WHEN YOUR WORLD CRUMBLES

EZEKIEL CHAPTER 1

June 15, 2014

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

USA

Malachi 3:10 10 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,”

Says the LORD of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.”

What’s the number one thing?

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1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of

God.

J. Vernon McGee

Thru the Bible Commentary, Vol. 25: Ezekiel.

Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991.

A Prophet for our Time: Ezekiel by Chuck Missler

Adventuring Through the Bible by Ray Stedman

The Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - Old Testament

Revelation 4

The Throne Room of Heaven 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And

the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying,

“Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat

on the throne. 3 And He Who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in

appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like

an emerald.

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4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-

four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their

heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and

voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven

Spirits of God.

6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the

throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and

in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf,

the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a

flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around

and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!”

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9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sits

on the throne, Who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before

Him Who sits on the throne and worship Him Who lives forever and ever, and cast their

crowns before the throne, saying:

11 “You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.”

EZEKIEL

CHAPTER 1

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The story of Ezekiel is the story of human life and the book begins with a

tremendous vision of God, because all life starts with God.

God is the greatest fact in existence!

Anyone who wants to think logically about life must always begin with God.

That is where the Bible begins.

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This book of Ezekiel begins, then, with a mystic vision of God.

The glory of the prophet Ezekiel was that he saw God more clearly than

any of the other prophets.

If your heart needs to be set on fire by the revelation of the character and

glory of God – then study Ezekiel.

He is the prophet who saw the great glory of God!

The book opens dramatically with the vision that Ezekiel saw by the River Chebar

(kebAWR), in the land of Babylon:

Ezekiel 1:1-4 NKJV

Ezekiel’s Vision of God

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of

the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar (kebAWR), that the

heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month,

which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,

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3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi

(booZEE “my contempt”), in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar

(kebAWR); and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great

cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and

radiating out of its midst like the color of amber (golden), out of the midst of the

fire.

Ezekiel 1:1-4 NKJV

In his captivity, Ezekiel lived at the River Chebar (kebAWR), which was the great

shipping canal branching off from the Euphrates above Babylon.

http://ehsworldstudiesjackoboice.wikispaces.com/file/view/riversofcush.jpeg/158270521/riversofcush.jpeg

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Used for irrigation, it was the primary settlement location of the Jewish

captives.

Rivers became a place they regularly gathered for prayer (see Acts

16:13).

Acts 16:13 13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer

was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met

there.

Apparently Ezekiel was there interceding with the other captives when the Lord

called him to his new ministry.

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Isaiah was worshiping in the temple when God called him (Isa. 6); Paul &

Barnabas were engaged in worship at Antioch when they received their call

(Acts 13:1-3).

When Ezekiel went to the prayer meeting, it was just like any other day; but the

Lord made it a turning point in his life.

We never know what a difference a day will make when we're in the right place

in the path of duty.

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In Ezekiel 1:2 one of the last kings of Judah, Jehoiachin (598-597 B.C.) has been

taken captive by the Babylonians (2 Kings 24:15) and lived in exile in Babylon.

King Jehoiachin's life is the best illustration of the maxim:

"During prosperity a man must never forget the possibility of misfortune; and in

adversity must not despair of prosperity's return" (Seder 'Olam R. xxv.).

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In verse 3, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in the form of a vision, and the

hand of the Lord laid hold of him and claimed him for special service.

The word of the Lord brings enlightenment and the hand of the Lord brings

enablement (see Ephesians 1:15-23).

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Ephesians 1:17-18 NKJV 17 “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the

spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your

understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His

calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”

Romans 5:1-2 NKJV 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through Whom also we have access (Hebrews 4:16) by faith

into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV 15 For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,

but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come

boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help

in time of need (when your world crumbles).

Romans 5:3-5 NKJV 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation

produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

There are not enough containers in the whole world to hold all that love.

In Ezekiel 1:4, what was significant about the windstorm coming from the north?

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Because of the weather patterns, storms usually came from the N or the NW and

because of geography, invasions from empires other than Egypt always came

from the N.

Like a windstorm, this was the direction one could look to for God’s judgment to

come, since the Assyrians and Babylonians both invaded from that direction.

