YOU CAN ONLY COME
TO THE THRONE OF THE ETERNAL WHO WAS CLEANED IN HIS WORD AND BROUGHT HIS HEAD
IN HIS SPIRIT
o "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." (Rev.
4.6).
Remember that the tabernacle was made as a
shadow of heavenly things (Heb.
8:5). The bronze sink was
an allusion to the sea like glass in the heaven. It was used for physical
purification of the priests, being the place where they washed their hands and
feet (Exodus 30.18,19).
However, it is important to make a
difference:
o
"But after that the kindness and love
of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Saviour;"(Titus 3:4-6).
One thing is the washing of regeneration,
which is done through the blood of Christ. It is not of this washing that it is
being treated. After all, whoever entered the tabernacle was a priest, that is,
someone not only authorized, but even required to perform the sacred service of
the twenty-five to the fifty years (Num 8:24,25). Moreover, the purification of the priest's sins was done by the blood
of the animals.
Not to mention that in heaven, only those
who have been regenerated through the blood of Christ enter.
Note also that while the bronze sink stood
in the court of the tabernacle to clean physically, the sea of
glass stands before the throne (equivalent to the Most Holy Place) for purification of conscience.
It is the washing of the renewal made through
the Word of the Eternal:
o
"Jesus saith
to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all."(John 13:10).
o
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it,
that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2).
After all, everyone who stand before the
judgment seat of Christ, despite being faithful followers of the Eternal, will
have a series of doubts about what they went through in this world. While
rendering accounts, they will be in the sea of glass in order to
have a purified conscience.
As the water from the bronze sink became
dirty as the priests washed, the sea of glass retain its purity.
While the many waters upon which the great harlot was seated (Rev. 17:15) are like a brave sea impossible to be still and that cast mire and dirt
(Isa 57:19-21), the waters coming from the River of the
Water of Life (Rev
22:1) are quiet and bring
only peace, joy and tranquility to minds still disturbed by the law (which raises anger - Rom. 4:15).
While the harlot sits on a mixed people (crowds, peoples, nations and tongues), dirty, disturbed (Rev. 17:15), the throne of the Eternal is leaning on a pure and firm body (for resting and waiting in Him - Ps 37.7).
Note that the Church:
o It is the throne that confirms the reign
of the Eternal, namely, His justice, love, mercy, truth and judgment;
o It is the "sea of
glass" that comes out of it (Jn 4: 14,15; 7.37,39), since it is through the Church that the
Spirit of the Eternal uses His Word to purify those who will come from the
Great Tribulation (and it
is through it that Jesus purifies one another);
o It is the candlestick that, being one with
the seven torches (1 Cor.
6:17), is identified with
the light of the world (John
8:12, 9:5), which is
itself the manifestation of the light of love (1 John 1: 7) And truth to the world (Mt
5: 14-16). The Church
is the pillar and bulwark of truth (1
Tim. 3:14).
In short, this thing like the sea of
glass has to do with the purification of those who are standing
on it. Here John sees only the "sea of glass." In
Revelation 22:1, John sees the River of Life flowing from the throne of the
Eternal:
o
"And he shewed me a pure river of
water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb." (Rev
22:1).
That is, the "sea of
glass" would be like the place where the River of Life flows
from the throne, generating an immense puddle around the throne, so that all
tare facing the throne, initially stopped at its banks and, then they would
gradually enter into it to be purified (this recalls Ezek. 47:3-5).
And as we know, the Living Water
represents the Word of Jesus and the Holy Spirit that confirms this word:
o
"Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word," (Eph 5: 25,26).
o
"In the last day, that great day of
the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man
thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him
should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was
not yet glorified.)"(John 7:37-39).
The firmament that Ezekiel, Moses and
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel saw was this
"sea of glass" (which has to do with judgment and justice who make up
the Base of the Kingdom of the Eternal - Psalms 97:2):
o
"And the likeness of the firmament
upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour
of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above." (Ezek. 1.22).
o
"And they saw the God of Israel: and
there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness." (Exodus 24.10).
Come the question: but after all, why is
it used the expression “sea of glass like unto crystal”?
Though what John saw is like a pool of
water before the throne on all sides, the mind of the Spirit of the Eternal (Rom 11: 33-34; 1 Cor. 2.10,11,14.16), His Word (love - 1 John 5.3, Eph. 3:19) and His Church (1 Cor. 2:15) are unfathomable so that they are so much deep. Hence the word
"sea".
