The Four Living Creatures
και ενωπιον του θρονου θαλασσα υαλινη ομοια κρυσταλλω και εν μεσω του θρονου και κυκλω του θρονου τεσσαρα ζωα γεμοντα οφθαλμων εμπροσθεν και οπισθεν
kai enwpion tou qronou ws qalassa ualinh omoia krustallw kai en mesw tou qronou kai kuklw tou qronou tessara zwa gemonta ofqalmwn emprosqen kai opisqen
Rev 4.6 and a glassy sea before the throne, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind.
και το ζωον το πρωτον ομοιον λεοντι και το δευτερον ζωον ομοιον μοσχω και το τριτον ζωον εχον το προσωπον ως ανθρωπος και το τεταρτον ζωον ομοιον αετω πετωμενω
kai to zwon to prwton omoion leonti kai to deuteron zwon omoion moscw kai to triton zwon ecwn to proswpon ws anqrwpou kai to tetarton zwon omoion aetw petomenw
Rev 4.7 And the first living creature was like a lion; and the second living creature like a calf; and the third living creature having a face like a man; and the fourth living creature like an eagle flying.
και τεσσαρα ζωα εν καθ εαυτο ειχον ανα πτερυγας εξ κυκλοθεν και εσωθεν γεμοντα οφθαλμων και αναπαυσιν ουκ εχουσιν ημερας και νυκτος λεγοντα αγιος αγιος αγιος κυριος ο θεος ο παντοκρατωρ ο ην και ο ων και ο ερχομενος
kai ta tessara zwa en kaq en autwn ecwn ana pterugas ex kukloqen kai eswqen gemousin ofqalmwn kai anapausin ouk ecousin hmeras kai nuktos legontes agios agios agios kurios o qeos o pantokratwr o hn kai o wn kai o ercomenos
Rev 4.8 And the four living creatures each one had six wings around, and within being full of eyes. And they had no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," the One who was, and is, and is coming! Isa. 6:3
Compare to 53.16…
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى
Ith yaghsha alssidrata ma yaghsha
53.16 Behold, it covers the lote-tree, that which (is) covered.
إِذْ = “ith”
“ith” definition:
Perfect tense. Indeclinable noun. Denotes a thing’s happening suddenly, or unexpectedly; or one’s experiencing the occurrence of a thing when he is in a particular state; it pertains only to nominal phrases; does not require to be followed by a reply, or the compliment of a condition. Used to commence a sentence without any antecedent. Time referenced and are used as a corroborative particle meant to draw the readers attention to a turn in the discourse and can be translated as “remember the time”. When; if; behold; then; at that time; as; while; since; on or all of a sudden; in that case; on that day when.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume one, pp. 39 - 41
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, p. 18
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 4
يَغْشَى = “yaghsha”
“yaghsha” definition:
Imperfect tense, 3rd person masculine singular. It covered, or concealed him; covers. As pertaining to 53.16… when there was coming upon the lote-tree so as to cover it, or overspread it, what was so coming. It comes from the root “ghashiya”, which means it covered, or concealed, him, or it; to cover, cover over, conceal, come upon.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume six, pp. 2261 - 2262
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar pp. 403 - 404
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 104
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 136
Occurrences of “yaghsha”, “yughshee”, & “yughsha” in the Koran: 8
Locations: 3.154, 7.54, 13.3, 33.19, 44.11, 53.16(2x), 92.1
Occurrences of the root “ghashiya”, and its 23 derivatives in the Koran: 28
Locations: 2.7, 3.154, 7.41, 7.54, 7.189, 8.11, 10.27, 11.5, 12.107, 13.3, 14.50, 20.78(2x), 24.40, 29.55, 31.32, 33.19, 36.9, 44.11, 45.23, 47.20, 53.16(2x), 53.54, 71.7, 88.1, 91.4, 92.1
Observe the Koranic usages…
• 2.7…covering of eyes
• 3.154…cover a group
• 7.41…cover them
• 7.54…day covers night
• 7.189…he covered her
• 8.11…slumber covered you
• 10.27…faces covered
• 11.5…they cover themselves
• 12.107…covering them
• 13.3…night covers day
• 14.50…faces covered
• 20.78…water covered them
• 24.40…waves cover him
• 29.55…torture covers them
• 31.32…wave covers them
• 33.19…covered eyes
• 36.9…we covered them
• 44.11…it covers people
• 45.23…cover eyes
• 47.20…covered understanding
• 53.54…covered her completely
• 71.7…they covered themselves
• 88.1…resurrection covered you
• 91.4…night covers him
• 92.1…night covers him
السِّدْرَةَ = “al” + “sidrata” = “alssidrata” = the lote-tree
مَا = “ma”
“ma” definition:
Conjunctive pronoun. That; which; that which; whatsoever; what; as; as much; in such a manner as; as much as; as for as; any kind; when; how. Does not, as a rule, refer to reasonable things, but instances to the contrary sometimes occur. It is one of those particles, which, in conditional propositions, govern the verb in the conditional mood; it is frequently a mere expletive. It is also a negative adverb, Not; in general it denies a circumstance either present, or of past, but little remote from the present; it governs the attribute in the accusative, thus it is a negative particle when placed before the perfect as in 53.2; or before a pronoun as in 68.2; or before an demonstrative noun as in 12.31. The particle, when joined to the perfect, denies the past; when joined to the imperfect, the present.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume eight, p. 3016
A Grammar of the Arabic Language, W. Wright, Third edition, volume 2, p. 300
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, pp. 523 - 524
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, pp. 135 - 136
Summary of 53.16:
• In Revelation chapter 4; John describes what he sees when he is taken up into Heaven, by the Spirit, and is shown the Throne of God
• Among other things, John describes four living creatures in the midst of the Throne and encircling it
• These four living creatures are repeatedly described as being filled with eyes, before, behind, and within
• The four living creatures are completely covered with eyes
• Observe also that the four living creatures constantly repeat the phrase "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," the One who was, and is, and is coming!
• This is a most obvious confirmation to the Triune nature of the One God
• 53.16 begins with “itha”, which, as we will discover, is used as a corroborative particle meant to draw the readers attention to a turn in the discourse
• 53.16 is re-directing the topic of discussion to something new
• This new topic has to do with “alssidrata”, or the lote-tree (i.e. the Tree of Life), as previously discussed in 53.14
• “Itha” also carries with it the definition of “one’s experiencing the occurrence of a thing when he is in a particular state”
• Thus, we already have a positive indicator that this is also referring to John’s vision as he is in the Spirit
• As already mentioned in the Book of Revelation, the Tree of Life exists in the midst of the Paradise of God
• 53.16 informs the reader that there is something in the presence of the Tree of Life via the double usage of the word “yaghsha”- which means “it covers/covered”
• Just as in Revelation, sura 53 is describing the Living Creatures that are in the direct presence (i.e. covering the Throne/Tree of Life)
• Not only are the Living Creatures covering around the Throne – but they, themselves are covered – hence the second usage of the term “yaghsha” which is preceded by the conjunctive pronoun “ma” – which is acting as an explicative
• Observing all Koranic usages of the terms “yaghsha”, “yughshee”, & “yughsha”; it becomes quite clear that the covering is total in nature
• Further, examining all Koranic usages of the root “ghashiya” and its 23 derivatives, shows numerous instances of this covering involving the eyes
• We now are beginning to understand that “itha” is steering the readers attention towards a description of the Four Living Creatures, as described in the Book of Revelation
• Observe the parallel description to the Four Living creatures in Revelation:
1. Covered with eyes
2. Surrounding the Tree of Life