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Ezekiel 1:15 The
appearance of the
wheels and their
workmanship was like
sparkling
beryl, and all
four of them had the
same
form, their
appearance and
workmanship being as
if one
wheel were
within
another.
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NIV:
CLICK to listen to a dramatic
reading of Ezekiel 1 by Max Maclean |
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The wheels have an
appearance somewhat reminiscent of gyroscopes – moving back and forth yet
without turning and all at tremendous velocity.
The interpretation by some
that Ezekiel's vision was a UFO is absurd for at the end of the vision he
identifies "the unidentified flying object" as having the likeness of the
"glory of the LORD"
and he "heard a voice
speaking". Nevertheless, you should be aware that in the end times
in which we live, many individuals interpret this first chapter as a clear
manifestation of an ancient UFO sighting. And so if you search the Internet
you will find statements like the following: The
"Old Testament
Prophet Ezekial (misspelled in the quote) watched a "wheel" descend
from the sky. The craft landed on the banks of the Chebar River where
Ezekial was taken aboard and flown to the Tel Aviv Mountains. The
full description of the object is found in Ezekial Chapter 1."
Let us
pray that the Spirit reveals the truth about the "glory of the LORD"
to all who are so tragically deluded and that the eyes of their heart might
be opened to "know that I am Jehovah"
so that they may turn from
darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they
may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been
sanctified by faith in" Christ Jesus. (Acts
26:18) |
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Ezekiel 1:17
Whenever they
moved, they
moved in
any of their
four
directions
without
turning as they
moved.
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WITHOUT TURNING AS THEY MOVED:
(9,12;
10:1-11;
Isa 55:11)
Craigie writes that
"the beings
bearing the divine chariot are inevitably reminiscent of the cherubic
figures that supported the ark of the covenant (1Sam 4:4) which was
kept in the temple in Jerusalem. And the chariot-like vehicle of the vision
recalls that the ark itself was called a chariot (1 Chr 28:18). And
suddenly, a part of the impact of the vision on Ezekiel becomes clear. He
was an exile, cut off not only from his homeland, but also from the temple,
the place in which the presence of God was believed to be present in a
particular way. Where the temple was, there the ark was, and there the
divine presence could be known. But Ezekiel was in the Babylonian wasteland,
far from the focus of the divine presence. Yet here, in his vision, the
symbols of God’s presence appear. And so it became clear to Ezekiel that to
be cut off from Jerusalem was not the same as being cut off from God. He
perceived that the Lord could not be confined to a particular place; here,
too, by the Chebar Canal, the Lord of heaven and earth could be experienced
as a living being...J. B. Phillips entitled one of his books Your God is
too Small —the title encapsulates the danger of a ...view of God that is
totally comprehensible, but much too small. If we fail to understand some of
Ezekiel’s vision, then paradoxically we have understood it in part! For its
essence is that God is ultimately beyond our comprehension.
(Ezekiel.
The Daily study Bible series Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press) |
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Ezekiel 1:18
As for their
rims they were
lofty and
awesome, and the
rims of all
four of them were
full of
eyes
round
about.
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AS FOR THEIR RIMS THEY WERE LOFTY
AND AWESOME: (Job
37:22-24;
Ps 77:16-19;
97:2-5;
Isa 55:9)
AND THE RIMS OF ALL FOUR WERE FULL
OF EYES ROUND ABOUT:
(10:12;
Pr 15:3;
Zech 4:10;
Rev 4:6
4:8)
Full
of eyes round about undoubtedly
symbolize an all-seeing God (Click
here for God's attribute of
omniscience),
reminding us that nothing is hidden from His sight or transpires without His
knowledge. This truth comforts the afflicted, obedient saint but afflicts
the comfortable, rebellious person be they saved sinner (saint) or lost
sinner.
2Chr 16:9
records that
the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth
that He may strongly support (Hebrew chazaq = be strong = the root word
in Ezekiel's name!) those whose heart is completely His.
This
prophetic warning concerning the "eyes of the LORD" was given
to good King Asa. Read the verse in context (2Chr16) to see if this knowledge of
God's ever presence gaze impacted King Asa and remember there's a bit of
King Asa in all of us, who in contrast to King Asa have not just a partial
but a full revelation of God. To those who is given much, much is expected.
The
eyes of the
LORD are
in
every
place,
watching the
evil & the
good."
(Pr
15:3)
(Click
here for every use of the phrase "eyes of the LORD")
"Can a
man
hide himself in
hiding
places so I do not
see him?"
declares
Jehovah. "Do I not
fill the
heavens and the
earth?"
declares
Jehovah" (Jer 23:23-24)
(Click
here for God's attribute
omnipresence)
Do the "rims...full of eyes"
make you snicker or do they make you tremble that you might impugn the Name
of the LORD Who is there?
