Kinsman Redeemer

Revelation 5

Man was created in God’s image, and in the beginning, man was not stained by sin. However, it was not long before sin marred the image of God in man. The Bible tells us:

Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV) All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Even the ancestors of our Lord Jesus Christ were tainted by sin. To pay for the sins of mankind, Jesus had to be a man. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. 

Romans 6:23 (NKJV) For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have all earned these wages. In addition to being a man, Jesus had to be sinless, or His death would only pay for His sin.

Jesus had to be the Son of man to pay for man’s sin. However, it was also necessary that he be born without the guilt of Adam’s sin. God’s solution was the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was from the woman’s seed and yet free from Adam’s sin.

One of the women in Jesus’ lineage was a woman named Ruth. She was from Moab and had married an Israelite named Mahlon. Mahlon’s father was Elimelech, and his mother’s name was Naomi; both were Israelites.

If we turn to the first chapter of the book of Ruth, we see there the story of how Ruth the Moabite became a part of Jesus’ family tree.

Ruth 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. ²The name of the man [was] Elimelech, the name of his wife [was] Naomi, and the names of his two sons [were] Mahlon and Chilion — Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.

“In the days when the judges ruled” refers to the time in Israel before the nation had kings. Men like Samson and Gideon lived during this time, and the man who anointed Saul and David as kings was the last of these judges. 

The day of the judges was characterized by the “cycle of the judges.” This cycle describes the pattern of Israel’s relationship with God. They would stray from God, God judged them by turning them over to their enemies, then they would cry out to God for deliverance, and finally, God raised up a deliver who turned their hearts back to God. This cycle happened repeatedly.

Elimelech and Naomi lived during this time. Elimelech and Naomi moved their family to Moab during a time of judgment, when there was a famine in Israel. While they were in Moab, their sons married Moabite women. The name of Mahlon’s wife was Ruth. 

Naomi’s husband and sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law widows. Eventually, Naomi heard that things back home in Bethlehem had improved. So, she moved back to her home in Israel. One of the daughters-in-law went back to her people, but Ruth moved with Naomi.

 

The people of Naomi’s hometown, Bethlehem, welcomed Naomi back with great joy, but Naomi was defeated and depressed. Her name, “Naomi,” means “pleasant,” but Naomi no longer believed she enjoyed anything pleasant. So, she said the following.

Ruth 1:20-21 (NKJV) ²⁰But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹“I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 

Naomi changed her name to Mara. Mara means bitter.

Naomi’s story is a picture of the human race. Our lives are bitter because we have left our creator and God, and the further we stray from God, the more bitter our life becomes.

When Naomi’s family moved to Moab, they left the inheritance God gave them as Israelites. God gave the land of Canaan to Israel and divided the land among Israel’s families. Naomi’s family inherited land in Israel, but they left their inheritance when they left. However, the good news is that their inheritance was waiting for them when they returned, but it had to be bought back or “redeemed.” 

The difficulty for Naomi was that the land passed through the males of the family. Since Naomi’s husband and sons died, the inheritance was in danger of passing to a different family. 

The Lord had a solution for this; the tradition of the “kinsman redeemer.” Kinsman means relative. Male relatives of the family could “redeem” the inheritance. Naomi had no way to reclaim the family inheritance without her sons or her husband.

The story of Boaz and Ruth is a story of redemption because Boaz was a close relative of Naomi’s husband’s family. 

When Ruth went out to glean wheat for her and Naomi to eat, Boaz noticed her and was attracted and impressed. He quietly inquired more about this young lady. Ruth chapter 3 verses one through nine tell us. 

Ruth 3:1-9 (NKJV) ¹Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? ²“Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, [is he] not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. ³“Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your [best] garment and go down to the threshing floor; [but] do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴“Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” ⁵And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.” ⁶So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. ⁷And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. ⁸Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. ⁹And he said, “Who [are] you?” So she answered, “I [am] Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”

Notice here that Ruth says, “for you are a close relative.” She was telling Boaz that he was qualified to be her kinsman redeemer. 

