Old Testament Commentary - Ezekiel 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 Ezekiel sees in vision four living creatures, four wheels, and the glory of God on his throne.
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 ^acaptives by the river of ^bChebar, that the heavens were ^copened, and I saw ^dvisions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the ^afifth year of king ^bJehoiachin's captivity^a, 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 ^ahand of the LORD was there upon him.	2^a the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity This would equate to being the fifth year of Zedekiah's reign in Jerusalem. Lehi's party would be in the valley of Lemuel encamped by the river of Laman and Jeremiah would be the prophet in Jerusalem still free to speak and roam about. The Book of Mormon date would have been about 595 BC and the Biblical date about 593 B.C. though these two will reconcile to be one and the same date.
God's Chariot of Fire Elijah was taken up to heaven in a 'chariot of fire' (2 Kings 2:11). Here Ezekiel seems to give a description of just such a 'chariot of fire' which has brought the Lord to speak with Ezekiel. That the imagery of the chariot does have relative meanings to be associated with it, there is also the fact that it was and that Ezekiel saw it as a matter of fact beyond the mere imagery of it. Some in more modern terms have prescribed the description in terms of modern aircraft or even space ships, others in more a more ancient mode have depicted it in terms of old fashion spoke wheels and of ancient design. And in a science fiction arena, it might even be presented as some sort of 'stargate' linking heaven and earth. But what is the truth of the matter is that most certainly it is of its own design, a design of God which is beyond man's earthly depictions either how simple or how complex they may present it.
4 ¶ And I looked, and, behold, a ^awhirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a ^bfire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living ^acreatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
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 colour of burnished ^abrass. 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. 9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went^a; they went every one ^astraight forward.	9^a they turned not when they went In a spiritual symbolic sense this might be taken to mean an unwavering course. From an aironautical sense this would mean a 'fixed winged' structure. From a comparison to a bird, it would mean that the wings did not flap. This suggest with an upright standing that of a 'rocket's wings' as far as vertical take off is concerned, though once vertical certainly horizontal wing lift would still be possible.
Symbolism and Imagery The thing about such symbolism as of the four beasts with four faces each is that such symbolism may take upon itself multiple or dualistic meanings of various depths as given to man at various times by the means of the spirit. Today this imagery or symbolism to me suggests that all things are representative, or may be found in Christ as witnesses of him. The four beasts each in the image of man are but of one man and that is the image of Christ to the four quarters of the earth. Or in other words Christ is the God of all the earth, four quarters makeing the whole of it. As to the four faces, they too are representative of Christ in his various positions and roles he presents to the earth. He is the Son of Man, in the image of the Father which is in the image of man, man also being in their image. The lion is that facet of he being as the Lion of Judah, a bloodline descendant of Judah via Boaz. The ox or calf being the representation of his being that ultimate covenant sacrifice of the atonment of the covenant through his being a legal and rightful heir of the covenant through the tribe of Ephraim (see: Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Ephraim). And he as the eagle of the Second Coming in his glory, coming in the midst of heaven flying to rule and reign over the earth. Each also are a perspective of his stages of his reigning over the earth, first as Jehovah of the Old Testament, a man the Son of Man, as of Judah, the Son of David of the birth and ministry of Jesus, but also this has the opposite face in Epharim the ox or calf which evolves through the atomement into the restoration and mission of Ephraim in the latter days in bring the gospel blessings to all the earth in preparation of the Second Coming, wherein he comes as the Eagle flying and appearing in heaven as the one true glorious God of Heaven and Earth as so appointed by God the Father.
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. 11 Thus were their faces: and their ^awings 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 ^alamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 ¶ Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one ^awheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 16 The appearance of the ^awheels and their work was like unto the colour 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. 17 When they ^awent, 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 ^aspirit 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.
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 ^afirmament upon the heads of the ^bliving creature was as the ^ccolour of the terrible ^dcrystal, 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 ^avoice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
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 ^athrone was the likeness as the ^bappearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of ^afire 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. 28 As the appearance of the ^abow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the ^bappearance of the likeness of the ^cglory of the ^dLORD. And when I saw it, I ^efell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.