“The Four Animals were winged, each with six wings. They were all eyes, seeing around and within. And they chanted night and day, never taking a break: Holy, holy, holy Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong, The Was, The Is, The Coming.”
Revelations 4:8 MSG – A verse of the day from the Bible presented in Eugene Peterson’s contemporary version called The Message. Accompanied by a personal reflection below.
I’ve always been quite fascinated with the imagery of this scene: the fantastical winged-creatures covered with eyes, chanting praises night and day, “never taking a break”! How completely other-wordly is that?! The eyes, the eyes! It almost makes me uncomfortable even as it fascinates me altogether. But that is the beauty of it all, don’t you see? It is the very height of awkwardness that by virtue of constancy takes on an aura of mere normalcy. Why wouldn’t those creatures praise God? Whilst in the presence of God, what could be more interesting to do? Despite all the eyes on their person that would afford them the ability to look anywhere and everywhere, they have their sight set only upon the Almighty — the giver of all life and the all-present and ever-present one, and to gaze upon Him is the ultimate vision altogether. Nothing compares! Nothing at all.
