Ezekiel - Searching For God's Glory (Prydden Family Devotional) Study Two
Ezekiel 1:2-24 – God’s glorious representatives
We now come to the first of Ezekiel’s visions – one of vital importance as it includes Ezekiel’s call to prophetic ministry, and, like various other callings of prophets, it outlines the particular ministry to which Ezekiel is to be called.
What is particularly charming about Ezekiel’s introduction to this vision, is that Ezekiel invites us to look with him into the extraordinary scene that is unfolding before him: “Then I looked, and behold…” v.4.
There are two aspects of this vision that are important to note: 1. The Representatives of God; and, 2. The Revelation of God’s purposes.
1. The Representatives of God
The descriptions of “the likeness of [the] four living creatures” that appeared out of the great storm approaching from the north (v.5) are confusing, baffling, curious, terrifying, yet of great significance. Later on in Ezekiel (10:1), we are helpfully told that these creatures are actually cherubim. These are angelic creatures who act as God’s attendants, fulfilling God’s commands, particularly those of an important nature. From these descriptions in Ezekiel 1 we can see that they reflect God’s own glory, and so can be seen as His representatives in the world as they carry out the work that God has given them.
The various descriptions of these cherubim, with their four faces facing away from each other, the four wings that connected them together, the fact that they did not change direction when they moved, and of the wheels inside of wheels can create quite a confusing image in our imaginations. This confusion can be seen in the array of artist’s impressions of these cherubim that can be found on the internet, many of which look very different to each other! One helpful example can be found at the following link, though this still raises as many questions as it does answers: https://image1.slideserve.com/1899077/cherubim-of-ezekiel-s-vision-l.jpg
What is clear is that these cherubim reflect something of the glory of God (v.13) and are formidable beings. There is a clear emphasis on their exceptional mobility. The four faces of the cherubim (v.10), that of a man, a lion, an ox, and a eagle, embody the highest attributes of living creation. The face of the man represents the strength of wisdom. The face of the lion, a wild animal, represents the strength of authority. The face of the ox, a domesticated animal, represents the strength of obedience. The face of the eagle, a bird, represents the strength of speed. The cherubim are clearly creatures of exceptional stature. When they set about to get to work there is nothing that we can do to stop them. We cannot outthink them. We cannot overpower them. We cannot outdo them. When God sends them to do a work, that work will get done.
A turn of phrase that is particularly intriguing is when Ezekiel describes these cherubim as having “a likeness of living creatures” (v.5). This may reflect that within Ezekiel’s vision, he sees the figures of these four cherubim as they really are, but also with added elements of symbolism, given to help Ezekiel decipher the meaning of this extraordinary vision.
· The images of cherubim within popular culture today, with the chubby children with wings and rosy, red cheeks, are very different to how they are presented within Ezekiel’s vision. Why do you think this is? Could it reflect the popular desire to turn God into a harmless figure of all love, all grace and all mercy, but of no justice, no holiness and no wrath – by making His representatives appear just like this?
2. The Revelation of God’s purposes
These cherubim, as well being seen as God’s representatives at work in the world, have come before Ezekiel to reveal the great work that God is about to commence concerning His people.
Beginning with the initial windstorm approaching from the north (v.4) – which just so happened to be where Babylon was located – upon the people of Judah, it is clear that there is going to be a time of great destruction for God’s people, all of which is the working of God.
It may seem bizarre, or even warped, that God would bring destruction upon His own precious people, who states again and again how much He loves them! But God is no ordinary Being. He is a God of perfect and absolute holiness. Holiness dictates that all sinful wrongdoing must be punished. This is called justice, and within a perfect and absolute holiness is found perfect and absolute justice. The sins of Judah have built and built over time, and now is the time for those sins to be punished.
The cherub wheels were designed with the ability to travel in all directions (to go anywhere), and though the wheel rims being “full of eyes” (v.18) sounds quite peculiar, it reflects that fact that God is not only everywhere, but He is able to see everything wherever He is. God sees all that there is to see, which for an exceedingly sinful people is a terrifying thought. God has seen all of their sins and now God is going to punish all of those sins.
· The fact that God is always with us, wherever we are, and His eye is always upon us, provides the Christian with all the comfort we could ever want to have, but have you considered that this same aspect of great comfort turns into a fearful thought when we commit sin? (Note that this aspect of God is perfectly good in and of itself. It is only in the act of our own sinning that subverts a good thing and turns it into a problem for us.)
The cherubim are described as having an appearance like burning coals of fire and are seen passing torches of fire and lightning (v.13). As the creatures move about, they are seen in appearance like flashes of lightning (v.14). This fire represents the work that the cherubim have been sent to do amongst the people of Judah. This fire is a holy fire, and it has the power to both destroy sin and purify from sin. The destruction of sin is a fearful thought for any sinner. The purifying from sin offers hope for the sinner, as the gold that is purified in fire becomes pure gold. Whether this holy fire is a destroying fire or a purifying fire for us depends on our relationship with the true source of this holy fire: Jesus Christ.
The spirit of judgement and of burning was descending upon God’s people. The people of Judah needed to know that their destruction at the hands of Babylon had come from their God. It was their God’s representatives, working out God’s purposes amongst them, destroying what is sinful and purifying what yet may be found to be good – if there is any good to find amongst them at all.
