Ezekiel 10

Eze 10:1-22.

VISION OF

COALS OF

FIRE

SCATTERED OVER THE

CITY:

REPETITION OF THE

VISION OF THE

CHERUBIM.

1. The throne of Jehovah appearing in the midst of the judgments

implies that whatever intermediate agencies be employed, He controls

them, and that the whole flows as a necessary consequence from His

essential holiness

(Eze 1:22, 26).

cherubim--in

Eze 1:5,

called "living creatures." The repetition of the vision implies that

the judgments are approaching nearer and nearer. These two visions of

Deity were granted in the beginning of Ezekiel's career, to qualify him

for witnessing to God's glory amidst his God-forgetting people and to

stamp truth on his announcements; also to signify the removal of God's

manifestation from the visible temple

(Eze 10:18)

for a long period

(Eze 43:2).

The feature

(Eze 10:12)

mentioned as to the cherubim that they were "full of eyes," though

omitted in the former vision, is not a difference, but a more specific

detail observed by Ezekiel now on closer inspection. Also, here, there

is no rainbow (the symbol of mercy after the flood of wrath) as

in the former; for here judgment is the prominent thought,

though the marking of the remnant in

Eze 9:4, 6

shows that there was mercy in the background. The cherubim, perhaps,

represent redeemed humanity combining in and with itself the highest

forms of subordinate creaturely life (compare

Ro 8:20).

Therefore they are associated with the twenty-four elders and are

distinguished from the angels

(Re 5:1-14).

They stand on the mercy seat of the ark, and on that ground

become the habitation of God from which His glory is to shine upon the

world. The different forms symbolize the different phases of the

Church. So the quadriform Gospel, in which the incarnate Saviour has

lodged the revelation of Himself in a fourfold aspect, and from which

His glory shines on the Christian world, answers to the emblematic

throne from which He shone on the Jewish Church.

2. he--Jehovah; He who sat on the "throne."

the man--the Messenger of mercy becoming the Messenger of judgment

(see on

Eze 9:2).

Human agents of destruction shall fulfil the will of "the Man,"

who is Lord of men.

wheels--Hebrew, galgal, implying quick revolution; so

the impetuous onset of the foe (compare

Eze 23:24; 26:10);

whereas "ophan," in

Eze 1:15, 16

implies mere revolution.

coals of fire--the wrath of God about to burn the city, as His

sword had previously slain its guilty inhabitants. This "fire," how

different from the fire on the altar never going out

(Le 6:12, 13),

whereby, in type, peace was made with God! Compare

Isa 33:12, 14.

It is therefore not taken from the altar of reconciliation, but from

between the wheels of the cherubim, representing the providence of God,

whereby, and not by chance, judgment is to fall.

3. right . . . of . . . house--The scene of the locality whence

judgment emanates is the temple, to mark God's vindication of His

holiness injured there. The cherubim here are not those in the holy of

holies, for the latter had not "wheels." They stood on "the right of the

house," that is, the south, for the Chaldean power, guided by them, had

already advanced from the north (the direction of Babylon), and had

destroyed the men in the temple, and was now proceeding to destroy

the city, which lay south and west.

the cherubim . . . the man--There was perfect concert of action between

the cherubic representative of the angels and "the Man," to minister to

whom they "stood" there

(Eze 10:7).

cloud--emblem of God's displeasure; as the "glory" or "brightness"

(Eze 10:4)

typifies His majesty and clearness in judgment.

4. The court outside was full of the Lord's brightness, while it

was only the cloud that filled the house inside, the scene of

idolatries, and therefore of God's displeasure. God's throne was

on the threshold. The temple, once filled with brightness, is now

darkened with cloud.

5. sound of . . . wings--prognostic of great and awful changes.

voice of . . . God--the thunder

(Ps 29:3,

&c.).

6. went in--not into the temple, but between the cherubim. Ezekiel

sets aside the Jews' boast of the presence of God with them. The

cherubim, once the ministers of grace, are now the ministers of

vengeance. When "commanded," He without delay obeys

(Ps 40:8;

Heb 10:7).

7. See on

Eze 10:3.

one cherub--one of the four cherubim.

his hand--

(Eze 1:8).

went out--to burn the city.

8. The "wings" denote alacrity, the "hands" efficacy and aptness, in

executing the functions assigned to them.

9. wheels--(See on

Eze 1:15, 16).

