Revelation 7:11 kjv
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 7:11 nkjv
All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Revelation 7:11 niv
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Revelation 7:11 esv
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Revelation 7:11 nlt
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.
Revelation 7 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Throne of God | ||
| Rev 4:2 | ...behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. | God's sovereign presence on the throne |
| Rev 5:1 | And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book... | The Lamb takes scroll from the Father |
| Rev 22:1, 3 | ...from the throne of God and of the Lamb... | God and the Lamb share the throne |
| Isa 6:1 | ...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up... | Old Testament vision of God's throne |
| Dan 7:9 | ...the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow... | Prophetic vision of divine judgment throne |
| Angels & Heavenly Host | ||
| Rev 5:11 | And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, | Innumerable angels surround the throne |
| Heb 1:6 | And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, | Angels worship the Son of God |
| Ps 103:20 | Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength... | Angels obey and bless the Lord |
| Elders | ||
| Rev 4:4 | And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I | Elders introduced around the throne |
| Rev 5:8 | ...the four beasts and twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb... | Elders worship the Lamb with harps & bowls |
| Rev 19:4 | And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped | Elders and creatures worship God on throne |
| Four Living Creatures | ||
| Rev 4:6-8 | And before the throne there was a sea of glass... and in the midst of the | Description and continuous worship of creatures |
| Ezek 1:5, 13 | Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures... | OT parallel vision of living creatures |
| Isa 6:2-3 | Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered | Seraphim's worship around God's throne |
| Falling on Faces/Prostration in Worship | ||
| Rev 4:10 | The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, | Elders prostrate in worship |
| Rev 5:14 | And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down | Creatures and elders fall down |
| Gen 17:3 | And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, | Abraham's humble posture before God |
| Josh 5:14 | ...Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship... | Joshua's worship before commander of Lord's army |
| Matt 2:11 | ...and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, | Magi worship Jesus by falling down |
| Worshipping God | ||
| Matt 4:10 | Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou | Jesus' command to worship God alone |
| John 4:24 | God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and | The nature of true worship of God |
| Ps 95:6 | O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker | Invitation to worship God humbly |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is | Every knee will bow in worship to Christ |
Revelation 7 verses
Revelation 7 11 Meaning
Revelation 7:11 describes a scene of profound celestial worship, where the entirety of the angelic host, joined by the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures, collectively prostrate themselves before God's throne in a unified act of ultimate adoration. This portrays the cosmic acknowledgement of God's supreme authority and worthiness of all praise, following the declaration of salvation by the great multitude.
Revelation 7 11 Context
Revelation 7:11 follows a powerful revelation concerning God's people. Verses 1-8 describe the sealing of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel, symbolizing God's protection of His chosen. Verses 9-10 then unveil a vast, "great multitude," from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clad in white robes, and crying out in loud voices, attributing salvation to God and the Lamb.
The scene in 7:11-12 is the immediate, overwhelming response of the heavenly court—the angels, elders, and four living creatures—to this cosmic vision of salvation and worship from humanity. Their adoration underscores the ultimate validation of God's plan and His universal glory.
Historically, this vision provides immense encouragement to John's original audience facing Roman imperial worship. While emperors demanded worship and were often hailed as divine, John's revelation firmly establishes that only the One on the heavenly throne is truly worthy of such supreme adoration, reinforcing an anti-imperial polemic by shifting all worship from human rulers to the divine ruler.