Ezekiel saw bright light around the cloud and an enfolding fire, like molten

metal, within the cloud.

Both are reminders of the holiness of God, for “our God is a consuming

fire”.

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Ezekiel 1:5-14 NKJV 5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their

appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 Each one had four faces, and

each one had four wings. (Seraphim have 6) 7 Their legs were straight, and the

soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color

of burnished bronze. 8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four

sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one

another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight

forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four

had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on

the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their

faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one

another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each one went straight forward;

they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they

went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning

coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the

living creatures. The fire was bright and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the

living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.

In Ezekiel 10:15 and 20, Ezekiel identified the living creatures as the cherubim,

heavenly creatures first mentioned in Genesis 3:24.

Genesis 3:24 NKJV 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden

of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the

tree of life.

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Cherubim are mentioned throughout the Hebrew Bible (O.T.) and once in the N.

T. in reference to the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:5).

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Hebrews 9:3-5 NKJV 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the

Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant

overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the

manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it

were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we

cannot now speak in detail.

The four living creatures had the body of a human, straight feet like that of a calf,

four faces and four wings, with human hands under the wings.

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Of special interest are their four faces: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (Ezek.

1:10).

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Man is the highest of God's creatures, being made in the image of God.

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The lion is the greatest of the untamed beasts of the forest, the King of the

Jungle.

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The ox is the strongest of the domesticated beasts of the field.

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The eagle is the greatest of the birds and is even a picture of God (Deuteronomy

32:11-12).

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But there is also a connection here with the covenant God made with Noah (and

with us) and with every living creature after the Flood (Genesis 9:8-17).

Genesis 9:8-10 NKJV 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me,

behold, I establish My covenant with you (man) and with your descendants after

you (that would be us), 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds

(eagle), the cattle (ox), and every beast of the earth (lion) with you, of all that go

out of the ark, every beast of the earth.

The presence of the cherubim before the throne of God is assurance that God

remembers His promise and cares for His creatures.

This, then, is a revelation of the greatness and the majesty of God told in

symbolic form.

We can't interpret all of this, because there is much mystery about the person of

God.

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What Ezekiel sees is the power and the majesty of God.

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It is interesting that the four living creatures setting forth the character of God are

always described as having the faces of a lion, a man, an ox, and an eagle.

Throughout all of history these living creatures have symbolically represented

certain qualities of God’s character.

A lion is always a picture of sovereignty, of supremacy---"the king of the

beasts."

A man is the picture of intelligence, of understanding.

An ox is always the symbol of servitude, of sacrifice.

And an eagle is the symbol of power and deity, of soaring over all

creation.

Now the significant thing is that the four gospels present exactly these same

qualities in Jesus Christ.

He appears first in the Gospel of Matthew as the King---the lion, the king of

beasts, the sovereign of all.

He appears in the Gospel of Mark as the servant, the ox.

In the Gospel of Luke, He is man in his intelligence, in his insight, in his

understanding of life.

And in the Gospel of John He is deity (the eagle).

These four reflect the character of Jesus Christ.

Now, even though Ezekiel doesn't understand this, even though he doesn't

perceive the significance of his vision; he saw nonetheless the glory of God in

the face of Jesus.

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2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV 6 For it is God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in

our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of

Jesus Christ.

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Exodus 34:29-30, 35 - the skin of Moses’ face shone

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God reveals Himself through Christ and through us!

Ezekiel saw clearly the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 1:15-21 NKJV 15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth

beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels

and their workings was like the color of beryl (BER-əl),

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and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it

were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

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17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not

turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were

awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 When

the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living

creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever

the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels

were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the

wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and

when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with

them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Ezekiel 1:15-21 NKJV

These wheels looked like a yellow or greenish-yellow precious stone; they were

very high, as though reaching from earth to heaven, and their rims were

awesome and full of eyes.

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It was indeed an awesome sight, the huge wheels, the living creatures, the

enfolding fire, and the eyes in the rims of the wheels.

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So they could move with almost the speed of light.

Their movement was like a lightning bolt - the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Ezekiel is limited to using human language - trying to describe their

appearance.

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This is the third time Ezekiel mentions this, so it's obviously quite

remarkable to him.

