These beasts in order were THE LION, THE CALF, THE MAN, AND THE EAGLE.
In Numbers 2:10,17,18,&25 we see Israel as God placed them in order around the tabernacle with their banners (flags). Through history we know that the four beasts in Revelation 4 were the emblems on these four flags. There were three tribes gathered under each flag, all together they were the twelve tribes of Israel. The prophet Ezekiel saw these same creatures at the river Chebar.
Ezekiel 1:10:
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

The calf in the fourth chapter of Revelation and the ox in Ezekiel are the same thing.

Ezekiel 10:14:
And every one had four faces; the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

In Ezekiel 10:15, Ezekiel said that this was the same creature that he saw at the river Chebar. But, there is a difference. That difference is that you no longer see the face of the ox, it was replaced by a Cherub. Ezekiel said in verse 17 that the Spirit of Life was in this creature. In verses 18-19, we see this creature leave Israel, taking with it the Glory of God. But, it did not take the ox with it. This was a prophecy, that one day the Glory of God would leave Israel, and, that the only banner (flag) that the Glory would remain in, would be the banner of the ox. Glory, representing the presence of God and the Spirit of Life. This banner represented the camp of Ephraim, Joseph's last born son. The tribes were Ephraim, Manesseh, and Benjamin.

When Jesus went to the cross, the presence of God, and the Holy Spirit, left Israel, except for the house of Ephraim. Israel had become divided into two states. The ten northern tribes were in the state of Ephraim, the two southern tribes in the state of Judah. Seven hundred twenty-one years before Jesus came, the state of Ephraim was taken captive by the Assyrians. A handful returned but most never returned to Israel. Ephraim was scattered among the Gentiles. This scattering was the fulfilling of God's plan to take salvation through Jesus Christ to the nations.

God had told Jacob in Genesis 28:14-15:
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the Earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

In order to fully understand what God is doing we must go back to the original promise that God gave to Abraham.
In Genesis 12:1-3, God said this:
Now the Lord had said to Abram get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

The promise to Abraham was that God would bless the nations through him. Of course, all Christians know that the promise was redemption through God's son, Jesus Christ, who was also Abraham's promised seed. The thing that most Christians do not know is that this promise has come with a condition. God intended to bring salvation to the nations that treated the Jewish people well. The promise, or birthright, came to us through Ephraim. It came from Abraham to Isaac, from Isaac to Jacob, from Jacob to Joseph, to the youngest son of Joseph, EPHRAIM. (I Chronicles 5:1-2) and (Genesis 48:12-20)

The birthright is vague to most Gentiles and has little significance, but had we not received it, we would still be without promise. Jesus is the total answer to salvation, but the promise was to the Jew. God had to devise a plan to get this promise to us.God knew that Israel would become divided into two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom, Israel, would be led by kings out of the tribe of Ephraim. The Southern Kingdom, Judah, would be led by kings out of the tribe of Judah. The Northern Kingdom possessed the birthright through Ephraim. The Southern Kingdom, Judah, would give birth to the great king. (I Chronicles 5:2) God was to bless the world through both houses of Israel. Ephraim, the Northern kingdom, would take the birthright to the north, south, east and west to be a blessing in the earth. Judah would remain in Israel, to give birth to Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Had the whole house of Israel not sinned against God, they would have taken the Gospel to the world. As great world evangelists, they would have gone to the north, south, east, and west, through the earth, preaching the Gospel to all men. But, unhappily, Israel sinned a great sin against their God. So, God, in His great wisdom, used their punishment as the means to bless the world with salvation.

Wherever Ephraim went, the Holy Spirit went with them to save souls, and bring the promise of Jesus Christ. When Jacob blessed Ephraim, God said that Ephraim would become many nations. When Jesus came to Israel, the house of Judah rejected Him, so He sent the Holy Spirit, and the Gospel, out to fulfill this promise. It followed Ephraim, and wherever he set his foot, the Gospel came to save souls, and make them joint heirs, through Ephraim. This is how the promise came to the Gentiles.

There were many oxen and lions in the design of the decorations and furnishings in Solomon's temple. (I Kings 7:29) The ox is the emblem of the house of Ephraim, and the lion is the emblem of the house of Judah. In the wilderness there were four camps, but in the Promised Land there were only two banners, the ox and the lion, Ephraim and Judah. This tells us that the promises would come to the world through Ephraim and Judah. God had promised Ephraim, Joseph's son, when Jacob blessed him, that along with the birthright he would become a multitude of nations. Jacob's right hand upon Ephraim's head meant that the birthright was his.