Spurgeon
adds that
the Puritans believed in an ever-present God. Oh to be
able to feel God everywhere, in the little as well as the great, in our
rising up and our si tting down, in our going out and our coming in. I
cannot imagine a life more blessed or a spirit more related to the spirit of
the glorified than the mind and heart of the person who lives in God, who
knows and feels that God
is ever-present. If you
are in personal danger, or in the midst of a storm,
or facing illness, and
if you hear a voice saying, “Surely the Lord is in this place” (Ge 28:16)
you will be perfectly at rest." (See
Note) |
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Ezekiel 1:20
Wherever
*
* the
spirit was about to
go, they would
go in that
direction. And the
wheels
rose
close
beside them; for the
spirit of the
living
beings was in the
wheels.
|
|
WHEREVER THE SPIRIT WAS ABOUT TO GO: (12;
1 Co 14:32)
The
spirit - Although I
cannot find any major translation that capitalizes "spirit" (Hebrew =
ruach),
it is not unreasonable to interpret this as an allusion to the Holy Spirit
of God, especially this initial occurrence. In either event it is clear that
God is in control and the "throne chariot" goes where He directs.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING BEINGS
WAS IN THE WHEELS: (10:17;
Zec 6:1-8)
Even though the
supernatural workings of these wheels are beyond our ability to understand,
their responsiveness to the spirit of the cherubim is clear. God's chariot
has supernatural angelic power, not "horse" power like earthly
vehicles. At the will of God ("wherever
the spirit was about to go")
the cherubim moved the chariot-throne swiftly.
The New American Commentary (volume 17
Ezekiel) adds that the living creatures
followed the “spirit” in their
movement (v12, 20). This refers to the divine Spirit of the One who
sat on the throne above them, Who was directing and enabling their
movements. The Old Testament taught that the beings who surrounded Yahweh
were there to perform his will, and in the New Testament the Spirit is the
One Who enables all created beings to perform the will of God (Jn
14:5–31;
16:1–15;
Ro8:1–8;
Acts 2:1–38;
Eph 1:13–14). Block has argued
that the frequent use of
rûach (“spirit/wind/breath”) in Ezekiel warrants
calling him “the prophet of the spirit.” (It is found 52 times
Click here for verses, more
than in any other prophet. The longer Book of Isaiah uses it 46 times
Click here;
Jeremiah, only 18
Click here.) Although the term can have many senses (wind,
direction, side, agency of conveyance, agency of animation, agency of
inspiration, mind, sign of divine ownership) the use here as an
agency of animation is the most frequent in Ezekiel ... So the
cherubim were divinely appointed and empowered to do the will and work of
God. " |
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Ezekiel 1:21
Whenever those
went, these
went; and whenever
those
stood
still, these
stood
still. And whenever
those
rose from the
earth, the
wheels
rose
close
beside them; for the
spirit of the
living
beings was in the
wheels. |
NLT: When the living beings moved, the wheels moved. When the living beings
stopped, the wheels stopped. When the living beings flew into the air, the
wheels rose up. For the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
NIV:
When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still,
they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the
wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was
in the wheels.
Young's
Literal: In their
going, they go; and in their standing, they stand; and in their being lifted
up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels over-against them; for a
living spirit is in the wheels. |
|
WHENEVER THOSE WENT THESE WENT:
(19,20;
10:17)
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING BEINGS
WAS IN THE WHEELS: (Ro 8:2) |
|
Ezekiel
1:22
Now
over the
heads of the
living
beings there was
something
like an
expanse, like the
awesome
gleam of
crystal,
spread out
over
* their
heads.
|
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ASV: And over the head of
the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible
crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.
BBE: And over the heads of
the living beings there was the form of an arch, looking like ice, stretched
out over their heads on high.
CEV: Above the
living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it
reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out
toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against
its body.
ICB: Now there was something like a dome over the heads of the living
creatures. It sparkled like ice and was frightening.
NJB:
Over the heads of the living creatures was what looked like a solid surface
glittering like crystal, spread out over their heads, above them,
Septuagint: And the
likeness over the heads of the living creatures was as a firmament, as the
appearance of crystal spread out over their wings above.
Young's
Literal: And a likeness is over
the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the
fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above. |
|
NOW
OVER THE HEADS OF THE LIVING BEINGS WAS SOMETHING LIKE AN EXPANSE:
(26;
10:1;
Ex 24:10;
Job 37:22;
Rev 21:11)
Expanse
is the Hebrew word raqia also translated firmament and
in the Septuagint is translated with the Greek word "stereoma" which
refers to anything firm or solid, thus conveying the picture of stability,
firmness or steadfastness. Ezekiel saw in essence a "platform" over the
heads of the living creatures that was dazzling like crystal or ice.
This "something
like an expanse"
however was not an empty space. “Expanse” is the same word used
in Genesis when
God said, "Let there be an expanse
in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
(Ge
1:6)
That ”expanse“
was pictured as something solid whose function was to separate the waters above from the waters below. Here in
Ezekiel the expanse separates the creatures from the glory of the Lord.
David uses
raqia in the opening of the Psalm 19 writing
The heavens are
telling of the glory of God; and their
expanse
is declaring the work of His hands."
(Ps
19:1)
John gave a similar
description writing that
He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a
sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne,
like an emerald in appearance....and before the throne there was,
as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around
the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front
and behind." (see notes
Revelation 4:3...Revelation
4:6)
LIKE THE AWESOME GLEAM OF CRYSTAL
SPREAD OUT OVER THEIR HEADS:
Awesome
(or "terrible" in KJV, ASV)
Gill says refers to
the the appearance as
exceeding clear and bright, so that there was no
looking upon it, without the eyes being dazzled with the glory of it.
Henry writes that this picture was
truly glorious, but terribly so; the vastness and brightness of it put the
prophet into an amazement and struck him with an awful reverence. The
terrible ice, or frost (so it may be read), the colour of snow congealed, or
as mountains of ice in the northern seas, which are very frightful.
Crystal
is translated by the Septuagint with the Greek word "krystallos"
which is a clear rock.
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge adds that
crystal
is a very large class of silicious minerals, hard, pellucid, naturally
colourless, of regularly angular figures, and of simple plates; not
flexible, nor elastic, but giving fire with steel; not fermenting by acid
menstrua, but calcinable in a strong fire. There are three orders of pure
crystal. The first is perfect columnar crystals, with double pyramids, of
eighteen planes, in an hexangular pyramid at each end; the second is that of
perfect crystals, without a column, of twelve or sixteen planes, in two
hexangular pyramids; and the third is that of imperfect crystals, with
single pyramids, of ten or twelve planes, in an hexangular or pentangular
column. Terrible crystal seems to denote that which was well cut and
polished, vividly refracting the rays of light.
Clarke adds that the
appearance was
Like a crystal, well cut and well polished, with various faces, by which
rays of light were refracted, assuming either a variety of prismatic colors,
or an insufferably brilliant splendor." |
|
Ezekiel 1:24
I also
heard the
sound of their
wings like the
sound of
abundant
waters as they
went, like the
voice of the
Almighty, a
sound of
tumult like the
sound of an
army
camp; whenever they
stood
still, they
dropped their
wings.
|
|
I ALSO HEARD THE SOUND OF THEIR
WINGS LIKE THE SOUND OF ABUNDANT WATERS AS THEY WENT LIKE THE VOICE OF THE
ALMIGHTY: (10:5;
Job 37:2,4,5;
Ps18:13;
29:3-9;
68:33)
Like
the sound of abundant waters...like the voice of the Almighty
describes the sound of cherubim wings and bring to mind a thunderous rush of
heavy rain or the washing of surf on rocks (cf. (Ezekiel
43:2;
see notes
Revelation 1:15;
Revelation 19:6). In Revelation 1 a
similar phrase describes the sound of the voice of the glorified Lord Jesus
Christ, John writing that He was
like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and
girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair
were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of
fire and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to
glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters."
(see notes
Revelation 1:13;
1:14;
1:15)
A SOUND OF TUMULT LIKE THE SOUND OF AN
ARMY CAMP: (Da 10:6;
2Ki 7:6)
The wings of the creatures made an
awesome sound.
Observe how many ways Ezekiel describes
the sound of their wings
and don't do so without using your imagination. Ezekiel's senses of sight
and sound are being barraged with incredible sights and sounds. Can you
imagine what it will be like to see and hear this in glory! |
|
Ezekiel
1:25
And there
came a
voice from
above the
expanse that was
over their
heads; whenever they
stood
still, they
dropped their
wings. |
|
AND THERE CAME A VOICE FROM ABOVE
THE EXPANSE THAT WAS ABOVE THEIR HEADS:
In context this is the voice of God.
The striking elements of this vision communicate that Jehovah is a God of
splendor and great power, a truth that had been neglected in the days of
spiritual decline prior in Israel. |
|
Ezekiel 1:26
Now
above
* the
expanse that was
over their
heads there was
something
resembling a
throne, like
lapis
*
lazuli
* in
appearance; and on
that
which
resembled a
throne,
high
* up, was a
figure with the
appearance of a
man.
|
|
NOW ABOVE THE EXPANSE THAT WAS OVER
THEIR HEADS: (Mt 28:18;
Eph 1:21
22;
Php 2:9
2:10;
1Pe 3:22)
The divine throne was
above the expanse
over the cherubim, and there God--Who cannot be seen in His fulness by
mortal man--allowed Himself to be seen, not as a man but in "the likeness
as the appearance of a man," in order to to strengthen the resolve of
his young prophet and to as discussed in the next 2 chapters to give him a
clear message to proclaim.
The Treasury of
Scripture Knowledge has an excellent note recording that Newcome judiciously
observes
We need not allegorize the circumstances of this august vision too minutely.
Many of them augment the splendour of the scene, while others, no doubt,
have much significance; which should be pointed out rather by a correct
judgment, than a luxuriant imagination.
