5
Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
Ezekiel 1:5
Revelation 4
1
After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this."
2
Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne
3
that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
4
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.
5
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6
Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.
7
The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8
The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!"
9
When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,
10
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,
11
"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!"
Apocalypse Revealed #809
809. 19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him." This symbolizes an influx from the Lord into heaven and a consequent accord on the part of angels that all those prompted by truths of faith and goods of love worship the Lord as the only God of heaven.
The voice that came from the throne symbolizes an influx from the Lord into heaven. It was from the Lord because He who sat on the throne was the Lord, as shown just above in no. 808. Therefore an influx is meant by the voice that came from it; for the Lord, being above the heavens and appearing to the angels as a sun, does not speak to angels from there, but flows in, and whatever flows in is received in heaven and given voice. Consequently even though the voice here came from the throne, still John heard it from heaven, thus from angels there, and whatever angels say from heaven is from the Lord.
"Praise our God" symbolizes an injunction to worship the Lord as the only God of heaven. That to praise God is to worship Him will be seen below. All His servants symbolize all people who are governed by truths of faith (nos. 3, 380). All who fear Him symbolize people who are prompted by goods of love (nos. 527, 628).
[2] That to praise God means, symbolically, to worship Him, and therefore that praise of Him is worship of Him, is clear from many passages in the Word, of which we will cite just a few:
Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of (them) praising God... (Luke 2:13, cf. 2:20)
...the whole multitude of the disciples began to... praise God with a loud voice... (Luke 19:37)
...they were... in the temple praising and blessing God. (Luke 24:53)
Proclaim, give praise, and say, "O Jehovah, save Your people...." (Jeremiah 31:7)
Praise Jehovah in the heavens; praise Him in the heights! Praise Him... His angels; Praise Him... His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens... Let them praise the name of Jehovah... Praise Jehovah from the earth... He has exalted... the praise... of all His (people).... (Psalms 148:1-5, 7, 13-14)
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise. (Matthew 21:16)
All the people... gave praise to God. (Luke 18:43)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 42:8; 60:18; Joel 2:26; Psalms 113:1, 3; 117:1.
What is said in the present verse does not relate to what was said before regarding the Roman Catholic religion, but to what is said hereafter regarding the New Church to be established by the Lord, which is the subject now in the following verses.
