Teks -- Revelation 4:1 (NET)

The Amazing Scene in Heaven

4:1 After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - After these things

After these things ( meta tauta ).

Change in the panorama, not chronology (Rev 7:1, Rev 7:9; Rev 15:5; Rev 18:1; Rev 19:1). This vision is of heaven, not of earth as was true of chapters Rev 1; 2. The first vision of Christ and the messages to the seven churches began in Rev 1:12. This new vision of the throne in heaven (Rev 4:1-11) succeeds that to which it here alludes.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - I saw

I saw ( eidon ).

Second aorist active indicative of horaō .

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Behold

Behold ( idou ).

Exclamation of vivid emotion as John looked. No effect on the structure and nominative case thura (door) follows it.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Opened

Opened ( ēneōigmenē ).

Perfect (triple reduplication) passive participle of anoigō as in Rev 3:8 (door of opportunity) and Rev 3:20 (door of the heart), here the door of revelation (Swete).

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - In heaven

In heaven ( en tōi ouranōi ).

As in Eze 1:1; Mar 1:10; Joh 1:51. In Revelation always in singular except Rev 12:12.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - The first

The first ( hē prōtē ).

Reference is to Rev 1:10.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Speaking

Speaking ( lalousēs ).

From laleō , rather legousēs of Rev 1:10 from legō , both agreeing with salpiggos (trumpet).

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Saying

Saying ( legōn ).

Present active participle of legō repeating the idea of lalousēs , but in the nominative masculine singular construed with phōnē (feminine singular), construction according to sense because of the person behind the voice as in Rev 11:15; Rev 19:14.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Come up

Come up ( anaba ).

Short Koiné form for anabēthi (second aorist active imperative second person singular of anabainō ).

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Hither

Hither ( hōde ).

Originally "here,"but vernacular use (Joh 6:25; Joh 10:27).

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - I will show

I will show ( deixō ).

Future active of deiknumi in same sense in Rev 1:1.

Robertson: Rev 4:1 - Hereafter

Hereafter ( meta tauta ).

Some editors (Westcott and Hort) connect these words with the beginning of Rev 4:2.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - After this

After this ( μετὰ ταῦτα )

Rev., literally, after these things . Not indicating a break in the ecstatic state of the seer, but only a succession of separate visions.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - I looked

I looked ( εἶδον )

Rev., better, I saw . Not of the directing of attention , but of the simple reception of the vision.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - A door was opened

A door was opened ( θύρα ἀνεῳγμένη )

Rev., rightly, omits was . A door set open . The A.V. implies that the seer witnessed the opening of the door.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - In Heaven

In Heaven

Compare Eze 1:1; Mat 3:16; Act 7:56; Act 10:11. In all these heaven itself is opened.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - Was

Was

Omit. Render, as Rev., " a voice as of a trumpet."

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - A trumpet

A trumpet ( σάλπιγγος )

See on Mat 24:31. Properly a war-trumpet , though the word was also used of a sacred trumpet, with the epithet ἱερά sacred .

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - Speaking - saying

Speaking - saying ( λαλούσης - λέγουσα )

See on Mat 28:18. The former verb indicates the breaking of the silence, the latter the matter of the address.

Vincent: Rev 4:1 - Hereafter

Hereafter ( μετὰ ταῦτα )

Some editors connect these words with the succeeding verse, substituting them for καὶ and at the beginning of that verse, and rendering, " I will show thee the things which must come to pass. After these things straightway I was," etc.

Wesley: Rev 4:1 - After these things

As if he had said, After I had written these letters from the mouth of the Lord. By the particle and, the several parts of this prophecy are usually connected: by the expression, after these things, they are distinguished from each other, Rev 7:9; Rev 19:1. By that expression, and after these things, they are distinguished, and yet connected, Rev 7:1; Rev 15:5; Rev 18:1. St. John always saw and heard, and then immediately wrote down one part after another: and one part is constantly divided from another by some one of these expressions.

Wesley: Rev 4:1 - I saw

Here begins the relation of the main vision, which is connected throughout; as it appears from "the throne, and him that sitteth thereon;" "the Lamb;" (who hitherto has appeared in the form of a man;) " the four living creatures;" and " the four and twenty elders," represented from this place to the end. From this place, it is absolutely necessary to keep in mind the genuine order of the texts, as it stands in the preceding table.

Wesley: Rev 4:1 - A door opened in heaven

Several of these openings are successively mentioned. Here a door is opened; afterward, "the temple of God in heaven," Rev 11:19; Rev 15:5; and, at last, "heaven" itself, Rev 19:11. By each of these St. John gains a new and more extended prospect.

