John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 1:14

"And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." — Ezekiel 1:14 (ASV)

Here the Prophet explains more clearly what would otherwise be obscure. He says that the living creatures ran, and returned like lightning: by which words he undoubtedly signifies their amazing swiftness. For lightning (as Christ uses that comparison when he speaks of his own Advent —Matthew 24:27) travels from one part of the world and instantly reaches the opposite.

Therefore, since the swiftness of lightning is so great that it traverses the immensity of heaven in a moment, for this reason the Prophet says, the living creatures ran, and returned like lightning: as if he had said, in whatever direction God wishes to direct them, they were ready to obey. As we have previously said, angels are ready to obey the commands of God, but we cannot comprehend the extreme swiftness of their course except through this comparison with lightning.

Now we see how well these two things agree: that they returned and yet did not return. They did not turn back until they had arrived at the goal (as I have already said), because although many obstacles occur, God breaks through them, so that they never interrupt his actions. The devil, indeed, by his obstacles, attempts to make God withdraw; but here the Prophet shows that when God determines something, the angels are ready to govern the world, and that they have so much strength in them that they continue steadfastly to the end, as God inspires them with his own power.