He has not ever seen anything like this on the earth.

Ezekiel’s vision of the four wheels dramatically illustrates the omnipresence and

omniscience of God.

These wheels were associated with the “four living creatures” (Ezekiel 1:4), who

were later described (Ezekiel 10:5, 20) as cherubim, angelic beings appointed

as guardians of the holiness of God.

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Most Biblical scholars hold to the idea that the Spirit of God gave direction to the

wheels through direct knowledge of and access to the will of God.

(Instant obedience)

The wheels symbolize the omnipresence of God, while the eyes on their rims

suggest the omniscience of God, seeing and knowing everything.

This vision appeared to Ezekiel as a powerful imagery of movement and action

demonstrating the characteristics of God’s divine nature.

Ezekiel’s vision presented God as being on a chariot-like throne, His glory both

supreme and immanent, existing in and extending into all the created universe.

As such, the whole revelation by God in this vision to Ezekiel, i.e., the cherubim,

the chariot, the Spirit, and the wheels, emphasized their unity and coordination.

As terrifying as this vision was, it vividly displayed the majesty and glory of God

(Ezekiel 1:28), Who came to Ezekiel and the children of Israel in the midst of their

Babylonian exile.

It reminded them of His holiness and power as the Lord of all creation during

their darkest days.

The message was clear: though His people were in exile and their nation was

about to be destroyed, God was still on the throne and able to handle every

situation!

The lesson for us today is that, through His marvelous providence, God moves in

the affairs of all nations to work out His own unseen plan, always at work,

intricately designed, never wrong, and never late (Romans 8:28).

He is not going to have any losers on His team!

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Romans 8:11 NKJV 11 But if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He Who

raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His

Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:14-18 NKJV 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you

did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of

adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father (Daddy).” 16 The Spirit Himself

bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then

heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that

we may also be glorified together.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be

compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:22-23 NKJV 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs

together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the

Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the

adoption, the redemption of our body. (We have to groan to be grown)

Romans 8:26-39 NKJV 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we

should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He Who searches the hearts knows

what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints

according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to

those who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew,

He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be

the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He

also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified,

these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against

us? 32 He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how

shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge

against God’s elect? It is God Who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It

is Christ Who died, and furthermore is also risen, Who is even at the right hand of

God, Who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love

of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or

peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor

powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any

other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in

Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:26-39 NKJV

Of the many fascinating Scriptural descriptions of heavenly things in Ezekiel's

vision, this one of chapters 1 and 10 is by far the most stunning and complex.

The prophet had to describe in the Hebrew language what he saw, which was so

incredible and foreign to his experiences as a human.

The Apostle Paul explained our limited vision and understanding of spiritual

things:

1Corinthians 13:12 NKJV

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but

then I shall know just as I also am known."

The description is full of the splendor of flashing light, so brilliant that the details

are minutely revealed, but so dazzling that they are not clearly seen.

The "rings were full of eyes" (verse 18).

Since men's eyes are for seeing, and man is made in the likeness of God

(Genesis 1:26), we can safely assume that they are meant for the same.

The great number of eyes on the rings may portend or symbolize how great is

God's awareness and direction of events.

Ezekiel 1:22-25 NKJV 22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like

the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23 And under the

firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had

two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other

side of the body. 24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the

noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an

army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from

above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let

down their wings.

In Ezekiel 1:22, what is the firmament of crystal?

This likely is the sea of glass, as clear as crystal, mentioned in Revelation 4:6.

This awesome expanse looked like sparkling ice (crystal) and stood over

the heads of the cherubim.

Now we get an almost total picture: a heavenly chariot with four wheels,

moving quickly from place to place at the direction of the Lord.

As it moved, the noise of the wings of the cherubim sounded like the noise

of great waters coming together, "like the voice of the Almighty," and like

the sound of a mighty army (Ezekiel 3:13; 10:5; Psalm 46:3; Revelation 1:15;

14:2; 19:6).

The mobility of the wheels suggests the omnipresence of God; the eyes, His

omniscience; and the elevated position, His omnipotence.

Ezekiel was beholding a representation of the providence of God as He worked

in His world.