Boaz was a close relative of Naomi’s family; however, another relative was closer. So, the more immediate relative had the first right of refusal. Ruth chapter four, verses three through ten give the account of what happened.

Ruth 4:3-10 (NKJV) ³Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which [belonged] to our brother Elimelech. ⁴“And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy [it] back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem [it,] redeem [it;] but if you will not redeem [it, then] tell me, that I may know; for [there is] no one but you to redeem [it,] and I [am] next after you.” And he said, “I will redeem [it.]” ⁵Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy [it] from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” ⁶And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem [it.]” ⁷Now this [was the custom] in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave [it] to the other, and this [was] a confirmation in Israel. ⁸Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy [it] for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. ⁹And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You [are] witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that [was] Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. ¹⁰“Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You [are] witnesses this day.”

This last line is why the family redeemer did not want to endanger his own inheritance. The son would carry on another family’s name and so this would prove to be a costly transaction.

Let me explain a little bit more about the property. The title deed to the land was written on a scroll. On one side, the boundaries and definition of the property were written. On the other side, any liens, mortgages, or debts against the property were listed. 

Now let’s jump to Revelation chapter five.

Revelation 5:6-10 (NKJV) ⁶And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. ⁸Now 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. ⁹And 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, ¹⁰And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Where it says “you were slaughtered and your blood has ransomed people for God,” this points to Jesus as our family redeemer. He is our “kinsman” because He took on flesh and became a man. The scroll is the title deed to earth. It has writing on both sides because on one side, it has our inheritance, our place in the kingdom of God, our right as children of God to rule the earth, and our right to live forever in the presence of God. On the other side, it has a list of what it will take to redeem us, the charges against us, the debts we owe, and the price of our sins. 

No one was found worthy to open the scroll until our Kinsman Redeemer came forward. He was born of a woman, a virgin, so he is our relative, but he was not born of the seed of a man, so He did not have Adam’s sin.

Now, look at the words of Revelation 5:9-10.

Revelation 5:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹And 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, ¹⁰And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

 When we enter into our inheritance, we will sing this song to Jesus because He is our Kinsman Redeemer.

Ruth shows us the hope we have in God. For mankind without Jesus, everything is lost and has become bitter. But Jesus has paid our debt and reclaimed our inheritance for us. It is a free gift. 

Like Elimelech and Naomi, we have gone to Moab (the wrong place) looking for hope, redemption, and life. But we find there is no help where we are looking.

Please stop looking for hope in Moab; look to God for hope. When you have messed up, made the wrong decisions, remember Jesus is your redeemer.

Look at Ruth 3:9 once more with me. 

Ruth 3:9 (NKJV) ⁹And he said, “Who [are] you?” So she answered, “I [am] Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”

Ruth asked Boaz for His help. Have you asked Jesus for His help? Jesus promises He will not refuse anyone who asks. Have you asked? It’s free, and it’s easy, and it’s complete. All you need to do is ask.

 

To Him Who Sits on the Throne

Revelation 4:5-11

Revelation 4 ends with this verse:

Revelation 4:11 (NKJV) “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

This verse is the summary, or conclusion, of the fourth chapter of the Revelation. The Revelation is about Jesus Christ, and one of the main points of the whole book is that God is worthy to receive glory and honor, and power.

In Genesis, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. In Exodus, God shook Mount Sinai with His presence. Moses’ face shown so that people could not bear to look at him after meeting God on the mountain. In Joshua, God made the sun stand still. In 1 Kings, God consumed Elijah’s sacrifice with fire from Heaven. Isaiah saw God high and lifted up. Ezekiel saw God on a throne surrounded by seraphim and glory. Peter, James, and John saw Jesus shining with bright, white light. All these things point out the theme of God’s glory that runs through the whole Bible.

