Ezekiel 1:4 - Meaning and Application

The visions of God that Ezekiel saw were very glorious, and they included more details than the visions given to other prophets. The main purpose of these visions was, first, to fill the prophet’s mind with very great, high, and honorable thoughts of the God who had sent him and given him his work. He saw something like the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:28), and from that he could learn that serving such a God is a great honor, for even angels serve him. He could also serve him safely, because God has enough power to support him in his work. But if Ezekiel turned away from that service, he would do so at his own risk, for God has power to pursue him, as he did Jonah.

So great a God must be served with reverence and holy fear. At the same time, Ezekiel could speak with confidence about what this God would do, because God has power to make his words come true. Second, the vision was meant to strike fear into the sinners who still stayed in Zion, and also into those who had already gone to Babylon, who felt secure and openly challenged the warnings about Jerusalem’s fall, as we often see in Jeremiah’s prophecy, and will see here as well. Those who said, “We will have peace, even if we keep going on in sin,” needed to learn that our God is a consuming fire, and no one can stand before him.

This vision seems clearly tied to Jerusalem’s destruction, as Jeremiah 43:3 shows, where he says it was the vision he saw when he came to destroy the city, meaning when he came to prophesy its destruction. Third, it was meant to comfort those who feared God, trembled at his word, and humbled themselves under his mighty hand. They were in Babylon as captives, but they should know that God was still near to them. They did not have the sanctuary as their glorious throne, but they still had the God of the sanctuary.

Dr. Lightfoot notes that now the church was to be planted for a long time in another country, and the Lord showed his glory in their midst, just as he had done when he first formed them into a church in the wilderness. There he had shown himself out of a cloud and fire, and here he did the same. From between living creatures, as from between the cherubim, he gave his messages. This honored them, even when the Babylonians mocked them, and it could also strengthen their hope of rescue in due time.

To meet these purposes, these verses give us the first part of the vision, which shows God attended and served by countless angels, all his messengers and ministers, doing his commands and listening to his word. This displays his greatness, much as an earthly ruler is honored by a splendid guard and large armies. Such a display makes allies trust him and enemies fear him.

The introduction to the vision is majestic and stirring, in Ezekiel 1:4. The prophet saw the heavens open, and he looked up, as he should, to see what God would show him. When the heavens are opened, we should keep our eyes open too. To clear the way, a whirlwind came out of the north, which would drive away the mists of this lower world. Good weather often comes from the north, and the wind there can drive rain away. God can use a whirlwind to clear the sky and give the peace of mind we need to meet with heaven.

Yet this whirlwind also came with a great cloud. Even when we think the clouds of this world are gone and we can see beyond them, there is still a cloud around heavenly things, a cloud from above, so that we cannot fully explain them because of the darkness. Christ came down in a cloud, just as he later ascended in one. Some understand this whirlwind and cloud as the Chaldean army coming out of the north against Judah, sweeping everything away like a storm. That fits Jeremiah’s early warning, “Out of the north an evil shall break forth” (Jeremiah 1:14). But here I take it mainly as the opening of the vision, not as a sermon about judgment.

This whirlwind came to Ezekiel, as the wind came to Elijah (1 Kings 19:11), to prepare the way of the Lord and to command attention. Whoever has eyes should see, and whoever has ears should hear.

The vision itself is carried in a great cloud, which served as its vehicle to the prophet. God’s pavilion, and the chariot in which he rides, is darkness and thick clouds (Psalm 18:11; Psalm 104:3). In this way he hides the full blaze of his throne, so its brightness does not overwhelm us, and he covers it with a cloud.

The cloud was joined with fire, as on Mount Sinai, where God was present in a thick cloud, and his glory looked like devouring fire (Exodus 24:16, 17). His first appearance to Moses was also in a flame of fire in the bush. Our God is a consuming fire. This was a fire that folded in on itself, like a globe or wheel of fire. Since God is his own cause, his own rule, and his own goal, if he is like fire, then he is like fire folding in on itself, or, as some read it, fire kindled by itself.

The fire of God’s glory shines out, but it soon folds back in, because he shows us only part of his ways. His wrath also breaks out, but it too soon folds back in, because divine patience does not let all his anger rise at once. If the fire did not fold in on itself, who could stand before the Lord?

