John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 1:9

"their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward." — Ezekiel 1:9 (ASV)

He says the wings were conjoined, which he soon explains more clearly: for he will say that the wings were joined together, and that two were so extended that they clothed or governed the whole body. But here he briefly touches upon what he will soon treat more extensively.

Their wings then were so joined together that one touched the other: and afterwards he adds, they so went forward that they did not return; and he seems to contradict himself when he afterwards says the animals ran like lightning and then returned. But these two things are not inconsistent, for he will soon add the explanation: namely, that the animals go forward in such a way that they proceed in a perpetual course towards their own end or goal, but it does not follow that they afterwards rest there.

Therefore, when the animals proceed, they do not turn aside to one side or the other, nor do they turn back, but go straight on in their destined course, like lightning; yet they have different meetings; and what this means we have no time to explain now, but must defer it until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Almighty God, since by our dullness we are so fixed down to earth that, when you stretch forth your hand to us, we cannot reach forth to you, grant that, being roused up by your Spirit, we may learn to raise our affections to you, and to strive against our sluggishness, until by a nearer approach you may become so familiarly known to us, that at length we may arrive at the fruition of the full and perfect glory laid up for us in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We must now see why the Prophet says, each animal walked onwards, or in the direction of his face. I simply interpret it as a straight course, so that they neither wandered nor turned aside to either the right hand or the left. For those who turn their face to one side or the other often stumble, and thus deviate from the right way: therefore, there was such attention in the animals that they always kept their object in view and never deviated from their fixed purpose.

Hence we see that a fixed and, as we say, inflexible rule in divine actions is commended here. People often change their positions and fluctuate; and when they have any purpose, if a different thought strikes them, they are drawn back again, as if they had forgotten themselves. But God wishes to show that his actions are so arranged that they have nothing in them either crooked or erroneous.

For we have said that angels are represented by these living creatures, and under the image of angels the government of the whole world is signified, because it must be held that they are, as it were, the hands of God, since he uses them in obedience to his will.