“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside — day and night without ceasing they sing, 'Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come' — the six wings (from Isaiah 6:2) enable swift, eternal service; the unceasing trisagion (holy, holy, holy) echoes Isaiah 6:3 and declares God's absolute transcendence. The temporal formula (who was and is and is to come) emphasizes God's eternal presence, untouched by time.
Church Fathers on Revelation 4:8
“The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle; and they had six wings, and round about and within they were full of eyes; and they had no rest, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord Omnipotent. And the four and twenty elders, falling down before the throne, adored God.” The four and twenty elders are the twenty-four books of the prophets and of the law, which give…
Read all 2 entries in the readerNicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!