The things which, from

Eze 10:8

to the end of the chapter,

are repeated from the

first chapter

are expressed more decidedly, now that he gets a nearer view: the words

"as it were," and "as if," so often occurring in the first chapter, are

therefore mostly omitted. The "wheels" express the manifold changes and

revolutions in the world; also that in the chariot of His providence

God transports the Church from one place to another and everywhere can

preserve it; a truth calculated to alarm the people in Jerusalem and to

console the exiles [POLANUS].

10. four had one likeness--In the wonderful variety of God's works

there is the greatest harmony:--

"In human works, though labored on with pain,

One thousand movements scarce one purpose gain;

In God's one single doth its end produce,

Yet serves to second, too, some other use.

(See on

Eze 1:16).

wheel . . . in . . . a wheel--cutting one another at fight angles,

so that the whole might move in any of the four directions or quarters

of the world. God's doings, however involved they seem to us, cohere, so

that lower causes subserve the higher.

11. (See on

Eze 1:17).

turned not--without accomplishing their course

(Isa 55:11)

[GROTIUS]. Rather, "they moved straight on

without turning" (so

Eze 1:9).

Having a face towards each of the four quarters, they needed not to

turn around when changing their direction.

whither . . . head looked--that is, "whither the head" of the animal

cherub-form, belonging to and directing each wheel, "looked," thither

the wheel "followed." The wheels were not guided by some external

adventitious impetus, but by some secret divine impulse of the cherubim

themselves.

12. body--literally, "flesh," because a body consists of flesh.

wheels . . . full of eyes--The description

(Eze 1:18)

attributes eyes to the "wheels" alone; here there is added, on

closer observation, that the cherubim themselves had them. The

"eyes" imply that God, by His wisdom, beautifully reconciles seeming

contrarieties (compare

2Ch 16:9;

Pr 15:3;

Zec 4:10).

13. O wheel--rather, "they were called, whirling," that is, they were

most rapid in their revolutions

[MAURER]; or, better, "It was cried

unto them, The whirling" [FAIRBAIRN].

Galgal here used for "wheel," is

different from ophan, the simple word for "wheel." Galgal is the

whole wheelwork machinery with its whirlwind-like rotation. Their

being so addressed is in order to call them immediately to put

themselves in rapid motion.

14. cherub--but in

Eze 1:10

it is an ox. The chief of the four cherubic forms was not the

ox, but man. Therefore "cherub" cannot be synonymous with

"ox." Probably Ezekiel, standing in front of one of the cherubim

(namely, that which handed the coals to the man in linen), saw of him,

not merely the ox-form, but the whole fourfold form, and

therefore calls him simply "cherub"; whereas of the other three, having

only a side view, he specifies the form of each which met his eye

[FAIRBAIRN]. As to the likelihood of the lower

animals sharing in "the restoration of all things," see

Isa 11:6; 65:25;

Ro 8:20, 21;

this accords with the animal forms combined with the human to typify

redeemed man.

15. The repeated declaration of the identity of the vision with that

at the Chebar is to arouse attention to it

(Eze 10:22; 3:23).

the living creature--used collectively, as

in

Eze 10:17, 20; 1:20.

16. (See on

Eze 10:11;

Eze 1:19).

lifted up . . . wings--to depart, following "the glory

of the Lord" which was on the point of departing

(Eze 10:18).

17.

(Eze 1:12, 20, 21).

stood--God never stands still

(Joh 5:17),

therefore neither do the angels; but to human perceptions He seems to

do so.

18. The departure of the symbol of God's presence from the temple

preparatory to the destruction of the city. Foretold in

De 31:17.

Woe be to those from whom God departs

(Ho 9:12)!

Compare

1Sa 28:15, 16; 4:21:

"I-chabod, Thy glory is departed." Successive steps are marked in His

departure; so slowly and reluctantly does the merciful God leave His

house. First He leaves the sanctuary

(Eze 9:3);

He elevates His throne above the threshold of the house

(Eze 10:1);

leaving the cherubim He sits on the throne

(Eze 10:4);

He and the cherubim, after standing for a time at the door of

the east gate (where was the exit to the lower court of the

people), leave the house altogether

(Eze 10:18, 19),

not to return till

Eze 43:2.

20. I knew . . . cherubim--By the second sight of the cherubim, he

learned to identify them with the angelic forms situated above the ark

of the covenant in the temple, which as a priest, he "knew" about from

the high priest.

21. The repetition is in order that the people about to live without

the temple might have, instead, the knowledge of the temple mysteries,

thus preparing them for a future restoration of the covenant. So

perverse were they that they would say, "Ezekiel fancies he saw what has

no existence." He, therefore, repeats it over and over again.

22. straight forward--intent upon the object they aimed at, not

deviating from the way nor losing sight of the end

(Lu 9:52).