The 24 Elders

Redeemed Men or Angels



Are the 24 ‘Elders’ and their accompanying ‘Crowns’ mentioned in Rev. 4:4, 10, et. al. a direct reference to the Rapture of the Church and a subsequent rewarding of the Saints (their Crowns) or something else?  

Rev. 4:4
    And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting,
clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.  

Rev. 4:10
    The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever,
and cast their crowns before the throne, saying…  

It must be noted that these 24 Elders as seen by John in Heaven around the Throne of God existed before the Book of the 7 Seals of the Great Prophecy had ever been opened by the Lamb.  Thus, these 24 Elders existed in Heaven (in the then present) even before the arrival of John himself. 

Therefore, if they are not to be considered as a part of the Prophecy contained WITHIN the Book of the 7 Seals, which in and of itself includes the Resurrection and subsequent Rapture of the Church, then, who are they (the 24 Elders), how did they arrive in Heaven before John and how did they receive their Crowns? 

We must consider there has already been a small but profound fulfillment of a ‘partial part’ of the 1st Resurrection following the Resurrection of Jesus Himself. 

Matthew 27:52-53
   
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, [53] And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.  

In Rev. 20:6 declares that the ‘Redeemed’ of the 1st Resurrection will ‘reign’ with both God and Christ. 

Rev. 20:6
    Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

However, there are many who suggest that the 24 Elders are NOT Redeemed Men but rather Angels.

In Rev. 5:10 many mistranslate the word KINGS as KINGDOM – the word is used as a PLURAL (Kings 935) and NOT as a SINGULAR (Kingdom 932) in most cases and there is also NO preceding indefinite article ‘A’ (only articulated) in any of the Greek Texts. (emphasis added)  βασιλεις935 N-APM  Noun – Accusative, PLURAL, Masculine, hence (KINGS)

Meanwhile, the only Text to use the word βασιλειαν932 N-ASF  KINGDOM is the Westcott-Hort Greek NT.    

Rev 5:10 You have appointed them [autous] as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." 

Below is a listing of my Greek NT sources regarding Rev. 5:10.

Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Greek NT
Rev 5:9
  και2532 CONJ  αδουσιν103 V-PAI-3P  ωδην5603 N-ASF  καινην2537 A-ASF  λεγοντες3004 V-PAP-NPM  αξιος514 A-NSM  ει1510 V-PAI-2S  λαβειν2983 V-2AAN  το3588 T-ASN  βιβλιον975 N-ASN  και2532 CONJ  ανοιξαι455 V-AAN  τας3588 T-APF  σφραγιδας4973 N-APF  αυτου846 P-GSN  οτι3754 CONJ  εσφαγης4969 V-2API-2S  και2532 CONJ  ηγορασας59 V-AAI-2S  τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  ημας1473 (plural 2248) P-1AP ( Us - hemas) εν1722 PREP  τω3588 T-DSN  αιματι129 N-DSN  σου4771 P-2GS  εκ1537 PREP  πασης3956 A-GSF  φυλης5443 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  γλωσσης1100 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  λαου2992 N-GSM  και2532 CONJ  εθνους1484 N-GSN  

Rev. 5:9 translation - …has redeemed to the God Us

Rev 5:10    και2532 CONJ  εποιησας4160 V-AAI-2S  αυτους(846)  P-APM  (them - hemas) τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  ημων1473 (plural 2257) P-1GP (we - hemon) βασιλεις935 N-APM  (Kings) και2532 CONJ  ιερεις2409 N-APM  και2532 CONJ  βασιλευσουσιν936 V-FAI-3P  επι1909 PREP  της3588 T-GSF  γης1093 N-GSF   

Rev. 5:10 translation
And he has made them to the God of we Kings and Priests and they shall reign on the earth. 

Westcott-Hort GreeK NT
Rev 5:9
  και2532 CONJ  αδουσιν103 V-PAI-3P  ωδην5603 N-ASF  καινην2537 A-ASF  λεγοντες3004 V-PAP-NPM  αξιος514 A-NSM  ει1510 V-PAI-2S  λαβειν2983 V-2AAN  το3588 T-ASN  βιβλιον975 N-ASN  και2532 CONJ  ανοιξαι455 V-AAN  τας3588 T-APF  σφραγιδας4973 N-APF  αυτου846 P-GSN  οτι3754 CONJ  εσφαγης4969 V-2API-2S  και2532 CONJ  ηγορασας59 V-AAI-2S  τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  εν1722 PREP  τω3588 T-DSN  αιματι129 N-DSN  σου4771 P-2GS  εκ1537 PREP  πασης3956 A-GSF  φυλης5443 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  γλωσσης1100 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  λαου2992 N-GSM  και2532 CONJ  εθνους1484 N-GSN  

Rev. 5:9 translation - …has redeemed to the God (Omits 1473/2248 altogether) – that solves the problem!

