Matthew Henry Commentary Ezekiel 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ezekiel 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ezekiel 1
"Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth [day] of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin`s captivity, the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him. And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire. And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf`s foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings [thus]: their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. And their faces and their wings were separate above; two [wings] of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: [the fire] went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." — Ezekiel 1:1-14 (ASV)
It is a mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a duty to attend to it diligently when we are in affliction. The voice of God came in the fullness of light and power, by the Holy Spirit. These visions seem to have been sent to fill the prophet's mind with great and high thoughts of God, to strike terror upon sinners, and to speak comfort to those that feared God and humbled themselves.
In Ezekiel 1:4-14, the first part of the vision represents God as attended and served by a vast company of angels, who are all His messengers and His ministers, doing His commandments. This vision would impress the mind with solemn awe and fear of the Divine displeasure, yet raise expectations of blessings. The fire is surrounded with a glory.
Though we cannot by searching find out God to perfection, we still see the brightness around it. The likeness of the living creatures came out of the middle of the fire; angels derive their being and power from God.
They have the understanding of a man, and far more. A lion excels in strength and boldness. An ox excels in diligence and patience, and in the tireless discharge of the work it has to do. An eagle excels in quickness, piercing sight, and in soaring high. The angels, who excel humans in all these respects, adopt these appearances.
The angels have wings, and whatever business God sends them on, they lose no time. They stood straight, firm, and steady.
They had not only wings for motion but also hands for action. Many people are quick but not active; they hurry about but do nothing to any purpose. They have wings but no hands. But wherever the angels' wings carried them, they also carried hands with them to do what duty required.
Whatever service they went about, they each went straight forward. When we go straight, we go forward; when we serve God with one heart, we perform work. They did not turn when they went. They made no mistakes; and their work did not need to be redone. They did not turn from their business to trifle with anything. They went wherever the Spirit of God would have them go.
The prophet saw these living creatures by their own light, for their appearance was like burning coals of fire; they are seraphim, or "burners," denoting the ardor of their love to God and fervent zeal in His service.
We may learn profitable lessons from subjects we cannot fully enter into or understand. But let us attend to the things that relate to our peace and duty, and leave secret things to the Lord, to whom alone they belong.
"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went. As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above. And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies. 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. And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings." — Ezekiel 1:15-25 (ASV)
Providence, represented by the wheels, produces changes. Sometimes one spoke of the wheel is uppermost, sometimes another; but the motion of the wheel on its own axle is regular and steady. We do not need to despair in adversity; the wheels are turning round and will raise us in due time, while those who presume in prosperity do not know how soon they may be cast down. The wheel is near the living creatures; the angels are employed as ministers of God's providence.
The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. The same wisdom, power, and holiness of God that guide and govern the angels also, through them, order all events in this lower world. The wheel had four faces, denoting that the providence of God exerts itself in all parts. Look every way upon the wheel of providence; it has a face toward you.
Their appearance and work were as a wheel in the middle of a wheel. The workings of Providence seem to us dark, perplexed, and unaccountable, yet they are all wisely ordered for the best. The motion of these wheels was steady, regular, and constant. They went as the Spirit directed; therefore, they did not return. We would not have to undo by repentance what we have done wrong, if we followed the guidance of the Spirit.
The rings, or rims, of the wheels were so vast that, when put in motion, the prophet was afraid to look upon them. The consideration of the height and depth of God's counsel should awe us. They were full of eyes all around. The motions of Providence are all directed by infinite Wisdom.
All events are determined by the eyes of the Lord, which are in every place, beholding the evil and the good; for there is no such thing as chance or fortune. The firmament above was a crystal, glorious, but awe-inspiringly so. What we take to be a dark cloud is to God clear as crystal, through which He looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
When the angels had roused a careless world, they let down their wings, so that God's voice might be plainly heard. The voice of Providence is to open people's ears to the voice of the word. Sounds on earth should awaken our attention to the voice from heaven; for how shall we escape, if we turn away from Him who speaks from there?
"And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above. And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." — Ezekiel 1:26-28 (ASV)
The eternal Son, the second Person in the Trinity, who afterwards took human nature, is indicated here. The first thing observed was a throne. It is a throne of glory, a throne of grace, a throne of triumph, a throne of government, and a throne of judgment.
It is good news to people that the throne above the heavens is filled with One who appears, even there, in the likeness of a man. The throne is surrounded by a rainbow, the well-known emblem of the covenant, representing God's mercy and covenanted love to his people. The fire of God's wrath was breaking out against Jerusalem, but limits would be set to it; he would look upon the bow and remember the covenant.
All that the prophet saw was only to prepare him for what he was to hear. When he fell on his face, he heard the voice of One who spoke. God delights to teach the humble. Let sinners, then, humble themselves before him.
And let believers consider his glory, so that they may be gradually changed into his image by the Spirit of the Lord.
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