Who Are The Twenty-Four Elders?

Would you rather listen than read? Listen here.

Open House

Back in 80s, when ‘My Little Pony’ was the toy to have, I remember attending the open house for my little sister’s preschool. I thought I was the cool kid because I had graduated from pre-school and moved on to bigger and better things, like the 3rd grade.

At the open house, we ate chocolate chip cookies, drank punch, and walked around looking at all the art exhibits. We then got to see all the kids’ projects on what they wanted to be when they grew up.

I heard my friends giggling and walked over to see what the commotion was about. They quickly handed me their sister’s project that said, “When I grow up, I want to be a mermaid.” We thought that was hilarious and to this day we still ask her about her mermaid ambitions.

When I Grow Up…

Now, I have a confession. When I grow up and get to join those who have gone before me into Heaven, I really would love to be one of the twenty-four elders. This group, we learn about only in the book of Revelation, fascinates me. I mean, really fascinates me.

Why would this be a desire? Well, let’s look at what this group gets to do.

“The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’”

Revelation 4:10-11

Worship For Eternity

They worship. What an amazing job to do for eternity. They get to fall their knees before the throne of God and worship Him with no inhibitions.

I have been told this is a stupid thing to aspire to, or that I am arrogant to think God would choose me for such a role. Some have even asked why I would want to do that for eternity. I have rarely had a positive response when I share this desire.

I know this desire is something that will never be a reality. But the thought of getting to be that close to the Almighty, and worshipping Him on a level I can’t even fathom, sounds amazing. Here me out. I know I will never be one of the elders, but I want you to understand why I yearn for it.

What Do We Know About The twenty-four Elder?

“Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.”

Revelation 4:4 NIV

“The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’”

Revelation 5:8-10 NIV

Mentioned only in the book of Revelation, the twenty-four elders wear white and have gold crowns. The elders lay these crowns before the throne of God, showing their complete submission to His authority. They sit on thrones surrounding the throne of God. Can you imagine having the privilege of sitting that close to God?

We read they have harps and here is my favorite part. They each hold golden bowls. Each bowl is filled with incense, which is our prayers. What an honor to hold such a precious thing. Beyond that, the thought that every one of our prayers is kept and never forgotten. Stop and think about that for a moment. Every prayer, said by every person throughout history, is held as insence before Jesus. I would love for you to share your thoughts on this in the comments below.

We only meet this group of elders two more times in Revelation, and they are in moments of worship.

Who Are The Twenty-Four Elders?

Scholars have an array of ideas of who gets this honored position. Some believe they are associated with the council of the angels in Heaven. While others hold to the belief, they are a symbol of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Other scholars believe they are a symbol of the victory and triumph of the Church over the forces of evil.

The viewpoint that many scholars lean towards is that the twenty-four elders represent all the people of God, twelve from the Old Testament and twelve from the New Testament. This theory holds that the twelve from the Old Testament would be Jacobs’ twelve sons that represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The twelve apostles represent the New Testament.

Just like our look into the Tribulation and the Rapture, we will not know for sure this side of eternity. However, I think it is good to look at what we know and see what we can learn about them, and how we can use it to grow closer to God.

The Twenty-Four Elders Teach Us…

We learn from them the beauty of worship. Bowing down in worship allows us to give full submission to God and, through worship, give Him the honor and glory He is due.

They teach us the value of our prayers. We only save things that hold importance to us, so the thought of God preserving our prayers in golden bowls is more than my mind can grasp. Then they are as incense which you know fills the room. Can you picture it? Our prayers are ever present before Him.

Do you now want to be an elder too? We may never get to fill these treasured seats, but we can live in a way that models their actions, giving God our all.

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