Living Creatures

Living creatures (hayyoth in Hebrew, zoa in Greek) designate the extraordinary celestial beings described in Ezekiel's inaugural vision (Ezek. 1; 10) and in John's vision of the heavenly throne room (Rev. 4–5). In Ezekiel, four living creatures each have four faces—of a man, lion, ox, and eagle—four wings, and gleaming bronze feet; they accompany the divine chariot-throne (merkabah) and are identified later in the book as cherubim (Ezek. 10:15). The prophet Isaiah's seraphim (Isa. 6:2–3) are closely related, similarly crying Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.

In Revelation 4:6–9, four living creatures surround the throne of God, resembling a lion, an ox, a man, and a flying eagle respectively. They lead the heavenly worship—Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come—and participate in the seal and trumpet judgments (Rev. 5–8) and the bowl judgments (Rev. 15:7). Christian tradition from Irenaeus onward identified the four faces with the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), though the primary significance of the living creatures is as angelic attendants of the divine throne reflecting God's sovereign majesty over all creation.