Although Judah did not receive the birthright, God promised that Jesus would be born through their house. Judah did not have the birthright and God had to bring them redemption. When Judah's grandchildren, through his daughter-in-law, were born, he gave them the promise of redemption by the red thread being tied to Zarah's arm. He was born last.

From Jacob, the promise of salvation went to Ephraim, his grandson. The red thread of redemption on Judah's house was on Jacob's great grandson Zarah. By this shadow we can clearly see that Ephraim, the Jews that were to become many nations, would be saved before the nation of Israel that is under Judah's banner, the lion. In Jeremiah 31:9, God said that He was a father to Israel and Ephraim was his first born. When you realize that God is talking about the Northern Kingdom being his first born (Jews that God has placed under Ephraim's banner), then you can see what I am saying. The son Ephraim was Joseph's last born, so it is not to be a natural birth, but a spiritual birth. One of the things that I find interesting is that all of the Disciples of Christ except one were not from the Southern Kingdom called Judea. The one Disciple that was not from the Old Northern Kingdom was Judas. He was from the land of Judea which was the Old Southern Kingdom given to Judah. The other eleven were from the same Northern Kingdom that the Bible called Israel or Ephraim only now it was called the land of Samaria.

After Judas' betrayal of Jesus He was replaced by a disciple by the name of Matthias who had been with them from the beginning. In scripture it says that all of these men were Galileans. To be with Jesus from the beginning he had to of been a Galilean. Why? because Jesus began his ministry there. The Birthright is the Gospel and Jesus gave it with the Twelve Disciples who were living in the Northern Kingdom of Israel under Ephraim's banner. Judas' betrayal was not only for real but it was to be a symbol of the rejection of the Jewish people who lived in Judea with Jerusalem as their capitol, the Southern Kingdom known as Judah.

In I Kings 7:24-25, the Bible describes a huge tank of water in Solomon's temple. This tank was made out of bronze, and was sitting on the backs of twelve oxen, which were also made out of bronze. Three of these oxen were facing to the North, three to the South, three to the East, and three to the West. Remember, the ox is the emblem of Ephraim. This tank was called a sea and it was used by the priest to wash their hands and feet before going into the temple to do service for the Lord. It was a shadow of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that would be used to cleanse the nations. Remember we are called kings and priest in the Kingdom. The blood of Jesus cleanses us so that we can do service in the Kingdom.

In Revelation 4:6 there is a similar tank, in front of the throne of God, only it is made of glass. This sea, or tank of water, is the same as the bronze sea in the Temple it represents cleansing, or washing of nations. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is also the Birthright. This is a shadow of Ephraim being part of God's plan to cause the nations to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. The tank being on the backs of the oxen in I Kings, also showed that they would bear the burden of the Gospel. These 12 oxen were a shadow of the twelve Disciples from Galilee that would bear the burden to take the Gospel to the world, going North, South, East and West.

Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
God began his search for Ephraim then and still continues today. Their first real opportunity came on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:5:
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
These Jews had come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover and the feast of Pentecost. They, for the most part, were descendents of the Northern Kingdom of Israel called Ephraim. They were from many nations all around Israel and the Mediterranean Sea. Their ancestors were taken captive by the Assyrians in 721 BC, but that was almost 750 years ago. Now they were free men living in the nations that they had been scattered into. They had journeyed to Israel not knowing what God had in store for them. During the preaching of Peter, 3,000 of these people were saved. God was trying to save them first. Ehpraim was to be the firstborn, and God was keeping His word. The spirit of God brought these people together and the word was preached openly and clearly so that they could easily understand the message of salvation.

This was very different from the ministry of the Gospel to the Jews living in the nation of Israel itself. Jesus would only speak to them in parables because He did not want them to understand the scriptures. Why? Because He had promised that Ephraim would be the first born, they had to be saved first. This was, and still is, His plan!

Just as it is today, there were more Jews living outside the land of Israel than in the land of Israel during the time of Jesus. This majority was under the banner of Ephraim. God called them Ephraim. Think about this for a moment. The Northern Kingdom of Israel, called Ephraim, that was taken captive in 721 BC, was over 80% of the whole population of the land of Israel.

The Southern Kingdom, called Judah, was less than 20%. The Northern Kingdom never returned to Israel, but remained in the nations.These Jews that the Lord saved at Pentecost were to take the Gospel back to their lands to try and convert their brethren, but like Paul, they didn't have much success, only a remnant. And what about Paul? Was he also from Ephraim? Paul was a Benjamite born in the city of Tarsus which was a Roman owned free city. Paul was not born in the nation of Judah, which placed him in Ephraims promise under Ephraims banner. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles but also set about to the Jew first and many rejected Paul's preaching.

