Rev 4:4  "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; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."

The word, "seats," comes from the same Greek word that the word, "throne," comes from.  That Greek word is "thronos."  It literally means the "seat of a ruler."  The Lord told the twelve apostles: Matt. 19:28, "Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."  In the Old Testament there were twelve princes that were the rulers of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Thus the twelve princes and the twelve apostles added together make twenty four.  These 12 princes and these 12 apostles each represent the whole.  Therefore the twenty four represent the whole of the elect of God who have been made "kings and priests unto God" (Rev. 1:6).

To sit down indicates rest.  For instance we read of the Lord in Heb. 1:3 "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."  After that the Lord had purged our sins he sat down (or rested) on the right hand of the Majesty on high.  Similarly, it can appropriately be stated that the twenty four elders were "resting" (sitting) in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We, as the elect of God, are sitting on thrones when we are resting in the finished work of God: Heb. 4:9 "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."  When we cease trying to establish our own righteousness and rest in Christ who is the end of the law for righteousness we are resting on that throne of grace that God has given us. 

As kings we sit also on thrones of judgment.  The judgment isn't based on our intellect or reasoning ability, but rather it is the judgment given to us in God's word.  Our judgment pertains unto things in this life, i.e., how we should live our lives to the praise, honor, and glory of God.  We are to judge ourselves by God's word.  We are also to judge the government of the church by God's word.  Similarly, when discipline needs to be applied in the church it is to be applied according to God's word. 

The twenty four were "clothed in white raiment."  This raiment was not their own righteous living: Is. 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."  They were clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ: 2 Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."  The filthy rags of self-righteousness are not a fit wardrobe for kings.  The only suitable apparel for these kings was to be clothed in the gorgeous wardrobe of Christ's righteousness.  Since the twenty four represent the elect of God who according to the covenant of redemption are justified by the blood of Christ, then we all can thank God for clothing us in the robes of His righteousness.

"They had on their heads crowns of gold."  To consider the crowns of gold they were wearing, I refer you back to the essay on Rev. 1:6.  Suffice it to say that a king wearing a crown indicates that the king is reigning.  We are reigning with Christ as the following verses show:

           1.  Rom. 5:17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."

          2.  1 Cor. 4:8 "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you."

          3.  2 Tim. 2:12 "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:"

          4.  Rev. 5:10 "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

          5.  Rev. 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." 

Rev 4:5 "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."

 The combination of lightnings and thunderings and voices is found in the giving of the covenant of the law at Mt. Sinai:

          1.  Ex. 20:18 "And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off."

          2.  Ex. 19:16 "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled."

          3.  Ex. 19:19 "And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice."

          4.  Heb. 12:18 "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)"

Similarly, we read of this combination of the lightnings and thunderings and voices in the giving of the new covenant of worship in the kingdom of heaven set forth in the book of Revelations:

           1.  Rev. 8:5 "And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake."

          2.  Rev. 11:19 "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

          3.  Rev. 16:18 "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great."

 Thundering in the scriptures is associated with the judgment of God:

          1.  Ex. 9:23 "And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt."

          2.  1 Sam. 2:10 "The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."

          3.  1 Sam. 7:10 "And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel."

          4.  1 Sam. 12: 17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

While lightnings are also associated with God's judgment, they also bring God's judgment to light:

          1.  Ps. 77:18 "The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook."

          2.  Ps. 97:4 "His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled."

          3.  Ezek. 1:14 "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning."

          4.  Matt. 24:27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

          5.  Matt. 28:3 "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:"

 The voice of the Lord is associated with his power and his creation:

          1.  Gen. 1:3 "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

          2.  John 5:25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."

          3.  John 5:28 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

 Much more is said about the voice of the Lord in Psalms Chapter 29.

Thus the voices, thunderings, and lightnings signify the coming of the kingdom of heaven and show forth God's righteous judgment and manifests his mighty power in establishing his kingdom, in bringing his subjects (the elect) into spiritual life, and in the ultimate glorification of those subjects.

"And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne."  The number seven is used in association with eighteen different things in the book of Revelation:

Seven churches; seven Spirits; seven golden candlesticks; seven stars; seven lamps of fire; seven seals; seven horns; seven eyes; seven angels; seven trumpets; seven thunders; seven heads of the dragon; seven crowns of the dragon; seven heads of the beast; seven last plagues; seven golden vials; seven mountains; and seven kings.  The number seven represents completion.  Thus the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne represents all the lamps of fire burning before the throne, whither it be a literal seven or not.

In the Old Testament the seven lamps were associated with the candlestick in the holy place:

 Ex. 25:37 "And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it."  Of course, the candlestick is a figure of the church as set forth in Revelation Chapter 1.   

The purpose of the seven lamps was to give light in the holy place:

          1.  Ex. 25:37 "And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it."

          2.  Num. 8:2 "Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick."

          3.  Zec. 4:2 "And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof."

          There are at least seven lamps or lights given to the church:

          1.  The Lord himself is called the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5).

          2.  The new birth is a light to every child of God (John 1:9).

          3.  The word of God is said to be a lamp unto our feet (Ps. 119:105).

          4.  The disciples are said to be the light of the world and the children of light (Matt 5:14; 1 Th. 5:5).

          5.  The church is said to be a city set on a hill (Matt. 5:14).

          6.  The gospel brings life and immortality to light (2 Tim. 1:10).

          7.  Through the revelation of the Spirit light or understanding is brought to the children of God (Eph. 1:17-20).

"Which are the seven Spirits of God."  In addition to the seven lamps, the seven horns and seven eyes are also said to be the seven Spirits of God: Rev. 5:6 "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."  The use of the term seven Spirits of God is not used to mean that there are literally Seven Holy Spirits.  There is only one Holy Spirit.  The term seven Spirits rather refers to the spiritual manifestations of the Holy Spirit: 

          1.  Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15).

          2.  Spirit of grace (Zec. 12:10; Heb. 10:29).

          3.  Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).

          4.  Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4)

          5.  Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2; Rev. 11:11).

          6.  Spirit of meekness (1 Cor. 4:21; Gal. 6:1; Is. 57:15).

          7.  Spirit of faith (2 Cor. 4:13).

          8.  Spirit of promise (Eph. 1:13).

          9.  Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Is. 11:2; Eph. 1:17; Ex. 28:3; Deu. 34:9).

        10.  Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14).

        11.  Spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10).

        12.  Spirit of understanding (Job 20:3; Is. 11:2).

        13.  Spirit of judgment (Is. 4:4).

        14.  Spirit of burning (Is. 4:4).

        15.  Spirit of counsel (Is. 11:2).

        16.  Spirit of might (Is. 11:2).

        17.  Spirit of knowledge (Is. 11:2).

        18.  Spirit of fear of the Lord (Is. 11:2).

As it can be seen there are more than a literal seven manifestations of the Holy Spirit and I don't maintain that this is a complete list, yet the number seven represents completion and therefore the seven Spirits of God (completeness) are seven lamps unto the Lord's church giving light unto all that are in the kingdom.