4:11 created all things. It is significant that this mighty accolade of praise to God from the elders (representing all the redeemed) centers first on Him as Creator, then later on Him as Redeemer (Revelation 5:9). It is proper that our earthly worship and praise should follow this same pattern. The redeemed ones by this time will have received their crown rewards, as well as “praise and honour and glory” (I Peter 1:7), but then they will “cast their crowns” (Revelation 4:10) down before Him, acknowledging that only He is truly worthy to receive “the glory and the honour and the power” (the article is in the original Greek). They were merely His creations, and all they might have accomplished on earth was by His grace.

4:11 pleasure. “Pleasure” here is the Greek thelema, usually rendered “will.” Its first occurrence is in Matthew 6:10, where the Lord Jesus told us to pray: “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” looking forward to the ultimate answer to this prayer at Christ’s return. Here in this verse, where the final use of thelema occurs, that prayer is about to be answered, and it looks back to the original creation.

4:11 created. This verse explains why God created us. It was simply His good will and pleasure to do so! Note also Isaiah 43:7, “created him for my glory,” and Proverbs 16:4, “made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” For more on God’s will, study Romans 9:22-23; 11:33-36, as well as Ephesians 2:4-7; 3:20-21.