Jesus Christ
As the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ is, without question, the principal figure in all of history, past, present, and future. Bible prophecy is both revealed by Him and the One whom it reveals. In Revelation 19:10 (NLT), the angel told John,
Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.
Mark Hitchcock says that,
“The clearest and most concise way to capture the centrality of Christ to Bible prophecy is to list all thirty-five names and titles given to him in Revelation:
1. Jesus Christ (1:1)
2. Faithful witness (1:5)
3. First to rise from the dead (1:5)
4. Commander of all the rulers of the world (1:5)
5. The Alpha and the Omega (1:8)
6. The beginning and the end (1:8)
7. One who is, who always was, and who is to come, the Almighty One (1:8)
8. Son of Man (1:13)
9. The First and the Last (1:17; 2:8)
10. The living one who died (1:18)
11. The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand (2:1)
12. The one who walks among the seven gold lampstands (2:1)
13. The one who has a sharp two-edged sword (2:12)
14. Son of God (2:18)
15. Whose eyes are bright like flames of fire (2:18)
16. Whose feet are like polished bronze (2:18)
17. The one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars (3:1)
18. The one who is holy and true (3:7)
19. The one who has the key of David (3:7)
20. The Amen (3:14)
21. The faithful and true witness (3:14)
22. The ruler of God’s creation (3:14)
23. The Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5)
24. The heir to David’s throne (5:5)
25. The Lamb (twenty-eight times)
26. Sovereign Lord, holy and true (6:10)
27. Their Lord (11:8)
28. A boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod (12:5)
29. The child (12:5)
30. Lord God Almighty (15:3)
31. King of the nations (15:3)
32. Faithful and True (19:11)
33. The Word of God (19:13)
34. King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16)
35. The bright morning star (22:16)”1
Michael the Archangel
In all of Scripture, there are only two angels that are designated by name and who are given special places of importance in both Testaments, Gabriel (Mighty One of God) and Michael (Who Is Like God).
Gabriel is the one always delivering messages from God about God’s kingdom program (Daniel 8:15–22; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26).
Michael protects God’s people and leads God’s army to do so. He is mentioned in Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7, which clearly point to the fact that he has an exalted status among the angels.
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered (Revelation 12:1 NIV).
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back (Revelation 12:7 NIV).
In the book of Daniel, Michael is called one of the chief princes (Daniel 10:13) and the great prince (Daniel 12:1). The cherubim angels are of a class that is equal in power to Satan. Michael is also likely of the cherubim class since he can withstand the power of Satan himself in battle (Ezekiel 28:14–16; Revelation 12:7).
Daniel 12:1 tells us that Michael will stand up for the people of Israel during the seven-year tribulation.
At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape (Daniel 12:1).
He will also lead heaven’s armies against the forces of Satan in the heavenly realm (Revelation 12:7). The nature of Michael’s protective ministry over Israel is seen in more detail in Revelation 12:7–9. As Satan persecutes the nation of Israel during the tribulation, a war breaks out in the heavenly realm between the elect angels and the evil angels as Michael and his army come to deliver the persecuted Jewish remnant:
Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.
This war takes place midway through the tribulation because the period of Israel’s protection is 1,260 days. During the last three-and-a-half-years of the seven-year tribulation, God preserves the Jewish remnant.
The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be nourished there for 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6).
This three-and-a-half-year period corresponds to the last half of the Tribulation, when God protects the Jewish remnant from Satan’s attack.
The Twenty-Four Elders
There are twelve references of the twenty-four elders in the book of Revelation (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:5, 6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4).
There has been considerable debate regarding the identity of the twenty-four elders. The main views are: (1) angelic beings; (2) Israel; (3) the church; and (4) all the redeemed—Israel and the church. I am of the position that the twenty-four elders are humans, not angels, who represent the church. Why? First, Scripture says that the elders will sit on thrones, which indicates that they will rule with Jesus Christ. A study of Scripture will show that nowhere are we told that angels sit on thrones nor are they depicted as reigning. On the other hand, we are told repeatedly that the church will reign with King Jesus:
So that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30).
Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10).
Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).