Glass is characterized by its transparency
(see Rev. 21:22) and crystal, by its ability to shine (glitter brightly, reflecting light). That is, the sea of glass,
while perfectly reflecting the Light of Truth, was also perfectly transparent,
being possible to see all its interior.
This is exactly how the Spirit of Jesus,
His Word (love) and His Church are: while they reflect
all the glory of the Eternal externally (without retaining anything), they are totally transparent to the point of who
wishing can see all that the glory of the Eternal operates within them (namely, the testimony of Christ - 1 John 5:7-12).
Finally, "sea of glass like unto
crystal" shows how the Spirit of Jesus, His Word (love) and Church are open for all who desire to see the truth operating
externally and internally, as well as to experience it inwardly cleansing and
delivering (John
8:32).
In this "sea of
glass" are purified Jews (Rev 15:2) and Gentiles (Rev.
7:9) that naturally died
in the Great Tribulation.
THE FOURTH GOSPELS KEEPING
THE THRONE OF THE ETERNAL
- “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.” (Rev 4.7).
The first thing to notice is the appearance of the
four living creatures. Let’s compare with what Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:10; 10.14):
|
In Revelation 4:7 |
In Ezekiel 1.10 |
In Ezekiel 10:14 |
|
Similar to the lion. |
It has a lion's face, which is on the right. |
This is the face of the third living being. |
|
Similar to calf. |
It had an ox face, which is on the left. |
The face of the first being was cherub. In fact, here beings are
called cherubim (Ezek. 10:20). |
|
He has a man-like face. |
All faces were like that of a man. |
This is the face of the second living creature. |
|
Similar to flying eagle. |
They had an eagle's face. |
This is the face of the fourth living being. |
In Ezek. 1.5, all
four cherubim were man-like (including the face). That is, although
three of the faces were of a lion, an ox, and an eagle, they were able to
express emotions (for example, laugh) as well as a human
being.
On the other hand, Eze 10.14 lead us to deduce that every living being had
four equal faces.
As for the four
beasts, here is their meaning:
|
Animal |
Meaning |
Gospel depicting this |
|
Lion. |
It indicates Jesus as King of kings. |
Matthew. |
|
Ox. |
It indicates Jesus as the faithful Servant in the whole house of the
Father. |
Mark. |
|
Man. |
It indicates Jesus as the perfect Man. |
Luke. |
|
Flying Eagle. |
It indicates Jesus as the Eternal God who came from heaven and returns
to heaven. |
John. |
The reason of using
these four animals is due to the fact that they are the most prominent in their
sphere of action:
LION
The lion is the
animal that best expresses the characteristics that a king must have:
1. He cannot fear to do justice before the ungodly (Proverbs 24:
23-25, 25: 26,28,21). He must always be careful to keep the whole word of the Lord (Js 1:6-9).
o
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth:
but the righteous are bold as a lion."(Proverbs 28:1).
o
"A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;" (Proverbs 30:30).
2. He should serve as an example and respect for all (see 1
Timothy 4:12; Titus 2.15). After all, the lion has the best access among
wild animals. His roar is respected by all, just like the roaring of the
Eternal:
o
"The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the
Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3.8).
o
"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter
his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the
LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of
Israel." (Joel
3.16).
3. As a good soldier of Jesus, he cannot ensnare himself for anything:
o
"Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son,
thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;
who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him
shall the gathering of the people be."(Gen. 49:9-10).
o
"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he
may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive
for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive
lawfully."(2
Tim. 2:3-5).
The lion expresses
the strength and courage that the minister of Christ must have, to the point of
carrying out all the will of the Eternal for himself and for those whom the
Eternal has entrusted to him. He must be daring to suffer all the afflictions
of the brethren as a good soldier of Jesus, without ever abandoning Jesus and
the principles of Holy Scripture.
OX
The ox is the
animal that best expresses the qualities a servant must have. He must be firm,
patient, strong:
o
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much
increase is by the strength of the ox." (Proverbs 14: 4).
As the ox treads
the wheat, the servants of Christ must tread the seed of the word of the
Eternal, so that it is always pleasant and seasoned with the salt of the
covenant of the Eternal (see Lev. 2.3):
o
"Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn." (Deuteronomy 25: 4).
o
"For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should
plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope
should be partaker of his hope. "(1Cor 9: 9-10).
o
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy
of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."(1Tim 5:17,18).
The purpose of the
study of the Holy Scripture is to encourage each other to seek to see the
covenant that the Eternal made with him (Psalms
25:14) and to conquer what is really necessary to his spirit.