God then concluded all of Israel in blindness and turned to the Gentiles. Ephraim had rejected his birthright just like Esau, and God gave it to someone who wanted it, the Gentiles. But, God only postponed the day of their salvation to the end time. When He does save Israel, the Jews in the nations known as Ephraim will be saved first. So spiritually, the Gentiles who are saved are included in the promise given to EPHRAIM, but only by faith. We are the Bride of Christ, not Ephraim, but are saved through Ephraim's birthright, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Christ we are the Bride of Christ.

The fullness of the Gentiles that Paul told us about, when he spoke of a mystery in Romans 11:25-32, will not be complete until all of Ephraim is saved. This is talking about the Jews, all twelve tribes that God has placed under Ephraim's banner, coming to Christ. These are the Jews outside of the nation of Israel, most of these live in America. The fullness of the Gentiles is simply the Gentiles who are saved because of the blindness of the Jew. But, when all of Israel is saved, the Gentiles will be saved because of Israel's preaching. Now, all of Israel will see. This is the mystery that Paul saw. While Ephraim is blind we are the Gentile Bride, but when Ephraim is able to see, and is saved, we will be no longer the Gentile Bride, but both Jew and Gentile will be ONE in the Bride of Christ.

The Gentiles have been included in Ephraim's promise of being the first born, but the time is coming when the nation of Israel (Jews under the banner of Judah) will be saved. And, then, everyone who is saved in this period will be included in the promise given to Judah, the last born. The Gentile Bride is in the first promise, but, after Judah is saved we will become ONE to become the Bride of Christ, period. There will be neither Jew, nor Gentile.

I have, until this time, believed that we were living in the time of the latter rain. But, now I know that we are in the former rain. The outpouring for the first born, or Ephraim's promise of First Born. But, now I know that the greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be during Ephraim's ministry, (doubly fruitful). After the whole house of Israel is saved, and while Jew and Gentile alike are taking the Gospel to the whole world, millions will come to Christ.

The emblem of Ephraim has always been the ox. In Revelation 4:7, we see this ox as a new born calf. This shows us that Ephraim, the Jews in the nations, have just been saved. This will happen right before the seven year tribulation, before the peace treaty. In Revelation 5:6, Jesus comes into their midst to open the seals of the tribulation. During the tribulation God will use Ephraim, the Jews in the nations, to reach the nation of Israel. During the second seal, under the Emblem of the Calf, we see missionaries in Israel in great numbers. There are Gentiles who will help in this effort.

In the third seal, Israel will be invaded, but will be rescued by two wings of a great Eagle. The two wings of a great Eagle will be the two witnesses from Revelation 11:3; and 12:14. These two prophets of God will help lead Israel out of danger into the nation of Jordan. They will then protect Israel from the anti-Christ with an earthquake and other plagues, while Israel escapes on ships and planes to the United States of America. Most of Ephraim (Jews in the nations under Ephraim's banner) live in the United States. The Jews from Israel will come to join their family in the West. This will be the putting together of Ezekiel's two sticks. America is the place that God has prepared in the wilderness to feed Israel for three and one half years.

When looking at Israel as they camped around the tabernacle in the wilderness with Moses, we see that the Emblem to the North was the Eagle. The Emblem to the south was the man. The Emblem to the East was the lion, and the Emblem to the west was the Ox.While looking at a map of the earth, we can see the ox in the West the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. These countries have more Jews and Christians than any place in the world. It is where Ephraim lives. In the East we see the lion. Judah, or the nation of Israel, is in the continent of Asia. Asia is considered the East. The New World is considered the West.

The flag, or banner of Ephraim, was on the West side of the tabernacle, which was the direction that Ephraim would go. When looking at a map of the world, you will see that it is the nations to the West of Israel that have been most blessed with the Gospel. Like America? America has more Jews than the nation of Israel itself. The mercy seat was on the West end of the tabernacle, that is the reason the Gentiles to the West of Israel have treated the Jew better than the other countries. The mercy of the Lord, shining to the West, caused many Jews to come to this part of the world to live. It is the reason for the birth of this nation, the United States.

There is more. When Israel was in the wilderness, their habitation, or living position, was different than it was in the Promised Land. In the wilderness, Ephraim lived on the West and Judah was in the East, but while living in the Promised Land, Ephraim lived in the North, and Judah lived in the South. God was telling us something. He was saying that as long as Israel was living outside of the Promised Land, Ephraim's habitation would be in the West and Judah's habitation would be in the East. This is exactly where they are today, and it is because they haven't accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and entered the Promise through Faith. When they receive Christ and receive the Promise, their habitation will change.

