Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
Compiled by WD Kemner January 2024
Chapters 1
The Four Creatures
|
Ezekiel Chapter 1 verses 1-3 |
|
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. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, 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.
|
Ezekiel begins by establishing who he is and where he was during this time. It has now been five years since he was taken into Babylon as a captive. He is now receiving visions that are from God.
Description of the Four Creatures
This is an artist conception ONLY. Copyrighted and courtesy of artist Alex Pokos
|
Ezekiel Chapter 1 verses 4-14 |
|
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire 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. 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.
And every one had four faces,
and every one had four wings.
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 brass.
And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
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. 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.
And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
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.
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
|
Ezekiel identifies them as Cherubims later in Chapter 10:18-22.
There are 4 Kingdoms represented by the creatures:
Kingdoms of Men – Wild Animal - Domestic Animal – Fowl of the Air
Some commentators have made this comparison:
human being = intelligence, lion = sovereignty, ox = diligence and eagle = agility
There are similar descriptions of beings around the throne in Heaven in Revelations 4 and Isaiah 6.
|
Ezekiel Chapter 1 verses 15-25 |
|
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels 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. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. 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.
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. 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.
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 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.
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 an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
|
Matthew Henry (1662-1714) in his commentary of 1712 gives some interesting insight into Ezekiel 1:15-25.
|
Ezekiel Chapter 1 verses 26-28 |
|
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.
And I saw as the colour 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. 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 spake.
|
Like Daniel and later John, Ezekiel is given the opportunity to see the Throne of God and the Glory of the Lord.
“…appearance of a man…” God has the bodily form of a man. Ezekiel is doing his best to attempt to describe the brilliance of the Throne.
What words can be used to describe that glory to his fellow man in a fashion that allows him to see what the Prophet saw?
Chapter 2 contains what “the voice” commissions Ezekiel to do.
Chapters 2
The Commission
|
Ezekiel Chapter 2 verses 1-5 |
|
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
|
“…son of man…” is used throughout the book when God refers to Ezekiel.
Ii is simply a reference to Ezekiel being human. He is a descendant of Adam and is flesh. The term “The Son of Man” is used in New Testament in reference to Jesus Christ being “The Second Adam”. The definite article added to the term. Jesus became the replacement for Adam that sinned.
Ezekiel is to speak to the nation of Israel as spokesman for God. Whether they listen or not, is not Ezekiel’s responsibility.
|
Ezekiel Chapter 2 verses 6-10 |
|
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
|
Written on a scroll on both sides, that is the amount of lamentations and concerns for His people that needed to be said. Ezekiel was told to consume all the thoughts God conveyed in that document, so that he could take it to the nation of Israel.
All that information is what Ezekiel will share in the chapters to come.