![]() "Man is exalted among creatures the eagle is exalted among birds the ox is exalted among domestic animals and the lion is exalted among wild beasts. The infinite energy, speed, intelligence, and abilities of the Almighty God appear here as in a flash of lightning, instantly, overwhelmingly, unfathomable, and awe-inspiring.įeinberg reports that the Jewish rabbis gave this comment on the four living creatures: The omnipotence, ubiquitousness, omniscience, and all of the other attributes of Deity are suggested and symbolized by this vision. We fully agree with Howie that, "A detailed discussion of the vision is not necessary or vital to the understanding of its meaning." We are certain that Ezekiel reported to us what he saw but, even so, there is no way that any fully accurate picture of this remarkable vision is conceivable on the part of any person whomsoever. This, of course, is the first part of the great vision of the glory of God. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches the fire went up and down among the living creatures the fire was bright and out of the fire went forth lightning. And they went every one straight forward, whither the spirit was to go, they went they turned not when they went. And their faces and their wings were separate above two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man and they four had the face of a lion on the right side and they four had the face of an ox on the left side and they four had also the face of an eagle. And they had the hands of a man under their four wings on their four sides and they four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings were joined one to another they turned not when they went they went every one straight forward. 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 a calf's foot and they sparkled like burnished brass. ![]() And out of the midst thereof there came the likeness of four living creatures. Overcome by this awesome vision, he could only fall down and listen to the voice speaking to him (26-28).Īnd I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glorying metal, out of the midst of the fire. Seated above this throne and surrounded by a rainbow was a fiery figure, human in outline but so dazzling that Ezekiel could not describe it. ![]() Above the heads of the creatures was a shining platform that supported the throne of God (22-25). When the chariot stopped, the creatures lowered their wings. When the chariot moved, the sound of the movement of the creatures’ outstretched wings was like a waterfall or thunder. Even the wheels were alive, for they shared the life of the living creatures (15-21). By now he could see clearly that the fiery object was a chariot, and the wheels enabled the chariot to move freely in any direction. ![]() At each corner of the square was a wheel, which actually looked more like two wheels, one at right angles to the other. Lightning flashed from something that looked like burning coals or a blazing torch that was contained in the middle of the square (13-14). The whole thing seemed to be alive and could move in any direction (5-12). Each had a human body but four faces, and their outstretched wings met to form the sides of the square. These living creatures were of an order of heavenly beings known as cherubim (see 10:20). Ezekiel would soon discover that the object was a fiery chariot, but his first observation was that it was in the shape of a hollow square, with a living creature standing upright at each corner. Just then he saw something that appeared to come out of the clouds (4). He was looking with particular interest at the startling changes of colour produced across the sky by the reflection of the lightning in the dark thunderclouds. The call came as Ezekiel was watching a storm approach across the desert. Instead God called him to be a prophet, who would take his message to his people in Babylon (1:1-3). But he had no chance now of returning to Jerusalem. He had been in Babylon five years and was now thirty years of age, the age at which he normally would have begun his priestly service in the temple in Jerusalem (cf. Ezekiel lived in a Jewish settlement that bordered the Chebar River.
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