Revelation 4:9-11: The Elders Worship Their Creator
Revelation 4:9-11
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
I mentioned in my previous post that the four living creatures play a part in leading us into worship. We see here at the beginning of our passage that “Whenever the living creatures give glory… the twenty-four elders fall down… and worship.” Remember that this is symbolism. It is not as though the song of the living creatures is occasional and the elders must put on and take off their crowns every so often. This is expressing the truth that the constant posture of those around the throne is one of continual worship and honor of him upon the throne.
Now just who are these elders? We were introduced to the twenty-four elders earlier in chapter four: “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads” (4:4). With that description, their identity should not be too difficult to decipher. They represent all the redeemed people of God, the Church. The number twenty four could perhaps be the combination of the twelve sons of Israel and the twelve apostles (1). They are clothed in white, symbolizing purity and triumph, and they have been given golden crowns.
These crowns bring to mind a couple things. Notice first that around the throne these elders were seated upon twenty four thrones, and golden crowns are fit for kings. Later in Revelation 20, these thrones will show up again and those upon them will rule and reign with Christ. This brings Daniel 7 into view where the kingdom is given to the people of God. The fulfillment of the promise of God to give the people a kingdom and that they would rule with Christ is here. Secondly, in the NT, there is a promise of a crown of life and glory (James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4). These are those who participate in the life of God through Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3-4). They have been granted the incredible privilege and honor of sitting with Jesus on his throne (Rev 3:21).
And yet, they cast these golden crowns before the throne. They hold nothing back from him and give back to him what he has given them: everything. The life they have, the glory they share, the kingdom they possess is only theirs because of the grace of the one upon the throne.
While all of this will take center stage in chapter five, the elders’ song in v 11 emphasizes something else. Their song is similar to that of the living creatures, but it is the differences that we will highlight.
The first noticeable difference is that this seems to be a bit more personal. The living creatures sing about the one on the throne, while The elders sing to the one on the throne: worthy are you, our Lord and God (2). Fascinatingly, addressing him as “our Lord and God” is the same title that the Roman emperor, Domitian (ruled 81-96 AD), claimed for himself, but here it is applied to the one on the throne in order to comfort those in affliction. It would say to those experiencing persecution that though there is one who rules in Rome claiming to be your Lord and God, there is one who rules over all creation who is truly your Lord and God. He is your covenantal Lord whom you know, and, even better, who knows you, personally.
A second difference we see is that the living creatures were giving “glory and honor and thanks” to the one on the throne (v 9), but here, the elders recognize his worthiness of receiving it (v 11). It is as if to say, “This is right! This is the way it ought to be!” And they proclaim the glory and honor due to their God. But they do not mention the thanks that is due him (though, of course, they would agree with the living creatures!). Instead they acknowledge his power. Now it is not as though anyone or anything grants power or adds power to the Lord God Almighty. He does not receive it in that way. It is better to think of it as more of a praise for his incredible power. Though Domitian, and other “powers” of this world may seem to throw their weight around without restraint, and though, in this life, you are often completely powerless against the forces around you, there is one whose power is far beyond it all. One whose power is difficult to grasp. But what the elders sing helps us to internalize just how powerful this King is. They sing of God’s powerful work in creation. This leads to our third difference.
Whereas the living creatures emphasized the character of God, the elders emphasize the works of God, particularly his work as Creator (3). The elders put forward the reason for God’s worthiness to receive glory, honor and power: “you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.” This is power to the nth degree! The reader would immediately be thrust back to the first book of the Bible, the first chapter, the first verse! It is there that we see that God brought everything into existence. And he did not do it by grabbing some materials and putting them together to create a new home like a contractor might. Our God is so powerful that all he had to do was speak and everything came into being. This is difficult to fathom. You do not know anyone else like this. There is only one who brings everything out of nothing (4), and this caused him far less difficulty than you simply imagining a white rabbit (or the sun, if you’re in Pittsburgh) right now.
As was mentioned in my last post, the works of God tell us something about who God is. The created order reveals to us more than just his power. Picking just one, we see his creativity. Our God is ridiculously creative!
I’m looking out my window right now and I am probably seeing seventeen different kinds of trees. According to a quick internet search, there are 60,065 species of trees on the earth. What kind of creative mind does it take to come up with trees and that many versions of them! I just looked down at my toes. Such odd and funny things. But in God’s creativity, he gave them to us for balance and support. And those toes are connected to this body that he has supplied that I might bring him glory. Where else do you see the creative and powerful mind of our marvelous Creator?
And speaking of his mind, did you notice the order of the words in the song? “By your will they existed and were created.” That seems out of order doesn’t it? Aren’t things created and then exist? Perhaps what is being conveyed here is that all that exists now in creation, first existed ideally in the mind of God from all eternity (5). That’s quite a thought! For me, this begins to push me far beyond my understanding! One day, perhaps we will understand more of the mind of God.
But what we do understand is that this wondrous, glorious creation, which was spoken into existence by our Lord and God, does not work as it should. Does our God have the power to do something about that? Yes, but that is for the next post.
1. See William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors, 85.
2. Singing about and to the Lord are legitimate and good ways of worshiping the him. Consider the difference between All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (about) and Great is Thy Faithfulness (to). Sometimes our songs explicitly combine both elements.
3. G.R. Beasley-Murray, Revelation, 118.
4. Have you ever tried to imagine absolute nothing? Imagining utter blackness is still imagining something. Try again.
5. More Than Conquerors, 88.