Revelation 19:4

Rev 19:4-5. The four and twenty elders and the four living creatures — After the preceding chorus had ended their hymn, the representatives of the Jewish and Christian Churches prostrated themselves before Jehovah, saying, Amen — So be it: let God be ever praised for the displays now made of his infinite perfections. And a voice came out of the throne — From the glory, or the oracle; this shows the great authority and solemnity with which this order was published; saying, Praise our God, &c. — The occasion and matter of this song of praise seem to be somewhat different from those of the foregoing hymn: that hymn was to celebrate the praises of God principally on account of his faithfulness and justice manifested in the punishment of a persecuting power, that had long oppressed Christ’s faithful servants. But this, as appears by what follows, is principally to praise God for the happy and glorious state of his church, about to take place in consequence of this punishment of its enemies; even that state of it, as appears, wherein it is said to live and reign with Christ a thousand years, and which is more particularly spoken of in the following chapter: for which wonderful display of the divine goodness all the truly pious are prepared by this hymn for solemnly and devoutly praising God.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19:4 In response to the first two praises (19:1-3), the elders and the living beings (see ch 4) again prostrate themselves before the enthroned God (see 4:10; 5:8, 14; 7:11). • Amen! See study note on 5:14.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rev_19:4. The twenty-four elders and the four beings, responding first of all by the ʼΑμήν, confirming the ascription of praise just proclaimed, then also, on their part, expressly continue the same: ἀλληλ.[4032]

[4032] Cf. Rev_5:8; Rev_5:14, Rev_4:11.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rev 19:4 . After the long interlude of judgments on the earth, the πρεσβύτεροι and ζῷα (incidentally mentioned in Rev 11:16 , Rev 14:3 ) re-appear upon the scene, though for the last time, to take part in the chorus of praise over Rome’s ruin. The cradle-song of the future is the dirge of Rome. The drama now centres mainly round the city of God, and the earlier temple-scenery of the Apocalypse (Rev 19:4-11 , Rev 15:5 to Rev 16:17 ) passes almost wholly out of sight. Ἀμήν : the initial (and primitive) use of ἀμήν , social ( e.g. , 1Ki 1:36 ) as well as liturgical, which gravely assents to the preceding words of another speaker.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

beasts--rather, "living creatures."

sat--Greek, "sitteth."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. The four and twenty elders] The true Church of the Lord Jesus converted from among the Jews. See Rev 4:10; Rev 5:14.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(4) And the four and twenty . . .—The twenty-four elders, the representatives of the Church, and the four living beings, the representatives of nature, fell down and worshipped God who sitteth (not “sat,” as in the English version) on the throne. These, too, join in the chorus of praise.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. And the four and twenty &c.] Cf. Rev_5:14.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts,.... Mentioned in Rev 4:4 and who represent the churches of Christ and ministers of the Gospel in the several periods of time, these join in the chorus, and praise the Lord on the account of the destruction of Rome, and ruin of antichrist; so they are often heard of in this book, when any remarkable thing is done, or when there is any breaking forth of the kingdom and glory of Christ; see Rev 5:8 these

fell down; on their faces before God, as in Rev 4:10 in great reverence of him, and of his righteous judgments:

and worshipped God that sat on the throne; described in Rev 4:2 this refers to the public worship of God in the churches, by the ministers and members of them:

saying, Amen; Alleluia; they said "Amen", and signified their assent to what the much people in heaven had said, Rev 19:1 and joined in the same "hallelujah", or expressions of praise to God, for this great appearance of his in the downfall of Babylon. Both these words are used together in Psa 106:48, see Rev 5:14.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

Ver. 4. And the four and twenty elders] The former Alleluiah was more private; every good heart being lifted up with joy and thankfulness, when first they hear the good news of Antichrist’s overthrow. Now is this the joint Alleluiah of the public congregation, praising and magnifying God. This may be a further means to move the Jews to come in.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts - See the notes on Rev 4:4, Rev 4:6-7. As representatives of the church, and as interested in its welfare, they are now introduced as rejoicing in its final triumph, and in the destruction of its last foe.

Fell down - Prostrated themselves - the usual posture of worship.

And worshipped God that sat on the throne - Rev 4:2-3, Rev 4:10. That is, they now adored him for what he had done in delivering the church from all its persecutions, and causing it to triumph in the world.

Saying, Amen - See the notes on Mat 6:13. The word here is expressive of approbation of what God had done; or of their solemn assent to all that had occurred in the destruction of the great enemy of the church.

Alleluia - See the notes on Rev 19:1. The repetition of this word so many times shows the intenseness of the joy of heaven in view of the final triumph of the church.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

See Poole on "Rev 4:1", and following verses to Rev 4:11. All the heavenly choir praise God upon this account, desiring that the Lord would fulfil what he had begun.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. To the song in heaven there now comes a profound response. It is from the twenty-four elders and from the four living ones, who commenced their session at chapter 6. The elders rise from their seats and prostrate themselves before the throne. They give their responsive amen, and a third utterance, to the alleluias of the great voice in heaven.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. (On "the twenty-four elders" as representing the Church of God, and "the four living beings" as typical of creation, see on Rev_4:4, Rev_4:6) God that sitteth (present tense, as in ver. 3) on the throne; as he is described in Rev_4:2 and Rev_5:13. Amen; Hallelujah. (see Psa_106:48)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures felt down - The living creatures are nearer the throne than the elders. Accordingly they are mentioned before them, with the praise they render to God, chap. iv, 9, 10; v, 8, 14; inasmuch as there the praise moves from the center to the circumference. But here, when God's judgments are fulfilled, it moves back from the circumference to the center. Here, therefore, the four and twenty elders are named before the living creatures.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

beasts

living creatures. (See Scofield "Eze 1:5").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Note here, 1. How the whole heavenly choir praise God on the fore- mentioned account, acknowledging the justice of his proceeding against Babylon; and,

2. An invitation is here given to all the saints upon earth, both small and great, to fear upon earth, both small and great, to fear and praise him.

Whence note, How the church triumphant and militant, the saints in heaven and Christians on earth, jointly give praise to God, and glorify him for this great work, adoring his divine justice in destroying Babylon, the mother of idolatry, the nest of luxury, the seat of oppression and cruelty; it is a duty well becoming the saints, both small and great, to celebrate the praises of God for the equity of his judgments upon his church’s incorrigible and unreclaimable enemies; and here God himself, and his ministers, call upon the whole church to join in this solemn work of praise and thanksgiving: A voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, and the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts fell down and worshipped.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. And the four and twenty elders. See chap. 4:4, 6, and notes at close of that chapter.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

4. καὶ ἔπεσαν … ἀλληλούϊα. Cf. Rev 5:14, where also the thanksgiving closes with the homage of the Living Creatures and the Elders.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.