God is glorious and powerful beyond all comprehension and measurement. There is no way, or means, of measuring or even quantifying the majesty and glory of God. In the Revelation, as John records in words what he saw in heaven, we realize that words are inadequate to explain that which exceeds our capacity to understand.

Revelation 4 shows God’s glory in three different domains.

First, we see His glory in the judicial domain. He is the ruler of the nations, and His government is over all. Thus, His law is also over all things, both visible and invisible. Since all things are subject to His law and government, He is the Judge of everything. He defines and executes righteousness and justice.

Because of His position as Judge, after John describes the throne room, he describes the throne. Revelation 4:5 describes the throne as follows.

Revelation 4:5 (NKJV) And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire [were] burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

This part of the throne is ominous and threatening. Bolts of lightning, thunderings, and voices are all frightening. When the people of Israel were in the wilderness, a man named Korah led a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred fifty of the heads of families in Israel joined with Korah in the uprising. Moses asked God to judge between himself and Korah, and God sent fire from heaven that consumed Korah and the 250 men. Fire and lightning indicate judgment. The Bible states that God will judge all men, and the picture that John draws with words reminds us of this fact.

Revelation 4:5 ends with the statement, “Seven lamps of fire [were] burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” This statement clearly is symbolic; we know that while the Spirit of God may appear as fire, He is not a physical fire as we know fire. The Bible says, “Our God is a consuming fire…” (Hebrews 12:29). This statement stems from the fact that God is the Judge. We know that God is One and the Spirit is One, but in a couple of places in the Revelation, John speaks of the seven-fold Spirit of God. While seven as a number represents completeness, there are more than seven attributes of God’s Spirit represented by the burning lamps. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The gifts of the Spirit are prophecy, tongues, healing, wisdom, service, and giving. These are all different manifestations of the Spirit. The Spirit searches the hearts of all men and intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. The Spirit of God also has a critical part in judgment as it is the Spirit of God that searches the hearts of all men. We must also note that these lamps are not candles but torches. The churches are represented by candlesticks, but God’s Spirit is represented by burning torches. Think with me. The Spirit is invisible, so how should God represent His presence? 

God’s glory as Judge is indisputable. But, as chapter 4 of the Revelation continues, we see that God is also the King of Heaven.

Look at verses 6 through 8 of Revelation 4.

Revelation 4:6-8 (NKJV) ⁶Before the throne [there] [was] a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, [were] four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷The first living creature [was] like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature [was] like a flying eagle. ⁸[The] four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

What a glorious scene is painted for us! The sea of glass like crystal makes everything shine with a bright light of reflected glory, along with the beings that are pictured there. The New King James Version calls them living creatures. They are seraphim, the same creatures described in Ezekiel when he saw the throne. They are glorious beings of tremendous power and privilege as they keep station around the throne. Verse 8 of Revelation 4 says that they never stop saying:

Revelation 4:8 (NKJV) “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

 

This is all about the glory of God in His domain as King of Heaven.

Now, as the seraphim give glory to God, they are joined by the 24 elders. Join me in looking at verses 9, 10, and 11.

Revelation 4:9-11 (NKJV) ⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

As we said when we looked at the first four verses of this chapter, the elders represent the Church. They are the representatives before the throne of the glorified Church. Notice that while they each have been awarded the victor’s crown, they only use it to bring glory to God. It is only by the grace of God that they or any of us will gain entrance into heaven. It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy, He saves us.

Titus 3:5 (NKJV) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

To the Church, the Lord is Savior, Redeemer, and friend. Jesus is our High Priest, Advocate, Counselor, and Lord, and we are His bride. Through Him, we have received the adoption as Sons.

Ephesians 1:5 (NKJV) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

And,

Galatians 3:26 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

God’s glory is made known by His works by His creation and also by the salvation He provides through Jesus Christ. Romans 9:23 says:

Romans 9:23 (NKJV) and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,

This is describing us. God redeemed the Church for Himself to show the riches of His glory.

