E
Z E K I E L
CHAP. X.
The
prophet had observed to us (ch. viii. 4) that when he was in vision at
Jerusalem he saw the same appearance of the glory of God there that he had
seen by the river Chebar; now, in this chapter, he gives us some account of
the appearance there, as far as was requisite for the clearing up of two
further indications of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, which God
here gave the prophet:-- I. The scattering of the coals of fire upon the city,
which were taken from between the cherubim, ver. 1-7. II. The removal of the
glory of God from the temple, and its being upon the wing to be gone, ver.
8-22. When God goes out from a people all judgments break in upon them.
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The
Vision of the Cherubim.
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B.
C. 593.
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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. 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. 3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the
house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
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. 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.
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. 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.
To inspire us with a holy awe and dread of God, and to fill us with his fear,
we may observe, in this part of the vision which the prophet had,
I. The glorious appearance of his majesty. Something of the invisible world is
here in the visible, some faint representations of its brightness and beauty,
some shadows, but such as are no more to be compared with the truth and
substance than a picture with the life; yet here is enough to oblige us all to
the utmost reverence in our thoughts of God and approaches to him, if we will
but admit the impressions this discovery of him will make. 1. He is here in
the firmament above the head of the cherubim, v. 1. He manifests
his glory in the upper world, where purity and brightness are both in
perfection; and the vast expanse of the firmament aims to speak the God that
dwells there infinite. It is the firmament of his power and of his
prospect too; for thence he beholds all the children of men. The
divine nature infinitely transcends the angelic nature, and God is above
the head of the cherubim, in respect not only of his dignity above them,
but of his dominion over them. Cherubim have great power, and wisdom, and
influence, but they are all subject to God and Christ. 2. He is here upon the
throne, or that which had the appearance of the likeness of a throne
(for God's glory and government infinitely transcend all the brightest ideas
our minds can either form or receive concerning them); and it was as it
were a sapphire-stone, pure and sparkling; such a throne has God prepared
in the heavens, far exceeding the thrones of any earthly potentates. 3. He
is here attended with a glorious train of holy angels. When God came into his
temple the cherubim stood on the right side of the house (v. 3),
as the prince's life-guard, attending the gate of his palace. Christ has
angels at command. The orders given to all the angels of God are, to worship
him. Some observe that they stood on the right side of the house,
that is, the south side, because on the north side the image of jealousy was,
and other instances of idolatry, from which they would place themselves at as
great a distance as might be. 4. The appearance of his glory is veiled with a
cloud, and yet out of that cloud darts forth a dazzling lustre; in the
house and inner court there was a cloud and darkness, which
filled them, and yet either the outer court, or the same court after some
time, was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory, v. 3, 4.
There was a darting forth of light and brightness; but if any over curious eye
pried into it, it would find itself lost in a cloud. His righteousness is
conspicuous as the great mountains, and the brightness of it fills
the court; but his judgments are a great deep, which we cannot
fathom, a cloud which we cannot see through. The brightness
discovers enough to awe and direct our consciences, but the cloud
forbids us to expect the gratifying of our curiosity; for we cannot order
our speech by reasons of darkness. Thus (Hab. iii. 4) he had rays
coming out of his hand, and yet there was the hiding of his power. Nothing
is more clear than that God is, nothing more dark than what he
is. God covers himself with light, and yet, as to us, makes darkness
his pavilion. God took possession of the tabernacle and the temple in a
cloud, which was always the symbol of his presence. In the temple above there
will be no cloud, but we shall see face to face. 5. The cherubim, made
a dreadful sound with their wings, v. 5. The vibration of them, as of
the strings of musical instruments, made a curious melody; bees, and other
winged insects, make a noise with their wings. Probably this intimated their
preparing to remove, by stretching forth and lifting up their wings, which
made this noise as it were to give warning of it. This noise is said to be as
the voice of the almighty God when he speaks, as the thunder, which is
called the voice of the Lord (Ps. xxix. 3), or as the voice of the
Lord when he spoke to Israel on Mount Sinai; and therefore he then
gave the law with abundance of terror, to signify with what terror he would
reckon for the violation of it, which he was now about to do. This noise of
their wings was heard even to the outer court, the court of the people;
for the Lord's voice, in his judgments, cries in the city, which those
may hear that do not, as Ezekiel, see the visions of them.
