In the first 3 chapters of Revelation, John, while he writes the series of letters to the churches, is on the island of Patmos. This 4th chapter begins with John being called up to heaven where he will remain throughout the rest of this book.
The first thing John describes is the throne in heaven. The thing that struck me was his description of the four living creatures around the throne. One was like a lion. One was like an ox. One had a face like a man. One was like a flying eagle. Each of the four creatures “never stopped saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”
I had a thought I had never considered before. By the lion doing what it is created to do, day after day after day, is it not perpetually declaring, “holy, holy, holy”? The eagle, as it does what God created it to do, is it not also declaring . . . and the ox? All three with different design do what they were designed to do.
And then I thought about the one that had a face like a man. Do we do what we were created to do? Do we all work to provide for the betterment of our families? Do we all choose as a mate, a member of the opposite sex that we might produce a family? Do we honor God in and with our lives? It is the only one of the 4 that chooses.
As a side note, I thought of when God created man. If God had intended for man to be with man and woman to be with woman in addition to man being with woman, He would have created 6 people – 3 men and 3 women – but He didn’t.
There is a verse in chapter 5; “with your blood you purchased men for God”. Funny, He didn’t have to purchase the other creatures; they do what they were made to do. But man . . . man had to be “purchased”. And then, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.”
I’ve wondered more lately than ever if I am doing what I was created to do. I watched Men of Valor a few nights ago. Trained Men of Valor fought against evil to rescue a woman who had been taken hostage and was being tortured. These trained men who rescued her cussed and drank a little, but I couldn’t help but to wonder if maybe they didn’t cause God to stand up and take notice. I wonder if He didn’t stand up and say, “Now that’s what I’m talkin about”.
In both the 4th and 5th chapters, John refers to “the seven spirits of God”. Could these spirits be like facets of a diamond? Isn’t there a part of God that both loves and hates? Is He not both full of mercy and yet He will eventually judge? Is He not both gracious and jealous? Is He not also a God of vengeance?
We are at a critical point in our nation’s history. A couple of states just voted to accept gay marriage. Our government is leaning toward raising taxes so that it does not have to cut its out of control spending. Both financially and morally we are bankrupt. Business as usual is as much out of line for our government as it is for us. Personally I am searching for a better way “to serve our God” in these trying times. I believe the question we should all be asking is, what will we, who have “with blood” been “purchased for God”, do to serve Him? And will it be enough to bring Him to His feet?
Hunger and Thirst 
Mike … I love these passages in Revelation. Great observation about the creatures who worship around the throne. Perhaps those are representing man and the animal kingdom and their worship of God. I’ve also looked at that passage and wondered if maybe our present animal kingdom is just a fallen, imperfect copy of Heavenly creatures. Not suggesting that animals have souls that go to Heaven, but perhaps there are real Heavenly “creatures” like the ones we are told about in Revelation. Maybe they are the “true” animal kingdom. Just speculation of course.
Kind of like I told Larry, at best I’m a hacker. There’s a lot I don’t understand. But I enjoy the parts that I do . . . or at least the parts that I think I understand. I try to make sure that if I am wrong, it not about something that will really matter.
I had never thought of that about the animals. Interesting. Maybe Bonnie now has a glorified doggy body. I wonder what that will look like? 🙂
The four beasts in Revelation 4 most likely are the same as the four beasts in Ezekiel 1:5, but in Ezekiel the beasts each had four faces: man, lion, ox, and eagle. Both sets of four had wings.
For me, Revelation is a great big comic book with lots of pictures and hundreds of riddles, but nothing fits well without the Holy Spirit showing us. And then, we only see glimpses.
“And then, we only see glimpses.”
Glimpses is a good word – especially for these next few chapters 6-11). I think I’ll be able to fit all i think I know about them on one page. But, I literally keep reminding myself . . . just write what you see. There is an awful lot I don’t understand. I’m not going to pretend I do. I can see, with your imagination, how much you would naturally enjoy this book.
I love this and how you are just going to keep writing what you see! Something really powerful about that, Mike! So I’m here to say, yes! Keep writing and sharing with us what you see.
It’s been awhile back, but I was at Revelation in my reading, and so did the little poems and devotions from it. I was nervous. haha! But Loren, from answersfromthebook encouraged me by saying to remember it’s all about Jesus. 🙂
God bless you as you write and look to Him!
Unless the Lord shows me something different, my next piece will cover about 6 chapters. There’s a lot of people that get into all the details – I’ll leave that to them. Some of that stuff makes my eyes cross. Keeping it simple suits my simple mind.