Revelation 4:6b-8: The Living Creatures are Thankful
This is the second part in a series on Revelation 4 and 5. In the first post, we focused on Revelation 4:1-6a and saw how the reality of our loving, sovereign Lord upon the throne gives great comfort and joy to those in the midst of this difficult, earthly life. Now, we pick up the action where John expands his vision as if he is zooming out from the throne. Here is Revelation 4:6b-8:
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
The center of everything is the throne and the one who is seated upon it. As John begins to spiral out, we run straight into some interesting characters. These seem to be angelic creatures, perhaps cherubim (cf. Ezekiel 1 and 10). They surround the throne on all four sides, standing ready to be sent out in any direction. Each of their faces express their strength, speed, intelligence and readiness to be of service at the Lord’s command (1). They have eyes in front, back, all around and within. Perhaps they use these to search the earth to execute judgment upon those who deserve it (2). These creatures will have a role in the judgments that are to come. Their voices will thunder in proclamation (Rev 6:1) and they will deliver the bowls of wrath to the angels that are to be poured out upon the earth (15:7-8).
But it would seem that they have another job, and it is a full-time job. They continually say, or sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” What an incredible privilege! Through their song, they make explicit what we suggested about the stones in the previous post. This is the thrice holy God who is all-powerful and eternal. These formidable creatures are overcome by the majestic and awesome one upon the throne. Our minds are immediately transported back to Isaiah 6 where Isaiah experiences his own throne room scene. There, the seraphim sing their own version of Holy Holy Holy and Isaiah is undone.
Let’s not miss the wonder of this scene. If you ran into one of these creatures, you would be terrified and probably fall down in worship. But they are not the ones that are worthy of worship. Instead, they are directing our attention to the one who is worthy. They sing an unceasing song of the greatness and worthiness of the one upon the throne. In this, they show us our future, lead us into worship, and teach us something about worship. This last element is where we will spend the rest of our time.
In 4:9, John describes what these living creatures are doing as giving the Lord “glory and honor and thanks.” The first two are rather obvious. The most glorious being is on his throne in a most amazing sight. This King deserves honor for he is the definition of majesty. But what about “thanks”? What do these creatures have to be thankful for? For one, the Lord saw fit to create them. Surely they recognize that they owe their very existence to the one on the throne. In some ways, this should be enough, but it seems their thankfulness is far beyond their own existence. And they aren’t expressing thanks for redemption. These are unfallen creatures who did not need to be redeemed. It seems to me that they are simply thankful for who God is in himself. What might this teach us about our thankfulness toward God?
When we think about being thankful to God, we typically speak about his great works and, more specifically, his work of grace in our lives. This is wonderful and we should be thankful for all that the Lord has done! We know him through his works. They point us to who he is, but our thankfulness goes beyond being thankful for what he has done to being thankful for who he is in himself, apart from what he has done. It is the difference between being thankful for what someone does and simply being thankful for who someone is.
This morning, was a typical morning in our home. I am up first for a little time to myself. At about 7:30, I hear one of my boys begin slowly walking down the stairs. A smile comes to my face and I begin to move my computer from my lap and open the blanket. When he hits the bottom of the stairs he giggles and turns the corner to jump into my lap. He curls up as if to go back to sleep and I cover him with both the blanket and a big hug. We hardly ever say anything for a minute or two. We just enjoy each other’s presence. At that moment, I’m not thinking about anything that he has done that I am thankful for. I am simply thankful for him and that we are together. I am delighting in him.
That’s the living creatures. Their gratitude is centered on who God is. They are delighting in his beauty, his greatness, his eternality, his infinitude, his wisdom, his majesty, and, of course, his holiness. And this should lead us to dwell upon how wonderful our God truly is and cause our hearts to erupt in thankfulness. Our God needs nothing, is sufficient in himself, is the fountain of all life, and knows everything that has happened or will happen or could happen. He exists in three persons, in perfect love and fellowship. And yet, this God saw fit to make himself known to us, redeem us and give us eternal life in himself. This God is the one whom we will be with forever and ever.
When we are before the throne one day, like these creatures, we will then drink deeply what we now can only sip: there is nothing and no one like him, and there is nothing better. May we grow in our love and thankfulness not just for what God has done for us, but for who he is. May he truly be the delight to our hearts.
An appropriate hymn for today is Holy Holy Holy. I have linked the Shane and Shane version here. You will not be disappointed.
1. See William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors, 87.
2. See G.K. Beale, NIGTC, The Book of Revelation, 330.