In the 4^th chapter, these four beasts, which represent the twelve tribes of Israel, are gathered around the throne of God. This shows us their relationship with God at this time. God has restored His presence to Israel once again, and is now ready to give her Children to God. In verse 5, we see the twelve tribes, worshipping and praising God, looking for His coming.

Here, again, I would like to mention that the four beasts were the symbols on the four flags of Israel. Each one of these banners represented Jesus. But, I do not believe that they, themselves, realized it. The ox was the shadow of Jesus becoming the supreme sacrifice for sin. The face of a man was a shadow of the life that Jesus lived on earth as a man. The lion was a shadow of Jesus becoming the lion of the tribe of Judah when He fights for Israel. The eagle was a shadow of Jesus as the supreme leader of the greatest nation in the world, the Kingdom of God. The great speckled bird in the Bible was an eagle, representing the Church, made up of every race in the earth.

In Ezekiel, these creatures left Israel, taking the Glory of God with them. But, the ox did not leave, which means that, at the time Jesus went to the cross as the sacrifice for sin, the ox, or sacrifice, would remain with Israel. The ox has never left Israel, and there have been a few Jewish people accept Him down through the ages. But, these seven years coming up, will be the time that the whole Remnant of God, Israel, will be saved through this sacrifice.

When we arrange these children of Israel under their banners, we can find the mystery of the first four seals

These four beasts announce the four horsemen of the first four seals of Revelation 6. If we take a look at these four beasts first, we will see that they tell of Israel's rebirth by the Spirit of God, and also tell us about certain events that will occur in Israel during the seven-year tribulation. By the end of these announcers, we will see that it will cover the whole seven year period. From their beginnings under the Law, at the beginning of the tribulation, to the rapture, and the return to this earth with Christ, to reign and rule with Him. She will then be admired by all the nations of the earth. These first four seals cover the whole seven year period of time. The other three seals will tell of special occurrences during the second half of the seven-year period.

THE FIRST SEAL

(The Lion says, "come and see!")

It is no wonder that this first seal begins with the Lion, which was the banner of Judah. The Holy land of Israel today, in God's eyes, is still under that banner. Here we see Him focusing His attention on this group of people once again. He has already saved the other half of Israel, the Jews in the Western Hemisphere. Now, He has focused on the East, and by the end of this seven year period, He will have brought the whole house of Israel together. Both East and West to be joined together with the Gentile Bride. Together, the Gospel will go to the whole world, in a final effort to save the world before Armageddon.

Here are the names of the first group of sons born under the banner of the Lion, the meanings of their names, and the prophecies that were spoken at their birth. By looking at these three sons, we are able to see what is happening in Israel, during the first seal in Revelation 6.

These are found in Genesis 29:35; 30:18; & 30:20

In Daniel 9:27, it says that the Antichrist will confirm the covenant with many for one week. In prophecy, this week is a week of years, or seven years. In Daniel 11:28, the Bible calls this, the covenant that he confirms, the Holy Covenant. No man can make a Holy Covenant. Only God can make a Holy Covenant. This covenant is the same covenant that God made with Abraham: that the land of Israel belongs to the children of Israel! He will not be the leader of world peace, but will be one of Israel's old enemies from the Middle East. His signing this agreement with Israel brings a great sigh of relief from them. They will believe that peace has been secured for them at last, and that God has accomplished this.

We can see how happy they will be feeling by looking at the son, Judah. His mother said, "Now will I praise the Lord." Praising God for peace at last, Israel will begin to turn to Him from the heart. What they are unaware of, are the warnings of Paul, "When they shall say peace and safety, then, sudden destruction cometh." The name Judah means praised. By this, we can see how all the nations praise Israel for working so hard to comply with all the demands of this peace treaty. Everyone is happy.

Israel will also feel that they deserve peace. In the name Issachar, we can see this feeling. "God hath given me my hire." In other words, we have been given what we deserve. Personally, I feel that they deserve it also. Also, we see their relationship with God by the meaning of Issachar's name, man of hire. This strongly suggests the rebirth of Mosaic Law, or works, for salvation. Israel will become so enthusiastic about the Law, believing that this peace treaty is a sign from Heaven, telling them that the Messiah will soon come to Israel.

We can see this in the name Zebulun. His mother said, "God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me because I have born him six sons."

God gives us a wonderful insight into a great mystery. Before the tribulation comes, the Jews in the Western part of the world will be saved. These are the Jews under the banner of Ephraim, or the Ox. If you remember, Ephraim and Judah are the divided house of Israel. The number six is very revealing, because six is half of twelve, and twelve is the whole house of Israel. These six sons means that half of the house of Israel has already been saved. In the second seal, we will see what an effect they will have on the land of Israel.