THERE
WAS SOMETHING RESEMBLING A THRONE: (Ps 45:6;
Isa 6:1;
Da 7:9
7:10
7:14;
Zech 6:13;
Mt 25:13;
Heb 1:8;
8:1;
Heb 12:2;
Rev 4:2
4:3;
5:13;
20:11)
Resembling
a throne indicates Ezekiel's difficulty in describing it's majesty and
grandeur.
The prophet Isaiah had a
similar "throne
encounter" prior to his call
to prophesy recording that
In the year of King Uzziah's death, I
saw the Lord sitting on a
throne, lofty and exalted,
with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him,
each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered
his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,
"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His
glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him
who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke."
(Isaiah 6:1,
6:2,
6:3,
6:4)
The prophet Daniel
described his "throne
encounter" writing
I
kept looking until
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days
(God the Father) took His
seat. His
vesture was like white snow, and the hair of
His
head like pure wool. His
throne
was ablaze with flames. Its wheels were a burning fire. A river of
fire was flowing and coming out from before
Him.
Thousands upon thousands were attending
Him
and myriads upon myriads were standing before
Him.
The court sat, and the books were opened....I
kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One
like a Son of Man
(Messiah) was coming, and He
came up to the Ancient of Days
(God the Father) and was presented before
Him.
And to Him
(Messiah) was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and
men of every language might serve
Him.
His
dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and
His
kingdom is one which will not be destroyed."
(Dan
7:9-10, 13-14)
This description is good to keep in
mind so that when we are in the midst of the storms of life, we will be able
to recall the truth that God is still on His throne and just as He was not
oblivious to the circumstances of Ezekiel or the Jews in exile, so too, He
is not oblivious to your circumstances, no matter what you may be
experiencing. Look up above the storms, where He sits enthroned. The
psalmist records that
The Lord has
established His throne in the heavens and His sovereignty rules over
all. (Ps
103:19)
Do you really believe
this is true? Remember all through this book, Ezekiel has encounters with
the living God and ends with the prophetic declaration that the "LORD is
there." Based on Ezekiel's experience, you should be
"convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor
any other created thing, shall be able to separate (you) from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (see
notes
Romans
8:38;
8:39),
and that you have "a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Pr
18:24), Who "Himself
has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that (you may) confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE
AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?" (see notes
Hebrews 13:5;
13:6)
Do you
believe this?
Ezekiel sees the throne
of God but it’s more than a chair. It’s a chariot or a throne on wheels –
powered by supernatural cherubim propulsion. Scripture tells us that the Ark of the Covenant
was a small scale replica of God’s throne in heaven and so it is interesting
that
1Chronicles 28:18
David specifies that in the building of the Temple of the LORD they were to
utilize
"gold for the model of the chariot,
even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the
covenant of the LORD."
NIV translates
this verse as
He also gave him
the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread
their wings and shelter the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
So
here we see King David refer to the Ark of the Covenant as a chariot
and in fact in Israel you see ancient depictions of the Ark often with
wheels. David gives us a perfect parallel of Ezekiel's vision in Psalm 18
writing that Jehovah
rode
upon a cherub and flew; and He sped upon the wings of the wind." (Ps
18:10)
Robert Morgan
writes that...
Recently I read an old book on prayer
called The Kneeling Christian, and one of the author’s points was this—we
too often rush into God’s presence seeking His grace before we have seen His
glory. Prayer, said the author, is first seeing God’s glory, then seeking
God’s grace. He suggested that it would be good to begin each day by singing
to the Lord a doxology that would bring to our minds His majesty: My God,
how wonderful Thou art! Thy majesty how bright. How beautiful Thy mercy-seat
in depths of burning light. If we’re going to serve God as we should, we
need to see Him as He is. We need an enlarged glimpse of His majesty, His
greatness, and His power. (Don't
Hang Up)
LIKE LAPIS LAZULI:
Lapis
lazuli is an azure-blue stone, prized since ancient times when cut and
polished for ornamental purposes.
"Lapis
lazuli" is the Hebrew word
sappîr, translated “sapphire” in some versions
(eg, NIV and even in the NASB in
Ezek 10:1).
The TWOT comments
that the people of biblical times probably did not
understand the word to be the very hard modern sapphire, but
lapis lazuli,
the rich, azure gem so common to the ancient world...This beautiful gem
was...desirable (Ezek
28:13)
though less precious than true wisdom (Job
28:16). It
adorned the breastplate of the high priest (Ex 28:18;
39:11).
Its great value can be seen in that it is used in the throne of God (Ezek
1:26;
10:1) and becomes the pavement under His feet (before Moses & the 70 elders
in
Ex24:10). It is little wonder, then, that it will be found in the very foundation
of the New Jerusalem (Isa
54:11; cf.
Rev 21:19).
Its beauty and preciousness made it useful to poetic language, such as in
Shulamite’s description of her beloved (SS
5:14)...The modern name
for the stone is lazurite—a sodium aluminum silicate and sulfide. Its
ancient source was the Afghanistan-Iran area north and east of Babylonia.