Hence it is
necessary for the minister of the Eternal to know how to handle the Sacred
Scripture correctly:
o
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim 2:15).
Above all, he must
bear the weaknesses of the weak (Rom 14:1; 15:1) with meekness and
fear (in unwearied patience and submission):
o
"In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth;" (II
Timothy 2:25).
o
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which
is able to save your souls." (James 1:21).
o
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" (I Peter 3:15).
MAN
The human being is
the one who best expresses wisdom and intelligence, as well as the image and
likeness of the Eternal:
o
"And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over
all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God
said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Gen 1: 26-28).
Their role is to
bring forth children filled with the fruit of the Spirit of the Eternal, so
that together they may subdue (with compassion and prudence) every earth to the
dominion of the Eternal and fill it all with His glory (Isa 11:9;
Habakkuk 2.14).
EAGLE
The eagle, as the
queen of the birds, is the one that flies highest (Job 39.27; Jer 49.16) and fast (2Sam 1.23; Jer 4.13; Lam 4.19).
It is the best animal
to remind us of activity and vigor, as well as the maternal care that the
minister of the Eternal should have toward those whom Jesus entrusted to him.
o
"Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and
how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." (Exo 19.4).
o
"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my
speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as
the showers upon the grass:" (Deut. 32:11,12).
o
"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under
the shadow of thy wings," (Psalms 17:8).
o
"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the
shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." (Psalms 63.7).
The true minister
of the Eternal, rather than being a burden in the life of the brethren,
relieves them:
o
"Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor
yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth
her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have
imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because
ye were dear unto us." (1Thessalonians 2:6-8).
o
"Behold, the third time I am ready to come to
you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's
but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents
for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the
more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." (2Cor. 12:14,15).
He should lead the
brethren to what they really need, just as Deborah welcomed Israel as her
children and won her victory and theirs:
o
"The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they
ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel."
(Judges
5.7).
o
"He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the
still waters." (Psalms
23:2).
These four living
beings portray what the Eternal's government is like: energetic and daring, but
meek and full of compassion and humble service; Spiritual and fast in execution
(such as the clear flight of the eagle), manifesting the
zealous care of the Eternal for His children (Luke 18.8), but also
physical, without disrespecting the limits He established for man or even for
all nature. But above all, the government of the Eternal manifests the perfect
image and likeness of Him.
This is why, in the
vision of Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:10), the faces appear distributed as follows:
o The Lion on the
right and ox on the left -> portrays Jesus as the humble and perfect servant
who has been subjected to all the law that He has established as King of kings;
o The Eagle and man
-> portrays Jesus as the only true God who was tempted in all things as any
human being, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15); on the contrary:
He condemned the sin in His flesh (Rom. 8:3,4).
The Holy Scripture associates
face with individuals (1Chr 12.8, 2Chr 29.6, Isa 3:15;
13.8). Considering that the cherubim in Ezekiel had four faces, then this
means that, spiritually, a being is capable of having more than one identity.
In fact, each
member of the Church must know how to balance the four virtues of Christ in oneself:
o As kings (Gen 1:28;
Rev 1:6; 5.10) we must judge righteously the facts and spirits (1John 4.1) and lead all on
the right path to eternal justice. Above all, we must reign over sin (Rom. 5:17)
o As servants of the
Eternal, we must give ourselves to the work that He has entrusted to us with
body, soul and spirit, with all our might, no more, no less (Ecl. 9:10, Philippians 2:14, 1 Pet. 4.10,11), serving with meekness
and fear (1Pe 3:15);
o As men we should
identify with those whom the Eternal gives us (just as He
became sinful flesh to save us - Rom. 8:3,4; 2Cor 5.21). We must be men of
truth (Exo. 18.21; Mark 12:14);
o As priests,
children of the Eternal in Christ, we carry in us His image and likeness (Gen. 1:25,26), being up to us to
serve so that those around us can see the heavenly regions. We should be
spiritual individuals living the sacred truths in the flesh, always being the
temple in which the Eternal can be seen (1Cor 3.16,
6.19; 2Cor 6.16).
The four living
creatures also recall how the tribes of Israel organized around the tabernacle (remembering
that four also resemble the four corners of the earth or any other object). As the sons of
Levi were responsible for guarding the sanctuary, and for ministering in the
tabernacle of the congregation, they stood around him (Num. 3: 8,
8), as follows:
o The east (before the
tabernacle) -> Moses, Aaron and his sons (Num.3.38).
o And the south ->
Kohathites (Num. 3:29);
o To the west -> Gershonites (Num. 3:23);
o Or to the north
-> Merarites (Numbers
3:35).
