Creatures of Heaven

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.

Rev 4:6b-8

These are weird creatures. They are like winged animals, covered with eyes all over their bodies. Who are they? Ezekiel saw similar creatures, which he describes in similar ways. He calls them cherubim. Cherubim are not little fat, naked babies that fly around and shoot people with love arrows. No, they are like these creatures here. Isaiah describes them in his sixth chapter and calls them seraphim (burning ones). They appear in different configurations; sometimes they have six wings, sometimes only four.

John mentions their faces — lion, ox, man, and eagle. These creatures are somehow associated with God's government of the created universe. We are very ignorant people when it comes to natural phenomena, but here are creatures who understand and help God rule the natural world. Eyes symbolize discernment and knowledge. Wings describe rapidity, swiftness of movement. Faces depict the major qualities of life in the created universe. A lion speaks of power; an ox of patience; a man of intelligence; and an eagle of swiftness. These living creatures work at leading creation to worship its Creator and were to elicit from the whole creation the perfection God intended for it. That is why they are praising God all the time, for new vistas of creative wisdom and power break upon them constantly. All nature should lead us to worship God in the same way. The chapter closes with the worship of all heaven for the creative wisdom and power of God.

At Christmas time, if you get an opportunity, go to one of the great auditoriums packed with perhaps 3,000 people, a full orchestra, and a great choir singing out the Scriptural phrases from the Messiah. It is moving and powerful: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is what heaven is engaged in declaring. It is not a mechanical recital. Heaven is not boring. These people cry out in praise because they are continually discovering new, exciting, awesome aspects of God's wisdom and power breaking afresh upon them, so they are constantly driven to praise God for who he is. That is what true worship ought to be.

Eugene Peterson said that true worship does five things to you: It centers things: You see God as the center of everything. You stop living for yourself but for him. And it gathers: It includes others with you. You become part of a family, a congregation; it crosses lines of exclusion. It reveals: Things you never saw before, you now begin to understand. The familiar patterns of life take on new vistas. It makes you sing: Christians are always singing. There are many songs in this book of Revelation, despite the judgments, because Christians can sing when other people weep. And finally, it affirms: It responds to God's great promises with an Amen and a Yes from you.

Help me to see more of you, Lord, and respond in fresh worship with those in heaven. Amen.