II. The terrible directions of his wrath. This vision has a further tendency
than merely to set forth the divine grandeur; further orders are to be given
for the destruction of Jerusalem. The greatest devastations are made by fire
and sword. For a general slaughter of the inhabitants of Jerusalem orders were
given in the foregoing chapter; now here we have a command to lay the city in
ashes, by scattering coals of fire upon it, which in the vision were
fetched from between the cherubim.
1. For the issuing out of orders to do this the glory of the Lord was
lifted up from the cherub (as in the chapter before for the giving of
orders there, v. 3) and stood upon the threshold of the
house, in imitation of the courts of judgement, which they kept in the
gates of their cities. The people would not hear the oracles which God had
delivered to them from his holy temple, and therefore they shall thence be
made to hear their doom.
2. The man clothed in linen who had marked those that were to be
preserved is to be employed in this service; for the same Jesus that is
the protector and Saviour of those that believe, having all judgement
committed to him, that of condemnation as well as that of absolution, will
come in a flaming fire to take vengeance on those that obey not his gospel.
He that sits on the throne calls to the man clothed in linen to go
in between the wheels, and fill his hand with coals of fire from between the
cherubim, and scatter them over the city. This intimates, (1.) That the
burning of the city and temple by the Chaldeans was a consumption determined,
and that therein they executed God's counsel, did what he designed before
should be done. (2.) That the fire of divine wrath, which kindles judgement
upon a people, is just and holy, for it is fire fetched from between the
cherubim. The fire on God's altar, where atonement was made, had been
slighted, to avenge which fire is here fetched from heaven, like that by which
Nadab and Abihu were killed for offering strange fire. If a city, or town, or
house, be burnt, whether by design or accident, if we trace it in its
original, we shall find that the coals which kindled the fire
came from between the wheels; for there is not any evil of that kind in
the city, but the Lord has done it. (3.) That Jesus Christ acts by commission
from the Father, for from him he receives authority to execute judgement,
because he is the Son of man. Christ came to send fire on the earth
(Luke xii. 49) and in the great day will speak this world into ashes. By fire
from his hand, the earth, and all the works that are therein, will be burnt
up.
3. This man clothed with linen readily attended to this service;
though, being clothed with linen, he was very unfit to go among the
burning coals, yet, being called, he said, Lo, I come; this
commandment he had received of his Father, and he complied with it; the
prophet saw him go in, v. 2. He went in, and stood beside the
wheels, expecting to be furnished there with the coals he was to scatter;
for what Christ was to give he first received, whether for mercy or judgement.
He was directed to take fire, but he staid till he had it given him, to show
how slow he is to execute judgement, and how long-suffering to us-ward.
4. One of the cherubim reached him a handful of fire from the midst of the
living creatures. The prophet, when he first saw this vision, observed that
there were burning coals of fire, and lamps, that went up and
down among the living creatures (ch. i. 13); thence this fire was
taken, v. 7. The spirit of burning, the refiner's fire, by which
Christ purifies his church, is of a divine original. It is by a celestial
fire, fire from between the cherubim, that wonders are wrought. The
cherubim put it into his hand; for the angels are ready to be
employed by the Lord Jesus and to serve all his purposes.
5. When he had taken the fire he went out, no doubt to scatter
it up and down upon the city, as he was directed. And who can abide
the day of his coming? Who can stand before him when he goes out in his
anger?
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The
Vision of the Divine Glory.
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B.