Around them all the
people of Israel stood as follows:
o The eastward ->
Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (Num. 2: 2-3);
o The southward ->
Reuben, Simon and Gad (Num. 2: 10-14);
o And to the west
-> Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin (Numbers 2: 18-22);
o And to the north
-> Dan, Asher, and Naphtali (Numbers 2: 25-29).
The detail is that:
o To east (front), considering that
it is there that man in the tabernacle, it is quite probable that the face of
man is in this position;
o To south (right), according to
Ezekiel, was the lion-faced beast;
o To west (backside), considering that
it is in the innermost part of the tabernacle (in its
background) that the Eternal minister, then it is very probable that the face of
eagle is in this position.
o To north (left), according to
Ezekiel, was the ox-faced animal;
Schematizing, stay like this:
|
POSITION |
FAMILY OF LEVY |
TRIBES OF ISRAEL |
FACE |
|
East. |
Moses, Aaron and his sons. |
Judah, Issachar,
and Zebulun. |
Man. |
|
South. |
Kohathites. |
Reuben, Simon and
Gad |
Lion. |
|
West. |
Gershonites. |
Ephraim, Manasseh,
and Benjamin. |
Eagle. |
|
North. |
Merarites. |
Dan, Asher, and
Naphtali |
Ox. |
Just as Israel was
around the tabernacle to protect it, the four living creatures here play the
same role.
Although these
living beings are the same as Ezek 1, Ezek 10 and Isa 6, in each of these passages they perform
different roles. Hence they take different forms (that is,
they are metamorphic beings). And it is not surprising, since Ha-Satan himself,
who was a cherub (Ezek 28:14), is capable of
transforming himself into an angel of light (2Cor. 11:13-15). Furthermore, see
the cherubim assuming some roles:
o They are seen in
the company of a flaming sword placed at the entrance to the garden of Eden (Genesis
3:24);
o The Eternal had
fellowship with His people among the cherubim, who had two wings (Exodus
25:22);
o The Eternal is the
shepherd of Israel who dwells among the cherubim (Psalm 80:1).
In Ezekiel the
cherubim are by the wheels of the throne (Ezek. 1:15;
10,9; Dan 7.9) moving them. As these wheels are on earth, hence the Eternal say that
heaven is His throne and earth the footstool of His feet (Isa. 66:1).
Hence it is also
said that the Eternal rides on cherubim (2 Samuel
22:11; Ps 18:10). In fact, the angels as a whole are the chariots of the Eternal (Psalms
68:17), the means of transportation used by Him, since the Eternal does of His
angels winds (Heb. 1.7).
Already in Isaiah,
the cherubim are called seraphim and their role is to crown the Eternal one of
beauty and glory. Hence they are flying over the throne. However, here they are
seen with their feet and faces covered, for the gospel will be covered for
Israel until Christ returns to establish the millennium (Isa 6:9-12,
Matt 13:13-15; Zec 12:10-14), so that the Truth
will not be preached among them (Isa 52:7; 61:1), and even if it
is, they will not see it.
In other words, since Isaiah was to be used as
a prophetic sign for Israel (Isa. 8.3; 20.2-5), he does not see
the faces and feet of the "gospel" to prophesy Israel's rejection of
the Messiah.
Already here in
Revelation the living beings are in the middle of the throne and around the
throne. That is, they were flying over the throne at the center of the throne (in relation
to its height) and spinning around it.
Their function here
is to manifest the truth of the Eternal and His glory, so that all may see,
from every angle, the reason for which they are being judged.
To be more exact:
since the four living creatures represent the four gospels:
o In Ezekiel the
gospels carry the majesty and sovereignty of the Eternal throughout the world.
Here are four wings because they represent the glory of the Eternal coming out
of the temple and Jerusalem and going through the whole world (Ezek 11.22,23);
o In Isaiah the
Gospels manifest who the Eternal is, namely, the One who, with live coals taken
from the altar of prayer, purifies His own (Isa. 6:7). This is exactly
what Jesus and His gospel do for us. Here the cherubim have six wings because
the identity of whom the Eternal is, as well as the beautiful feet of those who
proclaim peace are hidden (Isa 52:7; Romans 10.15);
This teaches us that although we are purified by the life of Christ in
us (1 John 1:7), this cleansing only takes place when we
intercede for the brethren (Ezek
22:30, Jer 5.1), that is, when we
are disposed in the hands of the Eternal to communicate to others the gospel
which we believe (Psalms 116:10; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Romans 10:6-10), so that his
"feet" can be cleansed (John 13:14).
o In Revelation the
gospels protect the holiness and righteousness of the Eternal by showing
everyone the meaning of everything that each one has spent here on earth, as
well as showing the reason why many were saved or not. Here those who are being
judged are seeing the character of the gospel (face) and how much it
was preached throughout the world (Matt 24.13).
