Ezekiel 10

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This chapter is what Ezekiel saw.  This is the second time Ezekiel repeated what he saw with one detail that was different. The face of the ox is now called the face of the cherubim; those who have studied longer than myself notice the same. Each time I read about the vision of the 4 faces, I am not clear about what Ezekiel saw and that could be because I have nothing I can compare his vision to.  All I can say, is I believe what he saw is what he saw.

I read a few commentators and listened to a couple of them trying to see what they understood about chapter 10.  I gathered a small amount of understanding from them and I can see a little more or I understand a little bit of what Ezekiel was saying.

The theme is God is departing from His temple given to Him by man.  I can imagine a father who has done all he could for his children but they refuse to listen to him.  The father counseled in detail concerning his will for their lives, which included death.  God gave Moses every single Word we needed to know His plan of action.  Because man refused to listen to Him, He is carrying out the part they dismissed or did not believe.  God described every detail man needed and supplied the support to assist man at all times.  Judah being God's representative as a nation kept backsliding and finally, they sinned so much, that God had to bring things to a halt.  He is not utterly destroying the entire nation, but he is bringing a punishment that they were not prepared for.

In chapter 10 I see the Father walking slowly from His place of habitation in the temple.  He is standing at the threshold or entrance or exit of the temple giving instructions on what must be carried out.

Every living being that is in His presence is listening and carrying out His orders.  When God is present you can tell because there is unity.  As the Father leaves His children, He is making sure that the right punishment for what they have done is assigned and all eyes of those He is speaking to are upon Him.

The man in the linen reminds me of Jesus.  Each time I see Him through the vision of Ezekiel He responds as Jesus did in carrying out the will of the Father.

The man in linen played a major part in chapter 10.  In chapter 9 he was given the assignment to find the righteous in chapter 10 he is given the assignment to bring coals of fire.

Ezekiel describes the details of how organized things were in his vision and how attentive those present carried out the will of God.  Ezekiel described God in his beauty.  Everything around Him watched Him, and his beauty was just as beautiful as described in the book of Revelation.  He is beautiful and lovely and angry all at the same time.  God is not like man, He is God all the time, His attire of beauty remains spotless.  If we cannot understand the vision in detail in Ezekiel, let us understand that God will keep His Word.  To see God walk from the place that was dedicated to Him by Solomon is a sad view.  Although I may not have broken down every verse, I am saddened by knowing we are capable of breaking God's Heart.

If I could describe this chapter as a called-off wedding by the groom, I could see that in my understanding as well.  Yes, God is leaving, for now, but, He is not forsaking, He is only keeping His Word.

 

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. 

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.