In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John records his observations and experiences during a series of visions. Here’s part of one:
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. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. 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. (Revelation 4:1-6; NIV)
On the surface of it, it’s not hard to understand what’s going on. John has a vision. He sees a heavenly throne, with “someone sitting on it”. Around that throne are 24 other thrones, with ‘elders’ sitting on them. Everything is brilliant, beautiful, and awe-inspiring. But who are these ‘elders’? The true identity of these people isn’t immediately obvious. There are a variety of opinions about it. One common view is that they represent two combined sets of 12 men from the Old and New Testaments respectively. The first 12, it is surmised, represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The second 12 are the 12 Apostles. Thus, the vision shows God surrounded by those representing the Old and New Testament people of God.
It’s actually a pretty good reading of the passage. But now I’m not quite so sure. In my series thinking about the in totiem vebis principle of interpretation, I offer a third point for your consideration.
3. Jesus, the High Priest, appears among the priestly divisions. I think it is very possible that the 24 elders in Revelation 4 represent the 24 divisions of the temple’s priestly order, found in 1 Chronicles 24. They represent heads of the priests whose cultic work sustained Old Covenant life. However, there is one priest missing from this picture in Revelation 4. In addition to the 24 priestly divisions there was one more priest who worked in the temple – the High Priest. In Revelation, we see the 24 ‘elders’ sitting on thrones, but the High Priest of God is not there. Until he is. In chapter 5, someone appears in the midst of these 24 thrones. This is what it says . . .
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 seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:6-10; NIV)
Note the cultic, temple language. Golden bowls (2 Chronicles 4:8), harps (1 Chronicles 25:6), prayer (Isaiah 56:7), singing (see the Psalms!), a slain lamb (Isa. 53), and blood (2 Chron. 30:16). Note how the 24 ‘elders’ recognize Jesus as central to all God’s plans in the world. He is the final fulfilment of all the Old Testament sacrificial system. He is the true High Priest (Hebrews 4) who brings the ultimate and final sacrifice for the sin of God’s people – and he himself is the sacrifice.
Jesus – the true High Priest – purchases men and women, boys and girls, to be God’s very own people, and to carry on a royal priestly role in the world.
If the picture of 24 ‘priestly orders’ around the throne was incomplete, it is complete when Jesus Christ appears on the scene. He is the fulfilment of all their temple work. He is both the High Priest, and the sacrificial Lamb of God (John 1:29). He is the conquering King of God’s Kingdom, who is worthy of worship as God.
Now. I’m not trying to say that I can prove that the 24 elders are meant to represent the 24 priestly divisions for temple worship. But given all the cultic language, and the sudden appearance of Jesus in their midst, I think it makes more sense than imposing a two-fold division of these 24 ‘elders’ into Old and New Testament representatives.
But I guess the point is this: as with all my previous posts on this subject, the idea that the meaning of the biblical text is present there “in just so many words” (in totidem verbis), is simply not the only (or primary, at times) way we understand what God is communicating through scripture.
The meaning of God’s word is mostly obvious when you read it. But God’s word is also deep. Oh so deep. Thank God it is.
spes clara 