Note that although
the angels are servants of the Church, the four living creatures are closer to
the throne than the twenty-four elders. This is because, whoever the most
serves the Eternal, the closest is His. This is understandable since Jesus,
being king, is the one who serves the most. Just think that it is He who feeds
the whole creation (see Job 38 and 39).
Moreover, we cannot
forget what Jesus said:
o
" Take heed that ye despise not one of these
little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their
angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 18:10).
In other words,
these angels are the angels of the little ones, whom it pleased the Eternal to
reveal His gospel:
o
" All things are delivered unto me of my Father:
and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son will reveal him." (Matthew 11.27).
In short, these
special angels portray what the Eternal came to manifest to the world in His
flesh. In doing this, He became the head of all principalities and powers and
gathered in Himself all things in heaven and on earth (Col.
1:15,16, 2:10, Eph. 1:10). After all, He came to redeem all creation (Rom. 8:
9-22). And this is what is to be seen in the millennium: the pleasure of
every creature in serving the Messiah (see Isa 11:6-8; 65:25; Ezek 34:25; Hos 2:18).
Therefore, the four
living beings recall the reconciliation of the Eternal with nature (described in
Isa 11: 6-8, 65:25, Ezek 34:25, 2:18).
Moreover, the four
living beings are representatives of every angelic class and, at the same time,
of the redeemed creation. Each carries within itself something of the character
of Christ and of His work here in the world. Together they represent Jesus, the
living Word that has power to save us from sin and from ourselves (Rom. 1:17).
THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL
o "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."(Rev. 4.8).
These beings have
eyes "on and behind." This means that they can:
o To return in the
past (to observe all the sacrifices and shadows,
predictions and promises of the Testament of the Law);
o The looking into
the future by showing the fulfillment of the entire Testament of the Law in
Christ and His Church;
These eyes
symbolize vigilance and vitality to look at the flock delivered to them. They
look to themselves (their doctrine, conversation) to spy for enemies
and dangers, as well as to give notice of them to the oholyao.
These eyes also look to the Eternal on His throne and to the Lamb in the midst
of it, in search of gifts and grace, but they have eyes behind to look upon the
twenty-four elders and those who are to be judged.
Summarizing: they
are full of eyes ahead and behind, around and inside. So no one can catch them
by surprise. They are attentive to everything that happens around them. He does
not miss an opportunity. They also see inwardly, that is, the members that
compose them.
By the way: the
fact that the living beings are full of eyes and find themselves praising the
Eternal shows that true worship is not something blind, but full of wisdom and
knowledge, both inside and outwardly.
In short, these
living beings show the full effectiveness of the gospel:
o works the past of
the individual, so that he can live the future as if it was present;
o allows the
individual to see the problems inside the soul and, at the same time, the
external dangers;
o leads the
individual to contemplate the Father and the Son, but never ceasing to pay
attention to the individuals and the judgment that is about to fall upon them;
o reveals the truth
of the Eternal, as well as His mercy for those who are willing to live it and
the judgment for all who reject it.
Perceive that
living beings live to proclaim the holiness of the Eternal in all ages. His
role is to reconcile the omnipotence of the Eternal with His holiness.
Understand: in that each individual goes through some kind of struggle, his
tendency is to challenge the goodness of the Eternal. After all, how can a good
God allow bad things? Many see the goodness of the Eternal just for the future.
However, the role of the four living beings is to show the sanctity of the
Eternal both in what we lived, in what we are living and in what is yet to
come.
TO WHOM WE OUGHT TO PRAISE
AND HOW?
In general, these
living beings appear to lead the twenty-four elders in praise and worship to
the Eternal. There is, however, a very important differential: it is these four
animals that call the four horsemen of the apocalypse (Rev. 6:1,3,5,7), and it is one of
them that delivers to the seven angels the seven bowls of the wrath of the
Eternal. (Rev 15.7).
As for the worship
promoted by these living beings, this teaches us how to praise the Eternal:
• Constantly and
uninterrupted;
• United with our
brothers, without ever dividing ourselves;
• Full of gratitude
and love rather than being cold and formal;
• In deeper humility,
recognizing our actual spiritual situation rather than bragging about our talents.
