Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 1 Study # 8
March 3, 2024
Broadlands, Louisiana
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Thesis: There are seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne, identified as the Seven Spirits of God, that are characterized in terms of flames of fire which refer to the consuming fires of divine judgment (
Hebrews 12:29).
Introduction: In our last study we considered the implications of the lightning, sounds, and thunder that proceed from The Throne. These issues strongly imply three attributes of God in respect to the revelation of things to come after chapter four. Those attributes seem to be "Integrity", "Omnipotence", and "Justice", three critical aspects of the things that are coming.
This evening we are going to look again at the Seven Spirits of God as He/They are presented as "lamps of fire".
- I. This Chapter Is The Ultimate Background For All That Follows.
- A. It is a vision of The Heaven as the initial presentation of the realm of Heaven (with its characteristics and significances) in respect to "what must take place after these things..." (4:1).
- B. The relationship of "being in the spirit" to the summons to Heaven.
- C. What John saw...
- 1. The "First" issue: he saw a throne...
- 2. The "Second" Issue: he describes the One sitting upon the "Throne of Heaven".
- 3. The "Third" Issue: the emerald "iris".
- 4. The "Fourth" Issue: the twenty-four thrones.
- 5. The "Fifth" Issue: "out of the throne proceed..."
- 6. The "Sixth" Issue: "seven lamps of fire..."
- a. These "lamps of fire" are described as "burning before the throne".
- 1) There are five references in The Revelation to things "burning" and none of them bode well for those living upon the earth.
- a) 4:5
- b) 8:8 -- a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea and a third of the sea became blood.
- c) 8:10 -- a great star fell from heaven , burning like a torch, and it fell upon a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters and those waters became bitter and deadly.
- d) 19:20 and 21:8 -- both refer to the Lake of Fire that is burning with fire and brimstone and is called "The Second Death".
- 2) This is likely related to Witness-John's declaration of Jesus' "baptism of men" with the Holy Spirit and fire, with the "fire" aspect being explained as unquenchable in its burning of the chaff (Matthew 3:11-12).
- b. "Seven Spirits of God" in The Revelation.
- 1) The potential link between the seven eyes and Zechariah 3:9 and 4:10.
- a) The reference in 4:10 has to do with "the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth". This is an anthropomorphism as if God has (needs) eyes to be fully aware of all of the details of His creation from quarks to every motivation of every man for everything done upon the earth (Hebrews 4:12).
- b) In every case, the "eyes" signify the ability to "see" all (Hebrews 4:13).
- c) In the very next verse (Revelation 4:6) there are four living creatures full of eyes...
- 2) The potential link between the seven spirits and Isaiah 11:2.
- a) The Spirit of the Lord (Yahweh)
- b) The Spirit of Wisdom
- c) The Spirit of Understanding
- d) The Spirit of Counsel
- e) The Spirit of Strength
- f) The Spirit of Knowledge
- g) The Spirit of The Fear of The Lord
- h) "And He will not judge by what His eyes see..." (external items of sight rather than internal items of thoughts and intents which are typically hidden from "eyes").
- 3) The specific references in The Revelation that refer to "seven Spirits of God".
- a) 1:4 -- "Grace and peace" are put forth as John's wishes for the seven churches by means of "Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come" (identified in 1:8 as "the Lord God ... The Almighty" in respect to this same "is and was and is to come" characterization as well as 4:8 where the four living creatures do not cease to say, "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God, The Almighty, Who was and is and is to come" in reference to "The One Who sits on the throne") and "from the Seven Spirits Who are before His throne and from Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth".
- b) 3:1 -- "He Who has the Seven Spirits of God" is the characterization of Jesus in respect to the message to the "dead" "angel of the church in Sardis.
- c) 4:5 -- Our present text.
- d) 5:6 -- "The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome so as to open the book" (5:5) is identified in 5:6 as the slain Lamb Who has seven horns and seven eyes which are "the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth". The "root of David" identity links us to Isaiah 11:1 and the characterizing phrases "a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit" as The "seven" spirits of the Spirit of the Lord "rest upon Him".
- 4) The Point: Omniscience as a concept drawn out from "eyes that see everything, without qualification".
- c. The Lamps of Fire are such by reason of the fact that all "lamps" in those days produced their light by flames, but also by reason of the fact that "fire" is a purging power that burns away the "dross" (or the lesser issues of whatever is being subjected to it).
- 1) The first reference to "fire" in The Revelation is in 1:14 where the "eyes" of "The Son of Man" are "like a flame of fire".
- 2) The second reference is in 2:18 where "the Son of God" has "eyes as a flame of fire" that are appropriate to the letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira where the problem is tolerance for Jezebel and the third is in 3:18 where the need is for "gold refined by fire" for a Laodicean church.
- 3) The point is still Omniscience, but it is applied in terms of a kind of burning intolerance for evil thoughts and actions.
