Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 1 Study # 10
March 17, 2024
Broadlands, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
Thesis: The "Living Beings" represent "the glory of God" as it impacts humanity.
Introduction: In our last study we considered the significance of the "glassy sea" mixed with fire and concluded that it is probably the Lake of Fire, but it is something to which the redeemed are impervious -- they can stand upon it, and, though we did not address this in that study, it is not without possibility or, even, probability, that it is the outcome of the River of Life as it flows out from the throne. The point was: those whose robes had been washed in the blood of the Lamb were described as having overcome the beast, but the picture is of them standing upon the surface of the very instrument of the torment of that beast. That would mean that, in the reality of God and His truth and love, those who have rebelled are tormented by that very reality.
This evening we are going to begin to consider the "eighth" element in the vision of Heaven as John describes it: The Four Living Beings.
- I. This Chapter Is The Ultimate Background For All That Follows.
- A. It is a vision of The Heaven as the initial presentation of the realm of Heaven (with its characteristics and significances) in respect to "what must take place after these things..." (4:1).
- B. The relationship of "being in the spirit" to the summons to Heaven.
- C. What John saw...
- 1. The "First" issue: he saw a throne...
- 2. The "Second" Issue: he describes the One sitting upon the "Throne of Heaven".
- 3. The "Third" Issue: the emerald "iris".
- 4. The "Fourth" Issue: the twenty-four thrones.
- 5. The "Fifth" Issue: "out of the throne proceed..."
- 6. The "Sixth" Issue: "seven lamps of fire..."
- 7. The "Seventh" Issue: "the sea of glass..."
- 8. The "Eighth" Issue: The Four Living Creatures.
- a. The general description.
- 1) "...in the midst of the throne and around the throne..."
- a) "...in the midst..." is found in 8 texts with the basic idea of something surrounded by something so that it is in its "midst".
- b) There is a strong implication of "close association with".
- 2) "...four living creatures..."
- a) The translation "creatures" is an attempt to get away from the KJV's use of "beasts" (which is the same English word in the KJV that is used of the "beast" (different Greek word) who is identified as the Antichrist, the final ruler of the world in its fallen state of subjection to corruption).
- b) The word used is technically "a living being" and most likely refers to some type of "angel" as represented by Ezekiel 1:28 as "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh" and is presented in a somewhat different likeness in Ezekiel 10:14.
- c) These "living ones" are mentioned in 17 texts of The Book of The Revelation, and the term so translated is not used of any "others" in The Book, though the word is used three texts of the rest of the New Testament.
- 3) "...full of eyes before and behind..."
- a) The Lamb is the only other person who is pictured as having more than the normal "two" eyes.
- b) The most obvious meaning is that of all-seeing, strongly suggesting omniscience.
- b. The more specific descriptions.
- 1) The first living creature like unto a lion...
- a) In general, the uses of "lion" in the New Testament involve the strength for destruction that is built into lions, and three of the six references in The Revelation are in negative situations..
- b) The "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (5:5) is a presentation of "the lamb that was slain" (5:6), and He is immediately connected to the identity of One Who "is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals".
- (1) The "worthiness" is a matter of "qualification" and His "worthiness" is rooted in His "slain Lamb" identity.
- (2) His "slain Lamb" identity qualifies Him to be "the Lion ... of Judah" Who is the "root of David" -- tying Him backwards to the background of Judah in the Old Testament who was the fourth son of Leah, named in reference to the concepts of "praise to the Lord" (Genesis 29:35) and the significance of being the "fourth" son of Leah's grief over being unloved.
- 3) This "worthiness" has much to do with the outpouring of the wrath of God (John 5:27), which requires a perfect absence of any disqualifying issue ("he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone").
- 2) The second living creature like unto an ox...
- 3) The third living creature having the face as of a man...
- 4) The fourth living creature like unto a flying eagle...
- c. A return to another general characterization of all four.
- 1) The four living creatures, one according to one of them, having again six wings, round about and within of eyes, and not having a cessation day and night (most likely at the beginning of each), saying...
- a) Holy, holy, holy...
- b) Lord The God The Omnipotent...
- c) Who was and Who is and Who is coming.
- 2) And when the living creatures shall give...
- a) Glory
- b) Honor
- c) Thanksgiving
- d) To the One sitting upon the throne
- e) To the One Who lives unto the ages of the ages
- f) The twenty four elders
- (1) shall fall down before the One sitting upon The Throne
- (2) and they shall worship The One Who lives unto the ages of the ages
- (3) and they shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying...
- (a) You are worthy, The Lord and The God of us...
- (b) To receive the glory and the honor and the power because You created all things...
- (c) and through Your desire they were existing and were created.
- g) This makes the four living ones the initiators of the worship of heaven, most likely at the beginning and ending of each cycle.
