Written by
Hester Lorenz French

In a large Sunday School class of a certain denomination Heaven was being discussed.

"I know there will be animals in Heaven" someone remarked, "for several different kinds are pictured before God's throne in Revelation, Chapter 4." Someone added that the animals described there could talk, too.

While we may smile at this incident (which actually happened) let us do so cautiously, for there are many people who do not yet understand the identity of the four beasts (the four living creatures) of the 4th Chapter of Revelation.

GREEK WORD

The Greek word rendered "beasts" in some translations, and "living creatures" in others, can be used to designate anything that is living - man, animals, or even plants.

A CLOSE BOND

One very important thing we should notice is the affinity the four living ones and the 24 elders have for each other. They are frequently mentioned together, and seem to act in concert with few exceptions.

In Revelation 4:9-11, the living ones and the elders adore God together, and it is implied that this is their custom.

In Revelation 5:6, the 24 elders and the living creatures are mentioned together.

In Revelation 5:8 "the four living creatures and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps," (The four living ones had harps as well as the 24 elders).

In Revelation 5:9, the four living ones and the 24 elders sang a song together.

In Revelation 5:11, "angels round about the throne and the living creatures and elders."

In Revelation 5:14, "and the four living creatures said amen, and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped."

In Revelation 7:11, "angels stood round about---the elders and the four living creatures."

Revelation 14:3 says "they sang before the four living creatures and the elders."

Revelation 19:4 says "and the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped---."

We must conclude that there is some strong bond between the four living creatures and the 24 elders.

THE SUBTLE WORD

Searching for the secret of the identity of the four Living Ones it may be a good idea to weigh each word of the 4th and 5th chapters of Revelation carefully, seeking for some word with a subtle or double meaning, comparing with the Greek if possible.

Coming to verse 7 of the 4th chapter the scripture says "and the first living creature was like a lion." The word 'like' is apt to be overlooked or misinterpreted. This verse doesn't say that a real lion was standing before God's throne. It says that "the first living creature was LIKE a lion."

We must next determine in what way the living creature is like a lion. It doesn't have to be like a lion in physical appearance.

For example, we sometimes hear it said of a child "she is a perfect lamb." Now the speaker doesn't mean the little girl is actually a lamb, or that she even looks like a lamb. She is like a lamb in character.

Similarly, the first living creature is not a lion nor does it even look like a lion. It is like a lion in character.

The second living creature is not a calf but is like a calf in character.

The third living creature, like the face of a man, can express many things: love, joy, etc. It is like---in character.

The fourth living creature is not a flying eagle but is like an eagle in character.

MENTAL PICTURES

Some people have very bizarre mental pictures of the four living creatures. The Holy Scripture reads thus: "and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion and the second living creature was like a calf, and the third living creature having the face as a man, and the fourth living creature was like an eagle a-flying: And the four living creatures, each for itself, had respectively six wings around and about, full of eyes." Revelation 4:6-8 (literal translation in Greek testament).

One woman gives her experience as follows: "These words (Revelation 4:6-8) resulted in a mental picture of a lion-like creature with eyes sticking out of the fur here and there, and with six feathery wings attached to the back and with eyes dotted here and there on the wings.

If we would use the word 'living ones' instead of 'beasts' or 'living creatures' a lot of confusion could be avoided. Although 'living creatures' is a better translation than 'beasts' still it gives an erroneous impression, for the word 'creature' brings to mind animals or something preternatural.

WHO THEY REALLY ARE

There is no use to wonder who the living creatures are, if we will accept the Bible at its word. The living creatures tell us who they are, first by their actions, then by their words. In Revelation 4:8 they are praising God (talking). In Revelation 5:8 they play on harps and offer prayer to God. In Revelation 5:9 they sing a song together with the elders. Do animals talk, play on harps, sing or pray? Of course not.

But let us consider the song "and they (the living ones and the elders) sang a new song (to the Lamb) saying, worthy art thou---for thou wast slain (on the cross) and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood---". Revelation 5:9

There is no mistake. It is true. The living creatures are not only singing, but they are telling us just who they are. They are saying to Jesus, the Lamb, "Thou hast redeemed us by Thy Blood."

Whom did Jesus redeem? not animals, not angels, not preternatural creatures, just people, just lost, sinful people.

Part of the secret is now revealed. Both the living ones and the elders are redeemed people. They tell us so in the Holy Scriptures. Why should we not take them at their word? What right has anyone to dispute it?

Of course there are other problems to solve. What about the expression "full of eyes" (Revelation 4:6) and the "six wings full of eyes" that each living creature had about him? (Revelation 4:8) A safe rule to follow when working a puzzle (such as a jig-saw puzzle) is to accept the part that plainly fits and trust that the other pieces will fall into place later. Let us do the same thing when trying to understand the identity of the living Ones. We know that the Living Ones and the Elders are Redeemed people because they tell us so in the Bible.

FULL OF EYES

The writer must new resume this explanation for awhile in the first person.

Taking the Bible at its word, I had reached the conclusion that the living creatures were redeemed people, but could not understand how they could be full of eyes. Exhausting all other efforts to find an explanation, I remembered the verse in James 1:5, "if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God." I asked God to show me what was meant by the expression "full of eyes" and he very graciously answered my prayer. In an instant - in a split second of time - He showed me a picture of these things. I will describe it.

