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Revelation

About this book
Chapter 4

1 After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it!⁠ 3 And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. 4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders.⁠ They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder.⁠ Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne, 6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.⁠ 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying.⁠ 8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night,⁠ saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was, and who is, and who is still to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 9:4 and Revelation 4:11

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · New Testament

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Summary

1 Enoch 9 describes heavenly beings praising God’s eternal rule and creative power. Revelation 4 uses similar apocalyptic language where heavenly beings and the righteous also honor God as the creator of all things.

Passages

1 Enoch 9:4

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
3 'And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men plead, saying, "Present our case before the Most High."' 4 They said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Your glory stands through all generations, and Your name is holy and glorious and blessed through all ages! 5 You have created all things, and over all things You have power. All things are open and visible in Your sight, and You see everything, and nothing can hide from You. 6 You see what Azâzêl has done, who has taught all unrighteousness on the earth and revealed the eternal secrets that were kept in heaven, which men were eager to learn. 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom You gave the authority to rule over his companions.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Revelation 4:11

New Testament
8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was, and who is, and who is still to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”
92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

"... The basis for the lamb's victory lies in the fact that He is 'Lord of Lords and King of Kings.' This precise title occurs only twice in biblically-related material previous to the N.T., i.e., 1 Enoch 9:4 and Daniel 4:37 (LXX). It is possible that the 1 Enoch 9 reference is in mind, since its context concerns eschatological judgment (i.e., of the fallen Watchers), as does that of Revelation 17. However, Daniel 4:37 (LXX) is the more probable influence for the following reasons. (1) The wording of Daniel is closer to that of Revelation. (2) Whereas the Enoch phrase forms part of an address to God, in Daniel and Revelation it is viewed as the causal basis of the divine power to take away the rule of evil kings. (3) Almost the same title appears also in the LXX of Daniel 2:37, 47 and 3:2 so that these three texts together with Daniel 4:37 (LXX) could have formed a collective impression upon John ..."
G. K. Beale, The Use of Daniel in Jewish Apocalyptic Literature and in the Revelation of St. John (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2010), 262–263.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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  • The elders and the 4 beasts are around the throne of God not in it. The same can be said of the great multitude in chapter 7 of Revelation. Looking at it this way we can get a better idea of who these people are

    Maybe, September 29, 2025

1 Enoch 9:4 and Revelation 4:11

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