by Darrel Cline (darrelcline biblical-thinking.org)
Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 1 Study # 11 March 24, 2024 Broadlands, Louisiana (Download Audio)
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..."
7. The "Seventh" Issue: "the sea of glass..."
8. The "Eighth" Issue: The Four Living Creatures.
a. The general description.
b. The more specific descriptions.
1) The first living creature like unto a lion... [A deep dive into the Gospel by Matthew presents us with the "Human King", the "Lion of Judah"].
2) The second living creature like unto a calf... [A deep dive into the Gospel by Mark presents us with the "Ox of God", the obedient Servant/Son of God, Whose "labors" resolve the "fears of men" which are at the root of all unbelief].
a) The word translated "calf" is only used here in The Revelation. It is used in five other places in the New Testament and is never identified as to its parentage. It is used in the Old Testament generally as a "bull" or an "ox" as sacrifices.
b) It is a parallel to "Taurus" in the Zodiac, whose horns, on the one hand, are pictured as pointing to the heel of the Great Shepherd and, on the other hand, pointing to the "club" of Orion by which he has slain the "lion" and put to an end the "roaring lion who seeks out victims to destroy".
c) The basic concept in the Old Testament was that of a strong laborer which made it possible to enlarge one's ability to handle the ground for the planting and harvesting of crops (Proverbs 14:4). Thus, it was no small "sacrifice" to kill it in the worship of the Temple.
d) It was also a key to the development of herds as an aspect of material wealth.
e) As one of the four who manifest the "glory of the Lord", we have a powerful bull who overcomes the enemies at both levels of relational reality: that level that involves the "Sin" which is at the root of all relational conflict (that must be dealt with by the death of The Shepherd) and relational destruction; and that level that involves the "Sinners" whose determined opposition is met by One Whose determination is greater and backed by far greater power.
f) In the Gospel of Mark, the treatment of the temptation is reduced to two verses (1:12-13), but those verses contain four unique concepts:
1) that He was "driven" ("led" in Matthew and Luke) into the wilderness";
2) that He was tempted by "Satan" (the "devil" in Matthew and Luke);
3) that He was "with the wild beasts (the word used of both the Antichrist and of his "prophet" in The Revelation) and
4) that angels ministered to Him (mentioned by Matthew, but not by Luke).