C. 593.
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8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form
of a man's hand under their wings. 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. 10 And as for their appearances, they four had
one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. 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. 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. 13 As for the wheels, it was cried
unto them in my hearing, O wheel. 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. 15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is
the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. 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. 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. 18 Then the glory of
the LORD
departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
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.
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. 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.
We have here a further account of the vision of God's glory which Ezekiel saw,
here intended to introduce that direful omen of the departure of that glory
from them, which would open the door for ruin to break in.
I. Ezekiel sees the glory of God shining in the sanctuary, as he had seen it by
the river of Chebar, and gives an account of it, that those who had by
their wickedness provoked God to depart from them might know what they had
lost and might lament after the Lord, groaning out their Ichabod, Where is
the glory? Ezekiel here sees the operations of divine Providence in the
government of the lower world, and the affairs of it, represented by the four
wheels; and the perfections of the holy angels, the inhabitants of the
upper world, and their ministrations, represented by the four living
creatures, every one of which had four faces. The agency of the
angels in directing the affairs of this world is represented by the close
communication that was between the living creatures and the wheels,
the wheels being guided by them in all their motions, as the chariot is by him
that drives it. But the same Spirit being both in the living creatures
and in the wheels denoted the infinite wisdom which serves its own
purposes by the ministration of angels and all the occurrences of this lower
world. So that this vision gives out faith a view of that throne which the
Lord has prepared in the heavens, and that kingdom of which rules
over all, Ps. ciii. 19. The prophet observes that this was the same
vision with that he saw by the river of Chebar (v. 15, 22), and yet
in one thing there seems to be a material difference, that that which was
there was the face of an ox, and was on the left side (ch.
i. 10), is here the face of a cherub, and is the first face (v.
14), whence some have concluded that the peculiar face of a cherub was that of
an ox, which the Israelites had an eye to when they made the golden calf. I
rather think that in this latter vision the first face was the proper
appearance or figure of a cherub, which Ezekiel knew very well, being a
priest, by what he had seen in the temple of the Lord (1 Kings vi. 29), but
which we now have no certainty of at all; and by this Ezekiel knew assuredly,
whereas before he only conjectured it, that they were all cherubim, though
putting on different faces, v. 20. And this first appearing in the
proper figure of a cherub, and yet it being proper to retain the number of
four, that of the ox is left out and dropped, because the face of the cherub
had been most abused by the worship of an ox. As sometimes when God appeared
to deliver his people, so now when he appeared to depart from them, he rode
on a cherub, and did fly. Now observe here, 1. That this world is subject
to turns, and changes, and various revolutions. The course of affairs in it is
represented by wheels (v. 9); sometimes one spoke is uppermost
and sometimes another; they are still ebbing and flowing like the sea, waxing
and waning like the moon, 1 Sam. ii. 4, &c. Nay, their appearance is as if
there were a wheel in the midst of a wheel (v. 10), which
intimates the mutual references of providence to each other, their dependences
on each other, and the joint tendency of all to one common end, while their
motions as to us are intricate, and perplexed, and seemingly contrary. 2. That
there is an admirable harmony and uniformity in the various occurrences of
providence (v. 13): As for the wheels, though they moved several
ways, yet it was cried to them, O wheel! they were all as one, being
guided by one Spirit to one end; for God works all according to the counsel of
his own will, which is one, for his own glory, which is one. And this makes
the disposal of Providence truly admirable, and to be looked upon with wonder.
