Reflections on Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 01 (Contemporary English Version)
1. I am Ezekiel--a priest and the son of Buzi. Five years after King Jehoiachin of Judah had been led away as a prisoner to Babylonia, I was living near the Chebar River among those who had been taken there with him. Then on the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year, the heavens suddenly opened. The LORD placed his hand upon me and showed me some visions.
   
2. (SEE 1:1)
   
3. (SEE 1:1)
   
4. I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal,
   
5. and in that center I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were somewhat like humans,
   
6. except that each one had four faces and four wings.
   
7. Their legs were straight, but their feet looked like the hoofs of calves and sparkled like bronze.
   
8. Under each of their wings, these creatures had a human hand.
   
9. The four creatures were standing back to back with the tips of their wings touching. They moved together in every direction, without turning their bodies.
   
10. Each creature had the face of a human in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left, and the face of an eagle in back.
    
11. Two wings of each creature were spread out and touched the wings of the creatures on either side. The other two wings of each creature were folded against its body.
    
12. Wherever the four living creatures went, they moved together without turning their bodies, because each creature faced straight ahead.
    
13. The creatures were glowing like hot coals, and I saw something like a flaming torch moving back and forth among them. Lightning flashed from the torch every time its flame blazed up.
    
14. The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire.
    
15. I then noticed that on the ground beside each of the four living creatures was a wheel,
    
16. shining like chrysolite. Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it,
    
17. so that they could move in any direction without turning.
    
18. The rims of the wheels were large and had eyes all the way around them.
    
19. The creatures controlled when and where the wheels moved--the wheels went wherever the four creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels were beside them.
    
20. (SEE 1:19)
    
21. (SEE 1:19)
    
22. Above the living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against its body.
    
23. (SEE 1:22)
    
24. Whenever the creatures flew, their wings roared like an ocean or a large army or even the voice of God All-Powerful. And whenever the creatures stopped, they folded their wings against their bodies.
    
25. When the creatures stopped flapping their wings, I heard a sound coming from above the dome.
    
26. I then saw what looked like a throne made of sapphire, and sitting on the throne was a figure in the shape of a human.
    
27. From the waist up, it was glowing like metal in a hot furnace, and from the waist down it looked like the flames of a fire. The figure was surrounded by a bright light,
    
28. as colorful as a rainbow that appears after a storm. I realized I was seeing the brightness of the LORD's glory! So I bowed with my face to the ground, and just then I heard a voice speaking to me.
    
    

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    The first three chapters of the book of Ezekial are devoted to the commissioning of Ezekiel to be God's prophet. Ezekiel was a contemporary to Jeremiah and was already in captivity in Babylon at the time of his commissioning. He was among a group of Judeans to be deported prior to the fall of Jerusalem. Thus, Ezekiel's prophecies in the first one-half of the book are devoted to the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Once Jerusalem fell, his prophecies, coming in the second one-half of the book, centered on Judah's future restoration.
    
    The stage is set in this first chapter for Ezekiel's commissioning by a display of God's majesty which Ezekiel saw in visions. Although he states in the first verse he saw visions of God, the creatures described in verses 5 and following were cherubims. These are angelic beings who were bearers of God's throne. On the ark of the covenant, which was a part of the tabernacle, there were gold images of cherubim guarding the mercy seat where the glory of the Lord dwelt. Ezekiel gives considerable detail to his description of these cherubim, each detail, no doubt, having a particular meaning. The movement of the cherubim was directed by God's Spirit: "Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, the creatures went in the direction the Spirit was moving." (1:20)
    
    Then, in verses 25 and following, Ezekiel describes his vision of God. He was seated on a throne that Ezekiel saw in an expanse above the Cherubim: "A voice came from above the expanse over their heads . . . The shape of a throne with the appearance of sapphire stone was above the expanse." (1:25-26)  Ezekiel described this being as having the "appearance" and the "likeness" of God. No one can see God directly without it causing their death.  When Ezekiel saw "the appearance of the form of the LORD's glory," he "fell facedown and heard a voice speaking." (1:28) Chapter two will tell us what the voice said.
    
    Having seen such an amazing vision of God and His glory, Ezekiel will be compelled to submit himself to God's call to serve Him. It should also serve to compel us as well to give ourselves into God's service.