The vision of the throne is similar to
the experience of Moses and the seventy elders in Ex 24:10. The throne also
is mentioned again in Ezek 10:1.
A FIGURE WITH THE APPEARANCE OF A
MAN: (Ge 32:24-30;
Jos 5:13-15;
6:1,2;
Isa 9:6
9:7;
Jer 23:5
23:6;
Da 10:18;
Rev 1:13;
3:21;
14:14)
Something
resembling...which resembled...figure
are all the same Hebrew word (demuwth/demut) regarding which the TWOT
has an interesting comment
Although (demuwth/demut
Click for all 12 uses in Ezekiel) is
used only twenty-six times in the OT, it is a very important word. It
appears in the theophanic section of Ezekiel (1:5, 10, 13, 16,
22, 26, 28; 10:1, 10:21, 10:22) .... Ezekiel is very careful
never to say that he saw God, ĕlōhım (as did Isaiah in his
prophecy,
Isa 6:1, the object or content of Isaiah’s vision is ădōnāy ), but
only that he saw the likeness of God or the likeness of the entourage that
surrounds God. In such practice he is comparable to Daniel (Da10:16) and John in the Apocalypse (Rev
1:13)" (bolding added)
Even in a vision a mortal, sinful
prophet cannot come face to face with Him who “dwells in unapproachable
light” (1 Ti 6:16;
Ex 33:20).
Ryrie adds that
The description
suggests that Ezekiel saw a fiery brightness that had human shape and which
he knew to be living and personal (cf.
John 1:18).
However illuminating appearances of God were in OT times, they could not
effect redemption. God, not merely appearing as a man, but becoming man in
the incarnation of Jesus Christ so that He could die, was essential for the
work of redemption. Ezekiel could not have seen God directly or he would
have died. But seeing the glory of the LORD in Babylon assured him that God
had not deserted His people.
This human-like occupant of the throne undoubtedly
symbolizes the One who made us in His own image. Ezekiel's vision reminds us
that while we are made in God's likeness, but that we are also very unlike
Him. The
transcendence (click
Attributes of God) of the One on the
throne comes through in the guarded language, "with
the appearance of a man."
The "appearance"
was permeated with and surrounded by a glowing fire that produced the colors
of the rainbow. The portrait blended dazzling splendor but note the stark
lack of detail. The effect on Ezekiel was profound. Like Moses before him
and John on the Isle of Patmos after him, he fell on his face in worship.
And so should we after "seeing" this glorious vision of our
Lord in this chapter.
"The
LORD is
high above
all
nations. His
glory is
above the
heavens. Who
is like Jehovah our
God, Who is
enthroned on
high?"
Ps 113:4
113:5
(Spurgeon
on v4;
on v5)
"It
is He who sits above the vault of the earth & its inhabitants are like
grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain & spreads them
out like a tent to dwell in." (Isa
40:22)
I tend to agree with
Matthew Henry who writes
The eternal Son, the
second Person in the Trinity, who afterwards took the human nature, is here
denoted. The first thing observed was a throne. It is a throne of glory, a
throne of grace, a throne of triumph, a throne of government, a throne of
judgment. It is good news to men, that the throne above the firmament is
filled with One who appears, even there, in the likeness
of a man. The throne is surrounded
with a rainbow, the well-known emblem of the covenant, representing God's
mercy and covenanted love to his people. The fire of God's wrath was
breaking out against Jerusalem, but bounds should be set to it; he would
look upon the bow, and remember the covenant. All the prophet saw was only
to prepare him for what he was to hear. When he fell on his face, he heard
the voice of One that spake. God delights to teach the humble. Let sinners,
then, humble themselves before him. And let believers think upon his glory,
that they may be gradually changed into his image by the Spirit of the Lord.
Ezekiel's vision and his response recall the worshipful words of the
beautiful hymn by Frederick Faber
MY GOD,
HOW
WONDERFUL THOU ART
Play hymn
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My God, how wonderful Thou art,
Thy majesty, how bright;
How beautiful Thy mercy seat
In depths of burning light!
How dread are Thy
eternal years,
O everlasting Lord,
By prostrate spirits day and night
Incessantly adored!
How wonderful,
how beautiful,
The sight of Thee must be;
Thy endless wisdom, boundless power,
And glorious purity!
O how I fear
Thee, living God,
With deep and tender fear;
And worship Thee with trembling hope,
And penitential tears!
Yet, I may
love Thee, too, O Lord,
Almighty as Thou art;
For Thou hast stooped to ask of me
The love of my poor heart!
No earthly
father loves like Thee,
No mother, e’er so mild,
Bears and forbears as Thou hast done,
With me, Thy sinful child.
Father of
Jesus, love’s Reward!
