Remembering Jesus

There is something that was lost to mankind and the earth that is to be redeemed, and we do know what it was.

         It is the inheritance of the earth and of immortal life given to Adam and Eve, and that was lost in their Fall from Eden.

There is a possession that is to be redeemed.

     What this is, Paul tells us in Romans 8:22-23.
          "We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they (all earthly created things), but ourselves also, which have the "First fruits of the Spirit," even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

       This will take place at the First Resurrection.

Writing to the Ephesians
             Ephesians 1:13-14 Paul says,
"Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." 

"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the Throne a Book written within and on the back, sealed with Seven Seals,
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the Seals thereof?
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the Book, neither to look thereon.
And one of the Elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judea, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the Book, and to loose the Seven Seals there of.
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.
And He came and took the Book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the Throne."

The creatures call for the
       Four Horsemen to appear, Revelation 6:1-8,
               One hands the Seven Vial Angels
               the Golden Vials filled with the
               Wrath of God, Revelation 15:7,
 
       And when they give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sits upon the Throne, who lives forever and ever, the Four and Twenty Elders fall down before Him that sits upon the Throne, and worship Him. . .and cast their crowns before the Throne, saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:9-11

Whatever significances there are in the different forms the 'Cherubim' or 'Living Creatures' took, it's clear that they don't represent the Church, but are attendants or official attached to the Throne of God.

In Isaiah's Vision in the Temple of the Lord seated on His Throne, he saw a heavenly order of beings that he called the 'Seraphim.'

     They had 6 wings, like John's living creatures and cried 'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His Glory' in Isaiah 6:1-4, but they stood above the Throne, while Ezekiel's Cherubim supported the Throne, and John's were in the midst or around the Throne.

The differences between Ezekiel's
Living Creatures, and John's can only be explained on the assumption that there are different orders of Living Creatures or Cherubim.

      Each adapted to the service he is created to perform.

In the camping order of Israel in the wilderness, there was a fixed order of the Twelve Tribes to the Tabernacle.

     In camp the Tabernacle sat in the middle.

The camp of Judah,
       composed of 3 Tribes,
           rested on the East,
              with its Standard bearing the figure of a
                           Lion.
The camp of Ephraim,
       composed of 3 Tribes,
           rested on the West,
              with  its Standard bearing the figure of
                            an Ox.
The camp of Reuben,
       composed of 3 Tribes,
           rested on the South,
              with its Standard bearing a figure of a
                           Man.
The camp of Dan,
       composed of 3 Tribes,
           rested on the North,
              with its Standard bearing a figure of an
                           Eagle.

The Tabernacle in the center of the Camp,
        the place of God's Presence,
              was surrounded and protected by
                     Standards that bore the figures of
                            Ezekiel's and John's
                               Living Creatures.

In John's Vision of the 'Cherubim' or 'Living Creatures' they are described as like animals,
      The first was like a Lion,
       the second like a Calf,
       the third like a man's face,
       the fourth like a flying Eagle.

      John's living creatures had 6 wings, while in Ezekiel's Vision the had only 4 wings and were accompanied by the Holy Spirit and
traveled on wheels, which shows that they were on some mission, attended by the Lord, who sat on His Throne over their heads.

      But the wheels are absent in John's Vision, the scene is in Heaven, the permanent home of the Throne of God.

Ezekiel describes the beasts as having the likeness of a man, with 4 faces, and 4 wings, and feet like a calf's foot, and hands like a man's hand under their wings on the 4 sides.

         Their 4 faces were different.

         The front face was that of a man,
         the right side face was that of a lion,
         the left side face was that of an ox, and
         the rear face was that of an eagle, and
         their whole body, back, hands, and wings,
         were full of eyes round about. 
                  Ezekiel 10:12

The first time that 'Living Creatures' are mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 3:24, where they are called 'Cherubim,' but are not described.

       They were placed at the entrance to the 'Garden of Eden' to prevent Adam and Eve from entering, and to keep the way of the 'Tree of Life.'

The beasts before the Throne are four in number, which is the earth number, and has something to do with the earth.

        They are interested in the re-genesis of the earth to its former glory before the Fall.

        They have eyes before and behind and within, which reveals their intelligence and spiritual insight of things past, present and to come, and they are tireless in their service, for they rest not day nor night saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

The beasts are not representative of redeemed human beings, because they don't join in the Redemption Song. Revelation 5:8-10.

       The word 'they' do not refer to the 'Four Living Creatures,' but to the 'Four and Twenty Elders.'

              The Four Living Creatures are not in the same class with the Elders, they have no
                  thrones,
                  or crowns,
                  or harps,
                  or golden vials.

They are guardians of the Throne of God.

The word beast means a 'living being' or 'creature,'
while the word used in chapters 11, 13, and 17 of
Revelation means 'a wild, untamed animal'.

      They are not angelic beings, for they are
distinguished from the angels who are mentioned
as a class by themselves in Revelation 5:11.

The word translated "Beasts" should be
translated "Living Creatures,"
like in the Revised Version of Revelation.

             The word translated 'beast' here is
not the same as the one translated 'beast' in
chapters 11, 13 and 17.

Revelation 4:6-11
"In the midst of the Throne and
           round about the Throne,
were Four Beats 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 or night, saying
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Amighty,
which was, and is, and is to come."

The fact that the New Testament Saints,
   as represented by the 12 Apostles,
      are required to make up the 24
          representatives, Elders,
             is more evidence that the Rapture
             of the Church
                takes place before the Tribulation.

While the 24 Elders are representative of the Old and New Testament Saints, they do not represent the Church.

          The Church is made up of only New Testament Saints.

     The Old Testament Saints are just the friends of the Bridegroom.