The Four Living Creatures
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.
Compare to 53.19…
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّى
Afaraaytumu allata waalAAuzza
53.19 So you saw the appellation of a man and the Eagle?
رَأَيْتُمُ = “raaytumu”
“raaytumu” definition:
Perfect tense, 2nd person masculine singular. You saw. It comes from the root “ra’a”, which means he saw (a person or a thing) with the eye; to see, look, think, hold, in opinion of, perceive, judge, consider, know.
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ = “alief” + “fa” + “raaytumu” = “afaraaytumu” = so you saw?
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume three, pp. 998 - 1002
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, pp. 196 - 197
اللَّاتَ = “allata”
“allata” definition:
Personal noun, 2nd declension. As pertaining to 53.19…A certain idol; thus called by the appellation of a man. A female goddess; a female idol of the pagan Arabs; the prototype of the Greek semi-goddess, Leto, one of the wives of Zeus and mother of Apollo. An idol so-called because they used to compass it, or perform circuits around it. It comes from the root “lata”, which means he bruised, or brayed, or broke up into small fragments, or particles. He (an ass) broke in pieces, or bruised with his hoof, the pebbles over which he passed. He pounded, or bruised, small; he pulverized. He bound a thing. To give a reply which was not called for, shift, shun a question, conceal, prevent.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume seven, pp. 2648 -2649
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, p. 520
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 134
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 176
Occurrences of “allata” in the Koran: 1
Location: 53.19
Occurrences of the root “lata” and its two derivatives in the Koran: 2
Locations: 38.3, 53.19
عُزَّى = “uzza”
“uzza” definition:
Feminine, singular noun, 2nd declension. An eagle. Mighty, potent, powerful, or strong in an absolute sense; after lowness or meanness of condition: high, or elevated in rank or condition or state; noble or honorable, glorious or illustrious: rough in manners or behavior: proud: disdainful; scornful; indignant: resisting; withstanding; indomitable; invincible; not to be overcome; applied to a man: difficult or hard: and impossible, insuperable, or unattainable: rare: scarce; hardly to be found; dear, highly esteemed, or greatly valued: applied to a word or phrase, rare, or extraordinary, in respect of usage or analogy or both. A mighty, potent, powerful, or strong king; or glorious king. “Aluzza” was the name of a certain idol, belonging to Kureysh and Benoo-Kinane: or a certain gum-acacia-tree. A certain she-devil who used to come to three gum-acacia-trees. It comes from the root “azza”, which means he was, or became, mighty, potent, powerful, or strong, to strengthen, exalt, prevail, be mighty, powerful, strong, noble, illustrious, to be rare, dear, highly esteemed, precious, become illustrious, exalted.
وَالْعُزَّى = “wa” + “al” = “waalAAuzza” = and the Eagle
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume five, pp. 2030 - 2033
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, p. 371
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 97
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 125
Occurrences of “waalAAuzza” in the Koran: 1
Location: 53.19
Occurrences of the root “azza” and its twenty-two derivatives in the Koran: 119
Locations: 2.129, 2.206, 2.209, 2.220, 2.228, 2.240, 2.260, 3.4, 3.6, 3.18, 3.26, 3.62, 3.126, 4.56, 4.139(2x), 4.158, 4.165, 5.38, 5.54, 5.95, 5.118, 6.96, 8.10, 8.49, 8.63, 8.67, 9.40, 9.71, 9.128, 10.65, 11.66, 11.91, 11.92, 12.30, 12.51, 12.78, 12.88, 14.1, 14.4, 14.20, 14.47, 16.60, 18.34, 19.81, 22.40, 22.74, 26.9, 26.44, 26.68, 26.104, 26.122, 26.140, 26.159, 26.175, 26.191, 26.217, 27.9, 27.34, 27.78, 29.26, 29.42, 30.5, 30.27, 31.9, 31.27, 32.6, 33.25, 34.6, 34.27, 35.2, 35.10(2x), 35.17, 35.28, 36.5, 36.14, 36.38, 37.180, 38.2, 38.9, 38.23, 38.66, 38.82, 39.1, 39.5, 39.37, 40.2, 40.8, 40.42, 41.12, 41.41, 42.3, 42.19, 43.9, 44.42, 44.49, 45.2, 45.37, 46.2, 48.3, 48.7, 48.19, 53.19, 54.42, 57.1, 57.25, 58.21, 59.1, 59.23, 59.24, 60.5, 61.1, 62.1, 62.3, 63.8(2x), 64.18, 67.2, 85.8
Observe that the overwhelming Koranic usage of “azza”, and its twenty-one derivatives, is in the context of “allah”; Lord; his messenger; The Book; the Revelation of the Book…
Summary of 53.19:
• In Revelation, John describes the third living creature as having the outward appearance, or face, of a man – via the usage of the noun “prosopon”
• John also describes the fourth living creature as being likened in appearance to a flying “aetos” (eagle)
• 53.19 gives us a further description of the Lord’s “greatest ones”, as set forth in 53.18
• 53.19 begins by asking the question “afaraaytumu”, i.e. so you saw?
• This question refers to what John saw
• This question is also in direct relation to the Lord’s greatest ones via the copulative particle “fa”, which indicates either definite cause and effect, or a natural sequence of events
• 53.19 informs us that (John) saw “allata”
• “Allata” is defined as an idol having the aspect of “the appellation of a man”
• Further, “allata” carries with it the definition of “an idol so-called because they used to compass it, or perform circuits around it”
• Thus, it becomes quite apparent that 53.19 has just specifically described the third living creature as described, by John, in the Book of Revelation: i.e. looking like a man
• In addition, we have been told that it pertains to something in a circle, via the usages compass/circuits/around
• The third living creature is encircling the Throne
• 53.19 also tells us of the feminine singular noun “uzza”
• “Uzza” carries with it the definition of “an Eagle”
• Observe that 53.17 had already hinted of the eagle via the usage of “zagha” which can refer to a bird that does not eat carrion, such as the eagle
• “Uzza” is also defined as “elevated in rank or condition or state; noble or honorable”
• Observe that the overwhelming Koranic usage of “azza”, and its twenty-one derivatives, is in the context of “allah”; Lord; his messenger; The Book; the Revelation of the Book
• Once again, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that 53.19 has gone on to describe the fourth living creature as described, by John, in the Book of Revelation: i.e. the Eagle
• Observe the undeniable parallel descriptions given to us from 53.16 – 53.19 as compared to the Four Living creatures in Revelation:
1. Covered with eyes
2. Surrounding the Tree of Life
3. The eyes are encircling the Throne
4. The eyes never deviate
5. They are in likeness to a bird
6. They are known by their markings
7. They are referred to as the Lord’s greatest ones
8. One appears as an appellation of a man
9. One appears as an Eagle