Twenty-Four Elders

The Twenty-Four Elders are figures from the Book of Revelation who appear in the Revelations 4, 5, 7, 11 and 19 of the Christian Bible; they sit before God during Apocalypse with musical instruments and praise and worship him.

The same medieval and Renaissance artwork draws from Revelation 4, showing the Elders with Christ.

[1][6][7] The eagle, lion, calf and man may be the symbols of the Four Evangelists or their Gospels.

Wings are a symbol for time, since it flies; and the number six is descriptive of the six aras (spokes) or a half-cycle in which four and twenty Tirthamkaras appear and preach the Truth.

Plainly put, the significance of the secret teaching is only this that Life is Divine, and its divinity is manifested most perfectly and fully in the case of four and twenty Tirthamkaras, who appear in a half-cycle of time, consisting of six aras, and preach the Noble Truth to and for the benefit of the souls embodied in material bodies.

12th century A.D., France. The Portal Royal of the Chartres Cathedral , with Christ at the center, surrounded by the Four Evangelists with the 24 Elders of the Apocalypse above (with others).
Circa 1265-70 England. Douce Apocalypse - Bodleian Ms180. Angel with the seventh trumpet. Christ proclaimed by the elders. (Revelations 11: 15-17)
Illumination from the Book of Kells , showing the the Four Evangelists , Matthew (the Winged Man or Angel), Mark (the Winged Lion), Luke (the Winged Ox or Bull), and John (the Eagle).