Church is also not mentioned in the account John records when he is in
Heaven during this vision. John was well aware of the significant role the Church will be playing in the end times as shown by the letters to the seven churches early in the Book of Revelation. He gives minute details regarding the angels he encounters. If the Church was in Heaven (Raptured), John would have directly and specifically mentioned their presence and not used a metaphor or a symbolic reference to such an encounter.
The omission of the Church in order to ‘prove’ that the Rapture has already occurred is based on faulty logic. The fact is, the Church is not mention to be in Heaven during
the same passages that are used to“show or prove” the Church is not on Earth. By
this same reasoning, the Church is neither in Heaven nor on the Earth during these chapters. It is dangerous to make assertions based on omission or the fact that something not being mentioned.
Included in this argument about the Church not being on Earth is a particular
phrase that is reworded after Revelation Chapter 4.
Revelation 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; …”
Note that Jesus is talking directly to the seven churches in these verses.
Revelation 13:9 “If any man have an ear, let him hear.”
The people Jesus is referring to in this modified version (Revelation 13:9) is no longer the seven churches. He is talking to those “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb” per Revelation 13:8. The reason for a change in wording has nothing to do with the presence of the Church on Earth (or in Heaven) but rather the different people Jesus is talking to.
We have determined that the 24 elders are redeemed men but there is absolutely no reasonable indication that they represent the Church or the Church in its entirety.
The simple fact that the Church is not mentioned in the middle chapters of Revelation may be only a reflection that the emphasis and topic of these chapters are specifically
dealing with unbelievers, Israel and Satan. The Church is not mentioned because
it is not the topic of these chapters.
Technically, the word ‘church’ is not used after Chapter 3 of Revelation. Chapter 19 talks of ‘saints’ and the ‘marriage supper’ but the word ‘church’ is still missing. To say that the word ‘saint’ refers only to the ‘Tribulation saint’ and not the Church in the middle chapters (Revelation 5:8, 8:3, 8:4, 11:18, 13:7, 13:10, 14:12, 15:3, 16:6, 17:6, 18:24) and then in Revelation 19:4 it mysteriously refers only to the true Church is begging the question and is an outright distorted (and dishonest) interpretation of Scripture.
The Word ‘Church’
The word ‘church’ or ‘churches’ is used 20 times in the first three chapters of Revelation. However, it is never used to refer to the entire church or God’s church as a whole. It isalways used to refer to one of the specific seven church of Asia Minor or all seven of these churches collective. To proclaim that the word ‘church’ is missing in the other chapters to be significant quickly becomes a hollow argument in light of this information.
Also, what is obviously overlooked in this argument of the ‘missing church’ is that there are other terms that are used in the New Testament that can easily be referring to true believers or the church as a whole within the Book of Revelation.
fact that the 24 elders are wearing white raiment (white robes) just shows that they are dead believers in Heaven. It is not a sign that they have been Raptured. The fact that the 24 elders are not wearing the ‘fine linen, clean and white’ that believers receive at the Marriage Supper shows that they have not been Raptured and have not been to
the Marriage Supper.
Summary of the 24 Elders
The things that can be positively determined about these 24 elders include:
1. They are on thrones in anticipation of reigning with Christ.
2. They perform priestly duties.
3. They wear crowns of authority and not crowns of reward.
4. They wear white raiment of the purity of Heaven and not the fine linen,
clean and white given at the Marriage Supper.
5. They are men who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, but not necessarily
only from the Church Age.
6. They have not been Raptured.
Any more assumptions regarding these elders would be unsupported by Scripture.
The Holy Spirit is Removed
There is a postulation that John sees and records that the Holy Spirit has been totally removed (at the Rapture) and He now ‘completely’and totally resides in Heaven. This is based on the fact that John sees the Seven Spirits of God (seven is the number of completion in the Bible).
Revelation 5:6 “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is what draws men to Christ (Romans 8:10-14; 1 Corinthians 12:3). If the Holy Spirit was totally absent on Earth, then the multitude of new
converts (Revelation 7:14) would never happen.
To postulate that the Holy Spirit has been removed is mere speculation that is unsupported in Scripture.
The Church is Not Mentioned
There is a postulation that since the words “church” and “churches” are absent from Revelation Chapters 4 through 18, the Church must be absent from the Earth during that time. In other words, the Rapture would have to have occurred in order to remove the Church from the events that occur during these chapters (i.e. the Tribulation).
However, the Church is also not mentioned in the account John records when he is in
Heaven during this vision. John was well aware of the significant role the Church will be playing in the end times as shown by the letters to the seven churches early in the Book of Revelation. He gives minute details regarding the angels he encounters. If the Church was in Heaven (Raptured), John would have directly and specifically mentioned their presence and not used a metaphor or a symbolic reference to such an encounter.
