Who are the four living creatures in Revelation?

(Vv. 6-8) Lastly, the Apostle sees in the midst of the throne and round about the throne "four living creatures." They would appear to be symbols of the executors of the government of God. They are four in number, probably indicating the completeness of God's government flowing out to every quarter of the globe. "Full of eyes" would symbolise the fulness of discernment in God's government from which nothing is hid. The lion, the calf, the face as a man, and the flying eagle, may signify that the government of God will be characterised by strength, firmness, intelligence, and rapidity of administration. Unceasingly they say, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come." They testify that the government of God is holy, resistless in power, and unchangeable in character. The executors of the government of God will become the occasion of glory and thanksgiving to Him that sits upon the throne for ever and ever.

Besides these, four living creatures are there in the circle of the throne itself and around the throne. They may be viewed as forming the throne, or apart from it, though connected with it as a centre. They have some of the characters of the cherubim, some of the seraphim, but somewhat different from both. They were full of eyes, before and behind, to see all things according to God, and within; having also six wings; perfect in inward perception, but given perception, and in the celerity of their motions. They embraced also the four species of creation in the ordered earth: man, cattle, beast, of the field, fowl of the air: these symbolising the powers or attributes of God, themselves worshipped by the heathen, here only the instruments of the throne. Him who sat on it the heathen knew not. The intelligence, firmness, power, rapidity of execution which belong to God were typified as elsewhere by them. They are symbols. Divers agents may be the instruments of their activity. But though there was the general analogy of the cherubim, judicial and governmental power, these had a peculiar character.

The cherubim in the temple had two wings, which formed the throne; they looked on the covenant, and at the same time, as of pure gold, were characterised by the divine righteousness of the throne to be approached. In Ezekiel they were the support of the firmament above which the God of Israel was: it was a throne of executive judgment. They were like burnished brass, and like fire — a symbol we have considered already. They had four wings: two to fly with, two to cover themselves. From Ezekiel 10 it appears they were full of eyes ("it is not said within") it was to govern what was outside according to God, not divine intelligence within. In Isaiah 6 the seraphim (or burners) have six wings as here; they are above the throne, and cry as here, Holy, holy, holy! They, with a burning coal, cleansed the prophet's lips; they were above the throne.

Rev. 4: ‎7, 8. — “The first living creature like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature having the face as of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having respectively six wings; round and within they are full of eyes; and they cease not, day and night, saying, Holy, holy,‎ holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, Who is, and Who is to come.” Why “four” living ones? Because “four”‎ represents the attributes of God in judicial dealing with man and creation. It is the signature of the world and of the race, and is employed when universality is in question.‎ The representatives, or heads of the animal creation, are named as the lion for majesty, the ox (calf) for patient endurance, the man for intelligence, and the eagle for rapidity of action. Now these symbols express certain features in the exercise of divine government, and are fittingly introduced here in view of the immediate exercise‎ of these divine attributes. The whole scene under Heaven is to be visited in judgment; hence the employment of the numeral “four.”* Thus in the four living creatures grouped together we have a complete and perfect view of God’s judicial government. The symbols are taken from the most prominent animals, not from those in the sea.‎ The first attribute of God’s throne symbolised by a lion is majesty, strength, omnipotence (Gen. 49:9; Dan. 7:4;‎ Amos 3:8). The second symbol is an ox or calf in patient‎ labour, assiduously working for the good of others (1 Cor.‎ ‎9:9-10; Prov. 14:4). The third creature had the face as‎ of a man, denoting intelligence or reason (Job 9:24;‎ Ezra 9:6). The fourth symbol of a flying eagle intimates keen sight and rapid action (Deut. 28:49; Job 9:26;‎ Hab. 1:8; Job 39:27-30). Now these characteristics‎ combined express the character of God’s throne in relation to the earth. They are attributes of a judicial nature exercised through human or angelic instruments according to the sovereign pleasure of God. The living creatures represent the judicial authority of the throne. From the first mentioned of the cherubim (Gen. 3:24) till the last ‎(Heb. 9:5) the same leading thought characterises all the‎ passages, namely, the attributes of God’s government.

Both the living creatures and elders fall down before the Lamb; but "having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints," we understand to be expressive of the elders only. Some have judged, from the living creatures and elders appearing both to sing as redeemed ones, that the both companies together represent the heavenly saints. If it were so, it is still clear that the Church would be removed before the apocalyptic judgments begin, or the Man of sin is revealed; for the living creatures are not only officially engaged at the opening of the first four seals (Rev. 6:1-8), but also, in Rev. 15, we find one of them giving seven vials to the seven angels, and the first is poured out upon the earth in judgment on those who had the mark of the beast, and worshipped his image. (Rev. 16:2.)

The living creatures, however, in no other part of the Revelation bear any mark of redemption; and in this chapter, after all have been ascribing praise to God and the Lamb, "the four living creatures said, Amen." Not only too are they generally seen in separate action from the elders, but, as we have noticed, assist in carrying out the judgments on the earth; and, instead of manifesting the discernment and worship characteristic of the elders (except in Rev. 19, when God is worshipped, not for His redeeming love, but for judging the great whore), they repeat incessantly the cry, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!" That they are created beings, and not mere symbolic expressions of the attributes of God, we judge from their giving thanks to God, falling down, giving vials to the angels, and corresponding so nearly to the seraphim of Isaiah, the living creatures of Ezekiel, and the cherubim that guarded the tree of life with a flaming sword.

