John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 1:15

"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof." — Ezekiel 1:15 (ASV)

Now the Prophet turns his attention to the wheels that were joined to the living creatures. Each had a double wheel, as we will see later—that is, one wheel rolling upon another. The Prophet did not notice at first glance that the wheels stood near the living creatures, and this is due to the magnitude of the vision.

For although he was attentive, and God doubtless gave him understanding by His Spirit, and although he was taken up, as it were, into heaven, yet because he could not at once grasp so great a vision, he was made aware of his weakness. Then this wonderful secret was set before him, so that he might pay attention to the whole spectacle with greater reverence.

He says, therefore, when he had fixed his eyes upon the living creatures, immediately the wheels appeared. He indeed uses the singular number, but later declares there were four wheels. And now he removes all doubt: behold, he says, one wheel—how one wheel? Thus: near each living creature, at right angles, at the face of each. We see, then, that there was a wheel for each living creature: this is easily gathered from the Prophet’s words.

I explained yesterday what God meant to represent to His servant and to us by these wheels: namely, the changes that constantly occur in the world. For if we consider the condition of the world, we may correctly compare it to a sea, and even a tempestuous one.

For as the sea is subject to opposing winds, and thus storms are stirred up, so also, since there is nothing firm or calm in the world, its condition is a perpetual change like the turning of a wheel. The wheels stood near the Angels, because the world is governed by the secret inspiration of God. When all things seem to roll around by blind and reckless chance, yet God has His servants who regulate all their motions, so that nothing is confused, nothing discomposed. This, then, is the reason why the wheels went forward and stood near the Angels, as he immediately repeats.