This lecture, “The Four Living Creatures,” describes four different aspects of God’s character. The Man, His humanity as demonstrated in the Incarnation, the Eagle which is His supernatural side, the Lion where He rules and reigns and brings order and the Ox as embodied by the death and resurrection of Christ. God would like to develop His character in believers in each of these four areas.
INSTRUCTIONS–Read Carefully Before Beginning
The Lord has shown us that in order to have oneness with Him, He needs to expand us to embody in a balanced way each of these aspects of God. This school will endeavor to bring you into a place of wholeness and power, having balance and favor with God and man. It will help you to develop the ability to see more deeply into heaven and earth in a way that will powerfully serve our Savior’s ends and our fellow Christian’s needs.
For more detailed lists of each of their aspects and what areas of our lives are under those areas
The Four Living Creatures
Four Reflections of God
Four Possibilities for Us
By Nancy Moelk
Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. 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.”
Revelation 4:6-8
The interesting and mysterious creatures that stand before God’s throne probably have had many meanings and interpretations attributed to them through the years. I would like to outline in this paper the experience and revelation that God has given me over the past ten years concerning the four living creatures.
The four living creatures represent four faces of God which are amply illustrated in the Scripture.
In understanding the nature and character of God, we also gain insight into ourselves. We are creatures made in His image and all carry the potential to develop in all four of these areas. I would like to explore the following ideas:
Hearing God’s voice and being led by the Holy Spirit are worthy pursuits. Sometimes we are hindered by our lack of understanding of what the possibilities are of how God may respond and lead us. We want to expand our view of both the nature of God and the different responses He may have to various circumstances. Also, we are often lacking discernment during our trials of what God is trying to touch and transform in us. Identifying which of these four areas He would like to address can give us the wisdom in those trials and help us cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s sanctification process.
Surrender is sometimes the fastest path to a new level of God, sometimes it’s the only path. The childhood game of Chutes and Ladders comes to mind when if you fall on a ladder square you’re immediately transported to another level of play instead of plodding around the board one step at a time.
If we can hear God’s voice, He can lead us in development of His four faces. We can have wisdom about what our response should look like in individual circumstances and relationships. Here are some topics under the auspices of each.
The Ox
Service.
Sacrificial giving.
Turn the other cheek.
Suffering for Christ.
Martyrs of the church past and present.
Life of relinquishment.
Dying to self.
Represents the sacrificial offering.
Lamb of God.
Giving up things of earth to gain things of heaven.
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
Strength is perfected in weakness.
Mercy.
The Lion
Kingly side of God.
Lord who reigns and commands.
Dominion.
Bring God’s order and rule.
Make boundaries.
Speaks to create and tear down.
Violence and irresistible force.
Justice.
Authority.
Territory.
War.
Discipline.
Deliverance.
Overt Strength.
Judgment.
Apostolic Development of other’s giftings
Claiming people as “Mine” (The Lord does)
Commanding Healing
Evangelism
The Eagle
The Prophetic and The Seer Giftings
Angels and the Angel of the Lord.
Cloud of Witnesses.
Miracles.
Signs and Wonders.
Multi-dimensional living.
Portals or thin places.
Throne room experiences and other heavenly places.
Visions and dreams.
Gifts of the Spirit.
7 Spirits of God.
Sacraments and Liturgy.
Divine Healing
The Man
Soul health: mind, will, emotions; desires, value system and instincts.
Counseling issues.
Undivided heart; ability to stay connected and present to self.
Different types of love: child love where we just receive, bridal love where we receive and give, spousal love where we have union and produce fruit (this has to do with relationship with God and people).
Joy of relationship and being.
Learning to grieve loss and come to forgiveness and resolution.
Creativity.
All of the capacity for the arts.
Humor.
Several passages of Scripture mention all four of these aspects of God which need development in man:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
“Your kingdom come” refers to the Lion and his dominion and “your will be done” points to the submission of the Ox. And we want to submit to God’s rule with our “man” (human side) so that we help to bring in the supernatural influence and order of the Eagle which is what it is like “in heaven.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Tongues, prophecy and heavenly knowledge are supernatural giftings under the Eagle. And faith to move mountains is an aspect of the Lion and commanding God’s order. Sacrifice to the point of giving your life (body to be burned) is a quality reflecting the Ox. But love is a characteristic that is developed solely in the Man who is capable of relationship, the ability to give and receive love.
