We certainly give thanks for all of our earthly blessings and all things that we have in Christ, creation and salvation. As we look to the future, we can join the heavenly chorus to thank God for His coming subjugation of the world. Thanks be to God for all that He has made, all that we have in Christ, and all the glory that will be!

While we celebrate Thanksgiving on earth below, what’s going on in heaven?

We could answer this question in part by examining the three instances of the word “thanks” in the book of Revelation (Rev 4:9; 7:12; 11:17). This brief study can be one of the many ways whereby we are blessed to read and heed “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1-3; 22:7).

To get a sense of the book of Revelation as a whole, we remember that Christ had John “write the things which you have seen, and the things which are” (Rev 1:19a), a message from Jesus Christ for the seven churches then (Rev 1-3). He also wrote prophecy, the bulk of this book, about “the things which will take place” (Rev 1:19b), the future judgment of the world (Rev 4-19), kingdom of Christ (Rev 20), and new creation (Rev 21-22). It is a record of John’s four visions, each introduced by the phrase “in the Spirit” (Rev 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10). Like any part of Scripture, Revelation is timeless truth for us today, how to give thanks included.

So, as we consider the three instances of the word “thanks” in Revelation, we could better ask, What will go on in heaven? These thanks are in the future. Nonetheless, this study is meant to encourage us to give thanks to God in the present, whether now or at any time of the year.

First, we give thanks to God for His creation (Revelation 4:9).

At the outset of his second vision, John saw the preliminaries to judgment in the heavenly throne room (Rev 4–5). He saw the Throne, the twenty-four elders, the Spirit, and the four living creatures (Rev 4:1-6). The four creatures are described for their appearance and words (Rev 4:7-8), and these words include the four creatures giving “thanks” to God (Rev 4:9).

But here’s a question—if the words in Rev 4:8 ascribe holiness to God and acknowledge His eternality, how can these words be later described as giving thanks?

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