The vision’s purpose

Last week we saw a glimpse of God’s glory revealed in Ezekiel’s first vision.

It was set in a cloud, representing God’s Holy presence. Four living creatures that resembled cherubim were the “characters” in Ezekiel’s story. He described their actions,

“Each one [of the living creatures] went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning” (Ezekiel 1:12-14)

Their appearance also described their movement.

Luke also referred to sensory details to describe the Spirit’s movement in Acts 2.

  • The creatures followed the Spirit of God.
  • Fire like burning coals moved between the beings.
  • Perhaps this was like the fire Moses saw in the burning bush, a fire that did not consume. (Exodus 3:2-3).
  • A seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal to atone for his sin and prepare him for ministry. (Isaiah 6:6) He was refined by fire.
  • These living creatures were set apart for God’s purpose.
  • A torch lights the way, and the living creatures in this scene were like burning torches—illuminating God’s glory.
  • John described Jesus’ appearance when God revealed Him to John,
  • “… These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze” (Revelation 2:18)
  • It appears Almighty God, Jesus the Son of God, and the Spirit are all present in this scene.

*What is significant about the four living creatures’ movement?

*What roles does fire play in this scene?

*What do we learn about God’s character in these verses?

 As Ezekiel continued to describe his vision, the next section almost repeats the previous verses. A closer look shows he used slightly different phrases to develop his message so listeners could form a mental picture of what they heard.

“As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around” (Ezekiel 1:15-18).

Word study provided a clearer picture of the wheels and their relationship to the creatures.

  • The wheels support the living creatures.1
  • Perhaps the image is of a creature on a chariot-like vehicle.
  • The rims of the wheels are convex.2 I wonder if these details about convex wheels apply.

Convex wheels assist steering and enable a vehicle to pivot easily.3

Convex wheels offer more room to maneuver.3

  • The wheels sparkle like topaz or chrysolite.4

    Caption: Olivine on Earth
    https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16218-olivine-on-earth
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA. California Institute of Technology. Oct. 30, 2012

  • It’s implied the Spirit is in the wheels.
  • “Awesome” refers to fear of God.5
  • The wheels are described as a wheel within a wheel.
  • Artists’ renderings often show something like a gyroscope.
  • Why did Ezekiel need a physics demonstration?
  • “A gyroscope is a device that can be used to tell when a moving object has changed direction.”6
  • God granted Ezekiel a visual representation of the Spirit’s movement.
  • The wheels have eyes all around—an image of the truth in Wisdom’s instruction:

“For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths” (NASB1995).

  • Solomon said it this way,

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

*What is significant about the wheels?

 The next verses confirm and add detail to the previous section.

“When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels” (Ezekiel 1:19-21).

Yes, the Spirit is in the wheels—stated twice.

The wheels physically demonstrate the creatures’ movement and direction, wherever the creatures would go.

The next part of Ezekiel’s description leads into the vision’s purpose.

“Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings” (Ezekiel 1:22-24).

  • Above the creatures was an expanse of sky, the heavens.7
  • Its awesome nature inspired fear, respect, and reverence for God.8
  • Imagine this sparkling “crystal” heaven above, a “shiny, gleaming ceiling.”9
  • Ezekiel wrote that he heard the sound of their wings.
  • He described it as the sound of rushing waters, like the voice of God Almighty.
  • This is “El Shaddai,” the God who fulfills promises.10
  • The Word of the Lord spoken to Ezekiel will come to pass.
  • He heard, and the word may also mean listen and obey.11
  • The fact he recorded this vision shows Ezekiel was a willing servant.
  • All the sounds Ezekiel described are only the prelude.

*How would you describe this scene in Ezekiel’s vision?

*How does he continue to reveal God’s character and glory?

The living creatures stood still, lowered their wings, and all was silent.

Silence called attention to what was to come: the voice of the Lord.

“Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire, and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking” (Ezekiel 1:25-28).

  • Ezekiel saw the throne of God.
  • It was made of lapis lazuli, a valued gemstone.

    Caption: GIA
    Gemological Institute of America (public benefit, nonprofit organization)
    “Large lapis rough can be fashioned into spheres or tablets. Lapis lazuli spheres are popular among collectors.” Robert Weldon. GIA site.
    https://www.gia.edu/lapis-lazuli-quality-factors

  • Carrie Whitney, Ph.D. and Austin Henderson compiled interesting scientific and cultural information about this material.12

*A lapis lazuli crystal is a rock aggregate of three minerals.

*It was associated with royalty in ancient Egypt.

*Ancient civilizations associated its brilliant color with the sky and heavens.

*Lapis lazuli is considered a symbol of wisdom, peace, and spirituality.

  • A figure like a man sat on the throne.
  • The creatures stood before the throne with lowered wings.
  • “…God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
  • He shone like glowing embers.13
  • Ezekiel compared the radiance around the man to a rainbow in the clouds.
  • A cloud symbolizes God’s presence, and a rainbow is a symbol of His promise. (Genesis 9:12-17).

It’s interesting that earlier Ezekiel compared the sound of the creatures’ wings to the voice of El Shaddai, the God who fulfills promises, and here he compares the radiance of the man’s appearance to a rainbow, a reminder of God’s promises.

  • This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
  • Ezekiel saw the honor, glory, and majesty of the Lord—I AM.
  • No wonder he fell facedown! It’s a wonder he lived to write the story.
  • Ezekiel heard God’s voice—and this is the word to listen, hear, obey.
  • We would do well to follow Ezekiel’s example:

*worship the great I AM

*listen, hear, and obey His voice

*What is the overall purpose of Ezekiel’s vision?

*What additional insight does Ezekiel provide about God?

*How might this vision lead us to worship God?

 

  1. Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003). 27
  2. Baker, 177
  3. Grand Prix Performance. “What’s the Difference Between Concave and Convex Custom Wheels?” Accessed January 19, 2024. https://www.grandprixperformance.com/what-s-the-difference-between-concave-and-convex-custom-wheels
  4. Baker, 1249; https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/chrysolite-chrysolyte
  5. Baker, 471
  6. Britannica Kids. “gyroscope.” https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/gyroscope/399490. 2024.
  7. Baker, 1078
  8. Baker, 470
  9. Baker, 1014
  10. Baker, 1105
  11. Baker, 1166
  12. Carrie Whitney, Ph.D. & Austin Henderson. “Lapis Lazuli: Crystal Properties, Origins and Uses.” HowStuffWorks. Updated: November 14, 2023. https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/lapis-lazuli.htm
  13. Baker, 389

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