John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 10:1

"Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne." — Ezekiel 10:1 (ASV)

Here the Prophet recounts another vision which bears a great resemblance to the first one he related to us in the first chapter, but it has a different purpose, as we will soon see. Since we discussed the main elements of the vision in the first chapter, I will therefore be briefer now.

I will only touch upon what I previously said, and at the same time point out any differences. But before we come to that, God’s design in this vision must be understood. God wished to testify to the Jews that He had nothing further in common with them, because He intended to leave the temple and then to destroy the whole city by fire.

But so that this threat would not be disregarded by the Jews, God’s majesty was displayed before them so terrifyingly that it might strike even the stubborn with fear. Now I come to the words. He says, that he saw again over the heads of the cherubim a throne, whose color was like sapphire. Instead of "living creatures," he now uses "cherubim," and there is no doubt that those living creatures of which he formerly spoke were cherubim.

But because the vision occurs in the temple, God begins to explain plainly to His servant what was previously too obscure. For he had seen the four living creatures near the river Chebar, that is, in a secular country. Therefore, when the Jews and Israelites were absent as exiles far from the temple, it is no wonder that God did not appear as clearly to His Prophet as He now does when the Prophet is brought into the temple.

For although the Prophet has not changed his location, yet he does not seem to have been transferred to Jerusalem in vain, or to behold what was done in the temple without reason. This is why he now calls them cherubim, which he had before called simply "living creatures." But we have explained why four cherubim were seen, while only two were in the sanctuary: namely, because the Jews were almost buried in profound ignorance.

They had long ago departed from the pursuit of genuine piety, and the light of heavenly doctrine had been almost extinguished among them. Since, therefore, the ignorance of the people was so profound, something simple had to be presented to them, or otherwise they could not understand what they needed to learn.

Now it is by no means doubtful that God indirectly intends to rebuke that shameful ignorance, because it was not His fault that they did not perceive in the Law and the temple everything useful to know for their salvation. When, therefore, God changes this legal form, there is no doubt He shows how corrupt the people were, just as if He had transformed Himself.

But we must also remember what I said then: that four cherubim were presented to the Prophet so that God might show that He embraced the whole world under His own dominion.

We saw a little while ago that the Jews, while they thought themselves already without God’s care, being thoroughly callous, were so blind that they supposed at the same time that God exercised no care over the world. In vain, therefore, in their distorted imaginations they confined God to heaven; He shows that He rules the whole universe, and that nothing moves except by His secret power.

Since, then, four cherubim are shown instead of two, it is just as if God demonstrated that He reigned throughout the four quarters of the globe and that His power extends in all directions. Hence, it was the height of impiety for the Jews to imagine that He had deserted the earth.

Thirdly, we must note what has also been said before: that the cherubim had four heads, so that God might show that angelic activities flourish in all creatures. But I will repeat this last comment in its proper place. I now only touch upon it briefly.

We must now see why the Prophet says, there was a throne whose color was like sapphire, and the throne itself was above the four cherubim: because in truth God has His angels ready to obey Him. Hence, they are placed under His feet, so that we may know that they are not independent, but are so subject to God that they always depend upon His will and are carried wherever He commands them.

This is the reason why they were placed under the expanse where God’s throne was. As for the expanse, this is the noun Moses uses in describing the creation of the world (Genesis 1:6–8). The Greeks translated it as στερεωμα, but poorly; the Latins imitated them when they used the term "firmament," but it is understood as the heavens, and the whole space between us and heaven, and yet it is above the world.

God shows His throne above the expanse of heaven, not apart from Himself, so that the Prophet would not conceive of anything earthly. For we know how inclined human minds are to their own fabrications.

But when God is mentioned, we cannot conceive anything correctly unless we lift all our senses above the whole world.

God, therefore, to lift up the mind of His Prophet, and to show Himself near so that the Prophet might reverently pay attention to the divine messages, and then so that he might regard the heavenly glory of God with appropriate humility, placed the expanse between His throne and the earth.