What rapture it will be
Prostrate before Thy throne to lie,
And gaze, and gaze on Thee! |
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Ezekiel
1:27
Then I
noticed from the
appearance of His
loins and
upward
something like
glowing
metal that
looked like
fire
all
around
within it, and from
the
appearance of His
loins and
downward I
saw
something like
fire; and there was a
radiance
around Him. |
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AND FROM THE APPEARANCE OF HIS LOINS
AND UPWARD SOMETHING LIKE GLOWING METAL THAT LOOKED LIKE FIRE ALL
AROUND WITHIN IT: (Dt 4:24;
Ps 50:3;
97:2;
2 Thessalonians 1:8;
Heb 12:29;
Rev 1:14-16)
ROM THE APPEARANCE OF HIS LOINS AND
DOWNWARD I SAW SOMETHING LIKE FIRE & THERE WAS A RADIANCE AROUND HIM:
Brightness is associated with God’s
glory and holiness throughout Scripture.
Bible Knowledge Commentary writes that
Seated
on this shining blue throne was Someone who looked like a man. Ezekiel’s
gaze was drawn first to the upper part of His body and then to the lower
part. Though Ezekiel could describe the cherubim in detail, all he could say
of God was that He looked like glowing metal and fire. The splendor of His
glory was so bright that Ezekiel could see only His form before he was
forced to look down.
The RBC booklet on
Ezekiel comments that
The God of the vision had not been defeated by the gods of the Babylonians.
He was the Lord of lords who made the power and glory of Babylon look
insignificant by comparison. From our perspective, it may sometimes appear
that evil people keep God's will from being done. But from His perspective,
nothing happens that He has not foreseen and permitted and worked into His
plan. All of history is His story. In the face of the terrible events that
would soon befall Jerusalem, Ezekiel needed this assurance. So do we!"
(Knowing God Through Ezekiel)
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of the
Bible adds that
Ezekiel begins his message of judgment
... with the sovereignty of God. People in the ancient world
connected their gods with local areas and specific domains (see 1 Kings
20:23-28). A god was supposed to protect his domain, and if one city
conquered another, that meant that the god of the victor was greater than
the god of the vanquished. Many Jews also embraced this thinking, and
it led to two dangerous conclusions. First, they thought that Yahweh
was bound to protect Jerusalem. Second, if the city should fall,
it meant that Yahweh was weak and small. |
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Ezekiel
1:28
As the
appearance of the
rainbow in the
clouds on a
rainy
day,
so was the
appearance of the
surrounding
radiance.
Such was the
appearance of the
likeness of the
glory of the
LORD. And when I
saw it, I
fell on my
face and
heard a
voice
speaking.
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AS THE APPEARANCE OF THE RAINBOW IN
THE CLOUDS ON A RAINY DAY: (Ge 9:13-16;
Isa 54:8-10)
Rainbow is the Hebrew word qeshet, which described a war-bow
or weapon used to deliver arrows, with the associative meaning of potency or
power. The meaning seems to be that what was ordinarily an instrument of
war, and a symbol of vengeance, became a symbol of peace and mercy by virtue
of its now being set in the clouds. Against the black storm clouds God’s
war-bow is transformed into a rainbow by the sunlight of his
mercy and grace. God is at peace with his covenant people.
The
rainbow
is mentioned in only four circumstances in Scripture, and most appear to be
associated with God's mercy in a time of judgment (read in context
Gen 9:13,
Rev 4:3;
10:1). It is interesting that in Genesis the appearance of the
rainbow followed the judgment and was a sign of God's covenant never to
destroy the earth by water. Here in Ezekiel and in Revelation, the presence
of the rainbow precedes or is in the midst of the announcement of God's
judgment. In all these latter uses, however, the
rainbow is a sign of the glorious presence of God and in the context of its
first use in Genesis, a reminder that His mercy will triumph.
Ezekiel is reminded not only of a God who is near and who reigns, but also
of a God who is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. Deportation to
Babylon does not mean that God has dispossessed his people or that the
covenant has been abrogated.
As Cooper
writes
The opening
vision of Ezekiel’s ministry affirmed three significant truths about God
that are summarized in v28. First, the vision was a reaffirmation of
the nature of God as holy, powerful, and majestic. Second, the rainbow was a
reminder of God’s promise-making and promise-keeping character (Gen
9:13
16).
It was a re-kindler of hope that God could and would help. Third, it was an
assurance that nothing, including geographic location, separated one from
God." (The New American Commentary [Vol. 17: Ezekiel])
Here is a rabbinical
view of the meaning of rainbow (I don't espouse this view but present
it for interest):
To the biblical account, the rabbis added the notion that the rainbow was
created at evening on the sixth day of Creation, and that it did not appear
during the lifetime of a saint whose good life was sufficient to preserve
the world from destruction. To gaze directly at a rainbow risked injury,
since the bow was a reflection of the glory of the Lord. A prescribed
blessing was to be recited on seeing a rainbow: “Blessed are Thou O Lord our
God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to the
covenant, and keeps His promise.”
I can't argue with the last part of their belief. It is
always good to sing praises to our God and King.
