When Jesus Christ was here on earth some two thousand years ago as the Son of man, he promised his apostles that they would sit on thrones alongside him and reign over the 12 tribes of Israel.
And Jesus said unto them, 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.
Matthew 19:28
So, 12 of the 24 must be the 12 apostles: the 11 apostles whom the Son of man chose before the crucifixion and whom he knew personally as friends, plus Paul who was chosen afterwards to take the spot vacated by the traitor Judas. After the Pentecost, these same 12 helped God spread the gospel and the teachings of Christ. Thus began the world of Christianity.
As for the rest of the elders, I don’t know. If I had to guess I would say, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be among the elders, because Abraham met God, as in Jesus Christ (ref. Genesis 18). Moses, who also saw God, as in Jesus Christ, but not his face (ref. Exodus 33), should be another. Possibly Joshua is another. Maybe also John the Baptist, a cousin of the Son of man Jesus Christ, who was a type of Elias. Elijah himself, who stood against the priests of Baal ages ago, and who will serve God again as one of the 2 witnesses (ref. Malachi 4), might be among the 24. John of Patmos, who wrote down Revelation and who will serve God as the other of the 2 witnesses (ref. Revelation 10) is probably one of the 12 apostles. Then, there’s David. But of course his son Solomon, who changed sides, won’t be among the 24 or even in heaven.
I doubt there will be anyone among the elders from modern times, let alone from these last days.
Forget the so-called church fathers: the scholars and bishops of the Patristic era. They are certainly not to be venerated.
Furthermore, the answer from today’s pastors on this matter is nonsense. The idea that the 24 elders are not actual individuals but some kind of symbol of the church does not make sense at all.
In my view, the elders must be actual men who lived in the past, which explains why they are now already in heaven crowned with victory per Revelation 4.
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:10
The four beasts with 6 wings and full of eyes that also stand near the throne of God must be special angels.
Now, in the kingdom of heaven, which is the new Jerusalem in the distant future, the hierarchy of things will be God the Father, and then Jesus Christ, and then the 24 elders beneath him, and then everyone else beneath the elders. Some of the army of the saints might become like a choir of angels. Others such as myself will stand guard at the gates. I suppose some portion of the army must remain intact because of the problem of wandering stars.
Originally, the hierarchy was God, and then the Son of God Jesus Christ, and then the angels, whom by the way were described as “sons of God” back then even though they never lived as humans (ref. Job 2:1). The angels that formed the original host of heaven were regarded as a “queen”, an authority of some sort reigning beside the king.
You might have noticed that the 144000 saints are also described as “sons of God” (ref. Romans 8:19), and on the coming day of the LORD both Israel and Judah will form the next “wife” and “bride of Christ” (ref. Revelation 19:7-8).
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Romans 8:18-19
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation 19:7-8
This is because after the reaping, the saints of the 12 tribes of Israel will form a new host of heaven. We will augment and in part replace the angels of old, because Satan, who was the first of the angels and who led the first army of heaven, turned against God, went his own way, and started the phenomenon of evil.
Now, just because the saints will form the next bride of Christ – by the way, the third and final bride of Christ will be all followers of Christ collectively – it does not mean that the saints will be some sort of “queen” in heaven. That metaphor is no longer appropriate because of Satan.
Furthermore, if anything, that position of authority is now held by the 24 elders.
Metaphorically, Satan was not only “the queen” but even “the mother” of Israel. This explains Satan’s feminazi fantasies, and the concepts of mother earth and mother of God and so on.
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
Jeremiah 7:17-19
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
Hosea 4:5
Not only does the Bible say these things that I have pointed out about the queen of heaven, but even Satan himself says the same.
Consider, for instance, the Whitney Houston song “Queen of the Night” that sings: “Well I ain’t nobody’s angel.” etc.
The “stuff that you want” part in the song might be drugs, or demon-possessed women, or even lyrics and a catchy tune for fame and money. Think Faustian bargain.
I am drawing attention to this song because proof of one side constitutes proof of the other.
Today in these last days before the day of the LORD is essentially “night”, a time of darkness and confusion, and a period of “tribulation”. The tribulation, for those who don’t know, is not the wrath of God but rather a time of trial or temptation, as in a test of faith.
I should also point out that the American Baptist notion of “Once saved, forever saved” is not correct. Sure, faith that Jesus is the Christ and the Creator is necessary for one’s salvation, because God the Father is invisible on earth as well as in heaven. But salvation requires loyalty as well as faith. If at any time you turn against God and become his enemy, it is over for you.
In fact, the first and most important of the ten commandments, even as Jesus Christ himself put it when he was the Son of man, is to “love” God. Love, as in the opposite of hate.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mark 12:28-30
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:1-6
For the saints, keeping the metaphor of marital fidelity in mind, serving others such as Satan, or fashioning oneself as a rival god, and that sort of thing, will mean you are out.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Psalms 2:10-12
So, loyalty is all important.
This is why I think the 24 elders will be the close friends of Jesus Christ, individuals such as the 12 apostles and Abraham and Moses and so on.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
John 15:13-15