Ezekiel

 

Ezekiel Chapter 1

  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel was a young man here among those that had been taken captive by the Babylonians. The verse referring to the 30th year is probably Ezekiel's age at that time. Notice the his age was the same as when John the Baptist and Jesus started their ministry.

Ezekiel ministered for about 27 years among the captives at Babylon arriving 9 years after Daniel had arrived. Ezekiel served as God's prophetic messenger at the same time as Jeremiah ministered the word of God back in Jerusalem. The Babylon captivity was to be 70 years.

God had not forgotten those who were still faithful to Him and awaited the day of redemption. Just as with Daniel He did not leave them in darkness but gave them a vision of that which is and that which was to come.

When God gives a vision it is usually for a purpose. He was commissioning Ezekiel to be a messenger to the rebellious house of Judah.

If we desire to see dreams and visions straight from the Lord, it will be for a purpose usually calling us into a service for God to give warning or to preach the gospel. It is never for the purpose of exalting a person higher than someone else. A real prophet of God usually suffers persecution for his message rather than become a Lord over his brethren.

  • Ezekiel 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

We can assume that these captives had been there five years already. The story of King Jehoiachin's captivity is in 11 Kings 24.

  • Ezekiel 1:3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

Here we see another one chosen of God to be His messenger. He was already a priest. Priests in the Old Testament were set apart to serve the temple and make intercession for the people for sin. This was before the great High Priest, Jesus Christ came to be the permanent intercessor between God and man. Before that there was a need of priests to act as a mediator or intercessor because the perfect way for men (women) to be cleansed from sin had not yet come.

Through Christ God made a wonderful way that each and every individual human being, male or female can go to God with prayers and supplications directly without a human intercessor.  Although He still calls out pastors, prophets and teachers for the perfecting of the assembly of believers, it is for the purpose of leading individuals to Jesus Christ and helping them to establish that one on one relationship with the Father for themselves. We should not have to continually rely on human intercession like a priest. Our pastors have a different type of service than the Old Testament priests did because Jesus became the only mediator between God and mankind.

Ezekiel was a priest but was also called to a prophetic office. Perhaps the term, "The hand of the Lord was upon him" is similar to a more modern term of "He was filled with the Spirit." 

This river Chebar flows into the Euphrates and is north of Babylon about 200 miles.

  • Ezekiel 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

A whirlwind, most probably similar to a tornado but not doing any damage. Notice this whirlwind came from the north. Many times in the bible we see judgment as coming of the northern direction. The fire enfolding itself could mean it was traveling in a circular pattern and the whirlwind was very powerful and moved rapidly. 

I'm reminded here of the cloud of fire by night and the cloud by day that was with the children of Israel when they were delivered from Egypt and went into the wilderness.  Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. Some believe Jesus will return in one at His second coming.  Isaiah 66:15 seems to indicate that. Also in the book of Job the Lord speaks to Job in a whirlwind.

  • Ezekiel 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

This is similar to the four beasts in Revelation chapter four. These are probably cherubim. They resembled a man in appearance. We can remember that man was made in the image of God so it is not strange to see angels or cherubim resembling men in appearance.

How awestruck Ezekiel must have been at this time to have had the opportunity to see a vision from heaven but we must remember that these types of visions carry with them a great responsibility to obey whatever God is calling one into after seeing the vision. They are always given for a purpose.

  • Ezekiel 1:6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

Each being had four faces. These are cherubim created to show the holiness of God and show holy worship of God.

Some have speculated that the faces represent the four gospels but there is no proof of that anywhere in scripture, however I will point out how some come to that conclusion, bearing in mind that we must not add to scripture our own theology and ideas if not thoroughly supported by other scriptures that bear out that truth. So this is just speculation.

  1. Matthew emphasizes the Messiah of Israel as the lion of the tribe of Judah. Matthew's name is also Levi which was the tribe that was chosen for the priesthood service in the days of the law of Moses. Matthew's gospel is primarily for the Jews or Israel. 

  2. Mark emphasizes the service of the Lord and we can think of the Ox in that respect.

  3. Luke covers the descendants from Adam to Christ and emphasizes Christ as the Son of Man. One of the faces is a man.

  4. John emphasizes the deity of Christ - the eagle. 

Again I stress that the above explanations are speculation only by some scholars.

The beasts in Revelation were only described as have one face but each face was the same as all four faces described in Ezekiel.

