Chapter 70 Twenty Four Elders We are approaching the end of this book on understanding prophecy, yet we have not looked into who the 24 elders are. They feature strongly in Rev 4 and 5 where God’s throne room is introduced, and the Lamb is found worthy to open the seals. Twenty-four thrones surround the throne of God and seated on them are the 24 elders. Who are they? We find in Matthew an incident which is related to sitting on thrones. The mother of James and John approached Jesus and asked whether her two sons could sit on His right and left in His kingdom when it was to be established: Matt 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Christ made it clear that it was not for Him to determine where who sits in His kingdom, but the Father would. Christ then used this opportunity to show them the hardships they would face for following Him, and that most of them would be martyrs for Him – the baptism He would be baptised with. Reading on in this passage we see that this evoked anger and jealousy among the other 10 disciples toward James and John. Christ used this event to also teach them that greatness was not being rulers over people, but to serve. Another conversation between Christ and His disciples casts light on who some of the elders may be: Matt 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Here Christ indicated that as a reward for their discipleship, there would be twelve thrones in heaven on which they would be seated. This then indicates who will sit on twelve of the twenty-four thrones. Who are the other twelve elders? An association in the structure of the New Jerusalem (previous chapter) seems to cast light on this issue: Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The city is square, and each of the four walls have three gates, and the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are written on the gates respectively. The city has twelve foundations and on these are the names of the 12 apostles. We see here the leaders of the Old and the New Testaments. It would seem then that the 24 elders are the twelve apostles and the twelve sons of Jacob. The twelve apostles include Judas, but Judas will not be saved, so another had to be chosen. The apostles chose Matthias, but I believe God had a different choice – the Apostle Paul. I believe, written on the foundations of the city are the names of the 11 disciples and Paul. A similar situation is seen with the twelve tribes of Israel. In Rev 7:5-8 twelve tribes of Israel from which the 144 000 are chosen are listed. Missing from that list is Dan, and in his place Manasses is given. It would seem that, like Judas is excluded from the apostles, Dan is excluded from the sons of Jacob. Could it be that God will exclude Dan from the book of life in judgement, that he was weighed and found wanting, just like Judas? We find then that Joseph and his one son Manasah will be two of the 24 elders. Scripture does not say for certain who the 24 elders are, but it makes sense that they are the leaders of God’s people in the Old Testament, and the New Testament church. It could also be that these sons of Jacob, mentioned in Revelation, were the saints that were resurrected with Christ: Matt 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 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. One can assume that the saints resurrected with Jesus also ascended, possibly at the same time as Him. Acts does not indicate that there were others with Jesus at His ascension. They may have been invisible and went with Him, or they may have been taken up some other time. It is hard to think that they died again on Earth (like Lazarus). Some or other time the 12 sons of Jacob and the 12 apostles go to heaven, and it would seem this takes place before the 144 000 ascend, they are present in heaven when Christ is found worthy to open the Seven Seals. The chronology of the Seven Seals is not necessarily indicated by Revelation, but it certainly seems to be before the Close of Probation when the Seven Seals are already open.