Twenty-Four Elders

"Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads." Revelation 4:4

We understand the twenty-four thrones represent the foreordained twenty-four courses of the priesthood. In 1 Chronicles 24:1-19, David divided the service of the priests into twenty-four divisions. This method of service continued until Zechariah’s time.
In Luke 1:18, we read, "Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood." It was when Zechariah’s division was on duty that the angel visited Zechariah to tell him of the birth of John the Baptist.
It is our understanding that the twenty-four thrones represent the regal authority of the twenty-four offices of the glorified church. The twenty-four elders represent the (6,000) saints who occupy each office. In other words, 24 x 6,000 would be 144,000.
In the type, the rotation of priests in office was necessary because of the heavy task of offering countless sacrifices. The priests needed a long break after such intense service. In the antitype, we may conjecture, the world will be better served by having contact with different courses of priestly saints.
Each course of priests will bring a particular excellence to the office, as well as a different pool of experience and sensitivity. The rotating courses of priesthood may ultimately touch all the families of earth.
David also divided the singers and musicians into twenty-four courses. They, like the priests, served their turn of office.

In Revelation 5:8 we are told that the "twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps." Hence, the "elders" have "harps." There is a difference between having a harp and being a harp.
Revelation 15:2, 3 says that the saints "standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." The elders and the saints both have harps.

What are harps? The Word of God. The "elders" are not the Word of God, but the elders have the Word of God.

"And, thank God! we find that harmony existing, so that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments constitute what the Lord himself designates ‘the harp of God.’ Revelation 15:2 And the various testimonies of the Law and the prophets are the several chords of that harp, which, when tuned by the holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, and swept by the fingers of the devoted servants and searchers after divine truth, yields the most enchanting strains that ever fell on mortal ears."

The "harps" are the Word. The elders have "harps." They are not "harps." The elders are not the Word of God.