John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 1:24

"And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings." — Ezekiel 1:24 (ASV)

When the Prophet says, he heard the voice of wings, it is an explanation of his former teaching, when he said that the wings followed the course of the living creatures and stood, unless they were drawn by the living creatures. He now expresses this more clearly by the word voice. We know that precepts are expressed by the voice, and this is the means of human interaction, so that he who rules proclaims by his voice what he wishes to be done.

Since, therefore, what we have previously said was obscure—that the wheels were moved by the living creatures—the Prophet says there was a voice in the motion of the wings. He had said this before, and he now repeats that the living creatures sometimes rested and let fall their wings.

When the wings were thus let fall, there was no motion in the wheels. But as the wheels obey the motions of the living creatures, he says the wings were vocal; not that the wheels were endowed with ears or could hear any commands.

The Prophet could not otherwise express what I have just said—namely, that heaven and earth are full of angelic motion—except by saying that in such motion there was something like a voice, just as he said that whatever happens obeys God’s will.

But this obedience cannot be conceived unless a voice precedes it. Now, therefore, we see the Prophet weaving his own discourse. By a new form of speech, he expresses and confirms what we formerly saw: that the wheels were moved by the living creatures because a voice was heard in the wings themselves. He adds, it was, so to speak, a voice of many or mighty waters. We know that a great noise arises from the overflow of an impetuous river.

Nothing is more terrible than its sound, for it is something like a crash that seems to threaten the breaking up of the whole earth, and this vehemence the Prophet now expresses. He adds, a voice of God. It would be a harsh interpretation to explain this as referring directly to God Himself; although the phrase is often attributed to Him, we know it is done metaphorically.

But there should be some external likeness that might show the Prophet what was not visible of itself. However, that cannot suit the phrase "the voice of God," unless we understand it as in Psalm 29:5, 6, 9, concerning thunder: the voice of God shakes the cedars and the mountains, and makes the animals miscarry in the woods.

Here David calls thunder "the voice of God," but I do not know whether this metaphor is suitable to the present passage. Nor, if we could take the phrase "the voice of God" in another sense, could it mean anything but thunder. Others translate שדי, shedi, as "brave" or "violent," which is reasonably suitable, although a general expression may not be entirely fitting here. For those images of things should be set before the Prophet’s mind that tend to elevate it.

Besides, if he had simply said "the voice of a strong or violent man," it would have little significance, so I hesitate to reject the meaning of thunder. And if this explanation is unsatisfactory to anyone, the meaning will still be a loud and terrifying voice, because Scripture calls cedars "cedars of God" and mountains "mountains of God" on account of their superior excellence (Psalms 80:11; Psalms 36:6).

He says, when they walked, because there was no other motion, for he had said that the wings of the animals were let fall while they stood. Therefore, it was not necessary for earthly things to be agitated, unless the inspiration moved forward in the living creatures, that is, the angels.

He adds, the voice of speech. Here Ezekiel proceeds further, asserting the voice to be articulate. True, inanimate things cannot hear a voice, but as I have said, he wished to represent the obedience in the wheels to be such as if they had been taught, and God had eloquently and articulately commanded what He wished to be done; or as if the wheels had spoken intelligibly, so that the wheels might not afterwards roll round rashly, but in accordance with a received command.

He says, like the voice of armies. And this simile should be diligently noticed, because in an army, due to the multitude, one can scarcely take note of another with the aim of promoting unity, and yet military discipline requires this. Therefore, in camps there is great clamor and confusion, yet each person adapts to others, and so order is preserved.

The Prophet therefore signifies that although infinitely numerous events converge, yet nothing is left without guidance, because God governs all earthly motions with much better skill than a general, though endowed with exceptional foresight, rules his army.

We see, therefore, what the Spirit intends by this part of the vision when He compares the events in the world to mighty forces. For He says that such reason was displayed among this multitude that, although their clamors are tumultuous, yet all things are mutually suited to each other.

Again he says, when they stood they let down their wings. This question may be asked: How can the living creatures rest when God is always at work, as Christ also says, My Father and I work even to this day (John 5:17)? Since, therefore, the power of God is never at rest, what can the resting of the living creatures mean? For God works by angels, as we have seen; if they rest, God would have periods of repose, which is absurd.

But when the Prophet says they rested, he wishes to mark the variety of human events. For sometimes events are so tranquil that we think God is taking some repose and is completely at rest in heaven. This is not because He ever ceases His work, but because we do not perceive the activities that plainly show His power to consist in motion and in action.

Therefore, the Prophet here wishes only to denote variety. We should not imagine that God rests at any time or that His angels repose, but rather understand that He does not always work in the same uniform manner.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that though we have wandered far from You, we may be taught by Your word, and hold on in the right way of approach to Yourself, and by faith contemplate what is otherwise hidden from us, and thus depend entirely on You. May we so rely on Your providence as not to doubt our perfect safety while our life and salvation are in Your care, so that while tossed about by various storms we may remain quiet, until at length we enjoy that blessed and eternal rest which You have prepared for us in heaven by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.