Written by Charles Bedwell
Scripture gives a small insight into what magnificence and glory resides with God's government in Heaven. If we can plainly see God's awesome power here in this world of sin and destruction, then how much MORE is His glory shown in Heaven above?!
One topic of wonder has always been The Four Living Creatures in Heaven mentioned in Bible prophecy. Just what is the identity of the living creatures? What do they do? Why are there four of them? Are there "only" four of them? It may be assumed that the Four Living Creatures mentioned in one area of the Bible are the only four it is referring to, but a much more interesting revelation is made as we study a few passages.
Ezekiel 1 gives this description:
Ezekiel 1:5-28 ...'Also from within it came the likeness of four living 
creatures. And this was their appearance: they had
the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were
like the soles of calves' feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. The hands of a man were under their wings on their four
sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one
went straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right
side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces ...
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back
and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. Now as I looked at the living creatures,
behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was
like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a
wheel. When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they
were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the living creatures went, the wheels
went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. The likeness of the firmament
above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. A voice came from above
the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings. And above the firmament over their heads was the
likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high
above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around
within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like
the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the LORD.'
Daniel 7 tells us this:
Daniel 7:9 ...'I
beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.'
And Ezekiel 10 says:
Ezekiel 10:2-22 ...'Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in as I watched. Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim, that he went in and stood beside the wheels. And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone. As for their appearance, all four looked alike, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar. When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them. This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim. Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons.'
1 Kings 8:7 ..
'For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves
thereof above.'
In reference to Lucifer (Satan) before he fell, Ezekiel 28:14 says ...'Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.'
Isaiah 6:1-6 says:
'In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above
it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did
fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of
the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am
a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew
one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.'
Revelation 4:2-8 reveals:
'And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon
like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the
throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on
their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire
burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in
the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion,
and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 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.'