But one more item remained.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 NKJV 26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in

appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness

with the appearance of a man high above it.

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27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color

of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the

appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire

with brightness all around.

http://www.spiritwatch.org/throne.jpg

28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the

appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the

likeness of the glory of the Lord.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 NKJV

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throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone” (v26)

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the throne was azure blue

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“on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high

above it.”(v26)

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“His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber” (v27)

http://thepalmbeachcandlecompany.com/images/amber.jpg

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Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud (v28)

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The sapphire throne had a rainbow around it (covenant grace).

http://newheavenonearth.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sky.jpg?w=640

http://newbreedmovement.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/rainbow-around-the-throne.jpg

Noah saw the rainbow after the storm (Gen. 9:13-16), the Apostle John saw it

before the storm (Rev. 4:3), but Ezekiel saw it in the midst of the storm - in control

of the storm.

Revelation 4

The Throne Room of Heaven

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And

the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying,

“Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat

on the throne. 3 And He Who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in

appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like

an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I

saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of

gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings,

and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are

the seven Spirits of God.

6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the

throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and

in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a

calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living

creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six

wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night,

saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sits

on the throne, Who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down

before Him Who sits on the throne and worship Him Who lives forever and ever,

and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 “You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.”

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In His wrath, God remembers mercy (Habakkuk 3:2b).

Habakkuk 3:2b 2b O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath remember mercy.

Ezekiel realized that he was beholding the glory of the Lord (Ezek. 1:28), and he

fell on his face in awesome fear (Ezekiel 3:23; Daniel 8:17; 10:9, 15, 17).

The "man" he saw upon the throne was a preincarnate appearance of our Lord

Jesus Christ. (See Ezek. 8:2 and 40:3.)

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In Ezekiel 1:28, what is the glory of the Lord here?

This is also called the "Shekinah glory", and was manifested by the brilliant

appearance and general awe that surrounded God’s throne.

The wheels depicted God's omnipresence and the eyes His omniscience.

Here the throne speaks of God's omnipotent authority.

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The glory of the Lord is one of the key themes in Ezekiel (3:12, 23; 8:4; 9:3; 10:4,

18-19; 11:22-23; 39:21; 43:2, 4-5; 44:4).

The prophet will watch God's glory leave the temple and go over the Mount of

Olives, and he will also see it return to the kingdom temple.

Because of Israel's sins, the glory left the temple; but God's promise is that one

day the city of Jerusalem and the temple will be blessed by the glorious

presence of the Lord.

The city will be called “Jehovah Shammah—the Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35).

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The greatest reward a person can ever have is the presence of the Lord!

Now we can begin to grasp the message that God was giving His prophet.

Though His people were in exile and their nation was about to be

destroyed, God was still on the throne and able to handle every situation.

He is above the storm!

In His marvelous providence, He moves in the affairs of nations and works

out His hidden plan.

Israel wasn't the victim of Babylonian aggression.

It was God who enabled the Babylonians to conquer His people and chasten

them for their rebellion, but God would also bring the Medes and the Persians to

conquer Babylon, and Cyrus, king of Persia, would permit the Jews to return to

their land.

Romans 11:33 NKJV

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How

unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

No matter what message God gave him to preach, or what opposition arose

from the people, Ezekiel would be encouraged and strengthened because he

had seen the mighty throne of God in the midst of the fiery trial.

He had seen the glory of God!

END — Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - Old Testament

BEGIN RAY STEDMAN

Ezekiel 1:5a NKJV 5a Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures.

And he describes these creatures to us.

Each had four faces---the faces of a man, an eagle, an ox, and a lion.

These four faces turned in every direction, faced every way.

After he saw the four living creatures, he saw certain wheels.

These are described in an old song:

"Ezekiel saw a wheel, way up in the middle of the air; the big wheel ran by faith

and the little wheel ran by the grace of God, a wheel in a wheel, away in the

middle of the air."

Ezekiel saw that these wheels were turning, one wheel within the other.

As he watched he also saw a firmament above, shining in splendor, and above

the firmament, as he lifted his eyes higher, he saw a throne. And on the throne

sat a man.

Now, if you have read the book of Revelation you will recognize great

similarities to what John saw.

John also saw four living creatures.

