Revelation 4:9

KJV

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} when {G3752} those beasts {G2226} give {G1325} glory {G1391} and {G2532} honour {G5092} and {G2532} thanks {G2169} to him that sat {G2521} on {G1909} the throne {G2362}, who {G3588} liveth {G2198} for {G1519} ever {G165} and ever {G165},

Complete Jewish Bible

And whenever the living beings give glory, honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne, to the One who lives forever and ever,

Berean Standard Bible

And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever,

American Standard Version

And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Revelation 4:9 offers a profound glimpse into the ceaseless, comprehensive worship offered in the heavenly throne room. It depicts the four living creatures, central figures in God's divine court, actively and continuously rendering glory, honor, and thanks to the Almighty God who sits enthroned as the supreme ruler, emphasizing His eternal and self-existent nature as the ultimate basis for all adoration.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Revelation 4:9 is an integral part of John's vision of the heavenly throne room, which spans [Revelation 4](/revelation/4 "Revelation 4 - The Heavenly Throne Room") and [Revelation 5](/revelation/5 "Revelation 5 - The Lamb and the Scroll"). Chapter 4 establishes the majesty and holiness of God the Father, depicting Him as the sole occupant of the throne, surrounded by heavenly beings. The "four beasts," or living creatures, are introduced in [Revelation 4:6-8](/revelation/4-6-8 "Revelation 4:6-8 - Description of the Four Living Creatures"), described as full of eyes, having six wings, and perpetually declaring God's holiness ("Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come!"). Verse 9 initiates a profound liturgical cycle of worship: the living creatures give praise, prompting the twenty-four elders to fall down and worship, casting their crowns before the throne (as seen in [Revelation 4:10-11](/revelation/4-10-11 "Revelation 4:10-11 - The Elders Worship")). This verse, therefore, serves as the catalyst for the broader heavenly adoration, highlighting the continuous and responsive nature of worship in God's presence.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** John's vision was received while he was exiled on the island of Patmos, likely during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian (c. AD 95), a period marked by escalating persecution of Christians who refused to participate in emperor worship. In this context, the vision of God enthroned, receiving ultimate glory and honor, served as a powerful counter-narrative to the earthly claims of imperial divinity. It affirmed God's supreme sovereignty and eternal existence, offering profound comfort and steadfast hope to a suffering church. The imagery of the throne room, living creatures, and elders draws upon Old Testament prophetic visions, particularly those of [Isaiah 6](/isaiah/6 "Isaiah 6 - Isaiah's Vision of God's Throne") and [Ezekiel 1](/ekiel/1 "Ezekiel 1 - Ezekiel's Vision of God's Chariot Throne"), reinterpreting these familiar motifs to convey the unique theological truths of the New Covenant. The concept of God "living forever and ever" would have resonated deeply with Jewish understanding of Yahweh as the eternal, unchanging God, contrasting sharply with the transient nature of human rulers and empires.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Revelation and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Unceasing Heavenly Worship**, portraying worship not as an occasional act but as the perpetual, central activity in God's presence. The living creatures' continuous praise sets the tone for all creation's response to God's majesty. Secondly, it highlights **Divine Sovereignty and Authority**, as the worship is directed "to him that sat on the throne." This imagery unequivocally declares God's supreme position as the ultimate ruler over all creation, whose authority is absolute and unquestionable, a truth that would have been particularly encouraging to persecuted believers. Lastly, the phrase "who liveth for ever and ever" profoundly emphasizes **God's Eternal Nature**. This declaration of God's everlasting existence, His self-sufficiency, and His unchanging being is the foundational reason for His worthiness of worship. It assures believers that God is not subject to the limitations of time or mortality, providing an anchor of stability and hope in a tumultuous world, echoing truths found in passages like [Psalm 90:2](/psalm/90-2 "Psalm 90:2 - God's Eternity") and [Deuteronomy 33:27](/deuteronomy/33-27 "Deuteronomy 33:27 - The Eternal God").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Glory (Greek, _dóxa_):** From the base of *dokeō* (to seem, to think), this word refers to God's inherent majesty, radiance, and splendor. It signifies His visible manifestation of divine attributes, His inherent weight of being, and the profound impression of His presence. When the living creatures "give glory," they are acknowledging and attributing to God His intrinsic worth and magnificent nature, reflecting His brilliance back to Him.
* **Thanks (Greek, _eucharistía_):** Derived from *eucharistos* (grateful), this term denotes gratitude and grateful language, specifically as an act of worship directed towards God. It encompasses the expression of thankfulness for God's benevolent actions, His creation, His provision, and His redemptive work. The inclusion of "thanks" alongside "honour" indicates that heavenly worship is not just an acknowledgment of God's being, but also a heartfelt response to His active goodness and grace.
* **For ever and ever (Greek, _eis aiṓn_):** This phrase uses the preposition *eis* (to or into) with the noun *aiṓn* (age, perpetuity, eternity), often repeated in the plural (*eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn* – "unto the ages of the ages"). It is a powerful idiom in Greek, signifying endless duration, eternity, or perpetuity without end. When applied to God, it emphasizes His infinite, unchanging, and timeless existence, setting Him apart as the only truly eternal being, the Alpha and Omega, the one who transcends all temporal limitations.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks":** This clause describes the active and continuous worship initiated by the four living creatures. The word "when" (G3752, _hótan_) suggests a responsive, ongoing action. The triad of "glory, honour, and thanks" represents a comprehensive and multifaceted expression of adoration. "Glory" acknowledges God's inherent majesty, "honour" His supreme worth and dignity, and "thanks" His benevolent acts and character. This indicates that their worship is a full, holistic response to God's being and His doing.
* **"to him that sat on the throne":** This identifies the sole recipient and object of this profound worship: God the Father. His seated position on the throne (G2362, _thrónos_) is a powerful symbol of His absolute sovereignty, supreme authority, and rightful dominion over all creation. It signifies His established rule and unshakeable reign, making Him uniquely worthy of such ultimate adoration.
* **"who liveth for ever and ever":** This final phrase provides the ultimate theological ground for the worship. It declares God's eternal, self-existent, and immortal nature. The verb "liveth" (G2198, _záō_) emphasizes His active, continuous life, while "for ever and ever" (G1519, _eis_ + G165, _aiṓn_) denotes His infinite duration, transcending all time. This attribute of eternality is foundational to His divine identity and underscores His unchanging faithfulness and power, making Him the only reliable source of life and hope.