I'm thinking that the Revelation beasts may be the same ones but John did not see all four faces only one on each beast. That is only speculation on my part though. It could be the one in Revelation was different than this one but I believe them to be the same just being described by two different people.

If we take down accounts of witnesses to some accident or event, the accounts will usually be similar but different in certain points. One person may notice something that another witness missed. That is why God gives us such a great cloud of witnesses to the message of the gospel. They all say the same things but have a different way of saying it and some remember things others left out.

The bible is a fascinating book to study. I find that it can be its own interpreter if studied diligently.

Ezekiel saw each creature with four wings whereas John saw each creature with six wings.

  • Ezekiel 1:7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

Ezekiel first saw the color of Amber, a yellow-orange fire and the feet shined like burnished brass as opposed to a dull brass.

John's vision of Jesus's feet was similar but I'm do not think this vision of Ezekiel's is Jesus.

  • Revelation 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

This is really a strange vision but very real.

  • Ezekiel 1:8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

Now we notice they had hands as well as wings. It might be that John noticed more of the purpose of the beasts and Ezekiel noticed a more detailed description of them.

  • Ezekiel 1:9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

This seems to indicate that they were joined together for a united purpose and nothing would hinder them from that purpose. The beasts in Revelation gave glory to God and their whole purpose seemed to be to honor and praise God for His marvelous works of righteousness.

  • Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

I tend to take this vision literally and do not believe it represents the four gospels or any other symbolic representation. I will only point out that the different faces are like the different stages in the creation but since it doesn't mention the fish or sea creatures it may not have anything to do with symbolizing the creation.

He created the fowls first, the sea creatures second, the beasts and then the domestic beasts. Last of all He made man to rule over all the rest. Whether these cherubim represent any of those things is mere speculation. God can create any type of beings He likes without us understanding what they are for.

Isaiah's vision also is similar:

  • Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
  • 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
  • 3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"
  • 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

We see so many similarities showing the holiness of God. It is so awesome.

  • Ezekiel 1:11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
  • 12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
  • 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

Whatever these creatures were they resembled heavenly beings because of the light and the brightness accompanying them.

  • Ezekiel 1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

They moved swiftly and quickly as lightning.

  • Ezekiel 1:15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
  • 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Beryl could have been a bluish green or similar colors.

  • Ezekiel 1:17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
  • 18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
  • 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
  • 20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

One thing I notice about this vision is how it portrays the holiness of God. God never changes. Notice that it says in verse 17, they turned not when they went. Verse 20, they didn't go anywhere except where the spirit went. The spirit of God was in the wheels.

We too need to be filled with the spirit and learn to follow where He leads and not be swayed by every wind of strange doctrines of men but follow God's word which stays the same. God's spirit will lead us if we are willing to follow. 

These wheels that appeared as wheels within a wheel was where the spirit of the creatures were. They were full of eyes. John described the creatures he saw as full of eyes but did not mention any wheels. A verse in Proverbs is good to throw in here as an indication what the eyes were for but again that is speculation.

  • Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Nothing is hid from God at any time.

  • Ezekiel 1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
  • 22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
  • 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
  • 24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

This surely was an awesome vision similar to the one John saw in heaven. John also saw much light and brightness. He saw a sea of glass resembling crystal. Notice the firmament of crystal above the heads of the cherubim. I believe Ezekiel saw similar scenes as John except for the 24 elders.

  • Ezekiel 1:25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

John also heard voices, lightning and thundering from the throne of God.

  • 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.

He may be seeing God on His throne here showing that God is in control no matter what situation Israel may find itself in. God still has a purpose and a plan for the tiny nation of Israel even though they fail so many times. His promise to Abraham though still stands.

Sapphire is a stone that reflects different colors but mostly a light blue. How beautiful this must have been.

  • Ezekiel 1:27 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.

Ezekiel got to see God Himself on His throne showing that God resembles men. That makes sense seeing that we are made in His image.

  • 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 spoke.

  • Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

John also saw the appearance of a rainbow.

  • Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

The rainbow symbolizes the covenant God made with the man that He would not destroy the earth with a flood like in the days of Noah. However, He still has to bring judgment. He is getting ready here to send forth Ezekiel with a message to the captives of Judah and since we are reading this today, it is for us also. It would appear that our creator likes color, light and beauty since He created it.

Ezekiel chapter 2

Ezekiel Index

 
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