Yes — Les Feldick teaches they are angelic living creatures surrounding God's throne, not ferocious animals or political 'beasts.'
In Revelation 4–5, the King James Version calls them 'four beasts,' but Les Feldick explains the word simply means 'living creatures, angelic beings.' They are positioned in the midst of and around the throne, and after the Lamb takes the scroll they fall down in worship with harps and golden vials full of the prayers of the saints. One of them also delivers seven golden bowls of God's wrath to the seven angels.
Revelation 4:6-7 — It introduces the four beasts/living creatures around the throne and gives their four distinct likenesses — lion, calf, man, and flying eagle.
Revelation 5:6 — It places the slain Lamb in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, showing their place in the throne-room scene.
Revelation 4:6-8 (KJV) describes the four living creatures, calling them "four beasts" in the King James translation. They are in the midst of the throne and round about it, full of eyes before and behind. The first beast is like a lion, the second like a calf, the third has the face of a man, and the fourth is like a flying eagle. Each of the four beasts has six wings about him and is full of eyes within, and they rest not day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." In Revelation 5:6, John sees a Lamb standing in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes. When the Lamb takes the book, the four beasts and the twenty-four elders fall down before Him with harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). Later, one of the four beasts gives the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God (Revelation 15:7).
Les Feldick emphasizes that in the King James translation these are called "four beasts," but the word is simply "living creatures, angelic beings." He corrects the idea that Revelation's "beast" language refers to ferocious-looking animals or a creature like the Loch Ness monster; in Revelation, he says, a "beast" is always a governmental power. Yet the four creatures around the throne are different — they are living, angelic beings in the very presence of God. Les points out that the Lamb stands "in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts," and he describes the four living creatures joining the twenty-four elders in falling down before the Lamb with harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. He also notes that one of the four living creatures hands the seven angels seven golden bowls (the KJV says "golden vials") full of the wrath of God in the final bowl judgments.
Yes. Les says the KJV word "beasts" is simply "living creatures, angelic beings." They are not ferocious animals. In the throne-room scene John sees these four angelic beings "in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts," where the Lamb also stands.
Les repeatedly says that when studying Revelation, the word "beast" should not make us think of a ferocious-looking animal or something like the Loch Ness monster. In the book of Revelation, he explains, a beast is always a governmental power. He makes this point so readers don't confuse the governmental "beasts" of Revelation with the four living creatures around the throne. Those four are explained as "living creatures, angelic beings."
After the Lamb takes the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before Him, each holding harps and golden vials full of odours — which are the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). Later, one of the four living creatures gives the seven angels seven golden bowls (KJV: golden vials) full of the wrath of God (Revelation 15:7). Les uses these scenes to show that the four living creatures are active participants in worship and in the judgments of the throne room.
Revelation 4 & 5 Explained: The Throne Room & the Scroll
saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold." Now there's a lot of controversy. Who are the twenty-four elders? No, there's a lot of guesswork. They may be twelve of this, and twelve of that. But you know what? The Bible doesn't tell us. And so if the Bible doesn't tell us, why speculate? Because we just don't know.
Living Creatures, Not Animals
Les clarifies that the word translated "beasts" is "living creatures, angelic beings," not ferocious animals.
Living Creatures in the Throne Room
Les repeats the same point — the four "beasts" are living creatures, angelic beings — and adds that the Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes is in their midst.
Beast Means Governmental Power
Les instructs that a "beast" in Revelation is always a governmental power, not a fantastic monster, so readers should not picture the four living creatures as wild animals.
Beast Warning Repeated
Les again warns against imagining a ferocious creature like a Loch Ness monster when reading about "beasts" in Revelation.
The Living Creatures Worship the Lamb
Les shows that the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb with harps and golden vials full of odours — the prayers of the saints.
One Living Creature Delivers the Bowls
In the final bowl judgments, one of the four living creatures gives the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, demonstrating their role in executing judgment.
What Happened Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2? (The Genesis Gap Explained)
Of course the whole book of Revelation is symbolism, but it comes back to a literal truth, remember. And so here again we look at the symbolism, but we're going to dig out the literal truth. There appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns upon his head.
Revelation 4:6: And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
This is the first description of the four living creatures in John's vision of the throne room.
Revelation 4:7: And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
It lists the lion, calf, man, and flying eagle likenesses that make up the fourfold picture.
Revelation 4:8: And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
It shows their six wings, their many eyes, and their unceasing worship of God.
Revelation 5:6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
It shows the slain Lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures.
Revelation 5:8: And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
The four living creatures join the elders in worship after the Lamb takes the scroll.
Revelation 15:7: And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
One of the four living creatures delivers the golden vials of God's wrath to the seven angels.
Les Feldick says yes — the King James calls them "beasts," but the word is simply "living creatures, angelic beings." They are not ferocious animals or monsters.
No. Les teaches that a "beast" in Revelation is usually a governmental power, but when he explains the four around the throne at Revelation 5:6 he calls them living creatures, angelic beings.
They worship the Lamb — falling down with the twenty-four elders and holding harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. One of them also gives the seven angels seven golden bowls (KJV: golden vials) full of God's wrath.
Watch the Teaching: Revelation 4 & 5 Explained: The Throne Room & the Scroll