Seeking God and the Four Living Creatures

But first, Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Click on diligently seek — it’s the word to “search out” i.e. “investigate” or “require answers to”

Yes, it’s a “love investigation”, as we learn to thoroughly look for Him, He’s thoroughly investigating us. Same word in good old Acts 17:26-28

And has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if then they might feel after him, and find him though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live and move and have our being as certain also of your own poets have said For we are also his offspring.

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The Gospel According to St. Matthew

Chapter 13

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered together to him, so that he went into a ship, and sat and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying Behold a sower went forth to sow

And when he sowed some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root, they withered away

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold , some sixtyfold , some thirtyfold.

Who has ears to hear let him hear

And the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables ?

He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given

For whosoever has to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says By hearing you shall hear and shall not understand and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive

For this people's heart is waxed gross (thickened) and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted (twisted over) and I should heal them (i.e. make them whole).

But blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear

For truly I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear and have not heard them.

Hear you therefore the parable of the sower

When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;

Yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is tripped up

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the distraction of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit and brings forth some an hundredfold , some sixty , some thirty.

Further thoughts on the Four Living Creatures

 

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The Revelation to Saint John

Chapter 6

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four living creatures saying Come and see

And I saw and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given to him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say Come and see

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say Come and see And I beheld and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see you hurt not the oil and the wine.

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say Come and see

And I looked and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the wild beasts of the earth.

Four Living CreaturesMan's Plans Evidenced ByProducing Joy else Stages of Grief
1. Lion Seeking God Loving Him, Loving (unloveable) people Acceptance by Him else
Denial of Him by us means
Denial by Him of us
 
2. Young Bullock Seeking Fight Unforgiveness, Revenge, Enslaving and Killing Anger
 
3. Man Seeking Own Prosperity Love of money, things, wanting more
Bargaining
 
4. Flying Eagle No plans, just permanently depressed yes, this is your life/death, yes it's hell, don't expect it to change Depression

 

The Four Living Creatures and the Layout of the Tribes surrounding the Tabernacle

The Four Living Creatures and the Layout of the Tribes surrounding the Tabernacle

Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2012 2:58 PM

Hi all

Just been reflecting in Revelation 4:7 on the four living creatures (literally the one word “zoon” in Greek, “chay” in Hebrew i.e. “Animal Life”), and their close association with the four living creatures in Ezekiel 1:10, the Cherubim in Ezekiel 10:14, and the layout of the tribes surrounding the tabernacle in Numbers 2.

First place in Numbers 2 — Lion — a face in the sunrise

In the “east” is the front, the sunrise — a new day. So from the centre of the tabernacle where the Lord is seated upon the cherubim, looking towards the east was the tribe of Judah (Praise the Lord — as Leah said in Genesis 29:35), from which the Lion of Judah would come (in accordance with Jacob’s prophecy of Judah, a lion’s cub in Genesis 49:9).

 

Second place in Numbers 2:10 — Man

In the “south”, the "right hand" as you face the sunrise, was firstly the tribe of Reuben (See, a son — as Leah said in Genesis 29:32). Strong outwardly. (But inwardly weak.)

 

Third place in Numbers 2:18 — Oxen — Fruitfulness via servanthood / work

In the “west” (place of the seas — i.e. the Mediterranean Sea, and place of the sunset) was firstly the tribe of Ephraim (Completion, Fruitfulness — as Joseph said of his second son in Genesis 41:52), and portrayed as a bullock in Moses’s prophecy in Deuteronomy 33:16-17. Yes, from Ephraim comes Joshua who leads the people into the Promised Land and they march around Jericho seven times, all the people shout, and God's angels complete the work.

 

Fourth place in Numbers 2:25 — Flying Eagle — Judgment via God's Holy Law (Matthew 24:28 quoting Job 39:30)

Finally in the “north” (in Hebrew — the unseen place, the place of covering, of the helpful beauty that comes with humility) was firstly the tribe of Dan (Judgment — as Rachel said in Genesis 30), Jacob's beautiful wife, facing justice, and receiving assistance in that humility.

In Greek, the left hand is "euonumos" — the "name of goodness" (God's law). Our flesh is weak, but when I am weak then am I strong (in Christ), as Paul claimed.

 

In Ezekiel 1:10, the first face recorded is the face of the man, with the second face, the face of the lion, now in the south. And Jesus the king, the lion of Judah, is to be born in Bethlehem in Judaea in the south, and betrayed and condemned to death in Jerusalem (also in the south).

The third face, the face of the ox, the faithful servant, Ephraim, is now in the north. And in Galilee of the Gentiles, considerable love and fruitfulness is to be seen throughout Jesus's ministry, multiple healings, deliverances from evil spirits, and material provisions of food.

 

In Ezekiel 10:14, the order of the faces reflects 1. The work of the Spirit, 2. The response of man (honor or dishonor), 3. The coming kingdom, & 4. Final judgment.

 

Blessings all Steve

Stephen Williamson Computing Services Pty Ltd

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