The four living creatures in Revelation –
Who are they?
The
four living creatures in Revelation
are special among the angelic beings.
They exist to praise God forever before His throne,
and they hold "golden bowls full of incense,
which are the
prayers of the saints"
(Revelation 5:6-14).
This means that they hold the
prayers of all believers throughout time,
both the prayers of the past and those that
will be prayed—a fragrant
offering before God's throne
(Revelation 8:3-4).
This eternal fragrance was first symbolized by the
incense burning
in the tabernacle
(Exodus 25:6).
The four living creatures
are described
in
Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 6:1-8; 14:3; 15:7and 19:4.
They are said to be
"full of eyes
in front and behind"
and look to John like
a lion, an ox, a man,
and
an eagle in flight.
They each have six wings and are always saying
"holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come."
These four living creatures closely
resemble the four creatures described
in Ezekiel 1:10 and Isaiah 6:2.
It is not clear
whether these passages are
describing the same four living creatures,
but it is very likely they are of the same
exalted order of angels,
whose main job is to worship
God and speak His holiness
(Revelation 19:4).
In response to the worship of the four living creatures,
the twenty-four elders
cast their crowns before
God's throne in agreement
(Revelation 4:10-11).
One of the most interesting aspects of the
four living creatures
is that they demonstrate that Jesus,
the
Lamb of God
is equal-to
God Himself.
Their worship of the Lamb
in Revelation 5:6-14
is clearly
directed towards Jesus Christ
(Revelation 5:5; 9-10),
and they say
"Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and
might and honor and glory and blessing!"
(Revelation 5:11-12)
and
"To him who sits on the throne
and to the Lamb be blessing and
honor and glory and might
forever and ever!"
(Revelation 5:13)
and
they fall down and
worship the Lamb,
along with
"him who sits on the throne"
--God, the Father.
Scripture makes it clear
that
"the Lord is God; there is no other besides him"
(Deuteronomy 4:35; 1 Kings 8:60).
God spoke through Isaiah, saying,
"I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God"
(Isaiah 45:5-6)
and
Jesus Christ
also responded to the
Pharisees' question about
His identity
by saying
"before Abraham was,
I am"
(John 8:58).
Based on their subsequent attempt to stone Jesus, we know that
His statement
"I am" was taken to mean "I am God"
and
the
Pharisees took it as blasphemy.
But the words and worship of the four living creatures
make it clear
that Jesus was
telling the truth.
Who are they?
The
four living creatures in Revelation
are special among the angelic beings.
They exist to praise God forever before His throne,
and they hold "golden bowls full of incense,
which are the
prayers of the saints"
(Revelation 5:6-14).
This means that they hold the
prayers of all believers throughout time,
both the prayers of the past and those that
will be prayed—a fragrant
offering before God's throne
(Revelation 8:3-4).
This eternal fragrance was first symbolized by the
incense burning
in the tabernacle
(Exodus 25:6).
The four living creatures
are described
in
Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 6:1-8; 14:3; 15:7and 19:4.
They are said to be
"full of eyes
in front and behind"
and look to John like
a lion, an ox, a man,
and
an eagle in flight.
They each have six wings and are always saying
"holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come."
These four living creatures closely
resemble the four creatures described
in Ezekiel 1:10 and Isaiah 6:2.
It is not clear
whether these passages are
describing the same four living creatures,
but it is very likely they are of the same
exalted order of angels,
whose main job is to worship
God and speak His holiness
(Revelation 19:4).
In response to the worship of the four living creatures,
the twenty-four elders
cast their crowns before
God's throne in agreement
(Revelation 4:10-11).
One of the most interesting aspects of the
four living creatures
is that they demonstrate that Jesus,
the
Lamb of God
is equal-to
God Himself.
Their worship of the Lamb
in Revelation 5:6-14
is clearly
directed towards Jesus Christ
(Revelation 5:5; 9-10),
and they say
"Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and
might and honor and glory and blessing!"
(Revelation 5:11-12)
and
"To him who sits on the throne
and to the Lamb be blessing and
honor and glory and might
forever and ever!"
(Revelation 5:13)
and
they fall down and
worship the Lamb,
along with
"him who sits on the throne"
--God, the Father.
Scripture makes it clear
that
"the Lord is God; there is no other besides him"
(Deuteronomy 4:35; 1 Kings 8:60).
God spoke through Isaiah, saying,
"I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God"
(Isaiah 45:5-6)
and
Jesus Christ
also responded to the
Pharisees' question about
His identity
by saying
"before Abraham was,
I am"
(John 8:58).
Based on their subsequent attempt to stone Jesus, we know that
His statement
"I am" was taken to mean "I am God"
and
the
Pharisees took it as blasphemy.
But the words and worship of the four living creatures
make it clear
that Jesus was
telling the truth.
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