The fire was surrounded by a brightness. It folded in on itself, yet it still revealed something of itself. We cannot look into the fire, and by searching we cannot find God completely. Yet we do see the brightness around it, the reflection of that fire from the thick cloud. Moses could see God’s back parts, but not his face. In the same way, we have some light about God’s nature from the brightness around it, though the cloud keeps us from seeing fully into it. Nothing is easier than to say that God exists, and nothing is harder than to describe what he is like.

When God shows his wrath as fire, there is still brightness around it. His holiness and justice appear clearly in the punishment of sin and sinners. Even around the devouring fire there is a brightness that glorified saints will admire forever.

Out of this fire came the color of amber. We are not told exactly what had this amber color, so I take it to describe the whole frame of the vision that came into Ezekiel’s sight from the midst of the fire and brightness. The first thing he noticed, before looking at the details, was that it had the color of amber, or the look of amber, meaning a bright, flaming, fiery color, like a burning coal. The living creatures he saw coming out of the fire were seraphim, or burning ones, for God makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire.

What came out of the fire, glowing like amber, was the likeness of four living creatures. These were not the creatures themselves, for angels are spirits and cannot be seen, but a picture of them, the kind of symbol God chose to lead the prophet, and us with him, into some understanding of the world of angels. This was a matter of divine revelation, given so that we would feel both the greatness of God, who has angels as his attendants, and his goodness, since he appoints them to serve his people.

The likeness of these living creatures came out from the midst of the fire, because angels receive their being and power from God. In themselves, and to us, they are what he chooses to make them, and their glory is only a ray of his. Ezekiel later explains the vision himself, saying, "I knew that the living creatures were the cherubim" (Ezekiel 10:20). Cherubim is one of the names Scripture uses for angels. Daniel was shown their great number, "ten thousand times ten thousand" (Daniel 7:10), but though they are many, they are also one in nature and work, like an army that is made up of thousands, yet is called one body of men.

We learn first about their nature. They are living creatures, God’s creatures, the work of his hands. Their life is given to them, not possessed in themselves, and they receive it from him who is the fountain of life. As much as the living creatures of this lower world are above the plants that decorate the earth, so much do the angels, the living creatures of the upper world, excel the sun, moon, and stars, which adorn the heavens. Some say the sun is a flame of fire folded in on itself, but it is not a living creature, as angels are, those flames of fire. Angels are living beings in the fullest sense. People on earth are dying creatures, dying day by day, for in the middle of life we are in death. But angels in heaven are living creatures, truly alive and alive for a good purpose. When saints become like the angels, they will die no more (Luke 20:36).

We also learn their number. They are four, so they appear here, though they are countless. This does not mean these were four special angels above the rest, as some have imagined with names like Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. The number fits the four faces they wore, and it points to their being sent out toward the four winds of heaven (Matthew 24:31). Zechariah saw them as four chariots going out to the east, west, north, and south (Zechariah 6:1). God has messengers ready to go in every direction, because his kingdom is universal and reaches every part of the world.

We also learn their qualifications, the ways they are fitted for service to their Maker and Master. These are shown in symbols, which is fitting in a vision, since visions are like parables for the eye. The description is not meant to give us an exact picture we can sketch, because that could tempt people to worship them. Instead, each part shows their fitness for the work they do. It is the greatest honor of any creature to be able to do the purpose for which it was made. The more ready we are for every good work, the nearer we come to the dignity of angels.

Their general appearance was like a man. They appeared mainly in human shape. This shows, first, that these living creatures are reasonable and intelligent, with the spirit of a man, which is the lamp of the Lord. Second, it honors human nature, which is made a little lower than the angels and comes just below them in the order of beings. When the invisible beings of the upper world make themselves visible, they appear in human likeness. Third, it hints that their delight is with the sons of men, as their Master’s delight is (Proverbs 8:31), and that they serve people, who may have spiritual fellowship with them by faith, hope, and holy love. Fourth, angels appear like men because, in the fullness of time, the Son of God was to appear in that likeness and take that nature himself. Their appearance shows honor to the nature he would assume.