Just as the
worshipers of Ha-Satan have no rest day or night (Rev 14:
10-11), these living creatures do not either. The difference, however, is that
they never rest from doing what pleases the Eternal, while those never tire of
doing and suffering evil, of tormenting and being tormented. With the excuse
that they want to achieve good, the worshipers of the beast are always doing
evil, since, without Jesus, the only way for someone to receive something is to
take of someone (Proverbs 12.12).
Compare with the
praise of the seraphim:
o
"In the year that king Uzziah
died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple." (Isa 6:1).
Here they praised
the Lord for His holiness in leading every one of His armies:
o The army of
inanimate things (see Psalms 148.3,4,8);
o The army of the
vessels of wrath (Ha-Satan and his followers – see Rom 9:22-23)
o The army of the
vessels of honor (the angels and the followers of the Eternal);
o The army of animals
and plants (Psalms 148.7,9,10).
The detail is that,
even in Isaiah's time, it was possible to see the glory of the Eternal
everywhere (see Psalms 33:5; 40:5). Everything
depended on having good eyes (see Matt 6.22,23; Luke 11.33-36;
Titus 1.15). Even more today that the Eternal is seen as God Almighty!
You may ask: but He
was already seen this way! However, there was one thing the Eternal could do,
but no one could believe: transforming lives. It was through the proclaimed
gospel that this truth became known and more accepted. So much so that now the
emphasis of praise is "he that was, and is, and is to come."
In fact, note how
this characteristic of Jesus (which was, is and is to come) is greatly emphasized
in the apocalypse (Rev. 1:4,8).
You may ask,
"But the Eternal is characterized by what He is in the present".
Hence He is the "I am" (Exo. 3:14), which implies
that He does not change (there is nothing to change, much
less reason for it).
But then, what were
the living beings praising? The Eternal "was" means that He is the
same God of the Law's Testament. And the reason for not saying "and what
shall be" is because the Eternal will not be different in the future, let
alone reveal a new type of covenant.
Hence He to be
exalted again as to His holiness:
The three
"saints" here refers to:
o The Past (which was): the One who
showed His mercy (Romans 3.25);
o The Present (who is): the One who has
shown His righteousness in Himself;
o The Future (to come): The One who will
show His majesty.
Detail: holiness is
glory covered and glory is the revelation of holiness.
THE GOSPEL PURIFIER AND
SANCTIFIER OF GOD
The holiness of the
Eternal is showed progressively and reveal, not only His separation from sin,
but also how much it keeps all creation separated of Him. Only His holiness can
reveal to us our degree of impurity, to the point of awakening in us the desire
to be purified so that we can draw near to Him. So much so that Isaiah, hearing
the seraphs proclaiming the holiness of the Eternal, was frightened (Isa 6:5).
You may ask: but if
so, why did not John become frightened? He got in Rev. 1:17. Only that he was
purified, not only by a living ember from the altar, but by the cleansing touch
of Jesus himself (see Matt 8:2,3). Now the only
feeling that could spring was to bow before the Eternal in deep adoration.
Let us compare the
role of living beings:
o In Isaiah 6:6
seraphim are seen catching live coals from the altar of prayer to purify the
lips;
o In Ezekiel 1:13 and
10:5,6 the fire ascends and descends through the cherubim and coals of judgment
being thrown against the city of Jerusalem (Ezek. 10:2).
o In Rev. 4.6-8 the
living creatures play both the role of cherub (similarity
in Ap. 4:7) and the role of seraph (similarity in Ap. 7.8). This is because
the sacrifice of Jesus manifests both roles: purification and judgment.
First we have the
perfect and complete purification through the living embers of the intercession
of Jesus, resulting from His offering for us on the cross of Golgotha
(represented by the seraphim). Then we have
judgment upon all who despise such purification (represented
by the cherub). The throne of the Eternal, which is at the same time the seat of
mercy, is also the place of judgment. And the living beings see both externally
(for the sinner) and internally (for the
blood of Jesus "speckled" on the throne of the Eternal).
Note that living
beings, in the cherubim function, have four wings, while in the seraphim
function, six, which teaches us that the Eternal is quicker to cleanse someone
from sin than to judge (see Ezek. 33:11).
However, the mercy
of the Eternal does not imply in neglecting the sin of the sinner, but in
receiving in Himself all judgment that should fall on us (Is 53.4-6) so that all could
see His immense love for us, as well as His ability to live in the whole world
without sinning (Heb. 4:15). The idea is that in this way all would desire
this kind of pure, holy life and full of real goodness in themselves and thus
give place to Jesus to carry the heavy burden of his evil needs and desires so
that His life could manifest in their mortal flesh (Matt 11:
28-30; 2 Cor. 4: 10,11).
o “And when those beasts give glory
and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne,
who liveth for ever and ever," (Rev. 4.9).
