“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.” 
              — Revelation 4:4

These representatives of the saints in heaven are said to be around the
throne. In the passage in Canticles, where Solomon sings of the King
sitting at his table, some render it “a round table.” From this, some
expositors, I think, without straining the text, have said, “There is
an equality among the saints.” That idea is conveyed by the equal
nearness of the four and twenty elders. The condition of glorified
spirits in heaven is that of nearness to Christ, clear vision of his
glory, constant access to his court, and familiar fellowship with his
person: nor is there any difference in this respect between one saint
and another, but all the people of God, apostles, martyrs, ministers,
or private and obscure Christians, shall all be seated near the throne,
where they shall for ever gaze upon their exalted Lord, and be
satisfied with his love. They shall all be near to Christ, all ravished
with his love, all eating and drinking at the same table with him, all
equally beloved as his favourites and friends even if not all equally
rewarded as servants.

Let believers on earth imitate the saints in heaven in their nearness
to Christ. Let us on earth be as the elders are in heaven, sitting
around the throne. May Christ be the object of our thoughts, the centre
of our lives. How can we endure to live at such a distance from our
Beloved? Lord Jesus, draw us nearer to thyself. Say unto us, “Abide in
me, and I in you”; and permit us to sing, “His left hand is under my
head, and his right hand doth embrace me.”

O lift me higher, nearer thee,
And as I rise more pure and meet,
O let my soul’s humility
Make me lie lower at thy feet;
Less trusting self, the more I prove
The blessed comfort of thy love.

On this day...

• Official Lyrics of O Canada! - 2010
• Jonathan Edwards - Theologian - 2009
• The Joy in Maturing - 2009
• Truth in this small world - 2009
• Jeremiah 33:3 - 2008
• THE WATERS OF SATISFACTION SCATTERED - 2008
• John 7:37 - 2008