Since our salvation is all what He has done, all the rewards and crowns we receive will be only for showing the great things He has done. 

The glory of God in His justice, in Heaven, and in the Church are what we see in Revelation 4. We also see His glory throughout the Bible, and we see His greatness in both the vastness and the intricacy of His creation.

All heaven and earth proclaim the glory of God. Revelation shows how the prophecy of Philippians 2:10&11 will be fulfilled.

Philippians 2:10-11 (NKJV) ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The great thing is that we can enter into the peace and glory of God now. Jesus said He gives us His peace, and he promises to be with us always. 

Have you entered into what He gives?

Have you bowed the knee before Him and accepted your position as son or daughter of God?

What holds you back?

A Door Standing Open

 

Revelation 4

Revelation 4 starts with the words “After these things.”

After what things?

It will help to look at Revelation 1:19, where Jesus gives the outline of the Revelation. He says:

Revelation 1:19 (NKJV) “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

“The things which you have seen” refers to the vision John saw of Jesus on the Island of Patmos. “The things that are” points to Jesus’ letters to the seven churches. In chapter 4, the Revelation transitions to the things which will take place after this. John moves through the vision sequentially as the vision moves through time sequentially. 

This exact phrase, “After these things,” is used 8 times in the Revelation, and each time it marks a transition in the events John saw in the vision Jesus gave him. This structure and manner of speaking are evidence that Revelation is speaking of things still in the future. 

In addition, “After these things” seems to refer to the things of the Church. From this point until chapter 22, the Church is not mentioned in Revelation, although the saints are. 

As a transition, Revelation 4:1 says, “I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.”

John says, “and behold,” because it was a surprise to suddenly see a door or passageway open to heaven. The transition is sudden, almost catching us by surprise. 

Revelation 4:1 refers to heaven. The Bible speaks of three heavens. The first heaven is the sky or our atmosphere. The sun, moon, and stars, or what we call “space,” is the second heaven. The third heaven is the invisible realm where God dwells. Though we cannot see it, this realm is all around us. For example, when Elisha’s servant’s eyes were opened, he saw the armies of God all around. (2 Kings 6:17) The door that stands open is a door into this realm.

When John saw the open door, he also heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 

We can observe two things in this statement. First, the things John sees will take place “after these things.” And second, Jesus says that these things “must” take place. The language He uses makes it clear that these things “must” take place as a matter of necessity. In other words, they HAVE to happen. 

Revelation 4:2 tells us that John was immediately in heaven upon hearing the voice. 

Revelation 4:2 (NKJV) Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and [One] sat on the throne.

This passage speaks of John’s experience in his vision and also prefigures what will happen at the end of the Church age. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 speaks of this event, saying:

1Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Verse 17 says that we shall be “caught up.” In the Latin Vulgate, this is translated “rapiemur,” which in English means to “snatch,” “grab,” or “carry off.” In the long history of the Church, the being “caught up” event described in 1 Thessalonians 4 has become known as the “rapture” because of the Latin word “rapiemur.”

The sudden transition of Revelation 4:2 points to the “rapture.” Look again at 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The text says that the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive will be caught up. This passage purposely leaves out the unredeemed dead and states that “the dead in Christ” are raised at this time. In addition, Jesus is not said to descend to the earth, but the saints are “caught up” (raptured) to meet the Lord in the air.

Revelation 4 does not name the Rapture but prefigures it in the sudden transition to heaven as the scene from which events are viewed. As John views things in heaven, he uses the word “behold” again to express surprise at the scene before him. We find this in Revelation 4:2.

Revelation 4:2 (NKJV) Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and [One] sat on the throne.

“Immediately” and “behold” in this verse are sudden as will be our transition to heaven. 

The first things John observed in heaven are the throne and the One who sits on the throne. 