Second, nowhere in Scripture is the Greek word translated “elders” (presbuteros) used to refer to angelic beings; it always refers to men. “Elder” speaks of older men in general, and the rulers of both Israel and the church. It would not be an appropriate term for beings who do not grow older.
Third, the white cloths they are dressed in is the clothing of the redeemed church.
In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels… I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see (Revelation 3:5, 18).
She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:8).
White garments represent the righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer at the moment he or she is saved. Generally, they are the dress of believers, particularly in the context of the book of Revelation.
Fourth, nowhere in Scripture are crowns promised to angels, nor do we see an instance of them wearing them. The Greek word (stephanos) refers to the victor’s crown. Christ promised this crown to the loyal believers at Smyrna (Revelation 2:10; cf.1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12).
Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown (1 Corinthians 9:25).
There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing (2 Timothy 4:18).
Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive “the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
Fourth, the elders cannot be Israel, because Old Testament believers will not be resurrected and rewarded until after the Tribulation is over.
At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt. Those who have insight will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:1–3).
Fifth, in Scripture the number twenty-four is used to speak of completion and representation. The Levitical priesthood, which numbered in the thousands, was divided into twenty-four groups. There would be a representative of each group serving on a rotating basis in the temple. Exodus 19:6 tells us that Israel was a kingdom of priests, nevertheless, the only ones allowed into the presence of God were Aaron’s sons. As for the church, all believers are priests unto the Lord.
You yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:5, 9).
Whoever the twenty-four elders are, then, are representative of the entire church of Jesus Christ.
John MacArthur explains that,
“Some believe the elders represent Israel. But while individual Jews have been and will continue to be redeemed throughout history, at the time of this vision the nation as a whole had not yet been redeemed. The elders also cannot be tribulation saints, since they too had not yet been converted. Others split the twenty-four elders into two groups of twelve, one representing the church and the other Israel. Yet in all their appearances in Revelation, they appear as a unified group of twenty-four, never as two groups of twelve.
The most likely option is that they represent the raptured church, which sings the song of redemption (5:8–10). They have their crowns and live in the place prepared for them, where they have gone to be with Jesus (John 14:1–4).”2
Ron Rhodes writes of the twenty-four elder that,
“They seem to be glorified, crowned, and enthroned—characteristics that seem to be in keeping with redeemed human beings. Scripture elsewhere reveals that believers will be judged…and then rewarded with crowns…unlike angels.
It makes good sense to view the twenty-four elders as representative of the church. This will coincide with the pretribulational view of the rapture, which holds that the church will be raptured and brought to heaven before the tribulation.”3
John Walvoord adds,
“If this passage is regarded as chronologically before the time of the tribulation which succeeding chapters unfold, it would seem to eliminate the angels, as at this point they have not been judged and rewarded since their judgment seems to come later. For the same reason the elders do not seem to be a proper representation of Israel, for Israel’s judgment also seems to come at the end of the tribulation, not before. Only the church which is raptured before chapter 4 is properly complete in heaven and eligible for reward at the judgment seat of Christ. In that case, the crowns of gold on the heads of the twenty-four elders would be fitting at this point and would seem to confirm the idea that these may be representative of the church in glory.”4
Adrian Rogers states that,
“Some people have surmised that these twenty-four elders are angels. But they are not, since Revelation 5:11 makes a distinction between angels, beasts, and elders. Others think that they are inanimate symbols. Wrong again. The elders cannot be symbols because symbols do not talk to one another (see Revelation 5:5).
Elders are representatives of God's people.”5
Sixth, Revelation 5:11 makes a clear distinction between angels and the twenty-four elders.
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.
So, the twenty-four elders are humans, not angels, who represent the church.
2 MacArthur, Because the Time Is Near (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2007), 112.
3 Ron Rhodes, 40 Days Through Revelation: Uncovering the Mystery of the End Times (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2013), p. 59.
4 Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1966), 106-107.
5 Adrian Rogers, Unveiling the End Times in Our Time (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004), p. 69.
All Scripture quotations, unless indicated, are taken from The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2021 by Miguel J Gonzalez Th.D.
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