The Four Living Creatures
(Ref 8/20)

Oil painting done on stretched canvas
sides are painted, ready to hang.
No need to frame

Size of canvas : 100 x 150cm

South-Africa
R25 800
Postage within South Africa is included

USA
$1650
Postage - canvas rolled in a tube is included in price
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The Four Living Creatures – Guardians of the Throne
Who Are They?

The Four Living Creatures are the guardians of God’s throne, inseparably connected with His presence and glory (Ezekiel 1:24–28). They form a unique and exalted order of angelic beings—cherubim—distinguished by their proximity to the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:12–20). They neither rest day nor night, forever proclaiming the holiness of the Lord and protecting His throne.

These beings bear four faces: that of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. They appear to represent the fullness of creation—humanity, domesticated animals, wild beasts, and birds—brought together to worship and serve their Creator. Their ceaseless worship demonstrates that all creation finds its highest purpose in glorifying God. The cherubim also serve as a picture of God’s redeemed people, embodying the qualities that His covenant people are called to reflect. Facing four directions, they symbolize the spreading of divine truth to all nations. Their wings express the swiftness of obedience in carrying out the will of the Lord.

The Four Faces
1. The Lion
John describes the first living creature as a lion (Revelation 4:7). The lion, known as the king of beasts, symbolizes majesty, authority, courage, and power. In the Gospel of Matthew, Christ is portrayed as the King of Kings, the Lion of Judah who has triumphed (Revelation 5:5).
Yeshua, having conquered death, is no longer only the Lamb slain—He is the victorious Lion who calls His people to overcome. “To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7). Just as lions dwell in tribes with close family bonds, so believers are bound together as the family of God.
From the east, the Lion of Judah rises with authority (Joel 3:16). His voice shakes the heavens and the earth, yet He is the refuge and strength of His people. True victory is not in human armies or strength (Psalm 33:16), but in the Lord, the mighty warrior who stands with His own (Jeremiah 20:11).

Tribal Association: Judah

2. The Ox
The second living creature has the likeness of an ox (Revelation 4:7). The ox, a beast of burden, represents strength, service, and sacrifice. Often used in offerings, it foreshadows Christ, who gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. In the Gospel of Mark, He is revealed as the Servant who suffers and serves.
Just as an ox bears heavy loads, Yeshua bore the weight of the world’s sin, carrying our burdens that we could never carry ourselves. Through Him, the yoke of slavery to sin is broken, and we now bear His light and easy yoke through the Spirit (Matthew 11:28–30).
The ox also symbolizes God’s true prophets, who labor faithfully for the harvest (1 Corinthians 9:9). We, too, are called to serve sacrificially and prophetically, carrying out the mission of Christ in the earth.

Tribal Association: Ephraim

3. The Man
The third living creature has the face of a man (Revelation 4:7), pointing to Christ in His humanity. In the Gospel of Luke, Yeshua is portrayed as the Perfect Man, who humbled Himself and took on flesh for our redemption (Philippians 2:6–8).
Because He became fully man—while remaining fully God—He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and temptations, yet without sin. As our faithful High Priest, He grants us bold access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:15–16).
The face of a man also represents intelligence, love, and compassion. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Tribal Association: Reuben

4. The Eagle
The fourth living creature resembles a flying eagle (Revelation 4:7). The eagle, soaring high above the earth, signifies sovereignty, supremacy, and spiritual vision. In the Gospel of John, Christ is revealed as the Son of God, whose origin and destiny are in heaven.
Eagles are known for their keen sight, swiftness, and ability to rise above storms, using the winds to lift them higher. Likewise, those who wait on the Lord are renewed with strength, mounting up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:28–31). The eagle thus represents Christ’s deity and His people’s call to live in heavenly perspective, walking in wisdom and swift obedience.

Tribal Association: Dan

The Tabernacle Connection
The earthly Tabernacle was a shadow of the heavenly throne room (Hebrews 8:5). In the wilderness, the twelve tribes camped around it in divine order, with the Tabernacle at the center. Each side was marked by a tribal standard:

• Judah (East): Lion
• Ephraim (West): Ox
• Reuben (South): Man
• Dan (North): Eagle

This arrangement mirrors the living creatures surrounding God’s throne, showing that Israel’s earthly worship was patterned after the heavenly reality.

Their Role in Heaven
The living creatures lead heavenly worship, crying “Holy, holy, holy” before the Lord (Revelation 4:6–9; 5:8–9; 19:4). They hold golden bowls filled with the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8), announce the breaking of the seals (Revelation 6:1–7), and deliver the bowls of God’s wrath (Revelation 15:7–16:1). Their existence is bound to the eternal worship and purposes of God.

The Number Four
In Scripture, the number four often signifies completeness in relation to the created world and the covering of all directions:

• The four winds gathering the redeemed from every corner of the earth (Matthew 24:31).
• The four angels holding back the winds of destruction until God’s people are sealed (Revelation 7:1).
• Satan deceiving the nations at the four corners of the earth (Revelation 20:7–8).
• The sheet with four corners in Peter’s vision, representing the gospel being opened to all nations (Acts 10:11–16).

Thus, the Four Living Creatures declare that God’s throne and rule extend over all creation—north, south, east, and west. In the end, the Four Living Creatures remind us that Christ is King, Servant, Man, and God—Majestic, Sacrificial, Compassionate, and Sovereign. Together they form a complete picture of the glory of the Messiah and the worship that surrounds the eternal throne.