The throne and the One on the throne are what the book of Revelation, and indeed, the whole Bible, are about. We watch and wait for the One on the throne. Nothing in heaven or on earth moves without His permission.  All that happens in heaven and earth is subject to the throne and the One who sits on the throne. In Revelation 1, Jesus speaks of things that “must” take place. The throne is the reason for the necessity. These events are decided by God, who sits on the throne. All things exist and were created for His glory. Revelation 4 points to this conclusion as it ends in verse 11.

Revelation 4:11 (NKJV) “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

As the events that must take place begin to be revealed, Revelation takes us to the throne room of Heaven because everything happens according to the purpose of God.

We live as if this life, this world (the physical universe), is all there is. We may go to church on Sunday and even read our Bibles, but our priorities, where we spend our time and money, show that we put ourselves and our desires before God. John gives us a glimpse into realities that support and maintain this world. We exist by God’s will, and yet we defy Him in order to satisfy ourselves. We must, absolutely must, follow the instructions given in Colossians 3.

Colossians 3:1-6 (NKJV) ¹If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ [who is] our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. ⁵Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.

To set our minds on things above and put to death our flesh, we must walk by faith and not by sight. The world we cannot see is the realm we will live in forever. We are in this world for a short time, and then we will be eternally in the world we cannot see today. 

John continues Revelation 4 by describing the One who sat on the throne.

Revelation 4:3 (NKJV) And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and [there was] a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

The Holy Spirit guides John in describing what He saw, and the choice of words is significant. Sardius is blood red, like ruby, and Revelation 21 describes jasper as crystal clear. When God established the tabernacle and the worship Israel gave to Him, He had them fashion a breastplate for the high priest. This breastplate had twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes. Jasper was the first stone and represented Reuben, and Sardius was the last stone and represented Benjamin.

When God says, “I am the first and the last,” He implies that He is also everything in between, and by using the first and last stones of the breastplate, God shows that He is the God of Israel, the One who said, “Thou shall have no other God’s before Me.”

Jesus taught that to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength is the greatest commandment. Nothing is more significant to us than God and who He is as our Creator, Redeemer, and Friend. 

As John continues His description, he mentions the rainbow. 

When God destroyed all life on earth with the flood, He made the following promise to Noah and his descendants (we are descendants of Noah). 

Genesis 9:11-13 (NKJV) ¹¹“Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” ¹²And God said: “This [is] the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations: ¹³“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

God remembers His promises. This is why He chooses to appear in colors like Sardius and Jasper, and this is why He chooses to show a rainbow around His throne.

God has made many promises. Most significant for us is that He has promised to forgive our sins if we confess them. He promises eternal life to anyone who believes in Jesus. He promises to complete the work that He began in us, and He promises to deliver us from the wrath to come.

As John describes the throne and its surroundings, he points to proof that God keeps His promises. The evidence is the 24 elders who sit on thrones around God’s throne.

Revelation 4:4 (NKJV) Around the throne [were] twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

The elders wore the “stephanos,” the crown of a victor, rather than that of a sovereign. It was made of gold, indicating that the elders had been rewarded for victory accomplished. The Apostle Paul refers to this crown when he says:

2 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Referring to this crown, Paul also said he ran the race to win the victor’s crown. Let’s look back at Jesus’ promise to the Church in Sardis.

Revelation 3:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Because of the white robes and victors' crowns that John sees in Revelation 4, we understand that the elders represent the raptured Church around the throne, giving praise to God. While we know who they represent, we are not told who they are individually.

Who they are individually is not as important to us as making sure that we are there when the time comes. Let’s look again at what Paul said about the crown of righteousness.

2Timothy 4:8 (NKJV) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

The crown is for all who have loved His appearing. We must ask ourselves if we love this world more than God. Do we place more value in our desires than God’s? We must examine our hearts and ask God to grant us repentance. He promises:

Romans 10:13 (NKJV) For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”