I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne (Ezek 10:1).
O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth (Is 37:16).
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved (Ps 99:1 [Ps 98:1 rus]).
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind (Ps 18:6—10 [Ps 17:7—11 rus]).
Around the Lord’s throne, there were 24 smaller thrones with 24 elders sitting on them. They had crowns on their heads and were clothed in white. The elders are saints, the white robes represent righteousness, and their golden crowns symbolize victory over death:
Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints (Rev 5:8).
These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14).
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Rev 3:5).
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne (Rev 3:21).
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev 2:10).
Chapter 1:3. The third vision of God’s glory
Then John saw:
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever (Rev 5:1—14).
A scroll of a book sealed with seven seals is the book of life. Inside the scroll are the names of those who will be saved at the end of time, and outside are the names of sinners:
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works (Rev 20:12).
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him [beast, antichrist], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8).
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Rev 3:5).
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life (Php 4:3).
And there shall in no wise enter into it [new Jerusalem] any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev 21:27).
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Rev 22:19).
Without opening the book of life, no one can be saved and attain eternity. That’s why John wept so much about the fact that no one was worthy to open and read this book, or even to look into it. But he was comforted by an elder who said that Jesus, the lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, the One who was victorious [over death], Christ, the Lamb of God, who made an atonement for us by dying on the cross, is able to open this book and remove its seven seals. For he was slain, and by his blood redeemed us to God out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on earth.
In this vision, Christ is revealed as the Lamb, as though slain, with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits [Archangels] of God, sent to the whole earth. The slain Lamb stands for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross:
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (Jn 1:36).
Chapter 1:4. The Book of Heaven
After a series of visions, the apostle was given the Book of Heaven:
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices… And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and
