Four and Twenty Elders

The vision of Revelation 4 depicts a transcendent heavenly Throne around which is a circle of twenty‑four subordinate thrones, on which sit twenty‑four Elders. Without being specifically informed who they were, John identifies them readily enough and describes them by a term very familiar in Israel.

Who were these Elders? What was their office, and why twenty‑four? The answer leads back into the sacred records of Israel, but first let it be noted that the Authorised Version says "round about the Throne were four‑and‑twenty seats." (Rev.4:4) There is no just reason for making this distinction between the central Throne and the twenty‑four, for the same Greek word (thronos) is used for the twenty‑four as for the one. They may have been less in size, and lower in position, and less elaborate in design; but for all that they were thrones, and they who sat on them wore crowns. Hence, both crown and throne bore testimony to their kingliness. Additionally they held harps and carried golden bowls full of incense. (Rev.5:8 RV)

The word (phialastranslated "vials" is used in the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Scriptures for vessels belonging to the altar. (Exod.27:3). This shows that these Elders possessed priestly privileges, in that they offered the odours, or incense of saints, to the occupant of the central Throne. They had harps also, which reveals them as the leaders of worship—the sweet singers before God. Thus they are shown to possess the privileges of the Priesthood, with access to the Temple, and the right of entry into the Holy Place and the golden Altar.

The Scriptural basis for the official position of these Elders is laid down in their functioning in the court of Pharaoh, around the person of Joseph, the Hebrew Prime Minister. They were evidently the representatives at court of all the people of Israel. They accompanied Joseph and his brethren to the land of Canaan to bury Jacob. (Gen.50:7‑13).

Israel evidently copied this institution from the Egyptians, for when Moses came under the Lord’s commission to lead them forth from Egypt, God said to him, "...Go, and gather the Elders of Israel together, and say unto them..." (Exod.3:16) "And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel." (Exod.4:29) After the Lord had spoken the Words of the law from the top of Sinai, Moses called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words. (Exod.19:7) Again, when Moses had sprinkled the book of the Words and the people, seventy of the elders of the people went up into the mount, and saw there a representation of God. (Exod.24:9‑11) Here they are mentioned as a company, seventy strong. Also they are called nobles, and need to be distinguished from the princes, of whom there were but twelve. (Num.1:5‑16) Further reference to this body of Elders is found throughout Israel’s later history, and in every case denotes a body which had some measure of control in Israel—governors of cities and villages.

The origin of the Elders of the type seen in this Throne‑scene goes back to the days of David, when he set in order the courses of the Priests in readiness for the new Temple that was to be erected in place of the tabernacle. A remarkable thing about this arrangement was that David received his instructions direct from God. Addressing Solomon, when abdicating in his favour, David said "All this…the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern." (1 Chron.28:19) Like Moses, who was commanded to make the Tabernacle according to the pattern shown to him in the holy mount, David was given a pattern of the Temple structures, with the orders of the Priesthood and Levites for its services. Hence, these instructions have the sanction of Divine Authority and inspiration to be followed precisely and carefully. This was to be a copy of a heavenly original.

The only institution in Israel throughout its history which consisted of twenty‑four sections was the Priestly constitution for the new Temple. The tribes, minus Levi, were twelve, and their princes twelve. It is thought that their secular Elders numbered seventy or seventy‑two, and that this body gave rise, after the Captivity, to the Sanhedrin. The number twenty‑four, therefore, excludes both the princes and secular elders under God’s direction—sixteen courses for the sons of Eleazar and eight for the sons of Ithamar (the two surviving sons of Aaron)—twenty‑four courses in all. (1 Chron.24:4)

The singers were also ordained in twenty‑four courses, with twelve in each course (1 Chron.25:7‑31), two hundred and eighty‑eight persons in all, to lead the praise and song in the Temple service. Over each course of Priests, Levites and Singers was placed a governor or elder (1 Chron.24:4) as an Elder priest, subject to the supreme authority of the High Priest. This is the identical number(Verse states twenty‑five with the likely thought one is the High Priest) seen in vision by Ezekiel within the inner court of the Lord’s House, worshipping with their backs to the Temple of the Lord, and their faces to the east, committing abominations, (Ezekiel 8:15‑18) and for which the glory of the Lord left its place in the Temple of Jerusalem (Ezek.10:18), which was then given over to destruction.

In the Septuagint version the word for Elder is "presbuteros"—"chief men" and was differentiated from "presbutos"—"old men." We still retain this term in our modern official title ‘Alderman,’ which carries with it a special precedence over other members of our municipal councils. The word Elder does not therefore in itself indicate a priestly prince but its association with the number twenty‑four most certainly does. This official class among the priests is referred to in Isa.37:2 as "Elders (presbuterous) of the Priests," and in Jer.19:1 as "the Ancients (presbuteron) of the Priests."

John saw this priestly constitution gathered in holy conclave—the full twenty‑four Elders, each the head of his course, each representing his course. The priestly function is represented by the vials full of odours (bowls full of incense), the sweet singers by the harp and their song; but, in addition, over and above all other adornments is their royal crown—these are Kings as well as Priests. Accordingly these twenty‑four crowned Priests are symbolic heads of the twenty‑four courses, representing the thousands of this high and privileged class of Priests, Levites, and Singers.

Now as to this priestly class in its relationship to Israel. Under the Covenant, Israel was taken from among the nations to be God’s firstborn.(Exod.4:22‑23) They were to be a kingdom of Priests through whom other nations were to be introduced to God. They were a called‑out people, separated from among the nations of the world. But the priestly class was an additionally separated class—an election within an election, and brought specially near to God, to approach him, and to serve their brethren in a special way. With the establishment of the Temple, this special class was divided into twenty‑four courses, in order to foreshadow the Heavenly Priesthood, prepared to minister in the real Temple condition between God and restored Israel, and ultimately all men. The twenty‑four Elders upon their twenty‑four thrones, crowned with gold, and robed in white, represent all the true Priesthood, who will be accepted as kings and priests under Jesus, the great High Priest. They will be pure and holy, wearing white which is the "righteousness of the saints." (Rev.19:8)

When the time came for the supersession of the Aaronic priesthood and the carnal sacrifices by the higher and better priesthood and sacrifices, the temporary arrangement which gave the privileges of the Priesthood to Levi, instead of the firstborn, was withdrawn, and the system reverted to its original form. Henceforth, from among all the tribes of Israel, all who believed in Jesus as the Redeemer, and surrendered their lives to him in full consecration, were accepted as first‑fruits, the firstborns, and became "the Church of the Firstborn, whose names are written in Heaven." This very term links them with the whole family (Heb.12:22‑24 NIV) and betokens also others to follow after.

This royal priesthood, constituted of the remnant from Israel, and of such from among the Gentiles who accept Jesus and consecrate their lives to him, is represented by the twenty‑four Elders in this heavenly scene, not as individuals, but as a complete body, and are found awaiting the coming of the Kinsman‑Redeemer to take the Scroll. They are to be the witnesses of the Redemption of the purchased possession, to support the verdict, and testify that it has transpired, and cause the glad tidings to pass to angels, to Israel, and to lead the Hallelujah chorus of the nations, to earth’s remotest bounds.

AOH