Post by Ben on Jun 22, 2014 12:45:04 GMT
"In the midst of the throne and in the circle of the throne Four Living Ones being full of eyes before and behind." — Verse 6, Bro. Thomas' translation.
"These four living ones being 'in the midst of the throne and in the circle of the throne,' must be symbolical of those represented by the twenty-four elders, that is, of the saints. The elders, as we have seen, are representative of the saints in the peaceful exercise of their sacerdotal [priestly -BN] and regal [kingly, or royal -BN] functions, 'resting from their labors' performed in 'the war of the great day of the almighty Deity', while the four living ones represent the saints in cooperation with the Spirit carrying on the war to its victorious consummation.
"In the Common Version these four are styled 'beasts.' The word in the original is zoa and signifies simply living ones. In Ezek. 1:5, they are styled chaiyoth, rendered in the E.V. 'living creatures.' They are symbols representative of what is to be, not of what is yet manifested. That which is to be manifested exists, but the form of manifestation does not. That which exists is the all-pervading spirit radiant from the Divine Substance; but the spirit-forms, which do not exist, are the dead saints. These must be raised, and then transformed into spirit-bodies, instinct with life and power omnipotent; a transformation which in all its elements is aggregately represented by these 'four living ones full of eyes before and behind.' ...
"But though Ezekiel introduces them as four living ones and four wheels in ch. 1:5,16, in referring to them in ch. 10:15, he speaks of them as one, saying, 'this is hachaiyah, THE LIVING ONE.' In other words, the individuals of whom this Spirit manifestation is composed are, in the aggregate, what the voice issuing from their midst proclaims without intermission day and night, namely, the thrice or superlatively holy YAHWEH, the Omnipotent Deity, who was, and who is, and who is coming — Apoc. 4:8. These are the ONE BODY, nearly all the atoms of which are now in death, 'sleeping in the dust.' But, speaking of them as they are now in reference to its future, the Spirit styles them 'MY DEAD BODY,' and says 'they shall arise,' and, in view of the resurrection, exclaims, 'Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust.' When they come forth from the dust they are no longer the Spirit's Dead Body, but they become the Spirit's Living One, and can then say, 'I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: and I was dead, and behold I am living for the Aions of the Aions, the Amen.' Jesus is the visible Head of these. Without Him the Living One would be incomplete — Isa. 26:19; Rev. 1:18."
(Eureka Volume 2, Chapter 4, Section 4 - "The Four Living Ones", page 51.)
"These four living ones being 'in the midst of the throne and in the circle of the throne,' must be symbolical of those represented by the twenty-four elders, that is, of the saints. The elders, as we have seen, are representative of the saints in the peaceful exercise of their sacerdotal [priestly -BN] and regal [kingly, or royal -BN] functions, 'resting from their labors' performed in 'the war of the great day of the almighty Deity', while the four living ones represent the saints in cooperation with the Spirit carrying on the war to its victorious consummation.
"In the Common Version these four are styled 'beasts.' The word in the original is zoa and signifies simply living ones. In Ezek. 1:5, they are styled chaiyoth, rendered in the E.V. 'living creatures.' They are symbols representative of what is to be, not of what is yet manifested. That which is to be manifested exists, but the form of manifestation does not. That which exists is the all-pervading spirit radiant from the Divine Substance; but the spirit-forms, which do not exist, are the dead saints. These must be raised, and then transformed into spirit-bodies, instinct with life and power omnipotent; a transformation which in all its elements is aggregately represented by these 'four living ones full of eyes before and behind.' ...
"But though Ezekiel introduces them as four living ones and four wheels in ch. 1:5,16, in referring to them in ch. 10:15, he speaks of them as one, saying, 'this is hachaiyah, THE LIVING ONE.' In other words, the individuals of whom this Spirit manifestation is composed are, in the aggregate, what the voice issuing from their midst proclaims without intermission day and night, namely, the thrice or superlatively holy YAHWEH, the Omnipotent Deity, who was, and who is, and who is coming — Apoc. 4:8. These are the ONE BODY, nearly all the atoms of which are now in death, 'sleeping in the dust.' But, speaking of them as they are now in reference to its future, the Spirit styles them 'MY DEAD BODY,' and says 'they shall arise,' and, in view of the resurrection, exclaims, 'Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust.' When they come forth from the dust they are no longer the Spirit's Dead Body, but they become the Spirit's Living One, and can then say, 'I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: and I was dead, and behold I am living for the Aions of the Aions, the Amen.' Jesus is the visible Head of these. Without Him the Living One would be incomplete — Isa. 26:19; Rev. 1:18."
(Eureka Volume 2, Chapter 4, Section 4 - "The Four Living Ones", page 51.)