Just Reporting the Facts

Scripture: The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like an ox; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Revelation 4:7

Observation: In describing the Lord's throne room, John describes the "four living creatures" as having the appearance of four different created animals. It seems like there must be some significance to these, though it seems hidden from human logic. In fact, one of the creatures looks like a human, which actually complicates the thinking on this as they are not therefore just 'animals' as we would understand them.

Application: I was educated in understanding symbolism, well learned in various traditions for such metaphorical imagery. Yet I don't even have a beginning thought about what these four animals in combination may represent. By my thinking, that makes this image even more real. The author isn't trying to invent some hidden meaning, or creating a riddle to be solved about what is being told of. Instead, the author is just reporting what he saw. There were four living creatures that looked a certain way, and did certain things. There are numbers of beings, there are actions being done, there are animate creatures and inanimate objects that have certain appearances. These are just facts.

Someday I hope to see the four living creatures, and to just accept them as who and what they are, as part of the Lord's creation, just like me.

Prayer: Abba, your love is so wonderful, and your creativity in creation is so wonderful. May I never cease to marvel at your creation and beauty all around me. Amen.