God's throne was in the center and on each of the four sides stood a very large group of people. There were four groups of people in all, one on each side of the throne. The group nearest me stood in the shape of a lion, as if a huge outline of a lion had been drawn on the 'ground' and the people stood within it. The large group of people on the right stood within a similar outline, but that of a calf. The group on the side opposite the lion stood in a diagram like a man's face. The group on the left stood in a diagram like an eagle. I had the sensation of hovering in the air above them and they all turned their eyes upward and looked at me… thousands and thousands of eyes. I understood now. Each living creature was not just one redeemed person but each living creature was a large group of the redeemed. The eyes were the eyes of the people. As soon as I comprehended this, the picture vanished.

FROM EVERY NATION

It is evident that if the four living ones are four groups of redeemed people, the 24 elders are 24 groups of redeemed people also. For further proof that they are groups let us consider the song again (remember they are singing to Jesus):

Revelation 5:9 "Worthy art Thou to take the book and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests, and we shall reign on the earth."

Here the 24 elders and the four living creatures declare that they are redeemed people. If we deny that each is a group, we will have an impossible situation for that would give us only 28 people (24 plus 4). Let us now look closely at part of the song:

"Thou hast redeemed us---
By Thy Blood
Out of every kindred and tongue,
and people, and nation."

How many nations are there? Certainly more than 28.
How many tongues (languages) are there? Thousands.
How many kindred (or families)? Millions

Yet the 24 elders and four living creatures declare they come out of all these. Considering them as 28 groups of individuals it is easy to see how they could come out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. Deny that they are groups and it can't be explained at all.

The 24 elders and the four living creatures are all groups of redeemed people. The individuals of each group act in such perfect accord that it is considered as one unit.

These are the redeemed of the earth whom Jesus takes up in the rapture, plus the redeemed of all ages who participate in the first resurrection. This is proof of the pre-millennial Coming of the Lord, proof of the rapture.

They are in formal arrangement for the beginning of the tribulation judgements that are about to start on earth, and which will last seven years or more. The 7 sealed book in Jesus' hand contain the judgements of the tribulation, the strategy by which the Son of God ousts the usurper (Satan), and takes over the kingdom that is rightfully His. (Did Jesus not make the world?) John 1:3

When the rapture takes place those who are caught away will be taken to the judgement seat of Christ where each individual will be judged for his Christian works (not judged for salvation) and placed in one of the 28 groups of elders and living ones. No one will be taken up in the rapture who is not already saved.

KINGS AND PRIESTS

Why are there two kinds of groups? Again let us go back to the song of Revelation 5:10 "and (Thou) hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.

When God permitted His chosen people to have a king, He did not choose a priest to take on the duties of a king too. Instead the two offices were rigidly separated. No where do we read in the Bible of anyone being king and priest at the same time.

King Saul was punished for doing a priest's work. Because he got tired of waiting for the priest to come, and offered up the burnt offering himself, King Saul was told that God would not continue his kingdom. I Samuel 13:9-14

When King Uzziah attempted to do the work of a priest, he was ordered out of the temple by Azariah and 80 other priests, and the Lord struck him with leprosy. II Chron. 26:16-20

So there are two kinds of groups. The elders with their golden crowns are kings. The living ones nearer to God's throne are the priests. Remember, they will be kings and priests during the millennium, not in this present world system. Just what their duties are during the millennium is in the hands of God.

Do not confuse these companies of priests with the priesthood of all true believers on the earth at present. We are, in our earthly bodies now, prone to sickness and sin. We can approach God for pardon and healing through Jesus our Lord, without any earthly priest.

The companies of Living Ones found around God's throne have resurrection bodies and are not subject to sickness and sin, and will be priests during the millennium.

THE SIX WINGS FULL OF EYES

Revelation 4:8 "And the four Living Ones, each for itself, had respectively six wings around and about, full of eyes." (literal translation in Greek testament.)

Notice first that the Scripture says the six wings of each Living One were around and about the Living One, not on the Living one, or fastened to the Living One.

The next step will be to look up the meaning of the word translated 'wings' in a good Greek-English lexicon. Incidentally it is remarkable how many people picture the wings as feathered wings, like those of fowls. But even in English we are not confined to just that one meaning of the word 'wing', for instance, we speak of the wing of a house. There are many meanings of this word in the Greek. Among other things it can mean an extension of something (as a rudder of a ship) or it can mean that which is adjacent to something else. This latter meaning is the key to the identity of the six wings that are around each of the Living Ones.

Beyond the Living Ones, the seats on which the 24 elders sit are placed in a circle that goes around God's throne.

Each elder is a group of people. Six of the elder groups are adjacent to each group of Living Ones. For instance, there are six of the elder groups adjacent to the lion-like group of the Living Ones. They are the 'wings' of the lion—like ' group. Each wing is full of eyes, the eyes of the people in it. In a similar way each of the other Living Creature groups has its six adjacent elder groups, or wings.

Consider now the fact that any Living Creature group added to its six adjacent elder groups makes seven groups in all. Seven is the number pertaining to heavenly things, the number of perfection in the Bible. A large part of the Book of Revelation is based on 7's and also 4's. There are four large groups, each made up of seven smaller groups, one on each of the four sides of the throne, 28 groups in all.

You may some day be in one of the 28 groups if you are a born-again Christian.

©2015 HLF Co.