Wesley: Rev 4:1 - And the first voice which I had heard

Namely, that of Christ: afterward, he heard the voices of many others. Said, Come up hither - Not in body, but in spirit; which was immediately done.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - After this

Greek, "After these things," marking the opening of the next vision in the succession. Here is the transition from "the things which are" (Rev 1:19), the existing state of the seven churches, as a type of the Church in general, in John's time, to "the things which shall be hereafter," namely, in relation to the time when John wrote.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - I looked

Rather as Greek, "I saw" in vision; not as English Version means, I directed my look that way.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - was

Omit, as not being in the Greek.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - opened

"standing open"; not as though John saw it in the act of being opened. Compare Eze 1:1; Mat 3:16; Act 7:56; Act 10:11. But in those visions the heavens opened, disclosing the visions to those below on earth. Whereas here, heaven, the temple of God, remains closed to those on earth, but John is transported in vision through an open door up into heaven, whence he can see things passing on earth or in heaven, according as the scenes of the several visions require.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - the first voice which I heard

The voice which I heard at first, namely, in Rev 1:10; the former voice.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - was as it were

Omit was, it not being in the Greek. "Behold" governs in sense both "a door," &c., and "the first voice," &c.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - Come up hither

Through the "open door."

JFB: Rev 4:1 - be

Come to pass.

JFB: Rev 4:1 - hereafter

Greek, "after these things": after the present time (Rev 1:19).

Clarke: Rev 4:1 - A door was opened in heaven

A door was opened in heaven - This appears to have been a visible aperture in the sky over his head.

Defender: Rev 4:1 - After this

"After this" means after all that was revealed concerning the church age as represented by the seven church epistles. John is now carried forward, in the Spirit, to see the events that will take place next. God, who created time as well as space, transcends both time and space. Thus, He could easily translate John in both space and time - in space to heaven, and in time to the future. John, therefore, was able to see and hear these amazing events of the future as an actual eye-witness, just as we shall eventually see and hear them when we, like John, are caught up into heaven to be with the Lord (1Th 4:16, 1Th 4:17).

Defender: Rev 4:1 - trumpet

When the Lord finally opens the heavenly doors (compare Rev 3:8, Rev 3:20) and raptures all true Christians, saying "Come up hither," it will indeed be with the voice of a trumpet heard all over the world at once (1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16).

Defender: Rev 4:1 - things which must be hereafter

In Revelation 4-22, the Lord shows us, through John's eyes, the "things which must be hereafter" - that is, after the church age (see the outline given in Rev 1:19, where similar wording is used). In the original Greek, this verse both begins and ends with the phrase "after these things." The church age ("the things which are") is not discussed after Revelation 3."

TSK: Rev 4:1 - After // a door // the first // Come // and I

After : Rev. 1:1-3:22

a door : Exo 1:1; Mat 3:16; Mar 1:10; Luk 3:21; Act 7:56, Act 10:11

the first : Rev 1:10, Rev 16:17

Come : Rev 11:12; Exo 19:24, Exo 24:12, Exo 34:2, Exo 34:3

and I : Rev 1:19, Rev 22:6; Joh 16:13

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rev 4:1 - After this // I looked // And, behold, a door was opened // In heaven // which said, Come up hither // And I will show thee things which must be hereafter

Rev 4:1-3 John seeth the throne of God in heaven,

Rev 4:4,5 encompassed with four and twenty elders,

Rev 4:6,7 and four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Rev 4:8-11 The continual adoration and worship offered by the

beasts and elders before him that sat on the throne.

After this after I had the first vision, mentioned Rev 1:1-20 , and had written what it was the pleasure of God I should write to the churches, in a book, perceiving the way God designed to reveal himself to me was by vision.

I looked I looked again, hoping and being desirous to see something further as to the mind of God.

And, behold, a door was opened I saw the heavens opened, as Mat 3:16 Act 7:56 .

In heaven he, doubtless, meaneth the third heavens. Such a vision, as to this particular, John had at Christ’ s baptism, Mat 3:1-17 , and Stephen when he was stoned. He also heard the voice of one speaking aloud to him, like the voice he heard, Rev 1:10 ;

which said, Come up hither into heaven, the new Jerusalem which is above; as the old Jerusalem stood upon a hill, or rising ground, so as they who went thither are constantly said to go up, Isa 2:3 Act 11:2 Gal 1:17,18 2:1 .

And I will show thee things which must be hereafter not which have been, (for to what purpose had that been)? But which shall happen hereafter both to my church and to her enemies: from which it appears, that God did not here show his prophet the destruction of Jerusalem, for that was already past, in the time of Titus Vespasian the Roman emperor, about the year 69, or 70, after the incarnation; this (as all confess) was in Domitian’ s time, about the 11th or 12th year of his reign, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years after that was past, which makes the notion of two late annotators very strange.