As the works of his creation, considered separately, were good, but all
together very good, so the wheels of Providence, considered by
themselves, are wonderful, but put them together and they are very wonderful. O
wheel! 3. That the motions of Providence are steady and regular, and
whatever the Lord pleases that he does and is never put upon new counsels. The
wheels turned not as they went (v. 11), and the living creatures
went every one straight forward, v. 22. Whatever difficulties lay
in their way, they were sure to get over them, and were never obliged to stand
still, turn aside, or go back. So perfectly known to God are all his works
that he never put upon to new counsels. 4. That God make more use of the
ministration of angels in the government of this lower world than we are aware
of: The four wheels were by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and
another wheel by another cherub, v. 9. What has been imagined by
some concerning the spheres above, that every orb has its intelligence to
guide it, is here intimated concerning the wheels below, that every wheel has
its cherub to guide it. We think it a satisfaction to us if under the wise God
there are wise men employed in managing the affairs of the kingdoms and
churches; whether there be so or no, it appears by this that there are wise
angels employed, a cherub to every wheel. 5. That all the motions of
Providence and all the ministrations of angels are under the government of the
great God. They are all full of eyes, those eyes of the Lord which run
to and fro through the earth and which the angels have always an eye to, v.
12. The living creatures and the wheels concur in their motions
and rests (v. 17); for the Spirit of life, as it may be read, or
the Spirit of the living creatures, is in the wheels. The Spirit of God
directs all the creatures, both upper and lower, so as to make them serve the
divine purpose. Events are not determined by the wheel of fortune,
which is blind, but by the wheels of Providence, which are full of
eyes.
II. Ezekiel sees the glory of God removing out of the sanctuary, the place
where God's honour had long dwelt, and this sight is as sad as the other was
grateful. It was pleasant to see that God had not forsaken the earth
(as the idolaters suggested, ch. ix. 9), but sad to see that he was
forsaking his sanctuary. The glory of the Lord stood over the threshold,
having thence given the necessary orders for the destruction of the city, and
it stood over the cherubim, not those in the most holy place, but those
that Ezekiel now saw in vision, v. 18. It ascended that stately
chariot, as the judge, when he comes off the bench, goes into his coach and is
gone. And immediately the cherubim lifted up their wings (v.
19), as they were directed, and they mounted up from the earth, as
birds upon the wing; and, when they went out, the wheels of this
chariot were not drawn, but went by instinct, beside them, by which it
appeared that the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Thus, when God is leaving a people in displeasure, angels above, and all
events here below, shall concur to further his departure. But observe here, In
the courts of the temple where the people of Israel had dishonoured their God,
had cast off his yoke and withdrawn the shoulder from it, blessed angels
appear very ready to serve him, to draw in his chariot, and to mount
upwards with it. God has shown the prophet how the will of God was
disobeyed by men on earth (ch. viii.); here he shows him how readily it
is obeyed by angels and inferior creatures; and it is a comfort to us, when we
grieve for the wickedness of the wicked, to think how his angels do his
commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word, Ps. ciii. 20. Let us
now, 1. Take a view of this chariot in which the glory of the God of Israel
rides triumphantly. He that is the God of Israel is the God of heaven and
earth, and has the command of all the powers of both. Let the faithful
Israelites comfort themselves with this, that he who is their God is above the
cherubim; their Redeemer is so (1 Pet. iii. 22) and has the sole and sovereign
disposal of all events; the living creatures and the wheels
agree to serve him, so that he is head over all things to the church.
The rabbin call this vision that Ezekiel had Mercabah--the vision of
the chariot; and thence they call the more abstruse part of divinity,
which treats concerning God and spirits, Opus currus--The work of
the chariot, as they do the other part, that is more plain and familiar, Opus
bereshith--The work of the creation.-- 2. Let us attend the motions
of this chariot: The cherubim, and the glory of God above them, stood at
the door of the east gate of the Lord's house, v. 19. But observe
with how many stops and pauses God departs, as loth to go, as if to see if
there be any that will intercede with him to return. None of the priests in
the inner court, between the temple and the altar, would court his stay;
therefore he leaves their court, and stands at the east gate, which led
into the court of the people, to see if any of them would yet at length
stand in the gap. Note, God removes by degrees from a provoking people; and,
when he is ready to depart in displeasure, would return to them in mercy if
they were but a repenting praying people.
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