The four gospels reflect the Creatures: Matthew presents Christ as the King of Kings (Lion), Mark as the servant (Ox), Luke as the Son of David (Man) and John as the Word who became flesh (Eagle).
Joel 2:28-32 (NKJV)
“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.
The Eagles comes into the realm of the Man in the first part of this passage and the reign of the Lion takes over the earth in the second part and those who submit and surrender (the Ox) to His rule will be saved and delivered.
Surely there are many other passages exhibiting the same thing.
In every story in the Bible you have these four components represented in some form. A person (man or woman) interacts with the Divine and by submitting to His leading, God’s will is brought into earth. So then we see the pattern of the Man practices the Ox by dying to his own way and then the Eagle brings heaven into earth through the supernatural and this results in Divine Order prevailing which represents the Lion.
In addition to the Biblical span of the four living creatures, they appear to have intricate representation in our creation. There are four known forces of nature: gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force. These forces reflect the pattern of the four living creatures. Gravity is the stabilizing force in the universe. Like the Man, it is always trying to draw things to itself and have relationship with them. Electromagnetism has to do with power, like the Eagle. The strong nuclear force is about the organization of the creation, its structure and ability to hold things in order which is similar to the Lion’s dominion. And, finally, the weak nuclear force is about dying and decay and the ability for transformation—all indicative of the function of the Ox where dying to self and submission to God pave the way for our transformation into His image.
Here are a few of the noteworthy aspects of the form of the creatures:
All of these things need further development and consideration but this is a brief overview of how the Four Living Creatures reflect God’s essence and how they provide a roadmap for our development.
Important Insight: We need eyes to see God as He truly is like the Four Living Creatures before we get the wheels to go and do what we are called to do. And that way our path will be full of the life of the Holy Spirit and His power will be the fuel that makes our wheels go!
The Four Living Creatures Questions
Prayers
Heavenly Father, I want to grow and develop in all the ways You have for me. Forgive me for any prejudices I have had against any part of what You have to offer because of something I have seen among Christians that was used wrongly and did not represent You. Lead me and guide me and speak to me. Show me what areas You want to address in me now and help me be a good receiver of all the counsel the Holy Spirit has for me. Bring me to the place where Your Kingdom reigns in my territory because I surrender to Your will and let Your will be done in me (on earth) as it is in heaven.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Personal Application Questions
Philippians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Revelations 1:5-8
5 Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”
Quiz for the
“Four Living Creatures” Class
Can you identify how each of the four living creatures is represented in these passages?
1 Corinthians 13:1-4
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Matthew 6:9-10
Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Look for these four elements in other passages and scripture when you read the Bible. I think you will find them everywhere.
We only have one way of reacting and behaving and don’t have much of an ability for flexibility and range of responses.
It would help us in knowing God’s different responses, what they may be and then it would assist us in discerning His will and how He would have us respond at different times.
It will give us wisdom in whatever trials or paths we are presently walking and will help us to know what God is requiring of us in the way of responses in them.
Answer Key to the Quiz
Can you identify how each of the four living creatures as represented in these passages?
1 Corinthians 13:1-4
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Eagle: tongues, prophecy
Man: love
Lion: all faith to remove mountains
Ox: give my body to be burned
Matthew 6:9-10
Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Lion: your kingdom come
Ox: your will be done
Man: on earth
Eagle: in heaven
Look for these four elements in other passages and scripture when you read the Bible. I think you will find them everywhere.
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Shirleygibbs (verified owner)
Finally finished the course The lecture played just fine after I emailed. Well done introductory course. Thank you.
Tifany Trees (verified owner)
Firehouse Ministries Schools and teachings greatly surpasses all other teaching and tools I’ve encountered! Through this ministry, I’ve not only grown in my knowledge of God and fallen more in love with Jesus, but I’ve also deepened my understanding of His presence and character through the 4 living creatures. My spirit, soul, and body have all received new levels of love and healing after going through this School.
lmcclanahan
Full of wisdom and practical application, God has used this course to awaken me to the potential He has placed within me, as well as in all His children, to grow into the image of Christ as we understand more of His character and ways. My love and appreciation for God, for others, and for myself have grown through my active participation in this course. I highly recommend it for every Christian at every stage of maturity!