PBC: Rev 4:1 - a door was opened in heaven // and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Adoration of God in heaven {Re 4:1-11}

Re 4:1 "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

"a door was opened in heaven"

Where is he? He’s on the outside looking in. He’s going to see something from his perspective in the vision about what’s going on in heaven. The door is opened in heaven. I like to think for the child of God the doors of heaven are always open, but we don’t always have the perspective to look in. Eld. Joe Holder

"and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

Now, he is called to come up- get closer to or perhaps in some visionary manner even enter that Holy place. Eld. Joe Holder

The " reverberation" of this trumpet was to get the attention of John and emphasize the greatness of this voice. The next thing emphasized was, " I will show thee things which must come hereafter." There was coming to pass shortly things which would try the faith and patience of the saints. {see Re 1:1} Remembering this will greatly illuminate the time signified. We will speak more of this later.— Eld. Charles Taylor

Haydock: Rev 4:1 - Behold a door open // I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter

No sooner had St. John received in the preceding vision the documents he was to transmit to the seven Churches of Asia [Asia Minor], when, behold, a new scene displays itself. Heaven opens, and St. John is invited up thither by the voice which had spoken to him before, and is told he shall see what is to happen in future ages. On a sudden appears a throne, and the Almighty himself seated upon it. The rainbow which surrounds the throne, denotes the covenant of reconciliation and peace between God and man. (Walmesley) ---

Behold a door open. Here begins what may be looked upon as a second part of the Apocalypse, and from hence to the two last chapters are contained wars and victories of the Church over all its enemies, the devil, Jews, heathens, and heretics. ---

These visions are so differently expounded, when applied to different events, that this alone may convince us how uncertain are those various interpretations. The servants of God are taught that they must expect to meet with many trials, afflictions, and persecutions; but this ought to be a great subject of consolation to the faithful, that they are assured of victory if they fight manfully, and of a recompense of endless happiness for their short labours. Such visions and majestic descriptions shew that St. John was inspired by the same spirit of God, as the ancient patriarchs and prophets. ---

I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter; i.e. after the things already revealed concerning the seven Churches, and therefore after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was about twenty years before St. John wrote this Apocalypse. (Witham)

Gill: Rev 4:1 - After this I looked // and behold, a door was opened in heaven // and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me // which said, come up hither // and I will show thee things which must be hereafter

After this I looked,.... After John had seen the vision of Christ, in the midst of the golden candlesticks, with seven stars in his right hand; after he was bid to write what he had seen, and what were, and should be hereafter; and after he had by order written the seven epistles to the seven churches, he looked about him to see what else he could, having his desires and expectations raised of seeing more, and other things, for the eye is never satisfied with seeing; though this is to be understood, not of looking with the eyes of his body, but with the eyes of his mind; of his beholding things in a visionary way, as the prophets did, whence they are called "seers", and their prophecies "visions": how long this was after the first vision is not certain, it may be but a few minutes; and it is to be observed, that as the first chapter of this book, with the vision in it, is the preface or introduction to the church prophecy delivered out in the seven epistles; so this and the following chapter, with the vision therein, contain the preface or introduction to the book prophecy exhibited in the opening of the seven seals of the sealed book:

and behold, a door was opened in heaven: not in a literal sense, as the heavens were opened at Christ's baptism, and at Stephen's martyrdom, but in a figurative sense; and the phrase is to be understood of a discovery of things that were, or were to be in the church of God, which in this book is oftentimes signified by "heaven": and it must be conceived as done in a visionary way, just as Ezekiel, in the visions of God, was brought to Jerusalem, and the temple there, and in at a door was shown all the abominations committed in the court and temple; so John, in a visionary way, through an opened door, had a scene of things in the church presented to him, as follows:

and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me; this voice is not called the first voice with respect to any other voices that were to follow; but it designs the former voice, the voice that John heard behind him, when he saw the first vision; and this, as that, was clear, loud, and sonorous as a trumpet, so that he thoroughly heard, and rightly understood what was said; it was the same Person that made the following representation of things as did then, even he who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord Jesus Christ, the author of the whole revelation; the "first" is left out in the Arabic version: the allusion is to the blowing of trumpets at the opening of the door of the temple;

"every day there were one and twenty soundings of a trumpet in the temple, three לפתיחת שערים, "at the opening of the doors", and nine at the daily morning sacrifice, and nine at the daily evening sacrifice ^f.''

And one of them was called the great door of the temple; and he that slew the daily sacrifice, did not slay till he heard the sound of that door when it was opened ^g; so here at the opening of the door in heaven, in the church, of which the temple was a type, the voice of the Son of God is heard as the sound of a trumpet, talking loudly and familiarly to John:

which said, come up hither; from the isle of Patmos, where he was, up to heaven; not into the third heaven, where Paul was caught up, but rather up into the Gospel church, the Jerusalem which is above; though this, as before, is to be understood in a visionary way, in like manner as Ezekiel was lifted up by the Spirit between the earth and the heavens; and so John, in a vision, was called up from Patmos into the air, where he had a representation of the church made unto him:

and I will show thee things which must be hereafter; in the world, in the Roman empire, and in the church of God, to the end of the world; not but that there were some things shown him, as before, in the church prophecy, which had been, and were, and which was done to give him a complete view of things from first to last: and these things were shown in the following visions of the seals, trumpets, and vials, and by the Lord Jesus Christ, who talked with him, and to whom this revelation was given to show unto his servants; and it was of things that "must" be, because determined and resolved upon in the unalterable purposes and decrees of God.