"The first living creature was like a lion,
the second was like an ox,
the third had a face like a man,
the fourth was like a flying eagle."
The four living creatures described are symbolic representations of how Christ is portrayed by each gospel. The lion symbolizes kingship, which aligns with Matthew's account of Jesus as the King of Israel.
The ox represents service and sacrifice. This emphasizes Mark's view of Jesus as one who came to serve, rather than to be served.
Luke's gospel is represented by the third creature, the man. The vision of the face of a man falls in line with Luke's account of Christ as the Son of Man.
John’s sole focus in his gospel was to portray the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The final living creature, the eagle, is an animal that dwells high above others. This emphasizes the representation by the Apostle John of Christ as God in flesh, who, though He was a man Himself, was also God Himself, soaring high above all other men.