Rev 5:10    και2532 CONJ  εποιησας4160 V-AAI-2S  αυτους(plural 846) P-APM  (them - hemas) τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  ημων1473 (plural 2257) P-1GP (we - hemon) βασιλειαν932 N-ASF (Kingdom) και2532 CONJ  ιερεις2409 N-APM  και2532 CONJ  | βασιλευουσιν936 V-PAI-3P  | βασιλευσουσιν936 V-FAI-3P  | επι1909 PREP  της3588 T-GSF  γης1093 N-GSF   

Rev. 5:10 translation
And he has made them to the God of we Kingdom and Priests and they shall reign on the earth. 

Greek NT
Rev 5:9
  καὶ ᾄδουσιν ᾠδὴν καινὴν λέγοντες· ἄξιος εἶ λαβεῖν τὸ βιβλίον καὶ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς σφραγῖδας αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐσφάγης καὶ ἠγόρασας τῷ Θεῷ ἡμᾶς 1473 (plural 2248) P-1AP ( Us - hemas) ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς καὶ γλώσσης καὶ λαοῦ καὶ ἔθνους,

Rev. 5:9 translation - …has redeemed to the God Us

Rev 5:10
    καὶ  ἐποίησας  αὐτοὺς  (plural 846) (them - autos) τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν  (plural 2257) (we - hemon) βασιλεῖς935 N-APM (Kings) καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 

Rev. 5:10 translation
And he has made them to the God of we Kings and Priests and they shall reign on the earth. 

1894 Scrivener Textus Receptus NT
Rev 5:9
και αδουσιν ωδην καινην λεγοντες αξιος ει λαβειν το βιβλιον και ανοιξαι τας σφραγιδας αυτου οτι εσφαγης και ηγορασας τω θεω ημας 1473 (plural 2248) P-1AP ( Us - hemas) εν τω αιματι σου εκ πασης φυλης και γλωσσης και λαου και εθνους

Rev. 5:9 translation - …has redeemed to the God Us

Rev 5:10
  και  εποιησας  ημας (plural 2248) (Us - hemas) τω θεω ημων (plural 2257) (we - hemon) βασιλεις 935 N-APM (Kings) και ιερεις και βασιλευσομεν επι της γης 

Rev. 5:10 translation
And he has made us to the God of we Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth. 

Textus Receptus Greek NT
Rev 5:9
  και2532 CONJ  αδουσιν103 V-PAI-3P  ωδην5603 N-ASF  καινην2537 A-ASF  λεγοντες3004 V-PAP-NPM  αξιος514 A-NSM  ει1510 V-PAI-2S  λαβειν2983 V-2AAN  το3588 T-ASN  βιβλιον975 N-ASN  και2532 CONJ  ανοιξαι455 V-AAN  τας3588 T-APF  σφραγιδας4973 N-APF  αυτου846 P-GSN  οτι3754 CONJ  εσφαγης4969 V-2API-2S  και2532 CONJ  ηγορασας59 V-AAI-2S  τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  ημας1473 (plural 2248) P-1AP ( Us - hemas) εν1722 PREP  τω3588 T-DSN  αιματι129 N-DSN  σου4771 P-2GS  εκ1537 PREP  πασης3956 A-GSF  φυλης5443 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  γλωσσης1100 N-GSF  και2532 CONJ  λαου2992 N-GSM  και2532 CONJ  εθνους1484 N-GSN  

Rev. 5:9 translation - …has redeemed to the God Us

Rev 5:10
    και2532 CONJ  εποιησας4160 V-AAI-2S  ημας1473 (plural - 2248) P-1AP  (Us - hemas) τω3588 T-DSM  θεω2316 N-DSM  ημων1473 (plural 2257)  P-1GP  (we - hemon) βασιλεις935 N-APM  (Kings) και2532 CONJ  ιερεις2409 N-APM  και2532 CONJ  βασιλευσομεν936 V-FAI-1P  επι1909 PREP  της3588 T-GSF  γης1093 N-GSF   

Rev. 5:10 translation
And he has made us to the God of we Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth. 

In summary, which of the Greek MS do we follow – Textus Receptus (they are the Redeemed - NOT Raptured) or the others (they could be angels)?  

As can be seen from the various Greek NT postings of Rev. 5:9 regarding the words of the ‘new song’, the song is referring to the ‘REDEEMED’ (the Us).  However, the burden of proof as to whether the 24 Elders could actually be Angels or Redeemed is probably in who is singing the new song – the They. 

The wording to the new song is clearly ‘Us’ in Rev. 5:9 while the same new song continued in Rev. 5:10 uses (depending on which greek MS used) ‘them and they’ or ‘Us and We’.  (see previous email for Rev. 5:10)   

Should we look for consistency in grammar?  As you can see below Westcott-Hort solved this consistency dilemma by simply tossing out the ‘Us’ (1473/plural 2248) of Rev.5:9 but kept the them/they of Rev. 5:10.  That is problematic.  

Thus, here is the difference between the two.  IF we follow the Textus Receptus then the 24 Elders are without question Redeemed Men and CANNOT be Angels.  However, if we choose to follow the Other Greek Texts then the 24 Elders ‘May or May NOT’ be Redeemed and May or May NOT be Angels, leaving it a ‘JUMP BALL’ without any hope of a definite identity.