Ezekiel 1:15-28, Behold the Lord Christ of Glory

Ezekiel 1:15-28, Behold the Lord Christ of Glory

15-28, 15.As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16.This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17.As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. 18.Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19.When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20.Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21.When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22.Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 23.Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24.When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25.Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26.Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27.I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.  28.Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

<Sermon>
 Ezekiel, who was 30 years old and in his fifth year of Babylonian captivity, experiences a vision of God’s glory (presence) in the midst of despair. First, he meets God (Jesus Christ) who comes to him through four living creatures: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. He sees Jesus as the King (lion, Matthew), Jesus as the Servant (ox, Mark), Jesus as the Son of Man (Luke), and Jesus as the Son of God (eagle, John). Next, he meets God who rolls the wheels of a chariot and sees everything with his eyes full of light. Thirdly, God shows Ezekiel, who is in despair, the grandeur and majesty of the crystal-like firmament. And finally, he meets Jesus Christ, who came as the Holy Man on the throne above the firmament, that is, as the Son of God. Jesus Christ is our hope and is like glowing iron (holiness, majesty, and glory) and like fire (holiness, purity, and power). Today we will listen to from the second to the fourth.

2. Vision of the Wheels (1:15-21)
1) The wheels also do not turn as the spirit leads them.
 Each living creature was assisted by the wheels. The wheels move in perfect unity with the living creatures. The fact that the four living creatures are tied together with the wheels shows that there is absolute unity and harmony among them. Just like the living creatures, the wheels also do not turn as the spirit leads them. (9,12), 17, “When they go, they go in their four directions without turning.” What created unity and harmony among them was the ‘spirit of the living creatures’ (20). “Wherever the spirit goes, the living creatures go, and the wheels are lifted up beside them, because the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels.” All of these things speak of God’s continuous work in all places of the world, His power and glory, and the Lord’s purpose for humanity. Even though the world is full of fear and change, God is working. In Ezekiel, the spirit has a direct influence on his ministry.

2) The wheels were “full of eyes.”
 Verse 18, “Their (wheels) rims were high and terrible, and full of eyes all around them.” Think of the wheels, not just one or two, but full of eyes. These wheels are constantly turning and full of eyes. This means that God watches over all His places and all His creatures without exception, and that He observes everything (Prov. 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth; 2 Chr. 16:9, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to give Him strength in behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him…”). This signifies God’s omniscience. Zech. 4:10, the eyes of the Lord are not fixed, but are ever-circling, ever-moving. God sees everything. The four living creatures (cherubim) ride on the wheels, watching and ministering to all. This vision is gradual. The creatures come out, and then the wheels they ride. These wheels roll in all directions, with many eyes, and see through everything.
 They are also seeing the end of the nation of Judah. ​​They are seeing the despair of Ezekiel, who was taken captive. They are the eyes of God who sees the young adult who is frustrated with his future. These beautiful eyes, rolling freely in all directions on wheels with eyes that move ceaselessly, and seeing through everything, are a fitting description of  God being everywhere and knowing everything.
 God is not silent, but alive. He is active and working. He is working among us even now. God’s eyes work while seeing through all the events that occur on earth. This is the message conveyed by the vision of the wheels. In other words, God sees through all the realities of history, turns the wheel of providence, and governs history!

*Question (19-21): Just as the spirits of the living creatures were in the middle of the wheels and were inseparable, shouldn’t my relationship with the Lord be the same? Do I truly resolve to live today and tomorrow, doing what the Lord does and stopping when He stops (21)? Galatians 5:16, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” Philippians 3:16.

3. The Firmament Vision(22-25)
 "22.Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 23.Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24.When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25.Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings."(The lowering of the wings is to make the voice of God more audible.")
 The firmament was a beautiful "platform" above the living creatures and the wheels. Things that are done on earth are done under heaven, that is, under the watchful eye and influence of heaven. This firmament was spread out like crystal (ice?, Job 6:16) (a clean, transparent, and holy space), and it was very fearful to look at. When you climb a high mountain on a clear day after the rain and look at the firmament, it is so vast and beautiful. The firmament seen from 33,000-feet airplane is so vast and splendid. Hymn #79, “O, Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power through out the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art!. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art!.”

4. The Throne Vision(1:26-28)
 Above the firmament is the throne of God. 10:1, “Then I looked, and there in the firmament above the heads of the cherubim was something like a sapphire stone, and upon them was the likeness of a throne.” God is still on the throne, and His will is being accomplished in the world, even though we cannot always see it. The complex movements of the angels and wheels show how incomprehensible is God’s providence in the universe. Only God can understand it, and only God can control it. Yet there is perfect harmony and obedience!
 Ezekiel describes the appearance of the cherubim supporting the throne of God. He emphasizes the power and movement of these angels. They were alive and dynamic. Those who serve the Lord at God’s side are full of power and movement.
Verses 26-28 are truly divine revelation. We must look above the creatures and wheels and receive revelation from the Eternal Word. When Ezekiel heard a voice from the firmament, he looked up to see who was speaking to him, as did the apostle John, and saw “one like the Son of Man” (Rev. 1:12, 13). The glory of Christ that Ezekiel saw was above the firmament above the heads of the living creatures. Verses 26-28, “Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne (the appearance of God = the throne of God’s absolute sovereignty, glory/grace/victory/ rule/judgment) was a figure like that of a man. 27.I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.  28.Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”
 The appearance of a man on the likeness of the throne (26) makes us think of only one person. He is the Holy One, Jesus Christ, who came to the world in human form to save mankind. God appears in human form, foreshadowing the incarnation of Christ and the glory of Christ (John 1:14, the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth; Rev. 1:12-16). Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:3, “He (the Son) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being.” God the Son, Jesus Christ, before the incarnation, sits on the throne and intervenes in history. He commands angels and carries out God’s providence in history. The fact that Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth in the flesh as a human being is itself a declaration of God’s intervention in history. God could not leave history as it was, so he came to this earth 2,000 years ago to fulfill His will in history. In order to unfold the history of salvation among us and to fulfill His will in history, God came into history in the flesh.

