The moment you step through the open door of heaven, sound hits you like a tidal wave.
It wasn’t the ambient noise of a museum or the low hum of a temple.
What John heard… was thunder… Lightning sliced through the space, illuminating the throne in pulses of fire and light.
Peals of thunder shook the very air. Before the throne stretched a sea of glass, clear as crystal, yet roaring with purpose.
And then… John saw… them.
Four beings, unlike anything on earth.
They circled the throne with wings that shimmered and piercing eyes.
Eyes were everywhere. On their faces, under their wings, all around their bodies. Nothing escaped their notice.
And without ceasing, without weariness, they cried:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)
Worship. Heaven, my friends, is about worship.
John’s vision in Revelation 4 zooms in on these four living creatures, each one bearing the face of a different created strength:
A lion
An ox
A man
An eagle
Creation’s noblest, strongest, wisest, and swiftest gathered in constant orbit around God’s throne.
John describes them as “full of eyes in front and behind”* (Revelation 4:6), a direct echo of Ezekiel’s prophecy centuries earlier:
“Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands, and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels” (Ezekiel 1:18).
What are we to make of such otherworldly beings?
Sure, the imagery is fanciful and glorious. But we must always remember that Revelation is a deeply symbolic book.
There are plenty of theories on what these creatures represent. One of them is the four gospels:
Mark: The Lion, representing Jesus’ dignity.
Luke: The Ox, representing Jesus’ sacrifice as the Suffering Servant.
Matthew: The Man, highlighting Jesus’ humanity and lineage as the Son of David.
John: The Eagle, focusing on Jesus’ divinity.
They also represent perfect perception. The many eyes are symbolic of vigilance, insight, and awareness. They miss nothing. And yet, despite seeing all, they never grow bored of the One on the throne. They remain locked in perpetual awe.
A SONG THAT NEVER CEASES 🎶🦁
What would it be like to see and hear these creatures worshiping? Our mortal minds may never fully understand… but we tried anyway with this AI Animation!
DO NOT click this link unless you want to be inspired to worship GOD with more passion and awe. 🚫👑
These creatures represent the fullness of creation, not just adoring God but being drawn into His glory and sustained by it.
They remind us of the purpose of creation: to worship the Creator.
Worship is the language of heaven.
Paul tells us in Colossians 1:16 that “all things were created through him and for him…whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” These living beings, as strange and majestic as they are, were created for this very purpose—to reflect God’s glory and proclaim His holiness.
What does this have to do with us?
Everything.
These creatures aren’t driven by spiritual excitement or hype. Their worship isn’t stirred by the right playlist or Sunday energy. They worship because they’ve seen the living God. They are fully awake, fully aware, and fully surrendered. Their song is uninterrupted because their vision is unbroken.
This is a wake-up call.
We bear the image of God. We, even more than these creatures, are designed to worship.
We often treat worship as a mood or a preference. But true worship—eternal worship—is an outpouring of our entire lives. And it’s a response to undeniable, unfiltered, unstoppable glory.
Ask yourself today:
Am I giving God the scraps of my attention?
Have I grown numb to wonder?
Have I let familiarity breed forgetfulness?
Maybe it’s time to pray: “Lord, open my eyes. Let me see again.”
Because the throne room hasn’t changed.
The lightning still flashes. The thunder still rolls.
The creatures still cry.
And the invitation still stands to join the chorus of eternity.
