The Glory of God.
Ezekiel 1: 1-28
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves' feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.
8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads.
23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body.
24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings.
25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.
27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
What is known of Ezekiel is derived solely from this book that bears his name.
The meaning of Ezekiel is “God strengthens.”
The context of this passage is relating to the captivity of Israel by Babylon.
The Babylonian Empire attacked and overwhelmed the Kingdom of Judah on three separate occasions and they carried away captives:
· 605 B.C. – Jerusalem was attacked, and Daniel and other captives were taken to Babylon.
· 597 B.C. – Jerusalem was attacked, treasure taken from the temple, and more captives taken to Babylon.
· 587 B.C. – Jerusalem falls and almost everyone remaining in the kingdom was exiled.
Ezekiel was taken captive in the second attack, in 597 B.C. 2 Kings 24:12-16 describes this that led to Ezekiel’s captivity. There is no indication that he ever returned to Judah.
Ezekiel was training to be a priest in the temple at Jerusalem when he was taken into captivity.
It was whilst in Babylon among the exiles that he received his call to become a prophet (Eze 1:1-3). He was married (Eze24:15-18), lived in a house of his own (Eze 3:24; 8:1) and along with his fellow exiles, though confined to Babylonia, had a relatively free existence there.
Ezekiel was called by God to prophesy to the Israelite's amidst a time of false prophets who were prophesying the soon return to Jerusalem of all those in captivity. Ezekiel saw this as not submitting to the judgement of God and that God would give the true prophecies of real hope instead of the empty prophecies of the false prophets.
These first 28 verses are the account of Gods revelation through a vision of His glory.
The imagery of Ezekiel is not easy to grasp and very often causes Christians to abandon the book for the lack of understanding.
I think of the Apostle Paul when in 2 Cor 2: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows--
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
There are things earthy and things heavenly and it makes you wonder how an earthy man could explain the heavenly in understandable words.
God manifests Himself in the Bible in many ways that must have been difficult for the person to explain.
E.G. Moses and the burning bush.
Micaiah “saw the Lord sitting upon his throne” (2 Chron. 18:18).
Isaiah “saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (Isa. 6:1).
Ezekiel saw “the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and...the likeness as the appearance of a man above it” (Ezek. 1:26).
Ezekiel again had a similar vision (Ezek. 10:1).
Daniel “beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit” (Dan. 7:9).
It makes one wonder how we would explain a vision of God if He should ever appear to us.
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Here was a direct revelation of God, the heavens were opened, God reveals Himself to Ezekiel.
This is not the vivid imagination of Ezekiel. He actually saw this.
He even gives us the exact time and date of this visitation.
2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity,
Which is translated as the fifth day of Tammuz, which for the year 593 B.C. translates as July 31st.”
3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
This is not a vague revelation, it came expressly, (explicitly, directly, plainly, unambiguously, precisely).
What the scripture tells us, is that it came to Ezekiel, the Priest, whilst in captivity, in the land of the Chaldeans, on the banks of the river Chebar, in the year 593 B.C, in the month of July, on the 31st day.
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves' feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.
8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
This is what Ezekiel saw:
A whirlwind from the North.
A whirlwind often refers to God’s judgement on Israel by its enemies and the North is the direction from where the enemy will come.
Jeremiah 1: 14,15
Then the LORD said to me: "Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. 15. For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north," says the LORD; "They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah.
Later in chapters 38 and 39, Ezekiel prophecies about the Assyrian armies, the armies from the North coming against Israel in the Gog/Magog war.
It was as if God was revealing that this calamity had come upon Israel from the North as His judgement for their disobedience.
This judgement should not be despised but seen as just punishment for sin.
The false prophets were ignoring this fact and should have been preaching that the people should agree with God concerning their sin and repent and turn to God.
A true preacher speaking by the Holy Spirit, reminds men of sin, of righteousness and judgement.
This parallels with what is happening today in the church.
False teachers and false prophets preaching a salvation without calling people to repentance for sin. Telling them that they can get to heaven without recognition of their sin.
This is a false Gospel in the same way that these false teachers in Ezekiel’s time, telling the people that they can return to Jerusalem without agreeing with God concerning their sin without repentance.
