6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
Chapter 4 of Revelation comes immediately after the 7 church letters. Chapter 4 is a view into the throneroom of Heaven. If I was to enter Heaven at this very moment, my eyes would take me directly to the throne of God and then to my surroundings but John focuses on the surroundings of the throne in Chapter 4. The 4 beasts are set at stations that round about the throne of God. When we read through this how often do we sit and think about this? These 4 beasts are very important. The 4 beasts are very different. This was written symbolically. What kind of aplication does that have on us?
Let's start with the first beast, the lion. How many people have you heard refer to Jesus as the Lion of the head of Judah? The lion symbolizes strength and regalness. We all know the lion represents the King or head of the jungle. The lion takes direct orders from God almighty. The world tries to cage the lion in us. Do we feel the urgency to wake up everyday ready to act like a lion and treat the day as a lion would or have we become meek and powerless creatures that roll over and allow the world to take over. Just today I had a discussion with someone about our Awana's program starting. I was told that due to school football leagues, their grandchild would be unable to attend Awanas because school football meets on Sunday afternoons. There we go. Case in point. The world has us by the tail. What would change that? You guessed it. Christians acting as lions and not allowing sports functions or school functions walk over God. We need more Christians to stand up and tell these sports leagues that it is uncalled of. What happened to not doing little league sports leagues or any work for that matter on Sundays? Well, I'll tell you. We have fallen into the trap of rolling over and allowing the world to take over. We aren't lions anymore. How many lions are out there in our churches and communities today? God chose one to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of a lion?
The second beast is the calf. Understading why God chose a lion is not that hard to see, but a calf?! How many of you have ever prayed to be like a calf? In order to understand why God chose a calf, we have to go back in time. Back before cell phones, televisions and even the tractor. Before the tractor came along, how did the farmer turn the field? The ox and cows were the farmer's tractor in those days. he calf repesents servanthood. Calves were born to create a service to man just as we are born to create a service to God. Calves not only provide service in the field but provided clothing and food. How many of us wake up and pray to God that He make us like the calf. God chose the calf to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of the calf?
The third beast has a face like a man. Early in Genesis (chapter 1:27) God creates man. He made both male and female and gave them dominion over everything. Man sits a little higher than anything else God created. With that dominion comes intelligence. He made us different than any other animal on the planet. You wouldn't walk into someone's home and find a donkey sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Why? Because they lack the same intelligence God gave man. There isn't another creature just like us. Sad thing is, we don't always exercise the right intellect. We have become a world that relies on book wisdom rather than Godly wisdom. We are satisfied with scientific answers for problems rather than Godly answers. We don't study the word or spend enough time in prayer to equip ourselves with Godly wisdom. Therefore we become numb and ignorant when it comes to what God desires us to be. God chose wisdom to stand with Him at the throne. Don't allow your human intelligence to supercede Godly wisdom. Do you desire to have Godly wisdom?
The fourth beast is the flying eagle. The most majestic of all. Eagles are the most fierce of all the birds. They are predators and hunters, giving them absolutely amazing sight. They can spot their prey from miles and miles away. They can be mid-flight and spot a tiny mouse in the middle of a corn field. That is how keen their sense of sight is. We can sit 2 feet away from a book and need our glasses. However; when we first became Christians we had that vision and it was strong. We knew without a doubt that God was calling u to move out of that pew and down the aisle. We were given that vision of what we were to do. God gave us that vision and calling. Eagles have their great vision and act swiftly. How many of us pray for vision of our futures or vision of our churches futures. Do we pray that God give us a vision as to what He desires us to do? God chose the eagle to stand with Him. Do you desire that vision and hunt it out? Do you study your bible and pray enough to seek that vision and plan God has for you and your church? Do you desire vision?
We've talked about the beasts now let's talk about the beauty. The 4 beasts had in common 6 wings each and many eyes. Sounds crazy but the greatest thing about studying Revelation is that you can't study it without having Ezekial and Daniel open as well. We discover that the beasts had human hands under those wings to symbolize the nail scarred hand. Whose hands pull us in under the protection of the wing to keep us safe and steer us away from evil? Jesus. He reaches out to each of us and calls us by name. He then pulls us in to harbor us under His protective wings. The 4 beasts had many eyes all over. Those eyes symbolize God's everknowing power. He knows every feeling you have had or ever will have in your life. He knows every tear you will cry before you do it. He knows every thought you have and everything you do. He knew them before He created you in your mother's womb. He sees the bad things we do, but He also sees the good too. He sees and still loves. He knows and still forgives. That is the beauty in knowing God and experiencing Him. Now it is time to pray for the heart of a lion and stand up for your faith, the heart of a calf and serve God in everyway you can, Godly wisdom that God intended us to have and continue to seek to know more about Him, and the vision of the eagle so that you will make right decisions in your church and life.
7 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.
