A Sea of Glass
” And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:” (Rev 4:6a KJV)
We see the scene in Heaven in stark contrast to the events taking place on Earth. The sea of glass like unto crystal shows the calm beauty of the heavenly throne room. While the Earth is in turmoil, Heaven is a place of serenity. While Earth is at war, Heaven is a place of peace. While Earth is a place of sorrow and a place for Satan’s kingdom, Heaven is a place of joy and worship of God.
Four Beasts
“and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 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.”
(Rev 4:6b-7 KJV)
The four beasts, although different, resemble the cherubim from Ezekiel.
“5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.”
(Eze 1:5-10 KJV)
“And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.” (Eze 10:14 KJV)
The word beast actually means living creature.
Beast – 2226 ζῷον zoon {dzo’-on}
Meaning: 1) a living being 2) an animal, brute, beast
Origin: of a derivative of 2198; TDNT – 2:873,290; n n
It is possible that the four living creatures are representative of all created creatures. The phrase ‘full of eyes’ means they are watchful.
A similar vision of these “four living creatures,” as the prophet calls them, is narrated by St. John at Patmos. He saw them “round the throne” of God in heaven: “On each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle” (Rev 4:6-7). This was an important confirmation of what Ezekiel saw. And thus, it was firmly kept in tradition. The commentator of the Jerusalem Bible expresses the opinion: “The ‘animals’ are the four angels responsible for directing the physical world.” (JB to Rev 4:6; cf. also Cornelius Lapide ad locum).