First thing to be
noted is that the proclamation of the living beings of Revelation 4:8 is not a
physical praise. First, this is contrary to Jesus' command (Matthew 6:6). Also, note what
is said here: "when those beasts give glory ...". Unfortunately,
there is a difference in this verse: there are versions that appears written
"whenever the living creatures give glory gave glory and honor and
thanksgiving,". The last seems more coherent, since the four living beings
remain all the time praising the Eternal.
Therefore, the proclamation
of Revelation 4:8 represents not mere words spoken, but the essence of the
gospel message.
When the whole
gospel has been preached (see
Matthew 24:13) and the fullness of the Gentiles, entered into the Kingdom of the
Eternal, the twenty-four elders will give to the Eternal:
o Glory, that is, a place so that all know Him totally;
o Honor, namely, continuity to all that He is forever;
o Thanksgiving, that is, will express gratitude on behalf of all the
angels (whom they represent) for the privilege of having known Him through the Church (Ephesians 3:8-10; 1 Peter 1:10-12);
The question comes:
to whom the living creatures are praising:
• who is seated on
the throne -> who is attentive to everything that happens in this world,
always bestowing mercy and love on all those who wish to receive and send His
judgment to those who, at times, refuse to repent.
• him that liveth for ever and ever (see
Revelation 1:18; 4.9,10; 5.14; 7.12; 10.6; 15.7) -> to the
living God (Joshua 3:10, Psalm 42:2; 84:2), who is able to
live many centuries within a century, that is, to lead us to live in a single
day that which in a thousand years we would not be able to live (1 Peter 3.8).
Moreover, He is the One who sustains life and keeps himself present, living
together with each living being each moment of their (giving them
sustenance, breathing, coordinating their organs, etc.).
All expressions of
praise and worship in the heavens serve to show us how to worship the Eternal.
And who has more reason to praise the Eternal? Angels, birds or us? However,
note that the four living creatures are spurring the praise of the twenty-four
elders. The point is that the angels were not redeemed by the sacrifice of
Christ like us. This should be a shame to us.
There is yet
another point to consider: Revelation 4.8 is the first manifestation of praise
in the apocalypse. And realize that it is not related to what the Eternal
created or did, but to whom He is. Although the characteristic of the Eternal
as Creator is highlighted in the Apocalypse (Revelation
4.11, 10.6, 14.7 - and also throughout the Sacred Scripture (Genesis 1.1, Psalm
89.11-12, 148.5, Acts 17:24, Ephesians 3: 9, Colossians 1:16)), the foundation of praise has to be Revelation
4:
• who He is: "Holy,
holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
• His constant
presence in our lives, sustaining and giving meaning to it (Acts 17.25,28): "to him that
sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,"
o "The twenty-four elders will bow
down to him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever,
and lay their crowns before the throne, proclaiming:" (Revelation 4.10).
One important thing
to note is the common consensus among the twenty-four elders. All, at the same
time, deposited their crowns. This consensus has to be in the Church of the
Eternal (1 Corinthians 1:10, Acts 4:32, Philippians 4:2).
Note how the four
beasts are always followed by the twenty-four elders in worship (see Revelation
4:8 and 4:5, Revelation 5:11-10; notice that the four beasts are mentioned
first, followed immediately by the twenty-four elders).
The twenty-four
elders prostrate before the Eternal, who is resting in His finished work (John 19:30). Unlike the worldly
king who sits on the throne because of bodily weariness, the Eternal's sitting
shows His certainty that His work does not fail. Although He does not stop
acting, He also does not get anxious trying to make things work.
Three signs of the
divine honor given by the twenty-four elders to the Eternal are:
o Bow down before the
Eternal.
o Humble himself, that
is to say, giving his crowns to the Eternal, recognizing that now that his
mission is fulfilled, it is time to return to the Eternal all the faculty of
judgment.
o Worship;
Here we also learn
that we must lay before the Eternal everything that separates us from each
other and from Him. If we were in the place of the elders, we would probably
want to continue wearing the crowns when our function was over, in order of
exhibit us before the others. No! Only the Eternal should be everything in everybody
(1 Corinthians 15:28).
The proof of this
is seen in the next verse. When the twenty-four elders lay their crowns before
the throne and explain why they are doing this:
o "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to
receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Rev. 4:11).
