The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah – Revelation 4 and 5
BY PGF
2 years, 2 months ago
Dr. Baldwin offers an exegesis of Revelation Chapters 4 and 5. It’s very good; watch the whole thing. We agree with much. His explanation of the seven Spirits of God is excellent.
We don’t entirely agree with the depiction of the four beasts as given by Dr. Baldwin (Revelation 4:6-9). He states they represent the Gospel. I’ll not argue against that, but we think the four beasts have a different representation.
He says the four beasts represent the Gospel, i.e., the four Gospels. He explains that Matthew depicts Christ as the Lion of Juda. Mark shows Jesus the servant, represented by the calf among the four beasts. Luke, the face of a man or Christ as the son of Man. And the Gospel of John, with an eagle representing Christ as the Son of God. That the four Gospels do indeed depict Jesus Christ, each one in that unique type and ministry of Christ, those three and a half years as described by Dr. Baldwin, we don’t argue against. We’re less sure that the four beasts align with or represent the specific Gospel accounts.
What we think of the four beasts is that they represent all creatures, the perfect creation, fully restored by the Gospel, which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This would be the restoration to the pre-fall state in the Garden, where all things knew God and worshipped God because no sin existed; all was at peace. The conclusion to this part of the vision of John is Revelation 5:13-14, which shows every living thing (which the four beasts in chapter four represent before the throne) worshiping the glorified Christ. This is why we think the four beasts represent all creation, not the four Gospels.
It’s a minor point, and there may be something to both views. That Christ rules and reigns in heaven and earth, therefore each man must be prepared for His return is what truly matters. Jesus, by the Gospel, is restoring all things and bringing in a new heaven and new earth. The Kingdom of God now is only a type of the final domain to come when all sin shall be entirely eradicated.
Dr. Baldwin notes that the cherubim are the same as those that Ezekiel saw but does not mention the vision of Isaiah about these same living creatures in Isaiah 6:1-4.
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