The omission of the Church in order to ‘prove’ that the Rapture has already occurred is based on faulty logic. The fact is, the Church is not mention to be in Heaven during
the same passages that are used to“show or prove” the Church is not on Earth. By
this same reasoning, the Church is neither in Heaven nor on the Earth during these chapters. It is dangerous to make assertions based on omission or the fact that something not being mentioned.
Included in this argument about the Church not being on Earth is a particular
phrase that is reworded after Revelation Chapter 4.
Revelation 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; …”
Note that Jesus is talking directly to the seven churches in these verses.
Revelation 13:9 “If any man have an ear, let him hear.”
The people Jesus is referring to in this modified version (Revelation 13:9) is no longer the seven churches. He is talking to those “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb” per Revelation 13:8. The reason for a change in wording has nothing to do with the presence of the Church on Earth (or in Heaven) but rather the different people Jesus is talking to.
We have determined that the 24 elders are redeemed men but there is absolutely no reasonable indication that they represent the Church or the Church in its entirety.
The simple fact that the Church is not mentioned in the middle chapters of Revelation may be only a reflection that the emphasis and topic of these chapters are specifically
dealing with unbelievers, Israel and Satan. The Church is not mentioned because
it is not the topic of these chapters.
Technically, the word ‘church’ is not used after Chapter 3 of Revelation. Chapter 19 talks of ‘saints’ and the ‘marriage supper’ but the word ‘church’ is still missing. To say that the word ‘saint’ refers only to the ‘Tribulation saint’ and not the Church in the middle chapters (Revelation 5:8, 8:3, 8:4, 11:18, 13:7, 13:10, 14:12, 15:3, 16:6, 17:6, 18:24) and then in Revelation 19:4 it mysteriously refers only to the true Church is begging the question and is an outright distorted (and dishonest) interpretation of Scripture.
The Word ‘Church’
The word ‘church’ or ‘churches’ is used 20 times in the first three chapters of Revelation. However, it is never used to refer to the entire church or God’s church as a whole. It isalways used to refer to one of the specific seven church of Asia Minor or all seven of these churches collective. To proclaim that the word ‘church’ is missing in the other chapters to be significant quickly becomes a hollow argument in light of this information.
Also, what is obviously overlooked in this argument of the ‘missing church’ is that there are other terms that are used in the New Testament that can easily be referring to true believers or the church as a whole within the Book of Revelation.
Terms for Believers
Term or Phrase
|
Where found in the Book of Revelation
(chapter & verse) |
Saints
|
13 times: 5:8, 8:3-4,11:18, 13:7, 13:10, 14:12, 15:3, 16:6, 17:6, 18:24, 19:8,
20:9 |
Servant or servants
|
11 times: 1:1, 2:20, 7:3, 10:7, 11:18, 15:3, 19:2, 19:5, 22:3, 22:6
|
Those who keep/kept the word or commandments of God
|
6 times: 6:9, 12:17, 14:12, 20:4, 22:9,
22:14 |
Overcome(th)/overcame
|
12 times: 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21, 12:11, 11:7, 13:7, 17:14, 21:7
|
Have the testimony of Jesus Christ/faith in Jesus
|
6 times: 6:9, 12:17, 14:12, 19:10, 20:4, 12:11
|
Sealed or have the seal of God
|
7 times: 7:3-8, 9:4
|
Those that sing the song of Moses/sing a new song/sing the song of the Lamb
|
3 times: 5:9, 14:3, 15:3
|
Brethren
|
4 times: 6:11, 12:10, 19:10, 22:9
|
Believers are referenced heavily throughout every chapter of the Book of Revelation. John never differentiates or ‘partitions’ these believers between the true Church and the artificially created group of the ‘Tribulational saint.’
Two Groups of White Robed Saints
But let’s look elsewhere for ‘proof’ that a Raptured Church could not be present in Heaven during John’s vision. After the fifth seal has been broken, it is obvious that the Tribulation is under way. There have already been four seal judgments. John then records:
Revelation 6:9-11 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar thesouls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou
not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were
given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
John saw under the altar the souls of saints that had been slain. John makes this observation after the Tribulation is already underway. Note that these dead believers do not have their glorified bodies. At first, they do not have white robes, but they are given robes in the presence of John. But could these then be saints that have been slain during the Tribulation? John has been told that those souls under the altar had been slain
for the Word of God. This group is a separate group of souls from those who are identified as coming out of the Tribulation (Revelation 7:13-15).
In the next scene, John isn’t able to identity the second group who are in white robes. This group is not associated with those souls under the altar because John would have
recognized them as such.
