The twenty-four elders around the throne of God represent all the angels, whereas the four living creatures represent all other living creatures. The first, which is like a lion, represents the beasts; the second, which is like a calf, represents the cattle; the third, which is like a man, represents mankind; and the fourth, which is like an eagle, represents the fowl (v. 7). Of the six categories of living things created by God (Gen. 1:20-28), two are not represented here — the creeping things on the earth and the living things in the water. The head of the creeping things is the serpent, a symbol of God's enemy, Satan, who will be cast into the lake of fire and will have no place in the new heaven and new earth. The living things in the water are in the water of God's judgment, which will no longer exist in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1). Hence, for eternity these two categories are not represented before God.
Among the four living creatures, the calf is clean, but the lion and the eagle are unclean (Lev. 11:3, 13-19, 27). After being redeemed, they all became clean (Acts 10:11-16). Among them the calf and the man are meek and gentle, but the lion and eagle are wild and fierce. Through redemption they can all dwell together (Isa. 11:6-9). Christ's redemption is not only for man but for all things (Col. 1:20), for He died on behalf of everything (Heb. 2:9).