“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)

This is what John heard the four beings continually saying of the One seated on the heavenly throne. These four beings (other translations: “beasts, living creatures”) have been variously interpreted to represent the four evangelists, or four gospels of Matthew (Lion), Mark (Ox), Luke (Man), and John (Eagle). Or they are seen to represent all of creation. It is also interesting to note that these four images were on the banners of the tribes of Israel’s wilderness encampment that camped according to the four points of the compass (Judah/East/Lion, Ephraim/West/Ox, Reuben/South/Man, Dan/North/Eagle). John does not comment on their identity. He only records what they continually repeated– that God is three times holy, omnipotent and eternal. And surely the phrase “still to come” points to Christ’s soon return.