Revelation 4:6; Four Beasts Full of Eyes

Revelation 4:6-8 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. 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. 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. 

John now sees around the throne some otherworldly beings. Each has a different appearance—like a lion, an ox, a man, and a flying eagle. These four creatures, clearly patterned after the cherubim that Ezekiel had seen, are, as usual, transformed in Revelation. … While Ezekiel’s cherubim all have the same four faces—of a man, a lion, an ox (or cherub), and an eagle — each of John’s visionary creatures has a single face.

Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 

Ezekiel 10:14 And every one had four faces: the first face wasthe face of a cherub, and the second face wasthe face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 

These creatures represent God’s created order in a unique way. Humankind is the head of all creation and noted for his intelligence, the lion is the chief of the wild animals and noted for his ferocity, the ox is the chief of the domesticated animals and noted for his strength, and the eagle is the chief of the birds of the air and noted for his freedom. Another difference between the visionary figures is that Ezekiel’s have four wings while John’s have six.

Ezekiel 1:5-6 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 

Ezekiel 10:21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man wasunder their wings. 

John’s creatures resemble the six-winged seraphim that Isaiah saw around the throne.

Isaiah 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 

Two of the wings are used for covering their face, two for covering their feet (perhaps a euphemism for genitals), and two for flying. Eyes cover the entire bodies of the cherubim seen both by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14) and John. These eyes symbolize God’s omniscience and probably function like the eyes of the sevenfold Spirit.

Revelation 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 

[Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, NewTestament – Hebrews to Revelation]

The main function of the four living beings is in leading the heavenly worship of God. It is observed that the twenty-four elders respond to the signal of the four living beings to fall down and worship.

Revelation 4:9-11 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 

Amen.