SUCH WAS THE APPEARANCE OF THE
LIKENESS OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD: (8:4;
10:19
10:20;
43:3;
Ex 16:7
16:10;
24:16;
33:18-23;
Nu 12:6
12:7
12:8;
1Ki 8:10,
11;
1Co 13:12)
The glory
shines fully in the person of Jesus Christ ("the glory of God in the face
of Christ"
2Cor 4:6),
which is a constant theme in Ezekiel.
This was the indescribable glory of God and human speech failed Ezekiel. As
alluded to earlier, notice how many times he used words such as "as" (Hebrew
= ke); "resembling"; "looked like" (Hebrew = demut); "like" (Hebrew = kemareh); and "appearance" (Hebrew = mareh) in attempting to describe God's glory. The only
appropriate response to such a vision was to fall prostrate before it, as
Ezekiel did. At the time of this vision, the Temple in Jerusalem still
remained intact and the Shekinah glory of the LORD God dwelt in that place.
And so it is noteworthy that in Ezekiel's vision God’s glory appeared
outside of the Temple. Imagine the comforting and confidence building effect
on Ezekiel as he realized that God was not confined to any specific place, and that
God had chosen to
personally visit Ezekiel among the exiles.
Remember that it had been five years since
Ezekiel had been taken from Jerusalem and he was undoubtedly in need of a vision of
His God. This is likewise the need of
all who are mired in seemingly hopeless dark circumstances.
Right now as you
read these notes, do you find yourself in great need of a "vision"
of God? Study of the glory of God in the book of Ezekiel may be just the
prescription the Great Physician has to remedy your need.
Consider pondering other passages (e.g.,
Isaiah 6)
describing God’s glory. Ask God to help you see His glory in creation (Ps 19:1,
2)–
in a storm, in a sunset or in a starry night. Meditate on His glory as
revealed in Scripture while you listen to a favorite hymn or praise song.
What will happen as you behold the glory of Jehovah in His Word?
Paul says that
you will be
transformed (Greek = metamorphoo ~ metamorphosed
continually!) into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the
Lord, the Spirit." (2Cor 3:18)
Criswell writes
that
"Ezekiel was a faithful witness to all
that he saw. A good witness is marked by five essential characteristics: (1)
he has a sense of divine call which gives him his commission and authority (1:28-2:8); (2) he must be saturated with
the message of God (2:8-3:3); (3)
he shares the message, and does not receive it solely for personal enjoyment
(3:4-11); (4) he shares the word with compassion, identifying with the
plight of the hearer (3:12-15); and (5) he understands and accepts the
responsibility to warn those who are out of God's will, and to call them to
repentance (3:16-21)."
(Criswell,
W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson)
I love L. E. Cooper's thoughtful
comment on this chapter writing that
"When people are consumed by
insurmountable problems and buffeted by the storms of life, they usually do
not need another perspective on their problems. What they do need is a new
perspective on God as Lord of life and larger than all its difficulties.
Humanity in peril needs a sense of the awesome majesty of God. There needs
to be an awareness that God is greater than adversity. He is with his people
in the midst of their problems. This was a need of both Ezekiel and the
people to whom he ministered. They needed a new vision of and commitment to
the holiness and majesty of God. For this reason the opening vision was
crucial as the first revelation in the call
of Ezekiel to be a prophet to
the exiles....People often
want to blame the storms of life on God and forget that human sin brought
chaos in the world. This lack of accord is evident in the storms of nature
as well as the storms of human nature. The only hope for humanity is to
recognize God in the midst of the storms as one who can restore them to calm
(cf
Luke 8:24)."
(The New American Commentary [Vol. 17: Ezekiel]) (Bolding added)
AND WHEN I SAW IT I FELL ON MY FACE:
(3:23;
Ge 17:3;
Lv 9:24;
Da 8:17;
10:7-9
10:16
10:17;
Mt 17:5;
17:6
Acts 9:4;
Rev 1:17
1:18)
Even though God was not seen in His
full glory (cf
1Tim 6:16),
Ezekiel could only fall upon his face when he saw "the appearance of the
likeness" of His glory.
Scripture records a similar reaction by those who had
a personal
encounter with the living God --
Moses (Ex
19:16)
Job (Job 42:6)
Isaiah (Isa
6:5)
Daniel (Da 10:8)
the disciples (Mt
17:6)
Paul (Acts
9:4)
John (Rev 1:17)
No one in all of Scripture is recorded
on his face before Jehovah as often as Ezekiel (Click
for all 6 times he falls before Jehovah). Abram (Abraham) had
a similar experience:
"Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD
appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty (El Shaddai).
Walk before Me, and be blameless and I will establish My covenant between Me
and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face,
and God talked with him..." (Gen
17:1 ,17:2
17:3)
Do you ever fall on your face before
Jehovah in your private times with Him? Ask God to reveal His glory in His
Word and then respond appropriately and ready to hear what He says.
