2. “ A throne was set in heaven” --4:2. The throne was not there for this vision only, it was set, established as the throne of heaven. (Psalms 119:89) 3. “ He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone” 4:3. Here was the figure of intense splendor. Jasper was an opaque species of different colors, subject to high polish. The New Testament use of the term “ jasper,” here and elsewhere referred to a transparent gem, the diamond, or the translucent chalcedon. Sardine (or Sardius) was an ancient favorite of the engraver’ s art, discovered in Asia Minor, of lasting beauty of color; it was a brilliant fleshred. But no physical or material substance can be made comparable to God’ s person; at best it serves only as an emblem of the resplendent and exquisite grandeur and glory of his divine Being. 4. “ A rainbow round about the throne"--4:3. The rainbow stands for a covenant-- Genesis 9:13-17 -- and the emblem here is of the covenanted protection from the judgment of impending events; not escape from the suffering, but exemption from judgments, which would come upon the enemies of the church. 5. “ In sight like an emerald"--4:3. The rainbow is a seven-color reflection. Its brilliance appears between the shining sun and the rain clouds. Here emerald in the bow is specified--a very precious gem, of deep green color-which is its real value, as the deepest colors were the prized. The word emerald had a root meaning of glowing. The emerald-green in the rainbow signified that through the grace of patience deliverance was vouchsafed.