These four living creatures also had eyes on them – everywhere! I think almost every commentator would agree that this speaks of their constant vigilance. There is nothing that escapes their attention. You cannot sneak up on them. The element of surprise is a foreign concept to these angels. For some reason God has conferred on them his ability to see all that is going on. I do not understand why that is, but John describes this aspect of their essence by saying that they have eyes all around.
Each of them also has six wings. Swiftness has always been associated with winged creatures. In Isaiah’s vision they also had six wings. Ezekiel’s had four. The sense here is that these creatures are exceedingly swift, having not one pair of wings, but three.
This morning, I witnessed a common occurrence in nature. A hawk was sitting in the trees, moving from one perch to another. Accompanying this bird of prey was a very agitated band of blue jays and other smaller birds trying to annoy this hawk so he would move on. Whenever he switched perches, they would move with him, being careful to stay out of the reach of his deadly talons. They constantly were crying out with alarming calls to one another. And they were flitting about in a frenzied dance to warn the others and to tantalize the predator. These smaller birds were extremely attentive to every move the hawk made and called out to one another in response.
In a similar way, these living creatures were so enamored by the majesty and glory of the Father, so enraptured by his endless and unfathomable love, that they were extremely attentive to His every word, his every move. And when they perceived the Father initiating a word or an action, they were very swift to call out to one another, and anyone else listening, absolutely unable to resist praising him for his majesty and glory.
Do you hear them calling out? I hear them in the call of the whippoorwills in the night air. I see them in the graceful deer and her fawn as they move across my lawn. I sense their swiftness when a fox effortlessly lopes among the trees, or a hummingbird flits from one flower to another. And I see the glory of the Father reflected in the face of every person I meet, his image stamped on them, even if they are not aware of Him. Let’s join with the twenty-four elders in response to these creatures and give him honor and glory and praise today.
Each of them also has six wings. Swiftness has always been associated with winged creatures. In Isaiah’s vision they also had six wings. Ezekiel’s had four. The sense here is that these creatures are exceedingly swift, having not one pair of wings, but three.
This morning, I witnessed a common occurrence in nature. A hawk was sitting in the trees, moving from one perch to another. Accompanying this bird of prey was a very agitated band of blue jays and other smaller birds trying to annoy this hawk so he would move on. Whenever he switched perches, they would move with him, being careful to stay out of the reach of his deadly talons. They constantly were crying out with alarming calls to one another. And they were flitting about in a frenzied dance to warn the others and to tantalize the predator. These smaller birds were extremely attentive to every move the hawk made and called out to one another in response.
In a similar way, these living creatures were so enamored by the majesty and glory of the Father, so enraptured by his endless and unfathomable love, that they were extremely attentive to His every word, his every move. And when they perceived the Father initiating a word or an action, they were very swift to call out to one another, and anyone else listening, absolutely unable to resist praising him for his majesty and glory.
Do you hear them calling out? I hear them in the call of the whippoorwills in the night air. I see them in the graceful deer and her fawn as they move across my lawn. I sense their swiftness when a fox effortlessly lopes among the trees, or a hummingbird flits from one flower to another. And I see the glory of the Father reflected in the face of every person I meet, his image stamped on them, even if they are not aware of Him. Let’s join with the twenty-four elders in response to these creatures and give him honor and glory and praise today.
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