Ezekiel 1: 4-28 – God on his Throne in the Heavens
1:4. “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it”
the notation in Ezekiel: “A whirlwind,” to scholars, is a tornado from the north. They state that the North represents God’s judgment upon His enemies, and they cite two passages in Jeremiah to conclude Jer. 1:14-15 and Jer. 3:18, then tie Ezekiel’s vision of God as unusual.
Ezekiel portrays a whirlwind from the North – where these heavenly symbols came from – as a cloud (imagery used) with fire (light from the heavens) infolding or turning inwards upon itself. It is the ancient traditional cultural background, this is figurative language, and its description was known images throughout the region.
Ezekiel explains the symbols he saw: the ancient star or sun symbol known throughout the region as Shamash to the Babylonians and also to Israel (see the symbols at the end of the chapter).
A whirlwind infolds on itself is the symbol of circles in the heavens, in other words, planets, stars, and heavenly bodies. These all interacted with each other, creating cloud rings, whirlwinds, stairways, etc... Ezekiel’s vision is represented by a snake eating itself until it disappears and shows a different sign stating that brightness was shining from it.
This symbolizes the ancient sun gods that ancient culture worshipped: Utu to the Sumerians, Shamash to the Babylonians, Tammuz to Mesopotamia, Amun Ra to Egypt, etc. This is the great wheel in the heavens.
1:4 “and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire”
Out of the cloud in the middle came a pillar of fire out of the middle. As the two planets interacted, two colors were seen from the earth. The first is a circular cloud. The second was a ball of fire that let down a stream of fire from the middle of the ball.
1:5 “Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance”
This is John the revelator's vision almost 600 years later (see Rev. 4:6-8). The four creatures are winds, rivers, directions, and pillars. Four with whatever imagery man associated it with as they separated into four heads, projected out from the center in four different directions.
1:5-6 “they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings”
Man adopted these images in the sky and conveyed them into idols and to those whom they gave homage to. The four images had the likeness of a man, propped up on a man’s body with a different head to represent the cardinal direction of four points once found in the heavens.
To the ancients, they are an archetypal representation of the gods that culture adapted to worship. All cultures chose gods and gave images to represent the four pillars coming out of the wheel found in the heavens as depicted on the earth.
1:7-10 “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 the colour of 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. 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 four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle”
Ancient culture, especially the Egyptians, portrayed their gods with wings. Each was assigned faces and images to them and worshipped them. The modern interpretation states that they are cherubim, remarkable creatures, half man, half beast, which surround God’s throne. Nowhere on earth is a living creature that is half man, half beast. The only thing close to this is images of idols from ancient cultures depicting the gods they worshipped. It is not that they exist as living beings but as a description of what was seen.
Ezekiel is doing the same here by using a representation of the images found in Babylonian culture to explain what they worshipped. Ezekiel adopts these images because Israel is worshipping them instead of God. The four images are the head of a man, lion, ox, and eagle. These are the gods Israel adopted from Egypt, which they refused to leave alone when God took them out of Egypt (see commentary on Ezekiel 20).
Hebrew tradition also had specific adaptations within each tribe. Each tribe was given a flag and symbols to represent the emblems of their father’s homes (Numbers 2:2). While Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years, Moses set up camp in specific directions.
Dan was given the Eagle and camped in the North, Judah the Lion in the East, Ephraim the Calf in the west, and Reuben as a Man in the South. The tabernacle, or God’s presence, was to be in the midst of the center of the four tribes in their cardinal directions. All the rest of Israel was to camp in their respective directions round about them in a circle centered on these four heads (see Numbers 2).
Ezekiel is referencing and reusing the well-known symbols to Israel that God is the one who sits on the throne. These same images are found throughout ancient cultures identically. The images were after the ancient order, and regardless of each symbol used, it’s always represented by the same order of four images.
No matter where man was, if they looked into the heavens, the sign of this image was all about them. It would follow no matter where they turn, precisely like a rainbow while moving in a car. He expresses this, stating that they “turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.” The heavens' ability to move depended upon where man stood and moved. Seen from the earth, there was no movement besides rotating through the heavens, and they moved based on a person traveling.