#### Literary Devices
Revelation 4:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its theological message. **Symbolism** is paramount, with the "throne" representing God's ultimate sovereignty and the "beasts" (living creatures) symbolizing aspects of creation's worship or divine attributes. The continuous nature of their praise, initiated by the creatures, suggests a **litany** or **perpetual worship cycle** that invites others to join. The phrase "glory and honour and thanks" forms a **triad**, a common biblical device used to convey completeness and comprehensiveness, indicating that the worship offered is full and all-encompassing. Furthermore, the repetition of "for ever and ever" (Greek: *eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn*) is a form of **hyperbole** and **emphasis**, powerfully underscoring God's infinite and unending existence, a truth that transcends human comprehension and forms the bedrock of His worthiness.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 4:9 offers a profound theological statement on the nature of God and the appropriate response of creation. It reveals that God's inherent worthiness, stemming from His supreme sovereignty and eternal existence, is the ultimate ground for all worship. The scene in heaven is not merely descriptive but prescriptive, providing a divine blueprint for what true worship entails: a comprehensive offering of glory (acknowledging His majesty), honor (recognizing His supreme value), and thanks (expressing gratitude for His benevolent acts). This heavenly liturgy reminds us that worship is not primarily about human benefit or experience, but about God's intrinsic worth and the joyful, continuous acknowledgment of His being. It connects to the overarching biblical narrative of creation's purpose to glorify its Creator and humanity's ultimate calling to live in worshipful communion with God.

