The four living creatures in Revelation – Who are they?

The four living creatures in Revelation – Who are they? from Compelling Truth

GNN Note – It’s good to live in interesting times and interesting times we most certainly live. My hope is that I live long enough to see some of the major changes that prove, without question, that Jesus Christ is coming back soon. We already see the apostasy and church buildings are fill to the brim with apostates, so there is that. Also, the sexual deviants running amuck is another sure sign, so the only question is – how far along are we? / END

The four living creatures in Revelation are special among the angelic beings. They exist to praise God forever before His throne, and they hold “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:6-14). This means that they hold the prayers of all believers throughout time, both the prayers of the past and those that will be prayed—a fragrant offering before God’s throne (Revelation 8:3-4). This eternal fragrance was first symbolized by the incense burning in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:6).

The four living creatures are described in Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 6:1-8; 14:3; 15:7 and 19:4. They are said to be “full of eyes in front and behind” and look to John like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle in flight. They each have six wings and are always saying “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” These four living creatures closely resemble the four creatures described in Ezekiel 1:10 and Isaiah 6:2. It is not clear whether these passages are describing the same four living creatures, but it is very likely they are of the same exalted order of angels, whose main job is to worship God and speak His holiness (Revelation 19:4). In response to the worship of the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders cast their crowns before God’s throne in agreement (Revelation 4:10-11).