The Four Living Creatures: Part 2: A Picture of the Pastor from the Elector Bible
And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, 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, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:6b-11)
Verse 7: “The first living creature was like a lion.”
In the first part, we talked about what the four living creatures are. They indicate all faithful teachers and church servants. In the same part, we talked about the eyes. The eyes show their faithfulness in both watching over themselves and their flock. The eyes also show the goal of the ministry: the impartation of the saving knowledge of God, which gives spiritual sight and leads toward sanctification, which is seen even by unbelievers.
In this second part, we will discuss the first characteristic that faithful teachers and church servants are to have. Through these images, we will better understand the nature of the pastoral office for the benefit of Christ’s church.
The first characteristic of the faithful pastor is that of a lion. What does this mean for the faithful preacher? The faithful preacher is to be like a lion in that he has “a bold and joyous courage in persecution.”
We see this plainly in our hymnody. Look at the Lutheran Hymnal number 470: “Rise Again, Ye Lion-Hearted.” Here, we see these beautiful stanzas:
1. Rise again, ye lion-hearted
Saints of early Christendom.
Whither is your strength departed,
Whither gone your martyrdom?
Lo, love’s light is on them,
Glory’s flame upon them,
And their will to die doth quell
E’en the lord and prince of hell.
2. These the men by fear unshaken,
Facing danger dauntlessly;
These no witching lust hath take,
Lust that lures to vanity.
Mid the roar and rattle
Of tumultuous battle,
In desire they soar above
All that earth would have them love.
3. Great of heart, they know no turning,
Honor, gold, they laugh to scorn,
Quench desires within them burning,
By no earthly passion torn.
Mid the lions’ roaring
Songs of praise outpouring,
Joyously they take their stand
On th’ arena’s bloody sand.
Now, compare this bold and joyous courage with the satirical song: “The Vicar of Bray:”
In good King Charles's golden days,
When Loyalty no harm meant;
A Furious High-Church Man I was,
And so I gain'd Preferment.
Unto my Flock I daily Preach'd,
Kings are by God appointed,
And Damn'd are those who dare resist,
Or touch the Lord's Anointed.
And this is law, I will maintain
Unto my Dying Day, Sir.
That whatsoever King may reign,
I will be the Vicar of Bray, Sir!
When Royal James possest the crown,
And popery6 grew in fashion;
The Penal Law I shouted down,
And read the Declaration:
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my Constitution,
And I had been a Jesuit,
But for the Revolution.
And this is law, &c.
When William our Deliverer came,
To heal the Nation's Grievance,
I turn'd the Cat in Pan again,
And swore to him Allegiance:
Old Principles I did revoke,
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive Obedience is a Joke,
A Jest is non-resistance.
And this is law, &c.
When Royal Anne became our Queen,
Then Church of England's Glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory:
Occasional Conformists base
I Damn'd, and Moderation,
And thought the Church in danger was,
From such Prevarication.
And this is law, &c.
When George in Pudding time came o'er,
And Moderate Men looked big, Sir,
My Principles I chang'd once more,
And so became a Whig, Sir.
And thus Preferment I procur'd,
From our Faith's great Defender
And almost every day abjur'd
The Pope, and the Pretender.
And this is law, &c.
The Illustrious House of Hanover,
And Protestant succession,
To these I lustily will swear,
Whilst they can keep possession:
For in my Faith, and Loyalty,
I never once will faulter,
But George, my lawful king shall be,
Except the Times shou'd alter.
And this is law, &c.
This vicar is no lion; he is a fox like Herod. He is an opportunist or turncoat. He constantly changes his beliefs to match the dominant power of the day. His north star is his position or status. This is his law, as we see in the refrain: “And this is law, I will maintain/ Unto my Dying Day, Sir./
That whatsoever King may reign,/I will be the Vicar of Bray, Sir!”
O pastors, let us not be cunning foxes like the vicar of Bray! Let us rather be like Christ our Lord, Who is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David!” (Rev. 5:5) Let us be bold in the proclamation of the gospel, just as our LORD is in Hosea 11:10: “They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west.”
May we preachers protect our flocks like lions, just as our God protects His church in Isaiah 31:4: “As a lion roars, And a young lion over his prey (When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him, He will not be afraid of their voice Nor be disturbed by their noise), So the Lord of hosts will come down To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill.”
If we don’t have courage, then who will? If we are not bold, then who will be? If we are not joyous, even in the midst of persecution, who will be? Qualis rex, talis grex. As the lord, so the horde. If we are cowards, is it any wonder that our people are yellow bellied? May God give us a bold and joyous courage in our work!
We have covered the first characteristic of the faithful preacher and teacher. In the next section, we will deal with the preacher as the ox.