Each one also had four faces, looking in four directions. In John’s similar vision, each of the four living creatures has one of these faces (Revelation 4:7), but here each one has all four, showing that they share the same qualities for service. Among the angels of heaven, as among the angels of the churches, some may excel in one gift and others in another, yet all serve the common good. We should look on their faces until we are changed, in some measure, into the same image, so we may do God’s will as the angels do in heaven.

All four had the face of a man, because they appeared in that likeness (Ezekiel 1:5). They also had the face of a lion, an ox, and an eagle, each strong in its own way. The lion is strongest among wild beasts, the ox among tame animals, and the eagle among birds (Ezekiel 1:10). If God uses them to carry out judgments on his enemies, they are fierce and strong like the lion and eagle when tearing prey. If he uses them for the good of his people, they are strong for service like oxen, willing and able to work. In both cases, they have the understanding of a man. The scattered strengths seen in creatures on earth are gathered together in the angels of heaven.

The face of a man shows understanding, and even more than human understanding, along with tenderness and kindness. The face of a lion points to strength and boldness, since a lion is more powerful and fearsome than man. The face of an ox points to diligence, patience, and steady work, because an ox keeps working without weariness. The face of an eagle points to speed, sharp sight, and height, because an eagle sees far and soars high. So the angels, who seek the things above and see deep into divine mysteries, bear the face of a flying eagle.

Each one also had four wings (Ezekiel 1:6). In Isaiah’s vision they appeared with six wings, but here with four, because they are seen above the throne and need two wings to cover their faces. The angels are fitted with wings so they can fly swiftly on God’s errands. Whatever task God sends them on, they waste no time.

Faith and hope are like the soul’s wings. By them it rises upward. Holy, devout affections are also its wings, carrying it forward with strength and eagerness. The prophet then notices several things about the wings of these living creatures.

First, they were joined to one another (Ezekiel 1:9, 1:11). They did not use their wings for fighting, as some birds do, because there is no conflict among the angels. God makes perfect peace in his high places. Their joined wings show their complete unity, agreement, and harmony.

Second, their wings were stretched upward, open and ready for use, not folded down or hanging limp. When an angel receives even the slightest hint of God’s will, he is ready at once. Our dull souls are more like the ostrich, which struggles to lift itself up.

Third, two of their wings covered their bodies, the spiritual bodies they had taken on. Clothes that cover us can get in the way of work, but angels need no other covering than their own wings, which help them. They cover their bodies from us, which keeps us from asking foolish questions about them. Do not pry into them, for they are wonderful (Judges 13:18). They also cover themselves before God, teaching us that when we come near to God, we must be clothed with Christ’s righteousness, so the shame of our nakedness does not show.

Their feet, which includes their legs and thighs, were straight feet (Ezekiel 1:7). They stood firm and steady. No burden of service could make their legs bend under them. The bride says of her beloved that his legs were like marble pillars set on gold bases (Song of Solomon 5:15). In a similar way, the angels’ legs show strength and beauty. The sole of their feet was like a calf’s foot, which is divided and clean. They were ready to move in any direction. The Septuagint says their feet were winged, because they moved so swiftly it was as if they flew. Even their feet sparkled like burnished bronze. Not only the faces, but even the feet, of those who carry God’s message are beautiful (Isaiah 52:7). Every step the angels take is glorious. In John’s vision of Christ, his feet were like fine bronze, glowing in a furnace (Revelation 1:15).

They also had human hands under their wings on all four sides, one arm and hand under each wing (Ezekiel 1:8). They had wings for movement and hands for action. Many people are quick but not truly active, busy in ways that accomplish nothing. They have wings, but no hands. God’s servants, the angels, not only go when he sends them and come when he calls, they also do what he commands. Their hands are like a man’s hands, wonderfully made and fit for service, guided by reason and understanding. Their calf-like feet show speed, but their human hands show careful, exact work, like the heavens being the work of God’s fingers. Their hands were under their wings, hidden as the rest of their bodies were hidden. This reminds us that angels work in a secret and unseen way. In serving God, we should not hide our hand in slothful neglect, yet we should also keep a humble spirit and not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing.

