ymbolized are possessed by the four
living creatures themselves, and what do _they_ represent? To whom are
the four and twenty elders referred? They are particularly distinguished
from the angelic throng. In the ninth verse of the following chapter the
elders and the living creatures represent themselves as the host of
people redeemed by the blood of Christ "out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation." The above-mentioned characteristics,
then, are the peculiar possession of God's people--power and courage to
attack all enemies and to gain the victory; a spirit of perseverance in
patiently laboring for Christ, with a willingness to sacrifice their
lives, if necessary, for the glory of God; ability to receive a
"knowledge of the truth," that they may understand the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning them; and power and willingness to obey
instantly when able to discern spiritual things, rising above the things
of earth and the trials and persecutions of life--soaring away to
loftier heights, there to bask continually in the blessed sunlight of
God's eternal presence.

Why was it necessary that the redeemed company of God's people should be
represented by _four_ living creatures? Doubtless because it would
probably have been very difficult to select any _one_ creature combining
all the characteristics desired to represent all God's people of all
ages. It is also a significant fact that all the people of God on earth
were included in four great dispensations--ante-deluvian, post-deluvian,
Mosaic, and Christian; although it is not certain that _four_ living
creatures were selected for the special purpose of showing the number of
dispensations. However, this division of time is well established in the
Bible. Peter reckons a new world beginning with Noah (2 Pet. 3:6, 7),
stating that the old world had been destroyed. 2 Pet. 2:5. God came down
upon Mount Sinai and delivered the old covenant, thus marking a distinct
dispensation; while Jesus Christ established the new covenant and
ushered in the fourth and last dispensation. See Heb. 12:18-24. Under
the first dispensation, Abel by faith offered unto God an "excellent
sacrifice"; men "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26);
Enoch "walked with God" and "was translated that he should not see
death"; while Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," was "perfect in his
generation" and "condemned the world" by his preaching and obedience.
The second dispensa