Why was it necessary that the redeemed company of God's people should be
represented by _four_ living creatures? Doubtless because it would
probably have been very difficult to select any _one_ creature combining
all the characteristics desired to represent all God's people of all
ages. It is also a significant fact that all the people of God on earth
were included in four great dispensations--ante-deluvian, post-deluvian,
Mosaic, and Christian; although it is not certain that _four_ living
creatures were selected for the special purpose of showing the number of
dispensations. However, this division of time is well established in the
Bible. Peter reckons a new world beginning with Noah (2 Pet. 3:6, 7),
stating that the old world had been destroyed. 2 Pet. 2:5. God came down
upon Mount Sinai and delivered the old covenant, thus marking a distinct
dispensation; while Jesus Christ established the new covenant and
ushered in the fourth and last dispensation. See Heb. 12:18-24. Under
the first dispensation, Abel by faith offered unto God an "excellent
sacrifice"; men "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26);
Enoch "walked with God" and "was translated that he should not see
death"; while Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," was "perfect in his
generation" and "condemned the world" by his preaching and obedience.
The second dispensation was graced with a faithful Abraham, who
"staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in
faith," from which circumstance he was called "the friend of God" and
has justly received the title "father of the faithful." In his footsteps
followed Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The law age contains the names
of many illustrious prophets of God, and the New Testament era abounds
with brilliant examples of faith and devotion.

The ministry of John the Baptist can not be said to form another
dispensation, because of its short duration (he preceding Christ but six