God's throne occupies centre stage in this vision. He rules over everything and everybody. He is the Creator God (Revelation 4:11) who shares His throne with the Lamb, God the Son (Revelation 5:6, 13). But before focussing in on the sealed scroll in God's hand (Revelation 5:1), John's attention is taken by twenty-four other thrones. Their occupants were dressed as tribal elders and they were all around the throne, like the twelve tribes of Israel in the wilderness which were arranged all around the tabernacle. But here there are twenty-four thrones representing all of Israel, and all the church – stemming from the gospel presented through the twelve apostles.

All of heaven's company of believers are identified as rulers over God's new creation in Revelation 20:6. Their clothing shows that they are pure, sanctified and holy, because they have washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). Looking back over the history of Israel and Christ's disciples, their many sins were an impossible barrier to fellowship with God (Isaiah 59:1-2), but by trusting in the blood-saturated sacrifice of Jesus, they were forgiven and made fit for His presence. Not only so but given authority to judge as indicated by the gold crowns (Revelation 20:4).

And yet the redeemed church of Christ is not preoccupied by their delegated authority on their little thrones. They are absorbed by the Lord upon His throne, from which came awesome and spectacular lights and sounds. These are signs of His supreme authority. The seven lamps are explained as the seven-fold Spirit of God (Isaiah 11:2); Zechariah 4:10 talks about the seven eyes of God. Seven, being a number of completeness, indicates that God's Spirit is everywhere and He sees everything; therefore, He is competent to judge justly from His throne. The sea in front of the throne has been variously interpreted, but it is a symbol of separation from those who are to be judged, because when the new heavens and new earth come, there is no longer any sea (Revelation 21:1). So, the awesome throne of judgement provides bookends to this middle section of Revelation (Revelation 20:11).

God will finally bring forgiveness to all who repent (Revelation 3:19-21), and judgement to all who do not (Revelation 20:15). His people are to be with Him and will see God's justice fulfilled. Yet those same people have a history of sin, equal, if not worse than those who are being judged. But they have been redeemed, and have washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb. As Malachi 3:18 prophesies, "And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not." Such a great difference of eternal significance pivots on the blood of the Lamb, whose sacrifice is that atonement for our sin, and sinners choosing to repent – accepting His blood as their pardon. That is not only why the gospel message is such amazingly good news to a world facing God's wrath; but it is the great reason for believers to be confident in His love now before we reach that Day (1 John 4:17).