1.
Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
1. The throne of Jehovah
appearing in the midst of the judgments implies that whatever
intermediate agencies be employed, He controls them, and that the
whole flows as a necessary consequence from His essential holiness
(Ezekiel 1:22; Ezekiel 1:26).
cherubim—in Ezekiel 1:26, called "living creatures." The repetition of the
vision implies that the judgments are approaching nearer and nearer.
These two visions of Deity were granted in the beginning of Ezekiel's
career, to qualify him for witnessing to God's glory amidst his
God-forgetting people and to stamp truth on his announcements; also
to signify the removal of God's manifestation from the visible temple
(Ezekiel 10:18) for a long period
(Ezekiel 43:2). The feature (Ezekiel 43:2) mentioned as to the cherubim that they were "full of
eyes," though omitted in the former vision, is not a difference,
but a more specific detail observed by Ezekiel now on closer
inspection. Also, here, there is no rainbow (the symbol of mercy
after the flood of wrath) as in the former; for here judgment
is the prominent thought, though the marking of the remnant in
Ezekiel 9:4; Ezekiel 9:6
shows that there was mercy in the background. The cherubim, perhaps,
represent redeemed humanity combining in and with itself the highest
forms of subordinate creaturely life (compare Ezekiel 9:6). Therefore they are associated with the twenty-four elders
and are distinguished from the angels (Ezekiel 9:6). They stand on the mercy seat of the ark, and on that
ground become the habitation of God from which His glory is to
shine upon the world. The different forms symbolize the different
phases of the Church. So the quadriform Gospel, in which the
incarnate Saviour has lodged the revelation of Himself in a fourfold
aspect, and from which His glory shines on the Christian world,
answers to the emblematic throne from which He shone on the Jewish
Church.
2.
And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
2. he—Jehovah; He who sat on
the "throne."
the man—the Messenger
of mercy becoming the Messenger of judgment (see on ). Human agents of destruction shall fulfil the will of
"the Man," who is Lord of men.
wheels—Hebrew,
galgal, implying quick revolution; so the impetuous
onset of the foe (compare Ezekiel 23:24;
Ezekiel 26:10); whereas "ophan,"
in Ezekiel 1:15; Ezekiel 1:16
implies mere revolution.
coals of fire—the wrath
of God about to burn the city, as His sword had previously
slain its guilty inhabitants. This "fire," how
different from the fire on the altar never going out (Leviticus 6:12;
Leviticus 6:13), whereby, in type, peace
was made with God! Compare Isaiah 33:12;
Isaiah 33:14. It is therefore not
taken from the altar of reconciliation, but from between the wheels
of the cherubim, representing the providence of God, whereby, and not
by chance, judgment is to fall.
3.
Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
3. right . . . of . . . house—The
scene of the locality whence judgment emanates is the temple, to mark
God's vindication of His holiness injured there. The cherubim here
are not those in the holy of holies, for the latter had not "wheels."
They stood on "the right of the house," that is, the south,
for the Chaldean power, guided by them, had already advanced from the
north (the direction of Babylon), and had destroyed the men in the
temple, and was now proceeding to destroy the city, which
lay south and west.
the cherubim . . . the
man—There was perfect concert of action between the cherubic
representative of the angels and "the Man," to minister to
whom they "stood" there ().
cloud—emblem of God's
displeasure; as the "glory" or "brightness" () typifies His majesty and clearness in judgment.
4.
Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory.
4. The court outside was full of
the Lord's brightness, while it was only the cloud that
filled the house inside, the scene of idolatries, and
therefore of God's displeasure. God's throne was on the threshold.
The temple, once filled with brightness, is now darkened with cloud.
5.
And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
5. sound of . . . wings—prognostic
of great and awful changes.
voice of . . . God—the
thunder (Psalms 29:3, &c.).
6.
And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
6. went in—not into the
temple, but between the cherubim. Ezekiel sets aside the Jews' boast
of the presence of God with them. The cherubim, once the ministers of
grace, are now the ministers of vengeance. When "commanded,"
He without delay obeys (Psalms 40:8;
Hebrews 10:7).
7.
And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
7. See on .
one cherub—one of the
four cherubim.
his hand— ().
went out—to burn the
city.
8.
And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.
8. The "wings" denote
alacrity, the "hands" efficacy and aptness, in executing
the functions assigned to them.
9.
And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
9. wheels—(See on ). The things which, from , are repeated from the are expressed more decidedly, now that he gets a nearer
view: the words "as it were," and "as if," so
often occurring in the first chapter, are therefore mostly omitted.
The "wheels" express the manifold changes and revolutions
in the world; also that in the chariot of His providence God
transports the Church from one place to another and everywhere can
preserve it; a truth calculated to alarm the people in Jerusalem and
to console the exiles [POLANUS].