Their movements are also described. These living creatures are always moving. Angels are active beings. Their happiness is not to sit still and do nothing, but to be always usefully employed. We should think of ourselves as most blessed when we are doing good, and doing it as the angels do. Whatever work they took up, they went straight forward (Ezekiel 1:9, 1:12). This shows, first, that they sincerely aimed at God’s glory and had a single purpose in all they did. Straight movement suggests a straight gaze, with no hidden motives. If our eye is single, our whole body will be full of light. A single eye is the same as a sincere heart. Second, they were fully focused on their task and worked with close attention. They moved forward with their work and did what they had to do with all their might. Third, they acted in harmony. Each one did his own work without crossing or crowding the others. Fourth, they understood their duty well and did not need to stop and hesitate. They knew what to do and how to do it. Fifth, they were steady and constant. They did not waver, tire, or change course. They moved in a straight line, which is the nearest way and saves time. When we go straight, we go forward. When we serve God with one heart, we make real progress.

They also turned not when they went (Ezekiel 1:9, 1:12). First, they made no mistakes that would force them to turn back and fix their work. Their work needed no correction. Second, they paid no attention to distractions. They did not turn aside to anything outside their task. They kept on their way.

They went wherever the Spirit was to go (Ezekiel 1:12). This may mean, first, that they went wherever their own spirit was inclined to go, since they had no bodies like ours to weigh them down. It is our daily trouble that, even when the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, so we cannot always do the good we want to do. Angels and glorified saints do not suffer from that weakness. Whatever they intend, they carry out. Or, more likely, it means they went wherever the Spirit of God wanted them to go. Even with great wisdom of their own, they still placed themselves under God’s direction and rule in all they did. Wherever God’s providence needed them, there they went, serving his purposes and carrying out his orders. As Mr. Greenhill says, the Spirit of God is the great agent that sets angels to work, and it is their honor that they are led, and easily led, by the Spirit.

See how willing and obedient these noble creatures are. Wherever the Spirit goes, they go at once, with complete eagerness. Those who walk by the Spirit do God’s will, just as the angels do.

They ran and returned like a flash of lightning (Ezekiel 1:14). This shows, first, that they moved with great speed, as fast as lightning. Whatever work they were doing, they finished it at once, in a moment. Those who have no bodies to slow them down in holy service are truly blessed. And we will also be blessed when we receive spiritual bodies fit for spiritual work. Satan fell like lightning into his own ruin (Luke 10:18). Angels fly like lightning in their Master’s work. Gabriel, the angel who brought God’s message, also flew swiftly.

Second, they hurried back as well. They ran to do their task and carry out their orders, then returned to report what they had done and receive new instructions, so they might keep serving. They ran into the lower world to do what needed to be done there, but when that work was finished, they returned like a flash of lightning to the upper world and to the joyful sight of God, from whom they did not want to stay away any longer than their service required. We too should treat the affairs of this world as something outside our true home. Even when we must hurry into them, we should not settle there. Our souls should quickly return, like lightning, to God, who is our rest and center.

We also read about the light by which the prophet saw these living creatures, or the mirror in which he saw them (Ezekiel 1:13). He saw them by their own light, for their appearance was like burning coals of fire. They are like seraphim, or “burning ones,” which shows the heat of their love for God, their eager zeal in his service, their splendor, and the fear they bring to God’s enemies. When God uses them to fight his battles, they are like coals of fire (Psalm 18:12), consuming the enemy like flashes of lightning.

He also saw them by the light of lamps moving among them, and the brightness of that light was great. Satan’s works are works of darkness, and he rules over the darkness of this world. But the angels of light live in the light, and though they often hide their work, they show the results of it, because their work can stand the light. Still, we see them and what they do only by lamp-light, by a dim light that moves among them. When day breaks and the shadows disappear, we will see more clearly.

Some understand the burning coals and the lightning from the fire as signs of God’s anger and his judgments against Judah and Jerusalem because of their sins, judgments in which the angels were to serve. Later, we do find coals of fire scattered over the city to destroy it, taken from between the cherubim (Ezekiel 10:2). Yet the lamps may also mean the light of comfort shining to God’s people in the darkness of that trouble. If the ministry of angels is like a consuming fire to God’s enemies, it is like a joyful light to his own children. To one side, this fire is bright and refreshing. To the other, out of the fire comes new lightning to destroy them. Good angels are our friends, or our enemies, according as God is.