What are the 'Four Living Creatures' Centred around God's Throne?
📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.
"The four living creatures are four commanding archangels, supported by their respective angels, who are figuratively likened to a lion, ox, man and eagle"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
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In the book of Revelation, four living creatures are recorded as being centred around God's throne.
Established Christian theologians mostly interpret these four creatures as the four Gospels of the New Testament. Is this a Biblical interpretation?
The four Gospels are the four books - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - written in the New Testament roughly 2000 years ago. At first glance, the four living creatures and the four Gospels are similar in number.
The established denomination interprets these four Gospels as symbolic of the four living creatures in Revelation Chapter 4. However, a living entity is one which has life, yet the Gospel is just a book. Can a book breathe, live and move? These four creatures are also recorded in Ezekiel 1. The book of Ezekiel was written about 600 years before the four Gospels were written. How could the four living creatures be the four Gospels?
Moreover, if the four living creatures are the four Gospels, then what do the events of the four living creatures giving glory to God with an 'Amen', as recorded throughout the book of Revelation, mean?
The six wings on each of the four living creatures would mean that this book has wings. Clearly these do not just refer to numbers. Correct teaching is that which clearly testifies to the principle of the 5 Ws and 1 H according to the fulfilled reality (fulfilment) of the Bible.
The first thing to know is that Revelation 4 is a record of what was seen and heard in the heavenly spiritual realm. Apostle John ascended to this heavenly spiritual world where he saw the throne of God and the 24 elders, 7 spirits, 4 living creatures and their many surrounding eyes. The eyes that fill the four living creatures are tens of thousands of angels (Rev 5:11).
As the head casts judgment on the vast details seen and heard through the eyes and gives orders, the reality of the four creatures surrounded by countless angels refers to the four archangels who command the angels. The four archangels command the multitude of angels as they are divided into four groups or organisations. If the angels are a heavenly army, the four archangels become the commanders of these armies who command the angels.
Each of the four creatures has four faces: a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. Let's look at the meaning of the face. The lion, which is known as the king of the jungle, judges a beast-like person who has no understanding of the word of God. The ox that ploughs the weeds of the field refers to one who ploughs the field of a person's heart and uproots his or her tares (weeds). A man, or person, is one discerns what is true and false according to their perception. The eagle, which is the king of birds, represents the judgment of the evil spirit. The archangel is not a literal lion, ox, man or eagle. These are used figuratively to express the power to judge accorded to the four living creatures relative to their characteristics. This is a teaching based on the Bible.
Shincheonji Church's teachings differ from those of mainstream denominations. Why? Only a witness who has seen and heard the events of Revelation at their location can testify the fulfilled reality. Similarly, the actual appearance of the heavenly spiritual realm world in Revelation Chapter 4 can be testified only by one who has actually witnessed the throne of heaven in the spiritual realm.
"The four living creatures are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They have eyes that are always awake and open"
Korean Presbyterian Church
Pastor A of the Korean Presbyterian Church
"It's written that that the eyes of the four living creatures move back and forth, and that these eyes don't even rest. They are open 24/7. In its appearance, the first creature is like a lion, the second is like an ox, the third is like a human face and the fourth is like a flying eagle. These are the four Gospels of a man, ox, lion and eagle. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all share the same context. The surroundings of Jesus Christ all appear through the four creatures."
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2 comments
Why? Why is the egale equaled to judge spirit? I dont understand.
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