They also believe that surely the Messiah will come to them now. So, they will begin to plan on a place for Him to live. The rebuilding of the temple? The name Zebulun means, A dwelling place. They begin to rebuild the temple at this point, with much zeal, hoping to see the Messiah very soon. Zebulun's mother said: Now will my husband dwell with me! They will begin to expect this with great enthusiasm. Finally, their Messiah.

THE SECOND SEAL

(The Calf says, "come and see")

The second seal being under this banner of the calf has a very special meaning. The ox was the symbol, or banner, of Ephraim, or the Jews in the Western Hemisphere. These people have been born again through Jesus Christ before the tribulation began. Now, we see this ox as a brand new baby, a calf. Why? Because it will be these brand new born again Jews, along with the help of their Gentile Christian friends, who will be trying to take the Gospel to the nation of Israel under this second seal.

The reason that we know that these events will happen during the Second Seal is because the Second Seal is announced by the second beast, that is the Calf. The Calf is Ephraim’s emblem or banner; it is a baby ox. This shows that Ephraim, the Jews who live in the Western Hemisphere have been born again, this is why it is a baby. This will happen to the Jews who live in America before the Tribulation. The reason they announce this seal is because they will play a major part in reaching the Jews in Israel with the Gospel. We also know that three things are going to happen in Israel because of the names of the three tribes of Israel that were under this Western Banner. We also know what the Antichrist is doing because of the information given in the Second Seal.

Revelation 6:3: And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4: And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Here are the names of the second group of sons, born under the banner of the calf, the meanings of their names, and the prophecies that were spoken at their birth. By looking at these three sons, we are able to see what is happening in Israel during the second seal, in Revelation 6.

These are found in Genesis 35:16-19, Gen. 41:51, Gen:41:52

In the second seal, we begin to see another change in the nation of Israel. God will begin bringing salvation, through the redemptive work of Christ. Missionaries from other nations will begin to preach the Gospel in Israel. A special group of Christian Jews will be born again under this seal. They will be despised and rejected by many people in Israel, but the impact of their message of the Gospel will be planted in every heart in Israel. This group of Christian Jews will be the 144,000, taken from every tribe in Israel, twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes. They will become the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. We see a picture of their salvation in the name of Ephraim, which means Doubly Fruitful. When he was born Joseph said,"For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."

Christ comes to Israel through the preaching of missionaries, and He is adding children to the Kingdom of God from the nation of Israel.There are several things about Ephraim that we must think about. One was what Joseph said at Ephraim's birth, "For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." Here we see the thoughts of Jesus as salvation begins to come to Israel, the land of his affliction, the place that he was crucified. Also the fact that the name Ephraim means, Doubly Fruitful. Remember Zech:9:12: Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;. Israel is repenting and God will pour out a double portion of His Spirit upon them as they receive the Gospel

Joseph was a shadow of Christ himself. When he was born Rachel said,"The Lord has taken away my reproach, and the Lord will give me another son." Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph's sons and Benjamin was his only true brother born from Rachel. So this whole group were the fulfillment of what his mother said. God has taken away the reproach of Rachel, Israel. This small group of Christians that are being saved through the preaching of the 144,000, and other missionaries, will be the beginning of the salvation of the Remnant of Israel, which is shadowed by the son, Benjamin. She also said that the Lord had taken away her reproach. These children being born to God do just that. Israel is not barren anymore! Praise the Lord!

Ephraim is a shadow of the 144,000 Jews who make a desperate attempt to convert Israel to Christianity. But, their stay will be short lived, because the dragon of Revelation 12, will, during the next seal, try to kill them. God will catch them up to His throne, and seal them against the plagues to come. But, the seeds they plant in the hearts of the children of Israel will later result in their salvation through Christ.

The next son, Benjamin, reveals more of what is happening. The name Benjamin means son of the right hand. This represents the beginning of the salvation of the Remnant of Israel. Remember that his mother tried to name him Benoni, meaning son of my sorrow?

Most of this Remnant will later be saved in a Gentile land, far from the Holy Land. The nation of Israel is very confused at this time. As you know by the first seal, they have become very dedicated to the Law of Moses. They are rebuilding the temple, expecting the Messiah at any time. All of a sudden, there are Christians popping up all over Israel. They fear that all of Israel will become converted to this Gentile God called Jesus. They will not understand what God is doing in Israel. They will become very sorrowful, because of all these children of Israel converted to Jesus. What they will not realize is that all of this is the work of God. Benjamin's name means Son of the right hand. The Remnant that God begins to save will be very much like Jesus, who is the Son of the Right Hand of God.