John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 8:2

"Then I beheld, and, lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins and downward, fire; and from his loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal." — Ezekiel 8:2 (ASV)

Some translate the last word as angel, but in my opinion, this is erroneous. For עין, gnin, properly signifies color, and I have already refuted that error in the first chapter. I am not clear as to what color it was; therefore, I follow the received opinion that it was like amber. Now the Prophet says, he saw a likeness, or image composed of two parts; for from the loins downward it was like fire, but upwards it was brightness. By the word דמות, demoth, I do not doubt that he means the image of a man.

God, therefore, appeared to His servant under some image; nor is the human figure out of place, because if it had been any other figure, the Prophet would undoubtedly have been silent. But we have already seen that God had taken on the human form, and so represented Himself in the person of His only-begotten Son, as we have said, and will see again in the tenth chapter.

This, therefore, is the likeness of which the Prophet speaks, but he uses this word on purpose, so that we may know that it was not a true, solid, and substantial thing called a body. As for the Prophet’s beholding a figure or likeness, this took place only in a mere vision, not that God then took on a body; and I have also treated this point at length in the first chapter, and I will glance at it again shortly.

Now as to his saying, one part of the figure was fiery, but in another, the aspect of splendor, he seems here to express what the Jews ought to hope for, when at last they perceived God to be near, from whom they thought themselves very far off, since they so boldly despised His law and all the prophecies.

As for the splendor, God’s majesty and incomprehensible glory are signified. For if brightness blinds our eyes, what would happen if we endeavor to penetrate to that immense light of which the sun is only a little spark? Since, therefore, Ezekiel says, there was the likeness of splendor above his loins, he undoubtedly shows how formidable the majesty of God ought to be to us.

For God dwells in light that is inaccessible, as the Apostle says (1 Timothy 6:16). But below, he says, was the appearance of fire, namely, because He must not wait until the Jews received any joy from the presence of God. We know, indeed, that hypocrites always boast rashly in the name of God, as Amos reproves them: What is to you the day of the Lord? it is a day of darkness and not light (Amos 5:18).

For they boast that God would be pleaded with in their miseries, and that He must assist them, because He had taken them under His protection. The Prophet refutes this arrogance and says that the day of the Lord would be darkness.

So also in this place, God appeared in the form of fire towards the earth, so that the Jews should tremble when they saw the vengeance of God lit up to consume them. Therefore, in the splendor God’s majesty was shown, which humbled the Prophet and all the pious, so that they should receive the vision reverently; for in the fire God’s vengeance was shown, lest the Jews make for themselves too broad a shield of the name of God, which they used falsely and deceitfully.