The Cherubim again figure largely, and are minutely described, in the prophecy of Ezekiel, as the LIVING CREATURES of the vision. Here they appear to symbolise the various characteristics of PROPHETIC ministry — the face of a MAN, showing sympathy and intelligence; the ox, patient perseverance; the keen eye, lofty flight, strong wing of the EAGLE; the LION, emblem of boldness and courage.

The four beasts, or LIVING ONES, in Rev. 4:6-8, represent the CHURCH in resurrection glory, as God's agency for earth and Heaven, for time and for Eternity.

Then we read — "In the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four living ones." In chapter five, the Lamb as it had been slain is seen standing in the midst of the throne, and these four living ones are connected with Him. They are symbolic of the Church of the Firstborn, written in Heaven — those who by the Pentecostal Spirit are baptised into one body, one spirit with the Lord. When to these we add the multitude that no man can number, we see the whole of those who share the first resurrection.

In the midst of the throne and surrounding it are four living creatures. These cannot be angels, for no angel is in the midst of the throne of God. The Lamb is said to be there (Rev. 5:6), for the Lamb is Himself God, and God's glory is given to no other. The living creatures denote four distinct principles of God's government — living, vital principles that are operative in all His works. The same four faces of verse 7 are also seen in the living creatures of Ezekiel 1. The lion denotes sovereign power as seen in the aspect of Christ's character as King in Matthew. The calf pictures service as seen in Mark's portrayal of Him as God's Servant. The face like that of a man denotes intelligence and understanding, as Luke presents Him. Finally, the eagle pictures a high, inscrutable character (Prov. 30:18-19) as evidenced in the Lord Jesus in John's Gospel of His great Godhead glory. All of these are connected with the throne of God in His governing and judging. In this is a wonderful fulness and perfect balance.

The six wings (v. 8) of each “creature” speak of speed of execution in marked contrast to men's present-day protracted judicial decisions. Wings also speak of protection (Luke 13:34), for in God's judgments there is a true shelter for those who really trust Him. Being full of eyes reminds us of the eyes in the rims of Ezekiel's wheels (Ezekiel 1:18). This teaches us that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, discerning perfectly every detail of every matter that He deals with. These four living principles of truth declare unceasingly the holiness of God, the Almighty, He who is supreme Ruler, past, present and future (v. 9). In this they are giving glory, honor and thanks to Him who occupies the throne of eternal glory, the eternally living One.

For the "living creatures" in Rev. 4 and elsewhere have no real or intended relation to the four Gospels. These present to us the grace of God which appeared in Christ among men, and the redemption which He accomplished in the rejected Messiah. The cherubim, on the contrary, are revealed when the throne on high assumes a judicial character in chastisements, preparatory to the Lord's taking the kingdom of the world and appearing from heaven for that reign. They symbolize the Divine attributes in figures taken from the heads of creation. Ingenious but superficial analogies cannot avail against the entire moral bearing of their associations as contrasted as grace is with judgment.

From this it follows that the four living creatures might be at one time angels, at another saints. The symbol sets forth, not so much the persons that are entrusted with these judgments, as the character of the attributes in action. Scripture, however, affords elements to solve the question, here by the marked absence of angels, who, as we know, are the beings God employed in His providential dealings with the world, and this both in Old Testament times and still in the days of the New Testament. The church is only in course of formation; but when complete, the glorified saints are caught up, and the First-begotten is anew owned in His title, they too will be owned in theirs. For as the Lord is coming to take visibly the kingdom, we can readily understand that the change of administration is first made manifest in heaven before being displayed on earth. If this be admitted, the change is accounted for in Rev. 5. The general fact is in Rev. 4; this administrative change in Rev. 5. Hence the cherubim and the elders unite to sing.

But besides the lamps of fire and the sea of glass, "in the midst at the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts [or living creatures] full of eyes before and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf and the third living creature had a face as a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and they were full of eyes about and within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." (vv. 6-8.) These living creatures resemble in part the seraphim whom Isaiah saw above the throne of the Lord, having six wings, and crying, "Holy, holy, holy" (Isa. 6:1-3); and in part the living creatures of Ezekiel's vision, where the same emblems, of the lion the ox, the man, and the eagle, also appear, and where the wheels which move with them, are "full of eyes round about." (Ezek. 1). They are "in the midst of the throne," as well as around it, seeming to show that they are rather symbols of God's ways in providence and judgment than separate beings. They are full of eyes, before and behind around and within, indicating perfect knowledge and intelligence. The man, the ox, the lion, and the eagle show the four chief types of the living creation in which God has displayed His power, and may perhaps also signify the intelligence, the utility, the power, and the swiftness of His judgments. In their wings we see the rapidity with which his purposes are carried out, while they are the unwearied proclaimers of that holiness which marks all His ways.