Isaiah 6:2-3; Ezekiel 1:5-14; Ezekiel 10:20-22; Revelation 4:6-8
The four living creatures symbolize the exalted beings who serve God as His agents and the guardians of His throne (Ps. 99:1). They are higher order angels – cherubim and seraphim.
Their wings point symbolically to their swiftness in carrying out God’s orders, and their eyes point to their intelligence.
Their presence, together with the 24 elders and a myriad of angels around the throne (Rev. 5:11), shows that both heaven and earth are represented in the throne room.
The main difference between the types of heavenly beings known as cherubim and seraphim is their appearance: a cherubim has four faces and four wings, while a seraphim has four faces and six wings.
In the Bible, both the cherubims’ and seraphims’ main role is to sit at the throne and worship God.
Cherubim appear in several books of the bible, including Genesis, Ezekiel, Kings and Revelation.
Their four faces are ox, lion, man and eagle, although Ezekiel exchanges the ox for the face of a cherub.
Seraphim use two of their wings for flight. As the cherubim, they are among the highest order of angelic beings.
Source reference: SDA 1Q19 Quarterly
The Langford Files 