Revelation 7 11 Word analysis
And (Καὶ - Kai): A connective, signifying continuity with the preceding worship of the "great multitude." It links the worship on earth to the worship in heaven.
all the angels (πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι - Pantes hoi aggeloi): Refers to the entirety of the vast celestial host, often numbered in myriads. They are God's spiritual messengers and attendants, universally recognizing God's sovereignty. Their presence highlights the cosmic scope of worship. (Rev 5:11).
stood (εἱστήκεισαν - histēkeisan): A position of reverent attention or readiness before acting. It suggests an orderly assembly, attentive to the divine throne.
round about (κύκλῳ - kyklō): Emphasizes their collective positioning surrounding the central throne. This circular formation highlights the focal point of all heavenly attention—God's sovereignty.
the throne (τοῦ θρόνου - tou thronou): The epicenter of divine authority, majesty, and rule. In Revelation, the throne consistently represents God's absolute dominion over all creation. (Rev 4:2).
and about the elders (καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων - kai tōn presbyterōn): The twenty-four elders (Rev 4:4), a distinct and authoritative group positioned closest to the throne, possibly representing the redeemed Church or heavenly representatives.
and the four beasts (καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων - kai tōn tessarōn zōōn): The four living creatures (Rev 4:6), guardians of God's holiness and ceaseless worshipers, symbolic of animate creation's highest praise and a reflection of divine attributes.
and fell (καὶ ἔπεσον - kai epeson): A sudden, intentional action of prostration, demonstrating intense humility, reverence, and complete submission to God's majestic presence.
before the throne (ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου - enōpion tou thronou): Directly in the presence of God's sovereign authority, highlighting that their submission is directly to Him.
on their faces (ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν - epi ta prosōpa autōn): The deepest and most complete form of abject humility and adoration, where one is utterly laid low before the supreme being. This posture indicates total surrender.
and worshipped God (καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Θεῷ - kai prosekynēsan tō Theō): The ultimate act of profound reverence and adoration (proskyneō), directed solely towards God (Theō). This culminates all their preceding actions into an explicit act of divine homage.
all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts: This phrase vividly paints a picture of a magnificent, organized heavenly court, emphasizing the concentric circles of divine administration and worship. It underscores that all parts of heaven—celestial beings and spiritual representatives—are in attentive proximity to the throne of God.
fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God: This powerful collective action highlights the ultimate and exclusive worship due to God. It conveys overwhelming humility, profound respect, and the full acknowledgment of God's absolute sovereignty and worthiness. The prostration on faces signifies total submission to the divine majesty.
Revelation 7 11 Bonus section
- Polemics Against Emperor Worship: This vision functions as a direct counter-narrative to the pervasive Roman imperial cult in John's time. While emperors demanded titles of "lord" and "god," Revelation 7:11 unambiguously demonstrates that supreme worship belongs only to the Triune God, receiving ultimate reverence from all celestial beings.
- Theological Hierarchy of Worship: The order of the worshippers (angels, then elders, then living creatures already actively worshipping) might reflect a divinely ordained hierarchy, but all ultimately coalesce in a single act of prostration, underscoring God's singular worthiness above all.
- Interconnection of Earthly and Heavenly Worship: This scene immediately follows the great multitude (humanity) worshiping. This seamless transition implies that earthly praise immediately echoes and merges with the continuous worship in heaven, signifying the unified nature of God's kingdom across realms.
- Prophetic Echoes: This majestic throne room scene echoes Old Testament prophetic visions (e.g., Isa 6, Ezek 1, Dan 7) of God's court, underscoring the consistent nature of heavenly worship throughout divine history. It brings those ancient glimpses to a grand culmination.
Revelation 7 11 Commentary
Revelation 7:11 offers a profound glimpse into the unified, awe-filled worship within God's heavenly court. It presents an orchestrated, universal chorus of adoration, where every stratum of creation's most powerful beings—the countless angels, the royal-priestly elders, and the creation-symbolizing living creatures—join in an act of profound humility and reverence. Their transition from "standing round about" to "falling on their faces" signifies a shift from attentive observation to intense, all-encompassing worship. This act serves as the ultimate cosmic validation of God's saving work and absolute dominion, reinforcing that true worship is characterized by humility, total submission, and a direct, unreserved acknowledgment of God's matchless glory. It stands as a timeless model for all created beings and a sharp contrast to any earthly idolatry.