 Verse 27, The waist of the man was like the glowing metal from above, and the inside, around, and below his waist were like fire (see verse 4). The glowing metal symbolizes the holiness, majesty, and glory of Christ, and the fire symbolizes the holiness, purity, and power of Christ.
 Rainbow (1:28) - In the midst of the storm, there was a rainbow! The throne is surrounded by a rainbow. This clearly speaks of God’s mercy and His covenant that will not fail His people. A rainbow cannot appear without rain. In other words, before a rainbow (hope and restoration) can appear in the life of a sinner, the rain (judgment) must first be overcome. At the end of January of this year, I saw a rainbow in our church parking lot before I went on a mission to the Amazon. A few days later, on my way back home after successfully completing our Amazon Mission Trip, we saw another rainbow at the Leticia airport in Columbia. God has clearly shown us His mercy and His promises. In Gen. 9:11-17, the rainbow is mentioned as a sign of mercy (see Rev. 4:3, 10:1).
 Therefore, this entire vision of God’s glory shows God working in this world, keeping His covenant of mercy even as He judges His people. This vision completely crushed Ezekiel! (1:28, “When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”) Ezekiel was overwhelmed by the appearance of the glorious image. He was terrified when he saw the supernatural firmament beneath the throne of God. No wonder. There is not a single creature on earth who would not be terrified when he saw the image of the holy throne of the Creator God (22). His heart was filled with holy awe and he humbly fell on his face to the ground (28). He showed that he was completely obedient to the great God like the creatures that serve Him and was ready to receive God’s revelations humbly. God gives grace to the humble. Then God made Ezekiel stand on his feet and spoke to him (2:1-2, “1.He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak to you.’ 2.While he was still speaking to me, the Spirit came on me, and he lifted me up and set me on my feet. Then I heard the voice of him who spoke.”). He made him a watchman, fed him with the Word (3:3, Jer.15:16/Job23:12/Matt.4:4/Rev.10:9), and filled him with the Holy Spirit. Then he made him proclaim the Word of God, and those who listened to it “will know that I am the Lord!” (appears approximately 70 times in the Book of Ezekiel). This passage summarizes Ezekiel's ministry and message."

 *Question (28): Am I not arrogant and foolish enough to turn away from the quiet voice of the Lord and not directly experience the miracles of the light and healing that He specially showed me, and thus not bow down before God in awe? Like Ezekiel, what is the voice of the Lord that I should listen to and obey with a humble heart right now? Jer 49:20, Mic 6:1.

Conclusion.
 God is sitting on that high throne. However, He is not just watching from afar, unrelated to us. Jesus, incarnated in the flesh, shares our pain and sympathizes with us in all our human realities, takes interest in us, has insight into us, and works in this history by commanding angels. Herein lies our peace. There is hope for God's people. Even if our reality is difficult and hard, dark and gloomy, painful, shameful, and hopeless, if the living God is with me, He will intervene in my life and accomplish my plans. If the will is clear, we do not need to give up our lives. There is a meaning to all life. God has a will for the people and the nation. He has a will for individuals. God does not give up on us. His eyes are watching all around us.

 Dear saints, meditate on the amazing vision that God gave to Ezekiel, a 30-year-old Babylonian captive who was spending his days alone and sadly 1,500 km away, with no hope or tomorrow. What did He show him first? The four living creatures. They were flying with their four wings and working busily for God and us. What did He show him next? God, who rolls the wheels of the chariot and sees everything with his eyes full of pupils. What did He show Ezekiel in despair the third time? He showed him the firmament, which was as clear as crystal, majestic, and great above the four living creatures and the wheels. Fourth, He showed him the throne above the firmament, and God, the Son Jesus Christ, sitting on the throne. Let us all look to Jesus Christ who is holy and sacrificed with love. He is our hope and is like glowing metal(symbol of holiness, majesty, and glory), like fire (holiness, purity, and power). Because of Jesus Christ who took the form of a man, Ezekiel got up from the place of despair called captivity and met a new work, the gospel of life, and delivered a word of comfort and restoration to the captives for the hope and restoration of the nation of Israel (the kingdom of God). I bless you to see Christ on the throne of glory in the reality of your despair and suffering, and to live as a blessed saint who works for the salvation of Jesus and the kingdom of God. Amen.