He, too, saw a throne, and on the throne a man.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 NKJV 26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in

appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness

with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His

waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of

fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I

saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the

appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of

the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory

of the Lord.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 NKJV

Then in chapters 2-9, Ezekiel moves quickly into prophecies at great length that

have to do with the failure of man.

Ezekiel 2:4-5 NKJV 4 For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and

you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 As for them, whether they hear

or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that

a prophet has been among them.

Ezekiel 5:7-8 NKJV 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience

more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes

nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the

nations that are all around you’— 8 therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I,

even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of

the nations.

Ezekiel 8:16 NKJV 16 So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the

door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about

twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces

toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun.

Ezekiel 10:18a NKJV 18a Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple

Ezekiel 11:23 NKJV 23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the

mountain, which is on the east side of the city.

As Ezekiel watches in visions, he sees the glory of God departing from the

temple in Jerusalem, leaving the inner court and moving to the outer court, and

then rising and moving out to the Mount of Olives, and rising up from there.

Of course, this prophecy was fulfilled when our Lord moved out of the temple,

down across the Kidron Valley, up the side of the Mount of Olives, and into the

Garden of Gethsemane.

And later, after the crucifixion and the resurrection, He ascended from that

mountain into glory.

God sends the message to His people through Ezekiel that the reason His glory is

departing is because they have not followed Him but the world around them.

Ezekiel 11:12 NKJV 12 And you shall know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes

nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the

Gentiles (the world) which are all around you.

But God always carries out His plan that involves forgiveness and grace and

love for those who do follow His ways.

Ezekiel 11:17-20 NKJV 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will gather you from the peoples,

assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give

you the land of Israel.”’ 18 And they will go there, and they will take away all its

detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19 Then I will give them one

heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their

flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and

keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be

their God.

At this point there comes a lengthy passage where Ezekiel traces the

degradation of man, the result of men's rejection of God's grace.

And he tells how God struggles with those people, calling them; how He tries to

win them, to waken them to the foolishness of turning their backs on the glory of

God.

At last they go through times of difficulty and heartache and punishment, as

God seeks constantly to bring them to their senses, to waken them to what they

are doing---to show them that man is made to fellowship with God and that

without God he only goes farther and farther into weakness and folly and

degradation.

Here you find the reasons why man is debauched and degraded, and Ezekiel

sets forth the righteousness of God's judgment.

When man chooses to avoid the God Who made him, what else is there but

judgment?

If we neglect God, Who is utterly essential to our being, and we refuse to give

heed to His love and His grace, then the only thing left for us is to experience the

results of turning our backs to Him.

The prophet sees through all the judgment that came upon this people, he sees

through to the forces behind.

In chapter 28 there is a remarkable passage where the prophet speaks about

the judgment upon the land of Tyre and Sidon.

He speaks of the prince of Tyre and, behind him, an individual whom he calls the

king of Tyre.

Most Bible scholars have recognized that, because of the height of vision from

which this prophet speaks, he is talking not only about the actual prince of the

city of Tyre---the man who was then on the throne in that seafaring city---but he

is looking beyond him and the visible things of Tyre, to that sinister individual he

calls the king of Tyre.

This king symbolizes what are referred to in the New Testament as principalities

and powers, the world rulers of this present darkness who manipulate things on

earth and cause events we see recorded in our daily newspapers.

In other words, these are the Satanic powers.

In chapter 28 you have a passage that many Bible scholars think can be fully

understood only as it applies to the fall of Satan himself.

And this is one of only two passages in the whole Bible that describes the fall of

Satan:

Ezekiel 28:2 NKJV 2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Because your heart is lifted up,

And you say, ‘I am a god,

Ezekiel 28:12b-13a NKJV 12b “You were the seal of perfection,

Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13a You were in Eden, the garden of God;

Ezekiel 28:15 NKJV 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,

Till iniquity was found in you.

Ezekiel 28:17-18a NKJV 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;

You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;

I cast you to the ground,

I laid you before kings,

That they might gaze at you.

18a “You defiled your sanctuaries

By the multitude of your iniquities,

By the iniquity of your trading;

Therefore I brought fire from your midst;

END RAY STEDMAN