The Eternal is
worthy to receive honor, glory, etc. For three reasons:
o Because everything
was created by Him;
o Because everything
came to exist and remains because of His will;
o Because everything
was created again because of His will.
The question comes:
why did "come and exist" come first than "and were
created"? Because, unlike the world that can only experience something
after it has been realized, the Eternal is able to live out His whole plan
before it even becomes real. For example, He already knew Jeremiah from the
mother (Jeremiah 1.5). The blood of
Christ was known even before the foundation of the world (1 Peter
1:20; Revelation 13: 8; 17: 8).
That is to say, the
Eternal is praised, for having created everything in design, for having lived
all of His creation before even putting His plan into execution and finally
bringing this plan into existence and maintaining it (Hebrews 1:3;
see 2Peter 3.5-7).
In this way, He can
be sure that none of His plans would be thwarted (Job 42.2, Psalms
139:13-16). And through Jesus it is possible to live the future that the Eternal
has projected for us as if it were already present.
We can also think
as follows:
o The First, the
Eternal created all things (that is, He designed all of them);
o Later, He brought
them into existence (Gen. 1: 1).
o After the rebellion
of Ha-Satan, the Eternal re-created everything (Gen. 1.2).
Since the Eternal
does not need anything, then the reason He created everything and keeping
everything in perfect order is because in everything He has a purpose (Ecclesiastes
3: 1-9). In other words, a lesson we can learn: how everything that happens to
us was designed by the Eternal, tested by Him, brought into existence by Him
and maintained by Him, so the most sensible attitude in each situation is to
give to the Eternal:
o Glory -> let
individuals know Jesus (and not us) through our lives;
o Honor -> to be
able to convey everything that Jesus is to succeeding generations. That is,
instead of trying to leave our own name for the history of mankind (by our
beautiful deeds), let the name of Jesus be propagated by all that He has done through
us;
o The Power ->
give place to the power of Jesus to happen in our life, allowing everything to
be solved based on celestial excellence. Instead of being our power (or the power
of the world) to give us victory, let Jesus overcome our sinful flesh and grant us,
not what the world is able to give, but what the Eternal has for the Who love
Him.
Finally, the idea
of the book of Revelation is to show to all the afflicted
faithful that the Eternal is worthy, regardless of the circumstances they
experience. The evil that the Eternal allows is for that He may make known the
riches of His grace and mercy in them, which are vessels of honor (Rom 9:
22-23). Everything came to exist in their lives by the will of the Eternal and
remains by His power.
So we have no right
to fight with anyone, much less to destroy their lives. We do not praise the
Eternal only when and because circumstances are favorable, but because He is
worthy of it.
In our society, the
most common thing is to worship created things instead of worshiping the Creator.
Even when we watch something or someone, we're sort of worshipping it in a way.
However, as long as we do not see how worthy He is who created us and what we
are living, we will not be able to give due praise. It is not in vain that the
dignity of the Eternal is very prominent in the hymns of the apocalypse (either
explicitly (Rev. 4.11; 5.9.12) or
implicitly (Rev. 5.13; 7.10,12)).
True praise exalts
the Eternal, not only for what He has done, but for the certainty that there is
no other alternative that truly works. In addition, the fact that the
twenty-four elders give glory and honor and power to the Eternal because He was
the one who created all things is because no one better than Him to administer
such attributes. Even more considering that all creation supports the autograph
of the Eternal (Romans 1:20).
SUMMARY OF HOW THINGS WERE
POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO THE THRONE OF THE ETERNAL
With regard to the
throne, things were arranged as follows:
•
The four animals were in
the middle of and around the throne (Revelation
4.6).
•
The Lamb was in the middle
of the throne (Revelation 5: 6).
•
The twenty-four elders are
around the throne (Revelation 4: 4);
•
River of Life proceeds from
the throne (Revelation 22: 1).
•
Before the throne seven
lamps burn (Revelation 4.5).
•
Before the throne was the
sea of glass (Revelation
4.6).
•
Before the throne in the
sea of glass were the foolish virgins (Revelation 15:2) worshiping the Eternal and
showing His justice, judgments, ways and deeds to all who are to be born in the
millennium.
•
Before the throne the
Gentiles who died from the bowls in the Great Tribulation serving the Eternal
in His sanctuary (Revelation 7:15).
•
Around the throne, the 24
elders and the 4 living creatures are the angels (Rev. 5.11) flying over the entire assembly of the
righteous, covering it with their shadow.
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