The Book of Revelation is a series of visions reported by John (Rev 1:9). He describes them as one who is participating in the events he is seeing. We see this many, many times such as:
- Rev 1:9 - I John ...
- Rev 1:12 - I turned ...
- Rev 1:17 - When I turned I saw ...
- Rev 1:19, 2:1, 8, 12, 18, 3:1, 7, 14 - John told to write something.
- Rev 4:1 - After this I looked ...
- Rev 5:1 - Then I saw ...
- Rev 5:11 - then I looked and heard ...
- Rev 5:13 - Then I heard ...
- Rev 6:1 - I watched as ...
- Rev 6:12 - I watched as ...
- Rev 7:1 - After this I saw ...
... and so forth. In many of these experiences, John is accompanied by an angel (Rev 19:9, 21:9); or an elder (Rev 7:13); or even Jesus Himself (Rev 4:1 = the voice like a trumpet from Rev 1:12); or the One seated on the throne (Rev 21:5 = God), etc.
Recall that in Rev 4:1, John is in vision, ie, it is NOT a real experience but highly symbolic with Jesus depicted as a seven horned lamb (Rev 5:6), etc. Even God seated on the throne (who is unnamed) is described symbolically using many elements from Eze 1. There are seven lamps representing the spirits of God (Rev 4:5). The four living creatures are, again, highly symbolic, especially in the description of their appearance.
Thus, we have John describing "the One seated on the throne" (Rev 4:3 = God), with Jesus' trumpet-like voice speaking to John (Rev 4:1). Later in the same vision, Jesus appears as a bleeding seven-horned lamb. Therefore, there are three personages described in early part of Rev 4: John, Jesus, God. John is not actually seeing God the Father here but a symbolic scene representing greater realities.