Ezekiel describes the vision of God which he saw. It is one of the greatest visions of the Bible. To explain all in this vision is beyond any expositor. Much has been written on it which is extremely fanciful and ridiculous. The vision is mentioned repeatedly in the book. In the tenth chapter we meet it again. In chapter xi:22-23 the prophet beholds the cherubim and the wheels and the glory of the Lord God above them. The glory of Jehovah is seen departing from Jerusalem by way of the mountain which is on the east side of the city (the Mount of Olives). The last time this great vision is mentioned is in chapter xliii. "And behold, the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East; and His voice was like the voice of many waters; and the earth was lit up with His glory. And the appearance of the vision that I saw was according to the vision that I had seen when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell upon my face" (verses 2-4). We learn therefore that the vision Ezekiel had was the vision of the glory of Jehovah. This much is clear. The first chapter confirms this, for at the end of the vision the statement is made: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah" (i:28). That it meant judgment upon the unfaithful city is learned from the tenth chapter, where one is commanded to take coals of fire from between the cherubim and to scatter them over the city (compare this with Rev. viii:5). Then the Glory of Jehovah, Ezekiel had seen, departed from the city. It left Jerusalem and the land by the East (chapter xi:22-23). Ultimately that glory will return and cover the land once more (chapter xliii:2-4).
The vision was seen coming from the North. This is generally applied to mean the threatened judgment against Judea from Babylon. A storm cloud of divine indignation was about to burst on Judea out of the North, that is, from Babylon. However, another meaning is more than likely, inasmuch as Babylon was not directly north of Jerusalem. In Psalm lxxv:6 we read: "For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South." It is from the North, that is from above, that promotion, or help comes. In Isaiah xiv:13 the North is also given as the place of the throne of God. From out of the opened heavens from above, this great vision was sweeping before the eyes of the priest-prophet. The whirlwind, the cloud and the fire Ezekiel beholds first of all are symbols of the divine glory and often mentioned in connection with His manifestation. The Lord repeatedly appeared in a cloud. He led His people by a pillar of cloud and of fire. Sinai was enveloped in a thick cloud and Jehovah descended upon it in fire. David in describing a theophany mentions the wind, clouds and fire (Ps. xviii:8-13). Read also Habakkuk's great vision (Hab. iii). The whirlwind symbolizes Jehovah's indignation. Jeremiah had announced the coming judgment under the figure of the wind (Jere. iv:12-13). All Ezekiel saw as he looked up indicated the presence of the God of Israel and His glory, ready to deal in judgment with His unfaithful people.
Then the vision unfolds itself. First the living creatures are seen. The tenth chapter calls them by the name of cherubim. They are the same beings as described in Revelation iv:6-9. The cherubim are not symbolical figures but real beings, for they are called "living creatures." They are not angels but belong to another class. Four cherubim Ezekiel beheld with faces of the lion, the ox, the eagle and the face of man. Their position is beneath the Throne. But while they had these four faces (representing God's creation) they had the likeness of a man.
The likeness of a man as mentioned in Ezekiel's vision is significant. First, the cherubim had "the likeness of a man" (verse 5). Then the hands of a man were seen under their wings (verse 8). When Ezekiel beheld the throne itself, the throne of God, he saw upon the throne "the likeness as the appearance of a man." And this man upon the throne was enshrouded in glory, with the rainbow about him. "And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 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" (verse 27-28). That all this anticipates the Lord Jesus Christ, and His exaltation upon the throne, government and judgment being given into His hands, who is the glorified Man, cannot be questioned. The application of the faces of the cherubim to the fourfold character of our Lord as King, Servant, Man and Son of God is well known. However, judgment in the government of God is in Ezekiel's vision the leading reason of the prominence of these celestial beings. They occupy the same position in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. When the Lamb opens the first four seals, one of the cherubim speaks. These seals are judgments. In Rev. xv:7 one of these living creatures hands to the seven judgment angels the seven vials in which the wrath of God is completed. "And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever." In this solemn capacity they appear in Ezekiel's vision as the attendants of Jehovah's chariot and Jehovah's throne, which Ezekiel beholds above the expanse above their heads. All indicates that this is the right interpretation. For instance, verse 13. There we read of coals of fire, as they appeared; lamps, or as it ought to be rendered, flaming torches, and out of the bright fire came forth lightning. These are all symbols of judgment. "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning" (verse 14). It denotes the swiftness of the threatened judgment.
And then the wheels and their work, the wheels in which there was the spirit of these beings, their rims (not rings) full of eyes, the orderly movements of these wheels under the direction of the spirit, is seen in this vision. Much has been made of this. The most ridiculous interpretation was made several years ago when some teacher declared that Ezekiel had the vision of an—airship! The wheels are the wheels of the chariot upon which rests the throne of God. They are representing the purposes of God in His inerrant governmental dealings with the earth. God controls it all and His Spirit directs every movement.
"Intelligence, strength, stability, and swiftness in judgment, and, withal, the movement of the whole course of earthly events, depended on the throne. This living energy animated the whole. The cherubic supporters of the throne, full of eyes themselves, moved by it; the wheels of God's government moved by the same spirit, and went straight forward. All was subservient to the will and purpose of Him who sat on the throne judging right. Majesty, government and providence united to form the throne of His glory. But all the instruments of His glory were below the firmament; He whom they glorified was above.[2]"
That "the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain" is mentioned in connection with the Throne itself and mentioned last in the vision has a blessed meaning. It reminds us of Genesis ix:13-16. "I do set My bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of my covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.... And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." The judgment by water was past, and upon the dark storm-cloud, which had retreated, the beautiful bow, the sign of God's mercy, appeared. God always remembers mercy in His wrath. Israel's hour of judgment had come, but the bow about the throne promised mercy to His people according to "His everlasting covenant." Judgment-vision and predictions of judgment stand first in Ezekiel's prophecy; mercy, restoration and glory are revealed after the storm-cloud has passed. Thus Ezekiel beheld the Glory of Jehovah as He himself was commissioned by the Word of Jehovah to make it known to the people.
Chapter ii-iii:14.
I. Ezekiel's Commission.
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to rebellious nations which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, unto this very day. For they are impudent and hard hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith The Lord Jehovah. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee (chapter ii:1-8).