After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads... In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures. _{Revelation 4:1-6}

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the sevenfold Spirit of God sent out into all the earth. _{Revelation 5:6}

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. _{Revelation 5:11}

When he [the Lamb] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar [of incense] the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. _{Revelation 6:9}

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." _{Revelation 7:9 & 14}

Key points of John's Vision:

1. John is addressed by the 'voice like a trumpet' first introduced in chapter 1. _{Revelation 1:12-18}
2. The voice is identified there belonging to none other than Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus is the Revelator. He says to John, "I will show you what must take place after this."
4. John "in the Spirit (in vision)" is shown the Lord God seated on a throne in the center of what looked like a sea of glass.
5. He had the appearance of precious gemstones and an emerald-colored rainbow encircled the throne.
6. Standing next to the throne is the Lamb of God.
7. In front of the throne are seven lamps ablaze and the golden altar of incense.
8. What John is shown is the Temple in Heaven which is mirrored by the Mosaic Tabernacle.
9. Next, surrounding the throne, are the four living creatures and beyond them the twenty-four elders.
10. Beyond them, encircling the throne, is a large host of angels and beyond that "a great multitude that no one could count."

The tabernacle and the latter temple in Jerusalem was the center of the Jewish sanctuary service first described in the book of Exodus:

The Lord said to Moses..., "Have them [the Israelites] make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you." _{Exodus 25:8,9}

Moses was given specific instructions for the construction of the tabernacle including the materials to be used. The "pattern" he was shown is in fact the temple in heaven.

Everytime the Israelites moved in the wilderness the tabernacle would be taken down and reconstructed at a new site the Lord had chosen. After the Israelites occupied the promised land, the tabernacle was setup at Shiloh in Ephraim and remained there for 369 years. Finally, king Solomon, son of David, built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem after the same pattern the Lord gave to Moses in the wilderness.

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the Lord." _{1 Kings 6:1}

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." _{Revelation 5:1-5}

He [the Lamb] went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. _{Revelation 5:7}

[The] four living creatures... were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

"Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. _{Revelation 4:6-10}

Revealing the Four Living Creatures:

1. John describes their physical appearances:
   • Covered with eyes. Vigilant, watchful: The Lord is in his holy temple... He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. _{Psalm 11:4}
   • A lion. Courage, strength: Mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing _{Proverbs 30:30}
   • An ox. Powerful servant: From the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. _{Job 39:9, Proverbs 14:4}
   • A human face. Noble being: God created man in his own image. _{Genesis 1:27, Isaiah 1:18, Psalms 8:4-6}
   • An eagle in flight. Powerful, swift: Those who hope in the Lord... will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary. _{Isaiah 40:31}
   • Each having six wings. Angelic beings I saw the Lord... seated on a throne. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings.
     _{Isaiah 6:2}
2. Additional observations:
   • The living creatures have a close proximity to the throne of God.
   • Their continual glorification of the Lord elicits worship from the twenty-four elders.
   • They are instrumental when the Lamb opens the seven seals on the scroll.
   • Each living creature in turn calls out to John, "Come here and have a look at this." It would seem they possess some kind of audio-visual function. When the third seal is opened John not only saw the black horse and its rider, but heard a voice coming from among the four living creatures.
   • Is John being shown still images or moving videos? I lean toward the latter.

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. _{Revelation 6:1,2}

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword. _{Revelation 6:3,4}

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "Two pounds of wheat for a day's wages, and six pounds of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” _{Revelation 6:5,6}

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. _{Revelation 6:7,8}

The Souls under the Altar:
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained... Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. _{Revelation 6:9-11}

These are those who sacrificed their lives from political and religious persecution throughout the ages. Even more faithful will die during the time of the fifth seal; those who do not receive the Mark of the Beast or worship its image.

Signs Preceding the Second Advent:
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth..., the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth... The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains... "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?" _{Revelation 6:12-17}

The signs preceding the second advent of Jesus Christ should not be taken literally. The book of Revelation presents prophecy wrapped in symbols and imagery. Interpreting these is a subject for another time.

The Seven Trumpets:
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. _{Revelation 8:1,2}

Opening the seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets prophecy sounded by the seven angels which, in turn, introduce the seven bowls of wrath.

1. The colors of the horses and the items their riders hold have some symbolic importance.
2. White = Purity & righteousness. _{Psalm 51:7}
3. Red = Sinful nature of man. _{Isaiah 1:18}
4. Black = Distress, catastrophe & death. _{Joel 2:2, Zephaniah 1:15}
5. Pale = Frightful alarm, the color of death. _{Daniel 5:6, Daniel 10:8, Nahum 2:10}
6. Bow = Weapon of war, fires a projectile.
7. Sword = Weapon of war, a slashing / stabbing weapon.
8. Scales = Devices for measuring weights.

The four horsemen in one word can be identified as: 1) Conquest, 2) War, 3) Famine, and 4) Death. The general scenario presented here is that events on earth during this time go from bad to worse.

The meaning of the white horse is a conundrum. The color white suggests one thing as stated above but the rider holds a weapon of war. This suggests that the entity presented here is a deceiver; a wolf in sheeps clothing. The conquest achieved is not by way of war but the conquest of the human mind. This could be the false prophet introduced in more detail in the 13th chapter of Revelation. _{Revelation 13:11,12}

War has been around as long as humanity has been. Therefore the red horse and its rider suggests a conflict far worse, perhaps on a global scale and the use of horrific new weapons. This may be what is indicated by the large sword given to the rider.

The black horse and its rider represents the natural consequence of war which is famine. The scales and the prices of commodities suggests a scarcity of food items. Many who survive the war become the victims of deprivation.

The image of he who rides the pale horse with Hades [the grave] in his wake depicts the total collapse of civilization as a result of the three preceding horsemen. The world as we know it now is no more and the second advent is near. _{Revelation 11:18}