The Heavenly Throne Room

After this I had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpetlike voice that had spoken to me before, saying, "Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards."

At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat

one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.

NAB footnote:Jasper and carnelian: precious stones whose colors (white and red) suggest the glory and majesty of God. Emerald: the rainbow symbolizes God's mercy; cf Genesis 9:13-16.

Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.

NAB footnote:Twenty-four elders: they represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, i.e., the whole people of God, the new Israel.

From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

NAB footnote:Seven spirits of God: the Holy Spirit in the fullness of his gifts; cf Isaiah 11:2-3; Zechariah 4:2, 10.

In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back.

NAB footnote:Sea of glass: the heavenly equivalent of the bronze basin in Solomon's temple. Four living creatures: derived from Ezekiel 1:5-21; they represent the whole of animate creation.

The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a human being, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.

NAB footnote:Lion, calf, human face, eagle: the four most noble creatures, representing the whole of animate creation. Christian tradition has applied these symbols to the four evangelists.

The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come."

NAB footnote:Holy, holy, holy: the trisagion of Isaiah 6:3, indicating the absolute holiness of God.

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:

"Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created."