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The Four Living Creatures

The Four Living Creatures vv. 6-8

Who They Are Not

They are not angels. (5:8-10; 7:11; Hebrews 2:5)

They are not Israel. Israel in History - Revelation 4:1. Also these are from all nations. Revelation 5:9

They are not the Apostles, but tribes and people of all the earth.

They are not disembodied spirits, but are glorified subjects of grace.

vv. 8,9 Enthroned - Crowned - Robed

Who They Are

Look at their characteristics revealed in the Scriptures

The first creature was like a lion v. 7

The second creature was like a calf

The third creature had a face as a man

The fourth creature was like a flying eagle

Four is representative of a larger number.

The Jewish writers tell us that the standard of each tribe of Israel took the color of the stone which represented it in the high priest's breastplate, and that there was wrought upon each a particular figure.

  • A Lion for Judah
  • A young ox for Ephraim
  • A Man for Reuben
  • An Eagle for Dan
  • In the Four Gospels we have Christ portrayed in this same manner"

  • In Matthew the Lion - The King of Israel
  • In Mark the Ox - The Servant and Sacrifice
  • In Luke the Man - The Son of Man
  • In John the Eagle - The Son of God
  • This is not Christ, but someone like Him - Who do you find in Scripture like Christ?

    Christ is the head of the Church. This is His Body. This is His Church

    Lion nature - Ox nature - Man's nature - Eagle's nature

    This is the Church after it has been perfected in the first 3 -1/2 years of the tribulation.

    They have eyes -

    v. 6 "Before and behind"
    v. 8 "Full of eyes within"

    The symbol of intense intelligence

    Looking backward into the past.

    Forward into the future.

    Inward into the present.

    Nothing hid - secrets known.

    Also symbol of unceasing activity.

    A symbol of continued vigilance.

    They have wings -v. 8

    Isaiah 6: with twain covered his face

    with twain covered his feet

    with twain they did fly

    Humility -

    Redemption - uncovered feet cannot Redeem

    Freedom -

    Six is the number of man.

    Revelation 13:18

    Six is 4 -man's worldplus 2 -division or difference, and generally enmity.

    Genesis 1:1 - Genesis 1:2

    First - Perfection

    Second - Ruin and desolation

    Six is 5 - grace of God

    plus 1 - made of none effect by man's addition to it.

    Six is 7 - Completeness

    minus 1 - man's coming short of perfection.

    These are men redeemed - God's perfection.

    Man was created on the sixth day. Man has six days to labor. When twelve (the number of governmental perfection) is divided, it indicates imperfection in rule and administration.

    I Kings 10:19 Solomon's throne had six steps, and his kingdom was divided.

    The twelve loaves were divided into sixes -

    Also on the Breastplate of the High Priest -Twelve Tribes were divided tribes.