Verses 6-8
Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.
We cannot know for certain if there is an actual sea of glass before the throne. It could be an actual sea clear as glass. But the reference to a body of water is connotative of Eph. 5:26, “with the washing of water by the word.”
Four Living Creatures
These four living creatures are angelic beings. They are first described in Ezekiel 1. Satan was once one of these high ranking beings, Ezekiel 28:14.
Their multitude of eyes indicates these beings are not “beasts” as translated in the KJV but heavenly creatures. They are not blind, nor are they robots. They know and understand and have greater insight and perception than any man. They live their existence to worship God. All failure to truly worship is rooted in a lack of seeing and understanding.
Lion/calf/face of a man/eagle: From reading Ezekiel 1, we know each of the beings has four faces. John sees all four faces at once, so each one had a different face turned to John.
These four faces could represent many things. They could represent the elements, the cardinal virtues, the faculties and powers of the human soul, the patriarchal churches, the great apostles, the order of churchmen, the principle angels, etc.
Maybe it’s best to say the four faces are important because they represent all of animate creation in all of its excellence. The lion is the mightiest of wild animals, the ox the strongest of domesticated animals, the eagle the king of all birds, and man is the highest of all creation. But all are placed under God’s throne of glory.
They do not rest night or day: “They have no rest, and yet they have no unrest neither, the sweet content they take in their continual employment is fitter to be believed than possible to be discoursed.” (Trapp)
The living creatures praise God day and night yet they were never redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
Do we sing as much as the birds do? Yet what have birds to sing about, compared with us? Do we sing as much as the angels do? Yet, they were never redeemed by the blood of Christ. Birds of the air, shall you excel me? Angels, shall you exceed me? You have done so, but I intend to emulate you, and day by day and night by night, pour forth my soul in sacred song.
Charles Spurgeon Holy Song from Happy Saints
Lord God Almighty/Who was and is and is to come: Both of these repeat the ideas in Rev. 1:8. God has His hand on everything and refers to God’s eternal Being.
Verses 9-11
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will, they were created and have their being.”
The twenty-four elders represent all the people of God, the worship, the crown, the robes, the heart of these twenty-four elders belong to us also.
Casting the crowns simply acted out their declaration, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. If God was worthy of all this, then He should get the crown. We have so much to praise God for. May we never be found short of constant praise to Him. If we have been given a crown in Heaven, to reign with Jesus then we should cast it at His feet. He is worthy of glory and honor and power. He should get the crown.
Our crowns and our right to rule, our victories come from God. Vs. 11: …for You created all things and for your pleasure they were created and have their being. We were created to bring God pleasure. Not the other way around. We exist to give Him glory and to please Him. And until we do that, we will not fulfill our created purpose.
God’s right over us as Creator is a fact that can be accepted and enjoyed, or rejected, leading to frustration. There is tremendous value in our recognizing our “creatureliness” before God.
There is a throne in heaven that no one can occupy but you, and there is a crown in heaven that no other head can wear but yours, and there is a part in the eternal song that no voice can ever compass but yours, and there is a glory to God that would be wanting if you did not come to render it, and there is a part of infinite majesty and glory that would never be reflected unless you should be there to reflect it.
Charles Spurgeon