Larry Richards adds that
Ezekiel is overwhelmed and falls down. His awed
response is appropriate. Ezekiel is about to be called to ministry, and
those who minister must serve God in awe of His holiness as well as in
appreciation of His love."
(The Bible reader's companion. Includes index. (Eze 1:1). Wheaton, Ill.:
Victor Book)
So vivid was the image etched into
Ezekiel's mind that some 20 years later (573BC) he says that the
vision he saw then
was like the appearance of the vision which I saw,
like the vision which I saw when He came
to destroy the city. And the
visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I
fell on my face." (Ezek
43:3)
Ezekiel had seen the
true and living Most High God and was never the same. When we have a true
vision of God and see Him in His glory, we cannot help but realize that God
is so exalted, so awesome, and we are but dust and we cannot stand before
Him. We are filled with awe and fear and reverence. And when we know God in
that manner, we will live a life that is pleasing to Him, a life that honors
His name. We will not approach Him lightly, but with awe and reverence.
Concordia self-study
commentary has a well written note
At a time when all the stars of hope in the chosen
people’s skies were eclipsed by the brilliance of brutal, unrestrained
force, “the heavens were opened” (1:1). He whom “heaven and the
highest heaven cannot contain” (1 Ki 8:27) let His glory burst upon the
mundane scene in such blinding light and cosmic color as to rouse the most
dispirited from his gloomy stupor. He is not an idol locked up within the
walls of a shrine. He can appear even in the heartland of the conqueror’s
domain to assert worldwide dominion. The inanimate forces of nature are at
His disposal. At His beck and call stand messengers endowed with the power
of all animate creatures, both human and bestial. Chariots of fire, geared
to move instantly in any direction, are poised and ready to take off to the
four corners of the earth. When Ezekiel “told the exiles all the
things
that the Lord had showed” him ( 11:25 ), no one should any longer
have doubted the power of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to execute
His threats and keep His promises." (Roehrs, W. H.,
& Franzmann, M. H. Concordia Self-study Commentary. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House)
Explorer's Bible Commentary adds that
Ezekiel
was awestricken by God's holiness. The indelible impression of this
theophany would be a constant encouragement to Ezekiel in his difficult
ministry of announcing God's judgments on his own contemporaries. The
awesome holiness of God visualized in Ezekiel's commission would be a
backdrop against which he could see the wickedness of Israel and thereby
understand why God had to judge his sinful people. When the nations profaned
the Lord by claiming that Judah was in captivity because her God was weak,
Ezekiel would know that his God was greater than Babylonia's gods. Though
the Lord had chosen to discipline his people then, he would be victorious
over all the nations when he would restore Israel to her Promised Land."
Sidlow Baxter (Explore
the Book) writes that Ezekiel
lived and wrought in the light and power of (the vision
in chapter 1). We, too, need to live and work in the light and power of
this vision, or we shall faint at the
discouragements of the times. Servant
of Jesus, stand with Ezekiel again: get the sound of the wings and the
chariot wheels in your ears again....This is the ... vision which turns fear
to hope, and sighs to songs. May it be ever before our eyes!"
Richards draws a practical application
from Ezekiel's vision pointing out that
There are times when our attention is
drawn to spectacular settings—grand cathedrals, stained glass, crowds of
thousands singing, beautifully staged TV shows—all may perhaps enhance our
worship. But at times they may distract our attention from the Lord. The
challenge you and I face is to look above these “platforms” for worship, and
to view the intrinsic glory
of the One they are intended to honor. For our worship to be meaningful, we
need to see the Lord and, in awe of His splendor and love, fall down with
Ezekiel before Him." (The 365 Day Devotional Commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor
Books) I agree
with Allan McRae who writes that
the primary purpose of the vision in Ezekiel 1 , which
impresses some people as simply a picture of “wheels within wheels,” was to
impress upon Ezekiel’s mind the fact that the splendor, greatness, and
complexity of the gods of Babylon can be paralleled and surpassed by the
splendor and complexity of the God of Israel. Israel had been taken into
exile, not because the gods of Babylon were stronger than the gods of
Israel, but because the Lord chose to chastise His people....other
visions of this same figure were given Ezekiel at later times (e.g.,
Ezek. 3:23 ;
Ezek. 8:4 ;
Ezek. 10:15–22 ;
Ezek. 43:3 ) in order to
impress again upon his mind the fact that the God whom he represented was in
no way inferior to the gods of Babylon." ("The Key to
Ezekiel's First 30 Chapters" in Bibliotheca Sacra:1996, Page 233. Dallas
Theological Seminary.)
I HEARD A VOICE SPEAKING:
In the same way, after Isaiah's vision, he
heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for
Us?" (Isa
6:8)
Ezekiel’s call takes place in two stages. In this chapter (1:4-28) we see
the first stage in which the prophet received his initial vision and call
followed by an indication of the contents of his message (2:1-3:15). In the
second stage, seven days later, he was commissioned to be a watchman for the house
of Israel (3:16-21). |
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