8 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.
Chapter 4 of Revelation comes immediately after the 7 church letters. Chapter 4 is a view into the throneroom of Heaven. If I was to enter Heaven at this very moment, my eyes would take me directly to the throne of God and then to my surroundings but John focuses on the surroundings of the throne in Chapter 4. The 4 beasts are set at stations that round about the throne of God. When we read through this how often do we sit and think about this? These 4 beasts are very important. The 4 beasts are very different. This was written symbolically. What kind of aplication does that have on us?
Let's start with the first beast, the lion. How many people have you heard refer to Jesus as the Lion of the head of Judah? The lion symbolizes strength and regalness. We all know the lion represents the King or head of the jungle. The lion takes direct orders from God almighty. The world tries to cage the lion in us. Do we feel the urgency to wake up everyday ready to act like a lion and treat the day as a lion would or have we become meek and powerless creatures that roll over and allow the world to take over. Just today I had a discussion with someone about our Awana's program starting. I was told that due to school football leagues, their grandchild would be unable to attend Awanas because school football meets on Sunday afternoons. There we go. Case in point. The world has us by the tail. What would change that? You guessed it. Christians acting as lions and not allowing sports functions or school functions walk over God. We need more Christians to stand up and tell these sports leagues that it is uncalled of. What happened to not doing little league sports leagues or any work for that matter on Sundays? Well, I'll tell you. We have fallen into the trap of rolling over and allowing the world to take over. We aren't lions anymore. How many lions are out there in our churches and communities today? God chose one to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of a lion?
The second beast is the calf. Understading why God chose a lion is not that hard to see, but a calf?! How many of you have ever prayed to be like a calf? In order to understand why God chose a calf, we have to go back in time. Back before cell phones, televisions and even the tractor. Before the tractor came along, how did the farmer turn the field? The ox and cows were the farmer's tractor in those days. he calf repesents servanthood. Calves were born to create a service to man just as we are born to create a service to God. Calves not only provide service in the field but provided clothing and food. How many of us wake up and pray to God that He make us like the calf. God chose the calf to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of the calf?
The third beast has a face like a man. Early in Genesis (chapter 1:27) God creates man. He made both male and female and gave them dominion over everything. Man sits a little higher than anything else God created. With that dominion comes intelligence. He made us different than any other animal on the planet. You wouldn't walk into someone's home and find a donkey sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Why? Because they lack the same intelligence God gave man. There isn't another creature just like us. Sad thing is, we don't always exercise the right intellect. We have become a world that relies on book wisdom rather than Godly wisdom. We are satisfied with scientific answers for problems rather than Godly answers. We don't study the word or spend enough time in prayer to equip ourselves with Godly wisdom. Therefore we become numb and ignorant when it comes to what God desires us to be. God chose wisdom to stand with Him at the throne. Don't allow your human intelligence to supercede Godly wisdom. Do you desire to have Godly wisdom?
The fourth beast is the flying eagle. The most majestic of all. Eagles are the most fierce of all the birds. They are predators and hunters, giving them absolutely amazing sight. They can spot their prey from miles and miles away. They can be mid-flight and spot a tiny mouse in the middle of a corn field. That is how keen their sense of sight is. We can sit 2 feet away from a book and need our glasses. However; when we first became Christians we had that vision and it was strong. We knew without a doubt that God was calling u to move out of that pew and down the aisle. We were given that vision of what we were to do. God gave us that vision and calling. Eagles have their great vision and act swiftly. How many of us pray for vision of our futures or vision of our churches futures. Do we pray that God give us a vision as to what He desires us to do? God chose the eagle to stand with Him. Do you desire that vision and hunt it out? Do you study your bible and pray enough to seek that vision and plan God has for you and your church? Do you desire vision?
We've talked about the beasts now let's talk about the beauty. The 4 beasts had in common 6 wings each and many eyes. Sounds crazy but the greatest thing about studying Revelation is that you can't study it without having Ezekial and Daniel open as well. We discover that the beasts had human hands under those wings to symbolize the nail scarred hand. Whose hands pull us in under the protection of the wing to keep us safe and steer us away from evil? Jesus. He reaches out to each of us and calls us by name. He then pulls us in to harbor us under His protective wings. The 4 beasts had many eyes all over. Those eyes symbolize God's everknowing power. He knows every feeling you have had or ever will have in your life. He knows every tear you will cry before you do it. He knows every thought you have and everything you do. He knew them before He created you in your mother's womb. He sees the bad things we do, but He also sees the good too. He sees and still loves. He knows and still forgives. That is the beauty in knowing God and experiencing Him. Now it is time to pray for the heart of a lion and stand up for your faith, the heart of a calf and serve God in everyway you can, Godly wisdom that God intended us to have and continue to seek to know more about Him, and the vision of the eagle so that you will make right decisions in your church and life.