1:11-14. “Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; 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; and they turned not when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it 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”
The glory of the images seen was magnificent, especially if a light shone and reflected from above. It was a representation of the Cherub. Cherub means shining one, and Cherubim is the pluralized form. The celestial bodies from the heavens reflected light giving the appearance of wings.
With the two interactions of planets and the placement with the sun, they each had a crescent protruding upwards which looks like wings. As the image rotates in the sky, the four heads would rotate below the fire, which protrudes out, giving the appearance that their hands are stretched upward in a crescent position.
And through their rotation, it looked as if the arms or wings were intertwined one with another. Fire and lightning were interactions between two celestial bodies. Ancient cultures depict the gods with lightning bolts, and man always seems to be the victim of the wars fought between the gods. Regardless of the noise and the protruding light, when the flashing was done, there would be the sign of the throne in the heavens, and man witnessed it on earth.
1:15 “Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces”
When taken literally, which modern-day theologians love to do, they state the image Ezekiel saw must have been a four-wheeled vehicle acting as the throne of God. Stating that the picture Ezekiel is describing has more than one wheel calling it a supernatural chariot in significant motion, or picking up a portion saying that ancient Jews called it merkabhah, the divine throne chariot, and describe it as in constant activity and motion in every direction.
Ezekiel describes a cultural tradition of what they knew as the throne of God. But it is not a modern-day vehicle today on four wheels, it was one wheel with multiple insides of it. In describing the living creatures, he must describe where they come from, from inside a wheel of which the living creatures were a part.
Ezekiel states, “behold one wheel upon the earth… with his four faces.” The description is the creatures are found within the wheel as plural in which they reside. This is talking about the sign of heaven shown within a wheel with four spokes, dividing the wheel into four equal parts, the four corners of the earth, winds of the great sea, etc. The four faces were the spokes or pillars that connected the wheel, which rotated around heaven.
Ezekiel saw John’s vision:
“And before the throne (heaven) there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind… And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him…” (Rev. 4:6-8).
Daniel also saw the same thing, but he changes living creatures to four winds: “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea diverse one from another” (Daniel 7:2-3). He states they were a lion, bear, eagle, and calf—universal cultural symbols that man assigned to signs from the heavens.
The issue is that people overlook the imagery Ezekiel is portraying. His vision is the same as John’s, which is the same as Daniel’s, Isaiah’s, Zedekiah, Malachi, and all the ancient prophets. It is the sign that Ancient Israel used to represent heaven.
1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel
Ezekiel takes the singular wheel and now pluralizes it with the color of beryl, which many states are a blue-green color, the color of an emerald, which other prophets stated was a sea of glass. The color is more of topaz, both from the middle and outward, with two different colors: the blue topaz, clear as crystal, and the other having the luster of gold, both harmonizing their light of fire reflected as seen from earth.
The King James Version of the scriptures is not the best interpretation of the original. The New International Version states, “This was the appearance and structure,” which is a better translation. These wheels were structured to look like a wheel within a wheel, in other words, orbs in direct alignment like an eclipse from the heavens seen on earth. To man, it looks like it is a wheel within a wheel.
The four living creatures had the exact likeness of the wheel within a wheel. The colors were the same, as a sea of glass. The Hebrew for appearance was translated from כְּעֵ֣ין (kə·‘ên), which means the gleam or to shine.
Another interpretation is the eye, or the fountain, or the middle shining and protruding outwards towards the other wheel as their workmanship from the Hebrew word states: וּמַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם (ū·ma·‘ă·śê·hem) the activity which they gave separated from one wheel to the next into their four streams, heads, winds, or whatever metaphor they chose. This is the interpretation of what Ezekiel saw.
1: 17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
The wheels or orbs that were aligned would turn throughout the day. The Hebrew word for “wheels” translated from the original is וְגַ֨בֵּיהֶ֔ן (wə·ḡab·bê·hen) or the top, the rim, the arch of the eye. Among the cardinal points of the four sides, one was always considered the arch because it shined brighter than the other sides.
This arch in ancient culture would move throughout the heavens, being fixated in the north, and regardless of where man would be on earth, the image would always follow them. There was no change in direction. Just like the sun lights the way throughout the day, man moves throughout their activities. The same thing happens here with the wheel within a wheel, this image was seen from the earth, and it went where man went.
1:18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four
The orbs, rings, or wheels which Ezekiel saw were not on earth. They appeared in the sky high and were close to the earth to be seen with the naked eye. They had the appearance of eyes all about it as well. This is the same vision John has in Revelation 4:8.
1:19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up
The modern interpretation states that this is the image moving upon the ground in parallel lines, that regardless it was the harmony between each creature and force of law showing the omniscience and power and might they have. As God commands them, they go.
It is a correct interpretation that the movement of the image is upward and downward. As with any manifestation of visions, the operations are the same. In this case, the rings, circles, wheels, orbs, or planets moving closer and farther away from the earth give upward and downward movements.
1:20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels
No matter where one goes on earth the light and image would follow. Ezekiel is just repeating himself using different contexts. The spirit of God fills the image he is seeing, and it can be see no matter where one is on earth. And this shows how the living creatures were in the wheel within the wheel as four pillars, streams, winds, creatures, etc.
1:21 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 over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels
When the wheels/rings went up, the creatures went up. When they came down, the creatures came down. This is the rotation of the day and night cycle in ancient days. Ezekiel is describing the ancient order of the sun which man experienced.
1:22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above
The same color John gave of a sea of glass in Revelation 4:6. The sea of glass is before the throne. As in heaven, so on earth. The beasts are a figurative expression as they represent the description of heaven and the paradise of God. And just like the four quarters, four elements, four seasons, four creatures, or four rivers, they all are figurative expressions that represent things that were in the heavens!
1:23 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
Two wings, one on each side of the living creatures, a figurative expression showing that they, like God, have all knowledge and power. It was a metaphor for God, who lives in heaven. The literal meaning was the course with their designated time and order in the heavens associated with ancient cultural traditions being measured by man on earth.
1:24-25 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings; And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings
Many believe this is the voice of God speaking. Others believe it’s a great waterfall noise sounding like thunder, and they liken it to John as Christ is ascended, giving references to many of John’s visions (Rev. 1:15; 9:7-10; and 14:2). But when reading what they believe about John’s vision, it’s distorted as well as much as it is here.
Mainstream believes John in Revelation 9:7-10 is speaking of modern warfare as someone who sees two thousand years into the future, of man’s evil designs of weapons, tanks, helicopters, rifles, clothing, and camouflage to wage war and torment man. They willingly state that all the other prophets have seen the same thing.
An example of this is in Joel 2:1-11. This is their interpretation. Ancient culture is not taught anymore. It is foreign, so man likens what is in scripture to what is currently seen on earth. The wings are light, which shines and reflects upon the earth. And as it does on the earth, it also does in the heavens with the other planets and stars.
1:26. 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 the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it
In other words, “above the sky over their heads was a throne which looked blue like a sapphire stone.” Ancient religion symbolized planets with figures on earth. This is taken from one of them. The throne of God is this blue stone high in the heavens or above the firmament. Many ancient religions during Abrahams's day had similar traditions, including the concept of seven earths and seven heavens (Hetherington, 2014).
Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter all influenced ancient culture and traditional beliefs. Each was considered a god. Ezekiel is giving reference to the known tradition of heaven man. As the formations would change, it would also give various images, one of which was this heaven man. Three wheels as they interacted and descended to earth in form like a man with his hands stretched out. Each ancient culture depicts this. One of the known ones today is the Roman god Atlas, who holds the heaves up with his hands stretched out.
1:27. “And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about”
Ezekiel describes the cosmic mountain, which is high and lifted above all the mountains and hills. It was red in color and extended above and stood upon the earth. From above and below, it was red.
1:28. “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 the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake”
As bright as any other light reflected on the earth, this figure or image Ezekiel saw had the same brightness. As bright as the red was in the rainbow was as bright as this figure was. And Ezekiel then likens this image to God as all the other ancient cultures did. When he saw it in his vision, he knew it was God.
Polar configuration of heaven man as seen in ancient days on the earth. And the different variations throughout ancient culture.