10.
And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
10. four had one likeness—In
the wonderful variety of God's works there is the greatest harmony:—
"In human works,
though labored on with pain,
One thousand movements
scarce one purpose gain;
In God's one single doth
its end produce,
Yet serves to second,
too, some other use.
(See on ).
wheel . . . in . . . a
wheel—cutting one another at fight angles, so that the whole
might move in any of the four directions or quarters of the world.
God's doings, however involved they seem to us, cohere, so that lower
causes subserve the higher.
11.
When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
11. (See on ).
turned not—without
accomplishing their course () [GROTIUS].
Rather, "they moved straight on without turning" (so
Ezekiel 1:9). Having a face towards
each of the four quarters, they needed not to turn around when
changing their direction.
whither . . . head
looked—that is, "whither the head" of the animal
cherub-form, belonging to and directing each wheel, "looked,"
thither the wheel "followed." The wheels were not guided by
some external adventitious impetus, but by some secret divine impulse
of the cherubim themselves.
12.
And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
12. body—literally, "flesh,"
because a body consists of flesh.
wheels . . . full of eyes—The
description (Ezekiel 1:18)
attributes eyes to the "wheels" alone; here there is
added, on closer observation, that the cherubim themselves had
them. The "eyes" imply that God, by His wisdom, beautifully
reconciles seeming contrarieties (compare 2 Chronicles 16:9;
Proverbs 15:3; Zechariah 4:10).
13.
As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
13. O wheel—rather, "they
were called, whirling," that is, they were most rapid in
their revolutions [MAURER];
or, better, "It was cried unto them, The whirling"
[FAIRBAIRN]. Galgal
here used for "wheel," is different from ophan, the
simple word for "wheel." Galgal is the whole
wheelwork machinery with its whirlwind-like rotation.
Their being so addressed is in order to call them immediately to put
themselves in rapid motion.
14.
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
14. cherub—but in it is an ox. The chief of the four cherubic forms was
not the ox, but man. Therefore "cherub"
cannot be synonymous with "ox." Probably Ezekiel, standing
in front of one of the cherubim (namely, that which handed the coals
to the man in linen), saw of him, not merely the ox-form, but the
whole fourfold form, and therefore calls him simply "cherub";
whereas of the other three, having only a side view, he specifies the
form of each which met his eye [FAIRBAIRN].
As to the likelihood of the lower animals sharing in "the
restoration of all things," see Isaiah 11:6;
Isaiah 65:25; Romans 8:20;
Romans 8:21; this accords with the
animal forms combined with the human to typify redeemed man.
15.
And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
15. The repeated declaration of
the identity of the vision with that at the Chebar is to arouse
attention to it (Ezekiel 10:22;
Ezekiel 3:23).
the living creature—used
collectively, as in Ezekiel 10:17;
Ezekiel 10:20; Ezekiel 1:20.
16.
And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
16. (See on ; Ezekiel 1:19).
lifted up . . . wings—to
depart, following "the glory of the Lord" which was on the
point of departing (Ezekiel 10:18).
17.
When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
17. (Ezekiel 1:12;
Ezekiel 1:20; Ezekiel 1:21).
stood—God never stands
still (John 5:17), therefore
neither do the angels; but to human perceptions He seems to do so.
18.
Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
18. The departure of the symbol
of God's presence from the temple preparatory to the destruction of
the city. Foretold in Deuteronomy 31:17.
Woe be to those from whom God departs (Deuteronomy 31:17)! Compare 1 Samuel 28:15;
1 Samuel 28:16; 1 Samuel 4:21:
"I-chabod, Thy glory is departed." Successive steps are
marked in His departure; so slowly and reluctantly does the merciful
God leave His house. First He leaves the sanctuary (1 Samuel 4:21); He elevates His throne above the threshold of the house
(Ezekiel 10:1); leaving the
cherubim He sits on the throne (Ezekiel 10:1); He and the cherubim, after standing for a time at
the door of the east gate (where was the exit to the lower court
of the people), leave the house altogether (Ezekiel 10:18;
Ezekiel 10:19), not to return till
Ezekiel 43:2.
19.
And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20.
This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
20. I knew . . . cherubim—By
the second sight of the cherubim, he learned to identify them with
the angelic forms situated above the ark of the covenant in the
temple, which as a priest, he "knew" about from the high
priest.
21.
Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
21. The repetition is in order
that the people about to live without the temple might have, instead,
the knowledge of the temple mysteries, thus preparing them for a
future restoration of the covenant. So perverse were they that they
would say, "Ezekiel fancies he saw what has no existence."
He, therefore, repeats it over and over again.
22.
And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.
22. straight forward—intent
upon the object they aimed at, not deviating from the way nor losing
sight of the end (Luke 9:52).