Revelation 4:7-11

 

(Rev 4:7 KJV)
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

Ezekiel had a similar vision of the four creatures but he had described them in a different manner. The word for “ox” in Ezekiel is the Hebrew word “shôr” which may also be translated “cow or bullock.” The primary meaning is that of an ox. If you notice in the Ezekiel description, all four creatures are exactly alike. Each creature had all four faces which are mentioned. Since we have two different accounts of the same creatures, we need to look at the characteristics of these named faces.

(Ezek 1:10 KJV) As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

The Lion is an animal which has tremendous strength and does not turn away from any beast. (Prov 30:30 KJV) A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

The word “calf” in the Revelation verse can also be translated as “young bull, ox, or musk.” (Exo 23:12 KJV) Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. The oxen were beasts of burden and they performed service.

Then there is the face of man. It would represent the intelligence of man which God gave him.

Then there is a face like an eagle. The eagle is a bird of judgment. (Mat 24:28 KJV) For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. The Eagle is also mentioned in a different light as a bird of deliverance. (Exo 19:4 KJV) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. So the Eagle can either represent judgment or deliverance.

It seems these four creatures are highly symbolic as they seem to be angels of a high order which will have some part in the final judgment of earth as we will see in subsequent chapters of Revelation.

(Rev 4:8 KJV)
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Isaiah had seen the same visions which John had seen. (Isa 6:2-3 KJV) Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. {3} And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Whoever these living creatures are, they are definitely servants of God and continue to announce the holiness of God which was from eternity past and will go into eternity future. The meaning of “Seraphims” in the Hebrew means “burning ones.” They apparently reflected the glory of God to the point that they seemed to burn. However, it can also point to the fact that they will be strategically used in the final judgments which are to come upon this world. The six wings may indicate a swiftness in carrying out the judgments which God will pronounce upon this world. The three-fold declaration of God’s holiness by these creatures emphasizes the absolute holiness of God. No one else in the universe or on Earth is given a three-fold description of holiness. It should give us an indication of how heinous sin would be to a thrice holy God.

(Rev 4:9 KJV)
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

Not only do the four living creatures laud the holiness of God, there are times when they break out in praise, glory, and thanks to God. The end of this verse enlarges the praise of God by stating that He lives for ever and ever which means He is eternal. In the Old Testament, one of the names for God is “El Olam” which means “The Everlasting God.”

(Rev 4:10 KJV)
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Here are the twenty four elders which are around the throne also prostrating themselves in worship to God and they show their deference to God by casting the crowns before Him which basically means that God is the supreme King and there is no king but Him. This should be a warning to all who think they are something when they are nothing. Too many people, in their pride, think they are some type of deity but here we see that there is but one King of the Universe. The elders prostrating themselves before God shows that their authority is one that is given to them or delegated.

(Rev 4:11 KJV)
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

In their praise they are acknowledging that God is the center of their praise. Many times on earth and in the church, some Christians tend to worship those who are in authority and treat them like they have the nail prints in their hands. Here the twenty four elders are in heaven because the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who went to the cross and became sin for us so we could enter Heaven imputed with the righteousness of Christ. This is why God is worthy to receive our praise because He could have allowed the human race to go to hell by attrition but instead He chose to save millions from eternal damnation. God receives the glory for the church being redeemed in its entirety. He receives honour as one who deserves it for what He has done for His Elect. He also has the power to effect His final program which is about to be unleashed on the entire world. He is lauded as the creator of the universe, earth, and man. The word “pleasure” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “purpose desire, or will.” God did not have to create the universe or even to create man but He created us with a purpose in mind. When Adam and Eve sinned, He did not abandon us but He determined to save millions from the fires of hell. We must keep in mind what we just read concerning the holiness of God. His holiness demands justice and that justice demands penalty and that penalty demands execution. Yet, God in His mercy sent His Son to the cross to die for the sins of those He named before the foundation of the world. God could have stopped creating right after Adam and Eve but He named His Elect and therefore the world has to continue until the last one is saved. This is why God gets the glory and honor, especially from His church redeemed.