No, if there is no repentance, there is no forgiveness. There was no going back until they recognized why they were there in the first place.
People are going to hell because they are sinners. Sinners cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
First they must recognize their sin, that they are captives to sin and then they must repent of that sin and turn to the one who is the only mediator between man and God, Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness.
Jesus said, “If you confess your sin, I am faithful and just and will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.”
V4 Raging fire engulfing itself.
Here is the presence of God, just in the same way that God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, engulfing itself but not being consumed.
Exdous 3:2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush [was] not consumed.
V5 four living creatures. the likeness of a man.
Here Ezekiel sees four Cherubim, those that surround the throne of God. Although he does not call them Cherubim here, we know this because later Ezekiel in chapter 10 he tells exactly this when relating this vision..
Eze 10:8-15 The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone.
10 As for their appearance, all four looked alike--as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
11 When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went.
12 And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around.
13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, "Wheel."
14 Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar.
V10 The four faces.
Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Interesting that these same faces represented the tribes of Israel and how they camped in the
wilderness.
Notice that the Ark of the Covenant was in the center and around it are the tribes of Israel.
Just like the Cherubim that surround the throne of God.
V16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings.
The wheels were like wheels within wheels.
17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions;
their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.
18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
“Ancient Jewish writers found in this passage what they called the "merkabhah", the divine throne chariot.”
The wheels remind us of the All seeing, All powerful, Ever presence of God.
Omnicient (All Knowing), Omnipresent, (everywhere at once). Omnipotent, (all powerful).
Gods glory is His and it is guarded by the Cherubim.
VV22 -28.
22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the colour of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads.
Here Ezekiel reveals the throne room of Almighty God and tries to explain it in human terms, which will always fall short of the reality of it.
It is difficult for us to imagine the awesome glory of God but in this passage, Ezekiel tries to give us a picture of God’s glory.
Ezekiel 1:26 "And above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it."
A Throne: A Man: The Godhead appears in the likeness of humanity, though God is a spirit. The Messiah, God incarnate, is the representative of the "fullness of the Godhead", so this can be a prelude to the incarnation of Messiah in His character as Saviour and Judge.
Ezekiel 1:28 "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so [was] the appearance of the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake."
The rainbow is a sign of God’s promises. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises.
The rainbow tells us that God will never flood the earth again. What God promises, He keeps.
The word "glory" (Hebrew Kabod), carries the idea of weight or magnitude or worthiness. When used of God, it speaks of His presence, power, splendour, and radiance, that manifestation of His divine holiness, beauty, that reveals Him worthy of worshipful praise.
Ezekiel falls on his face.
Another word for this is “shechinah” to denote the radiance, glory, or presence of God, "dwelling in the midst of His people,"
That glory shines fully in the person of Jesus Christ which is a constant theme in Ezekiel. "Fell on my face". John (in Rev. 1:17), had the same reaction to seeing the glory of the Lord.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
What does this mean to us today?
Israel was in a terrible situation, taken captives, the loss of their homeland, the loss of the freedom to practice their faith in the way they would like, they were in bondage and in danger of falling further away from the Lord.
On the surface, they were in a hopeless situation.
Yet in the midst of all this, does God abandon them, No.
He reveals His glory through His chosen prophet Ezekiel.
His Almighty presence is with them, He sees, He knows, He is still there for them if they will call on His name, if they will recognize their sin and repent and turn to Him.
No matter where we are in our lives, no matter what experience we are going through, God is Sovereign.
The Holy Spirit is ever present with us and in us because God has revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
We have seen His glory.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God is in complete control and this is enough for us to fall down and worship Him.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes.
We should not make the mistake or continue to make the mistake of trusting in earthly things, earthly relationships, our own powers or talents or beauty. For when these things fade and fail as they will inevitably do, we will despair.
What we all need to realize is that God’s glory is constant, and as we journey through life we will see it manifest here and there, in this person or that forest, or in an act of love or heroism, or our own personal lives.
It all goes back to God in the end and the only way to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ.
We will find the very source of all beauty in Him, in heaven, if we are in Christ. Nothing will be lost to us. All those things that faded in life we will find again in Him.
Romans 8:17-19
17 And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.…
We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son.
