CHAPTER 1. THE VISION GLORIOUS. In this chapter Yahweh is revealed as the God Who is over all creation, enthroned in divine splendour over the Universe, Who can work His will wherever and whenever He wishes. And yet at the same time He is the One Who is present with His people even in their exile,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives (literally ‘the captivity') by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.' Ezekiel regularly dates his visions, but usually in terms of the date of t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar, and the hand of Yahweh was on him there.' The captivity of Jehoiachin can be precisely... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JUGGERNAUT OF GOD (EZEKIEL 1:4). ‘And I looked, and behold a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire enfolding itself (or ‘flashing continually'), and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst of it as the colour of amber out of the midst of the fire.' He describes... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And out of the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance. They had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. And their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they went every one straight forward. Where the Spirit was to go they went. They turned not when they went.' The idea behind this is total obedience. Their one purpose was to do what God wanted. Nothing could divert them. They obeyed the prompting of the Spirit of God, as God prompted them fro... [ Continue Reading ]
‘As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. It went up and down among the living creatures, and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned (RSV ‘darted to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon earth beside the living creatures, for each of their four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the colour of topaz, and they four had one likeness, and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘As for their rims (‘rings') they were high and frightening, and they four had their rims full of eyes round about.' This may suggest the huge size of the wheels as it sped on, ‘high and frightening'. No wonder the whole thing could be described as terrifying, for it raced towards him like a great j... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And 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. Wherever the Spirit was to go, they went. There was the spirit to go. And the wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living crea... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firm level surface, like the colour of awesome ice stretched out over above their heads. And under the firm level surface were their wings, straight, the one towards the other. Every one had two which covered on this side, and eve... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they went I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty (El Shaddai), a noise of tumult like the noise of a host. When they stood they let down their wings.' As the chariot moved onwards Ezekiel heard the sound of the wings of the living c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there was a voice above the levelled out plate that was over their heads. When they stood they let down their wings. And above the levelled out plate that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. And on the likeness of the throne was a likeness... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one who spoke.' Having seen God, even though veiled, was something that stirred Ezekiel to the depths of his being, and was something he would never forget. It put the past and the future in a new light. He had seen God as the omnipotent... [ Continue Reading ]