Revelation 5:8-10

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“And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, saying, you are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us [them] to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and have made us [them] unto our God kings and priests: and we [they] shall reign on the earth.”

Who are these heavenly 24 elders?

Some believe that the 24 elders are taken from all the saved human beings supposedly now in heaven. This teaching comes from a mistranslation of the italicized words. These words should be replaced by the words in brackets. See the Revised Standard Version, and also the margin of the New King James Version, which both render them correctly.

When all the many scriptures about angels are put together, it becomes obvious that these elders are spirit beings created by God to be His counselors. They were probably created before the physical creation, along with the cherubim (Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer—who became Satan—are the only three mentioned by name in the Bible), the seraphim, the four living creatures and the billions of other angels that serve God.

It is impossible that the 24 elders are resurrected saints. Christ stated, “And no man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). Only when Christ returns to earth will Christians be given immortality (I Cor. 15:23; Rom. 2:7)!

The 24 elders rule with God in heaven and have an obvious advisory role (they are “elders”) to Him. The resurrected saints will rule on the earth (Rev. 20:4; Matt. 5:5; Dan. 7:27).