Who are the 24 Elders?

Hi all :bye:

These questions were asked on another post, but I thought it made more sense to make a new post with this info. Honestly, I find this concept really neat to explore. I kinda find all the concepts neat the explore, though :unsure: :whistle:

Question: did you say or did you not say who the 24 elders are? The popular view out there is they probably represent the 12 sons of Jacob and 12 Disciples/(Apostles).  Or will the 24 elders all be Church Saints only?

I like popular concepts, but only if they're also correct lol. In this case, the explanation to who the elders are is given in a few different spots. One of the things about Revelation is that it's a book of prophecy. Where are prophecies typically kept? In the Old Testament.

The exception to that would be the Gospels and the two mysteries that Paul told us about. However, the OT prophesied that Gentiles would be in the Millennial Kingdom. Paul just explains how they get there re: the dispensation of the grace of God (Ephesians 2-3) and the rapture of the church (I Thess 4, I Cor 15) which is the facilitation of Zechariah 14's prophecy of Jesus returning WITH all His saints. Outside of those things, all your prophecy that isn't in Revelation is going to be in the OT. The NT might provide more explanation about it, but you'll find the concepts originate in the OT. Revelation is the same; it's going to expound upon concepts from the OT and use the NT, where necessary, to further explain the concepts.

Having said that, where do we see a group of 24 people in the OT? In I Chronicles 24.

I Chronicles 24:1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office. 3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. 4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.

The number 24 relates to the priesthood established by David in the OT. That concept translates to the book of Revelation, but it does not regard the OT priesthood. There are two points of evidence in Revelation 4 which allow us to understand this. The first pertains to John seeing God sitting on the throne who is to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone. Those are also OT references, as the jasper, sardine, and emerald from Rev 4:3 all relate to stones found in the breastplate of the high priest. The jasper is the last. The sardius is the first. In Revelation 1, we were introduced to God as the Alpha and Omega. The visual representation that John sees of that is the first and last stones in the breastplate, representing the God of the "first and last" tribes of Israel, and necessarily everyone else in between. However, the order is reversed. Why so? Because the last shall be first and the first shall be last. The first group to which the Kingdom was offered rejected it.

Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Enter the dispensation of the grace of God where Gentiles are invited to partake of heavenly promises through faith in Christ. The second group to which the Kingdom has been offered will get to it first, and this will occur while the Kingdom is still in heaven. Thus, we must be changed before we get to it, because I Cor 15:50 tells us flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Thus, in Revelation 4:3, you see the reverse order of the jasper and sardine stone, representing the last being first and the first being last. This points us to a redemption of the second group of people the Kingdom was offered to... the grafting in of the wild branches who were adopted into God's family and also called His sons.

Further evidence that this imagery regards us and not Israel is found with the rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. The emerald is the fourth stone in the breastplate, and it represents the tribe of Judah. This piece if imagery is vital to understanding the group of elders that Revelation 4 next shows are NOT an OT priesthood, but a NT priesthood. The Levitical priesthood established in the OT no longer exists. It will never exist again.

Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

The rainbow in Rev 4:3 represents the New Covenant. It is also seen in Revelation 10 atop the head of the mighty angel which, like Revelation 1, is a picture of the angel of the Lord from the OT. Contrast that with the "bow" from Revelation 6:1-2 which is the Daniel 9:27 covenant (Old Covenant Mosaic law). The rainbow is in sight like unto an emerald because the one who mediates the New Covenant is the High Priest from the tribe of Judah, and the emerald represents the tribe of Judah.

Thus, in Revelation 4:4, we have evidence this priesthood being referenced by the number 24 is not an OT priesthood; it's a NT priesthood. Where in the NT are we referred to as a priesthood? We know it's NT because they've got white raiment, and the letter to the church of Sardis told us overcomers are the ones who get white raiment. That necessarily means believers post-resurrection. It automatically excludes OT peeps at that time. We are also told they're sitting on thrones (royal) and they have crowns (royal). So, we're not looking at an OT priesthood. We're looking at an NT royal priesthood. And they've been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6).

Revelation 1 & 5 refer to overcomers as "kings and priests" - royal priesthood. So does I Peter 2.

I Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

The 24 elders point to a priesthood, and Revelation 5 helps explain it's the royal priesthood via the singing of the new song about their redemption and having been made kings and priests to our God. Revelation 7 then shows the whole of the group which has just been redeemed. The multitude which "no man can number" is also an OT reference. It goes back to the Abrahamic Covenant promises made in Genesis 12. There were three parts:

Gen 12:1 - Promised Land promise

Genesis 12:2 - natural seed promise

Genesis 12:3 - Spiritual Seed promise (Christ)

Galatians 3 explains that the heavenly and eternal promises and inheritance are not through the natural seed, but through the Spiritual Seed which is Christ. Thus, any man who is in Christ is guaranteed eternal inheritance. And just as Abraham was promised to have innumerable descendants through both Isaac and Ishmael (Gen 15-17), that promise also extends to the children of His who are through Christ. And in Revelation 7, that group is glorified which means they participated in the rapture.

Question #2: How about the timeline of when the Wedding Ceremony occurs?  Before the tribulation starts or after?  Its mentioned in Revelation 19:7-9  “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

The wedding and the wedding supper are seven years apart. However, the group being referenced in Revelation 19:7-9 is not the church. Who is God's wife in the OT? And how does she make herself ready for the marriage supper?

In Revelation 19, you have a point in time reference to the salvation of Israel who just believed on Jesus. They are given white robes because that's what people who believe in Jesus get. We already will have gotten ours, as is evidenced in Revelation 4 & 7. Israel just believed in the Lord and will be brought into New Covenant relationship with God through Christ. First order of business in the Kingdom on earth is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Matthew 25 & Luke 12 discuss this. So do the OT prophets in type, shadow, and similitude. It's a whole conversation originating in Exodus 12 about circumcision of the flesh being required to partake of the Passover, but how circumcision of the heart will be required to partake of it in the Kingdom (Jeremiah 4, Jeremiah 32, Matthew 26). I won't go to far into it now, but the Passover celebrated in the Kingdom will coincide with the marriage supper of the Lamb, hence those who are called to it being blessed.

The typology of the wedding and wedding feast are bridegroom comes for bride and takes her back to Father's house for 7 days. After 7 days, they leave the chamber and celebrate the feast with the guests. Israel is the guests, not the bride. But the Revelation 19 reference is the "wife" which is an OT reference to Israel who God put away because of her faithlessness. That faithlessness will be rectified at the last moments before Jesus returns.