Ezekiel 11:22-25

C. The Conclusion of the Vision 11:22-25

TRANSLATION

(22) Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. (23) And the glory of the LORD went up from over the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which was east of the city, (24) Afterwards, a spirit lifted me up and caused me to go like a vision by the Spirit of God unto the captivity. So the vision which I had seen went up from me. (25) And I spoke unto the captivity all the things of the LORD which He had showed me.

COMMENTS

The throne-chariot of God had paused at the eastern gate of the Temple court (Ezekiel 10:19). Now in his vision Ezekiel saw those cherubic wings begin to whir, and the entire throne-chariot with the glory of God over it became air-borne (Ezekiel 11:22). The heavenly chariot came down on the Mt. of Olives east of Jerusalem. From that same spot centuries later the Son of Man beheld the city, and wept over it (Luke 19:41); and from that hill He, the very embodiment of heavenly glory, ascended into heaven. It is not altogether clear why the Shechinah glory paused on the Mt. of Olives in the course of departure.[264] There is no need to trace further the journeys of the throne-chariot. Ezekiel had already seen it in Tel-Abib.

[264] Jewish tradition sees in this pause evidence that God was still looking for repentance within the city. Others suggest that the purpose of the delay was to enable the glory-cloud to direct the judgment of the city.

The long vision actually a series of related visions which commenced in Ezekiel 8:1 comes to an end in Ezekiel 11:24-25. In his vision Ezekiel felt himself transported by a spirit to Chaldea, the land of captivity. Immediately the state of prophetic ecstasy came to an end (Ezekiel 11:24). When Ezekiel awoke from his vision, he began to reveal to his fellow-exiles all that he had seen and experienced (Ezekiel 11:25). Therefore, the prophetic purpose of the visional experience was to serve, not as a message to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but rather to those in Babylonian captivity.