John seeth the throne of God in heaven, 1-3, encompassed with four and twenty elders, 4, 5, and four beasts full of eyes before and behind, 6, 7.The continual adoration and worship offered by the beasts and elders before him that sat on the throne, 8-11.
Jonathan Edwards' "Praise, One of the Chief Employments of Heaven": 'Their employment consists very much in praising God.
John the beloved disciple had often visions of heaven, and in almost every instance had a vision of the inhabitants as praising God. So in Revelation 4 he tells us, that he looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven, and he was called up thither, and that he saw the throne of God and him that sat on the throne; and there he gives us an account how those that were round about the throne were praising God; the four living creatures rest not day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is…
William Tong (for Matthew Henry): 'In this chapter the prophetical scene opens; and, as the epistolary part opened with a vision of Christ (Revelation 1), so this part is introduced with a glorious appearance of the great God, whose throne is in heaven, compassed about with the heavenly host. This discovery was made to John, and in this chapter he, I. Records the heavenly sight he saw, verses 1-7. And then, II. The heavenly songs he heard, verse 8, to the end.'
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