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Who or what are the four living creatures standing before the throne
of God?
Revelation 4:6-9 describes the four living
creatures as the following: "Before the throne there was a sea of glass,
like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were
four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living
creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the
third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature
was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings,
were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night,
saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to
come!' Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to
Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever... "
The four living creatures around the throne of God are, together with
the 24 elders, the faithful ministers of God who always serve His will
and praise His holiness and glory. When God works, He does not work by
Himself, but He always works through His servants. The four living creatures,
the ministers who are closest to God, have received the ability to always
carry out all His wills.
Each of the four living creatures has a different form, signifying that
the four living creatures serve God in different capacities. They are
full of eyes around and within, meaning that these living creatures constantly
pay close attention to God's purposes. As such, the four living creatures
are the faithful ministers of God who always serve and carry out His will.
In addition, the four living creatures do not rest in their praise of
God's glory and holiness, just as God never sleeps. They praise the holiness
of God the Father and our Lord Jesus, who is God and the Lamb, and His
almighty power. In this way, the four living creatures standing before
God's throne praise Him out of their sincere hearts, not out of obligation.
Why? Because for what Jesus Christ has done-that is, lowering Himself
even to the form of a man and being born into this world through the body
of the Virgin Mary; taking all the sins of the mankind upon Himself by
receiving baptism from John; carrying these sins to the Cross and dying
on it; and thereby saving all the mankind from sin-He now sits on the
throne of God, and for these beautiful works of His, He is worthy to receive
glory from all the creatures forever and ever.
The four living creatures thus exalt God high above by giving Him, along
with the 24 elders, sincere praise out of the depth of their hearts.
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