* [Psalm 29:2](/psalm/29-2 "Psalm 29:2 - Ascribe to the Lord Glory")
* [1 Timothy 1:17](/1_timothy/1-17 "1 Timothy 1:17 - The Eternal King")
* [Hebrews 12:28](/hebrews/12-28 "Hebrews 12:28 - Acceptable Worship")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The vivid scene in Revelation 4:9 serves as both an inspiration and a challenge for believers today. It calls us to lift our gaze from the temporal and finite to the eternal and infinite God, who alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and thanks. In a world often characterized by fleeting trends, shifting values, and uncertain futures, meditating on the God "who liveth for ever and ever" provides an unshakeable anchor for our souls, fostering profound peace and trust. This heavenly vision reminds us that our lives, our actions, and our very breath should be a continuous act of worship, reflecting the comprehensive adoration seen in God's throne room. It encourages us to cultivate a posture of perpetual gratitude, reverence, and awe, recognizing God's sovereignty over every aspect of our existence and responding with lives that genuinely give Him the glory He is due.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the unceasing worship of the living creatures in Revelation 4:9 challenge or inspire your personal worship practices?**
* **What comfort or challenge do you find in meditating on God's eternal nature, as described by the phrase "who liveth for ever and ever"?**
* **In what practical ways can you more intentionally "give glory and honour and thanks" to God in your daily life, beyond formal worship settings?**

### FAQ
**Who are "those beasts" mentioned in Revelation 4:9, and what is their significance?**

Answer: The King James Version's translation "beasts" (G2226, _zōon_) can be misleading to modern readers. A more accurate and common translation is "living creatures." These are four distinct beings described in [Revelation 4:6-8](/revelation/4-6-8 "Revelation 4:6-8 - Description of the Four Living Creatures") as being "full of eyes before and behind," each having six wings, and possessing faces like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. Their significance is multifaceted: they are primary worshipers in God's throne room, constantly proclaiming His holiness and initiating the cycle of praise. They likely symbolize aspects of God's creation (wild animals, domesticated animals, humanity, and birds, representing all life), or perhaps specific divine attributes (strength, service, intelligence, swiftness). Their presence underscores that all creation, in its diverse forms, is called to worship the Creator. They bear resemblance to the cherubim and seraphim found in Old Testament throne visions, such as [Ezekiel 1](/ezekiel/1 "Ezekiel 1 - Ezekiel's Vision of God's Chariot Throne") and [Isaiah 6](/isaiah/6 "Isaiah 6 - Isaiah's Vision of God's Throne"), serving as guardians of God's holiness and facilitators of His worship.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 4 primarily focuses on the worship of God the Father on the throne, the worship described here finds its ultimate expression and accessibility through Jesus Christ. It is through Christ, the eternal Word who was "in the beginning with God, and was God" ([John 1:1-3](/john/1-1-3 "John 1:1-3 - The Eternal Word")), that humanity can truly approach and offer acceptable worship to the Father. Christ Himself is the "image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation," through whom "all things were created" and "in him all things hold together" ([Colossians 1:15-17](/colossians/1-15-17 "Colossians 1:15-17 - Christ's Supremacy in Creation")). The very life that God "liveth for ever and ever" is embodied in Christ, who conquered death and lives eternally to intercede for us ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Eternal Priesthood")). Furthermore, in the very next chapter of Revelation, the Lamb who was slain (Jesus Christ) is introduced as the only one worthy to open the scroll, and He too receives the same comprehensive worship of "power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" from every creature in heaven and on earth ([Revelation 5:12-13](/revelation/5-12-13 "Revelation 5:12-13 - The Lamb is Worthy")). Thus, the glory, honor, and thanks given to the Father in Revelation 4:9 are ultimately fulfilled and mediated through the Son, who perfectly reveals the Father and enables all creation to participate in this eternal worship.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Revelation 5:13

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Revelation 5:14

And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four [and] twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Revelation 10:6

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

Revelation 7:11

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and [about] the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Revelation 7:12

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 15:7

And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Psalms 47:8

God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.