By: Robert Serreyn
Question? What are the Four beast in Revelation Chp. 4?
(Revelation 4:6-8) And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (7) 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.(8) 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.
Verses 6 through 8 are describing the Seraphims mentioned in Isaiah Chapter 6,
(Isaiah 6:2) 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.
We are given VERY LITTLE information about this heavenly angelic host and the Cherubims that are mentioned in scripture.
The Four Beasts GIVES US a four fold picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we consider these beasts that appear here, Each one has an emphasis upon a different aspect of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ as you see in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
– The First Beast looked like a lion,
– The Second one a calf,
– Third one a man,
– The Fourth one an eagle.
They are as follows:
– MATTHEW: Matthew is the Kingdom book, and Matthew has the emphasis on the presentation of Christ as the King to the nation of Israel. That’s why you have His genealogy there in the first chapter of Matthew. It takes us clear back to Abraham, showing that Jesus Christ has a right to sit upon the Throne of David. All through the book it references that “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” That is, “the Kingdom from Heaven is at hand,” and is found 38 times in the Book of Matthew, because the King is at hand. The whole emphasis of Matthew is, Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. He is the Savior, and the King, to the Nation of Israel. Accept Him, Israel, as your Messiah. The beast that represents Him here is the lion. He is the Lion out of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), the King of Kings,
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
– MARK: Mark portrays Christ as the Servant. A servant is always working. There are no genealogies in Mark. Who cares about the genealogy of a servant, as long as he can do the work. Jesus Christ came to be the Servant of mankind, even to die on the Cross, as a Servant to mankind, to pay for our sin. So, the Gospel of Mark’s emphasis is on Jesus Christ as a Servant. The calf, or the ox here, pictures Him as the Servant. They were to do the work.
– LUKE: Luke emphasizes Christ as the Son of Man. Luke gives a genealogy and takes His genealogy clear back to Adam, showing He was born of human flesh, although it was sinless flesh because of the Virgin Birth. Luke’s emphasis is on Him being the Son of Man. He was perfect God, yet He was perfect man. That’s the whole emphasis of the Gospel of Luke. Yes, He was God incarnate in human flesh. That is why He is pictured here by the third beast with “the face of a man.” God, personified, in human flesh.
– JOHN: Then, we come to the fourth beast which is like a flying eagle. That’s exactly how Christ is pictured there in the Gospel of John. When you come to the Gospel of John, you will find that there are no genealogies given in the Gospel of John, because he portrays Him as the Son of God. He is God in human flesh, and, therefore, being God, He had no beginning or ending. Therefore, there are no genealogies because God never had a “start,” nor will He ever have an ending. Jesus Christ is perfect God in human flesh. He is perfect Deity in human flesh and, in that flesh, He was born with no sin whatsoever. “In him was found no sin.” None, whatsoever!
When you put these all together you have these four beasts, or living creatures, representing the composite picture of Christ, as they are there at the throne of God, and as pictured in the four Gospels.
– Matthew, we have Him as the Lion, picturing him as King
– Mark, has him as the calf or the ox, picturing the Servant.
– Luke, has him as the Son of Man. He was Perfect God, yet, perfect man.
– John, we have Him as the eagle, with the swiftness and the power of an eagle showing His omnipotence (All Powerfulness) and his omniscient (All Knowing) emphasizing His Deity.
For a more indepth EXCELLENT study on this subject go to http://rightdoctrinematters.com or www.heritagebbc.com and Read on line, Download, or Purchase the book Titled: The Book of Revelation by Dr. Max Younce.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH