The book of Ezekiel has always been named after Ezekiel, who is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture. His Hebrew name is “Yechezkel” meaning “God has strengthened.” He was taken captive to Babylon about 597 BC along with ten thousand other Jews when he was about 25 years old. His ministry began around 592 BC and he was a contemporary of Jeremiah, both having priestly backgrounds. This makes Ezekiel familiar with the Temple, kedusha and the services. He lives with his wife in Tel Aviv on the banks of the river Chebar, probably southeast of Babylon. He dates his prophecies and they are written chronologically, and his last dated word was in 571 BC. Once in Babylon after the second deportation, Ezekiel is in exile and lives more like a colonist than a captive. He is able to farm and even have his own house. But false prophets are everywhere and they are telling the exiles that they will be returning back to the land very soon. Ezekiel tells them that Jerusalem and the Temple are going to be destroyed and their exile will be prolonged. That crushes any hope for a swift rescue. That’s why his latter prophecies related to a future restoration and the blessings of the messianic kingdom, and his earlier prophecies dealt with the coming disaster in Judah. The Kivod (glory) and the Shekinah (presence) are major themes in Ezekiel. Another theme is God’s malakim (angels) carrying out his will. He also stresses how each individual is accountable for following the Torah, and their own sins.
Ezekiel writes the book to show Judah that they must be judged for their rebellion against Yehovah and to encourage the remnant of Judah through the prophecies given that there will be a glorious future and that Yehovah has not rejected them forever. It also brings out the dominance of the kivod of Yehovah and other attributes. Yehovah will express his own interests by saying, “For my name’s sake” or “You shall know that I am the Lord.” All of his actions in judgment and blessing come out of the concept of kedusha, or “holiness.” This is defined as the setting apart of something or someone for the service of God by formal and legal restrictions and limitations. The kedusha of time is marked by limits on man’s activities concerning work and construction. His judgment and blessing are also for the sake of his kivod (glory).
Ezek 1.1-28 explains what is called the “Maaseh Merkavah” or the “Work of the Chariot” which is the heavenly throne. A chariot is the means by which God’s glory is displayed in creation. There are descriptions of God as a “chariot” in 2 Kings 19.15; Psa 18.10, 80.1, 99.1; 2 Sam 22.11. This vision in Ezek 1 explains how Yehovah, who we can’t see, is able to reveal himself to us. His “storm wind” or “chariot” is coming. Will you die or be driven crazy like the rabbis of old, or will we bow down before the radiant man and receive his instruction and be filled with the Ruach Ha Kodesh. The merkavah vision sets the atmosphere for all of Ezekiel’s prophecies and exhortations, which have the purpose of assuring Israel that God has a destiny for them through the exile and the Shekinah will return.
v 1…Now it came about in the thirtieth year (of Ezekiel or some era that cannot be determined), on the fifth day of the fourth month (Tammuz), while I was by the river Chebar (meaning “abundant delta” and a large irrigation canal of the Euphrates) among the exiles, the heavens were opened (this is an idiom meaning “a deeper revelation of God is coming”-Matt 27.51; Mark 1.10; Rev 4.1-see the teaching on this website called “The Veil of the Temple was Torn” for more information on this concept) and I saw visions of God (in a human form; “visions” is plural meaning there were many components to it. The term “Marot Elohim” means it was a blurred or “double vision.” This was not at a level of a “clear mirror” like with Moses in Num 12.8, but like in 1 Cor 13.12. Biblical study and research can drive you crazy because it is not exact and we see through a glass darkly).
v 2…On the fifth of the month (Tammuz) in the (which was) fifth year of Yehoiachin’s exile (same as Yeconiah or Coniah, and was held 37 years after he was taken),
v 3…the word (davar) of the Lord (Yehovah) came expressly (“hiyoh hiyah” or “had come” or “had been”) to Ezekiel (Yechezkel) the priest, son of Buzi (“my shame”-God sends the son of “my shame” to strengthen the exiles. Ezekiel was a kohen of the house of Zadok. His contemporary was Jeremiah from the house of Abiathar. God sends a son of Zadok with the exiles, and a son of the banished priest Abiathar stays in the land to be critical of the priesthood in Jerusalem through Jeremiah) in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord (‘Yad Yehovah” is used frequently in Ezekiel and it also is a term for the Messiah. Elijah sees a “hand” on Mount Carmel and a judgment of rain fell on Ahab-1 Kings 18.44) came upon him.
v 4…And as I looked, behold (take note), a storm wind (of judgment-Jer 23.19, 25.32) was coming from the north (the direction of judgment; God will bring the enemies of Jerusalem and Judah from that direction), a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it and in its midst something like a glowing metal (glowing metal is the Hebrew “chasmal” and a compound of “chash mal” or “silent speaking” or still small voice. It is a prophetic idiom meaning beyond comprehension or no words. The color is not known but in English it is given a color bronze, but there is more to this. If we saw the throne of God could we describe it? Not even Paul could describe it-2 Cor 12.1-4) in the midst of the fire (in the Maaseh Merkavah vision we have supernatural concepts that cannot be understood literally, nor are most even capable at glimpsing their inner meaning. However, a good Hebraic study of the book of Revelation can give us insight into Ezekiel),
v 5…and within it there were figures resembling four (universal) living beings (“chaiyot”) and bearers of the merkavah that bore Yehovah; a type of angel-Rev 4.6). And this was their appearance; they had human form (likeness of a man or “da’moot Adam”-most likely Keruvim-Ezek 10.1-22).
v 6…Each of them had four faces and four wings (similar to the Seraphim in Isa 6, but they had six wings, with two covering their face, speaking of humility. Here the chaiyot are under the throne and they carry out Yehovah’s commands. The “face” speaks of intelligence and the “wings” speak of speed in fulfilling God’s will. These keruvim had four wings-Ezek 10.1-22).
v 7…And their legs were straight (in proper position) and their feet like a calf’s hoof (rounded) and they gleamed like burnished bronze (purity of God’s essence and justice).
v 8…Under their wings (hidden) on their four sides were human hands (denoting action and work to do, sometimes hidden). As for the faces and wings of the four of them,
v 9…their wings touched one another (Hebrew “a woman to her sister” meaning harmony and affection), their faces did not turn when they moved (each chaiyot had faces on every side so there was no need to turn around; no path of error).
v 10…As for the form (likeness) of their faces each had the face of a man (alludes to Yeshua as the Son of Man as seen in the book of Luke), all four had the face of a lion (Yeshua as the King as seen in Matthew) on the right and the face of an ox (Yeshua as the servant in Mark) on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle (Yeshua as the Son of God from Heaven as seen in John in the rear. All four of these denote a “king”. Man is king of all creation, the lion is king of beasts, the ox is king of the tame animals and the eagle is king of all birds).
v 11…Thus were their faces; and their wings were spread out above, each had two touching another and two covering their bodies (literally “parted from above the joining of their wings”-though God’s movements on earth may seem conflicting and confusing, yet if one looks to heaven it all works together).
v 12…And each went straight forward (with directness), wherever the spirit (impulse, purpose) was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went (by the spirit dwelling in the creature).
v 13…In the midst of the living beings (chaiyot) there was something that looked like (in general) burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth (flickering) among the living beings (chaiyot). The first was bright and lightning was flashing from the fire (this conveys God’s glory or kivod, and wrath in a threatening aspect seemingly towards Judah).
v 14…And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning (this is spiritual movement in spiritual space and it does not relate to measurable distance as in physical movement. “Near” means “similar to” and “far” means “different or opposite” for instance).
v 15…Now as I looked at the living beings, behold (take note), there was one wheel (Hebrew “ophan” and alludes to the complicated revolutions of his will and purpose) on earth beside the living beings (wheels of the merkavah/chariot).
v 16…The appearance of the wheels (ophanim) and their workmanship (shape) was like sparkling beryl (clear fire), and all four of them had the same form (likeness), their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another (one set crosswise, like in a gyroscope).
v 17…Whenever they moved they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved (went).
v 18…As for their rims they were lofty (for visibility) and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes (omniscience of Yehovah) round about (full visibility).
v 18…And whenever the living beings (chaiyot) moved, the wheels (ophanim) moved with them (in close relation with them). And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also (the ophanim are bound with the chaiyot in one purpose or spirit).
v 19…Whenever the spirit (purpose, impulse) was about to go, they (chaiyot) would go in that direction and the wheels (ophanim) rose close beside them, for the spirit (purpose, impulse) of the living beings (chaiyot) was in the wheels (ophanim).
v 21…Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stop still, these stood still.
v 22…Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse (a firmament, like in Gen 1), like the awesome gleam of crystal extended over their heads.
v 23…And under the expanse their wings were stretched out (above or aloft) one toward another; each one also had two wings covering their bodies on the one side and on the other (in modesty/humility).
v 24…I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of abundant waters as they went (moved), like the voice of the Almighty (Shaddai), a sound of tumult, like the sound of an army camp (company); whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings (reverential rest).
v 25…And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings (as commanded)
Ezek 1.26-28 now describes the throne of Yehovah.
v 26…Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling as throne like sapphire in appearance, and on that which resembled the appearance of a man (Yehovah appears in human form at times, alluding to Yeshua-John 14.9; Col 2.9).
v 27…Then I noticed from the appearance of his loins and upward something like glowing metal (chashmal or an amber color-see verse 4 notes) that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of his loins (Dan 10.6; Matt 17.2; Rev 1.15) and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around him (a fiery, shining light).
v 28…As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day (denoting a brilliance), so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory (kivod) of the Lord (Yehovah). And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking (containing Ezekiel’s commission as a prophet in the following chapter. One thing must be said here before we go on. Since no man has “seen God” at least to the time of Yeshua in John 1.18, Ezekiel is not seeing him in this vision. Notice he is using words and descriptions such as “like the voice” or “something resembling” or an “appearance like” and so on. The vision of the “chariot” or throne shows a heavenly or spiritual sphere. The chaiyot, ophanim or keruvim are angels carrying out the spirit, impulse or purposes of God. No specification is given as to what that purpose is. Here we have an example of the relationship between spiritual light or the will of God; spiritual mass or the angels carrying out that will; the resulting spiritual energy or the effect of their actions on creation and man, all done in spiritual time).
Now, some have taught that this chapter is referring to UFOs and aliens. We do not believe Ezekiel is talking about those things at all. We refute the idea of UFOs and aliens and we refer you to our article on this website called “Ezekiel 1, the Merkaveh, UFOs and Aliens” for a biblical and scientific look at this idea.
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