In the Throne Room
Revelation 4:3
And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald (4:3).
A jasper and a sardius stone – Revelation 21:11 describes jasper as “crystal-clear,” so it is best to identify this stone as a diamond, brilliantly flashing and refracting all the colors of the spectrum of the glory of God. The sardius stone is a fiery blood-red ruby. This also expresses the shining beauty of God’s glory; and symbolizes God’s blazing wrath about to be poured out on the sinful rebellious world (Chapters 6-19). The sardius and the jasper were the first and last stones on the high priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:17-20), representing the firstborn (Reuben) and the lastborn (Benjamin) of the 12 sons of Jacob. These stones depict God’s covenant relationship with Israel. The names of Reuben (“behold a son”) and Benjamin (“son of my right hand”) picture God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, sitting at His Father’s right-hand in glory.
Rainbow around the throne – This rainbow was “in appearance like an emerald,” revealing green to be the dominant color and encircled the throne. The emerald was the stone of Judah, whose name means “praise. This again reveals the magnificence of the glory of God. In Genesis 9:13-17, a rainbow symbolizes God’s covenant, faithfulness, mercy, and grace. The rainbow that Ezekiel and John saw around the throne was circular.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
©2013 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.
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