Revelation 7:13-15 “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these
which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”
John sees this group who are already arrayed in white robes and needs the elder to reveal their identity. It is not the same group that is under the altar because this group isbefore the throne of God, serving Him. The group under the altar has been told to rest
for a seasonuntil their brethren have been slain. These are two distinct groups of believers that have been slain for the cause of Christ (note that all those that 'came out' may not have been slain). The second group has been positively identified as coming out of the Tribulation and is busy serving God (not resting).
So if the first group is already in Heaven before any of the Tribulation Saints have been slain, then the first group had to have been slain for the Word of God prior to the Tribulation. John has provided a visual testimony that there are members of the Church in Heaven, who have been slain before the Tribulation and do not have glorified bodies. This is proof that the Rapture has not occurred to this point during the Tribulation.
Is the Church Really Missing?
The same rationale used to ‘prove’ that the Church is missing in the middle chapters of Revelation could be applied to some of the Epistles. So how many times is the word ‘church’ or ‘churches’ mentioned in: Titus (except in the signature), 2 Peter, 1 & 2 John, and Jude? If you said none, you are correct. Does that ‘prove’ that these books don’t apply to the Church? Titus and 2 John also don't use the terms: Christians, brother(s), brethren, or saint(s) (although they both mention the word "elect").
There is a simple explanation, not requiring a Rapture, for why the word ‘church’ is not used in the middle chapters of Revelation. The focus of the events is on Israel and
unbelievers. The focus on Israelis clearly shown by John in Revelation 7 where the 144,000 Israelites are sealed. Just like in the Book of Numbers, the participation of each Tribe of Israel is recorded. John is showing us how God will be protecting His elect
(specifically Israel) through the Tribulation (2 Peter 2:9). [The Church has also been
sealed but is not the focus of attention at this time. (See Chapter 3 on The Tribulation.)]
An indirect indication that all of Revelation applies to the Church is shown by who the book was written to. The entire Book of Revelation was written to the Church and not just
the first three and the last three chapters. This is shown in John’s salutation of the book.
Revelation 1:4 “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;”
Revelation has as its purpose to testify things unto the Church. The things revealed
were not presented to testify unto Israel or unbelievers.
Revelation 22:16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”
Another indirect evidence is that all of Revelation (and not just 25% of it or the first and last three chapters) applies to the Church is that of the Blessing Jesus promises at the beginning. Why would the Church be given a blessing for reading about events that don’t pertain to them?
Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
If Chapters 4 through 18 of Revelation only applied to Israel, as some contend, then John’s salutation should have include the Israelites like James did in his Epistle.
James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”
It is obvious that anyone who implies or postulates that only part of Revelation is for the
Church has ignored Jesus in the first and last chapter. Jesus also provided a warning regarding the Book of Revelation:
Revelation 22:19 “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
You can ‘take away’ words by omitting them like King Jehoiakim cut up the prophecy of God (Jeremiah 36:18-30). You can also ‘take away’ words by having them not apply to the Church when they actually do.
However, there are some indications that the true Church is mentioned indirectly
within Revelation 4-18.
Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.”
There are two distinct groups: Israelites (they keep the commandments of God) and Christians (they have the testimony of Jesus Christ). If the Church goes through the Tribulation, then this is referencing them (those with the testimony). If the Church does not go through the Tribulation, then this would be referencing the Tribulational saints.
Revelation 15:3 “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
There are two distinct groups: Israelites (they sing the song of Moses) and Christians (they sing the song of the Lamb). If the Church goes through the Tribulation, then this is referencing them (those with the song of the Lamb). If the Church does not go through the Tribulation, then this would be referencing the Tribulational saints.
And of course, there are numerous references in Revelation to saints that could refer to either the Church or only to Tribulational saints.
So Where’s the Church?
Since the Church is not specifically mentioned in Revelation 4 through 18 because the
word ‘church’ is not used, then where is the Church? Those chapters reveal events that occur on the Earth as well as in Heaven. As noted earlier, most that use this argument that the Church isn’t mentioned on Earth during this time fail to note the Church isn’t mentioned to be in Heaven either. [That's why they contort Scripture regarding the 24 elders. They want to 'pretend' that the Church is obtusely referenced there.]
John was in Heaven in the spirit, yet he does not speak of a completed or Raptured Church. John seems to notice a lot of things in Heaven. Something as significant as the
presence of a Raptured Church would not have escaped the notice of John. Since the Church is not mentioned to be Heaven and there are no other indications that a Raptured Church is present in Heaven, then the Church hasn’t been Raptured during these middle chapters.
Dead saints (believers) are mentioned to be in Heaven (the souls under the altar –
being souls shows that they have not been Raptured). Then there are those that will be slain during the Tribulation (deceased Tribulation saints – these do not get their glorified bodies until Revelation 20:4, so they have not been Raptured). Again, the mention of a Raptured Church in its entirety (or even a portion) is strangely missing. The simple answer is that the Rapture has yet to occur.
Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
The Church (Bride of Christ) is called (Raptured) unto the Marriage Supper in Revelation 19:9. (Note that the term ‘Church’ is not used here, either. However, all agree that this term ‘saints’ now refers to the true Church. Why don’t previous use of ‘saints’ also refer to the Church. You can’t‘cherry-pick’ when term refer to the saints of the Tribulation and when they refer to the true Church just to support your position!) This occurs immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus in Revelation 19:11-21. There is no seven year time interval recorded between the Marriage Supper and the Second Coming. There is absolutely no time interval recorded or even indicated. If you look at these verses honestly and objectively then these two events occur consecutively and in rapid succession. There is no 7 year ‘gap’ between these two events.
There is no indication that the Church has been Raptured until Chapter 19 of Revelation
(where it mentions the Marriage Supper). The Church is still on Earth functioning as always (except that it will become more and more apostate; the true Church will become persecuted). The world-wide presence of the Church could very well be the reason that such a vast number from allnations become believers during the Tribulation (Revelation 7:9, 14). The 144,000 Israelites seem to have their focus on Israel and not the entire world.
The Church is Missing in the Old Testament
All of the prophecies regarding the Tribulation (or the Time of Jacob’s Trouble) in the
Old Testament do not mention the Church. Is that an indication that the Church has been removed because of the Rapture? Hardly.
The prophets of the Old Testament were writing of events related to Israel. The Old Testament was written to the Jew. The Church was a mystery to the prophets of the
Old Testament (Romans 11:13-25). Why would anyone expect the prophets of the Old Testament to mention the Church at all if it was a mystery (and of little importance to Hebrews since the Church today is predominately Gentile)? Omission of the Church in Old Testament prophecy only reflects its mystery to the Jew and is no indication that a Rapture has occurred.
The Church is Not Absent in Revelation
The Church is not totally absent from the scene in Revelation chapters 4 through 18. Once Satan has been cast out of Heaven (Revelation 12:9), He specifically attacks Israel (the woman of Revelation 12:13,17). But is Israel the only one he attacks?
Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
The saints of the Church are the ones who have the ‘testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Israel is
not saved as a nation until after the Tribulation (Malachi 3:2-4). Satan’s attack is shown to be against Israel (those that keep the commandments of God) and the Church (those that have the testimony of Jesus Christ).
Satan’s war is with not only with Israel but is worldwide against believers.
Revelation 13:7 “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
This is the same terminology that can be used for ‘Tribulation saints’ or for the
Church in general.
The ‘firstfruits’ (Revelation 14:4) that sing a new song show a combination of Old Testament and New Testament saints.
Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
The Old Testament saints (those that keep the commandments of God) and New Testament saints (those with the faith of Jesus).
Revelation 15:3 “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
Again, there are those that sing the ‘song of Moses’ (those that keep the commandments of God or the Law Moses presented to Israel) and there are those that sing the ‘song of the Lamb (those with the faith of Jesus).
If all the saints that John is referring to are followers of Jesus, then the phrases “keep the commandments of God” (Revelation 12:17, 14:12) or “song of Moses” (Revelation 15:3) are not only totally unnecessary but confusing. Remember that the Church is no longer ‘under the Law’ (Matthew 5:17, Galatians 2:16, Philippians 3:9). Because he has deliberately made the distinction, it is obvious that John is referring separately to
Israel (those that keep the Law) and to the true Church (those with faith in Jesus) in these passages.
The word ‘Church’ may not be used in Revelation chapter 4 through 18, but the Church is present if one looks for it. Yet there are many that would ascribe these references as referring to the ‘Tribulation saints’ and not the Church. John never differentiated believers (the Church) as pre-Tribulational or Tribulational. That distinction is an artificial construct used by theologians to suggest that there is a difference in the two. If the Rapture occurs prior to the Tribulation, then there is some validity to the argument. If the Rapture occurs
after the Tribulation, then there would be no distinction and the term ‘Tribulation saint’ would be synonymous with the term ‘Church.’
Conclusion of Chapter 17
Chapter 4 of Revelation provides no indication that the Rapture of the Church has
occurred. It fails to be a ‘type’ of the Rapture under an honest evaluation.
1. The ‘door’ opened in Heaven for John is not the same door referred to in
Revelation 3:8 that was said of the Church of Philadelphia.
2. ‘Come up hither’ is John’s personal invitation into Heaven and has absolutely no
relevance to the Rapture.
3. The 24 elders do not (and cannot) represent the Raptured Church in Heaven.
4. The word ‘church’ is not mentioned specifically in Revelation 4 through 18 but this is
not an indication that the Church has been Raptured.
Chapter 4 of Revelation provides no information regarding the accurate placement of the Rapture in God’s timeline.
Published On: December 31, 2012
Last Updated: December 31, 2012 |
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