It is important to realise that Ezekiel conducted his ministry as a prophet, not in Israel, but in the land of Babylon, or Chaldea. He was in captivity, having apparently been carried away at the time of King Jehoiachin’s captivity when some ten thousand Jews were taken into exile (II Kings 24:12-14; Ezekiel 1:2).
While Ezekiel was prophesying in Chaldea at a place called Tel Abib on the River Chebar (neither the place nor the river can be identified with certainty), Jeremiah was prophesying in Jerusalem where he had been faithfully proclaiming God’s word for some twelve or thirteen years before Ezekiel commenced his work in the 5th. year of Jehoiachin’s captivity. Daniel too, was prophesying at this time,also in the land of the captivity.
Ezekiel’s message then was addressed primarily to the Jews in exile, and he began to speak the Word of Yahweh to them at a very critical time in the history of the captivity. In Jerusalem there was a man named Hananiah who was opposing Jeremiah’s teaching and saying that Babylon was soon to fall and within two years the captivity of the Jews would end. This teaching was being received in the Land of Chaldea (Jer. 28:1-4; 29:24-28). Hananiah delivered his false prophecy in the 4th. year of the reign of Zedekiah (which corresponds to the 4th. year of Jehoiachin’s captivity) and was opposed in Jerusalem by Jeremiah; Ezekiel began to prophesy to the captivity the following year and proceeded to oppose this false teaching there.
For nearly seven years Ezekiel ‘s message was one of warning of the impending judgement of Almighty God upon Israel still in the Land. in the twenty fourth chapter he records the setting out of Nebuchadnezzar to besiege the city of Jerusalem, and in Chapter 33 he receives word that the city had fallen,after a dreadful siege of some eighteen months. The his message changes, and in the remaining chapters we are led to consider the wonderful restoration of Israel which even now awaits its complete fulfillment.
The Vision of the Cherubim (Chapter 1)
From verse 1 we learn that Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry “in the THIRTIETH year”, and according to verse 2 this was the same as “the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity”. Some suggest that this thirtieth year refers to the time which had elapsed since the reform by king Josiah (II Kings 23) but there seems to be little reason why the prophecy should be thus dated. More likely, and more in keeping with the things portrayed in this opening vision, this year was the 30th. year of Ezekiel’s life.
Ezekiel was a priest (v.3) and under normal circumstances this year would have seen him commencing his ministry in the temple (Num. 4:3); but he is in captivity and therefore not able to minister in the Jerusalem temple which contained but the “patterns of things in the heavens” (Heb.9:23) – instead he sees “the heavens opened” and he becomes a minister in a much greater sanctuary than that which existed at the city of Jerusalem. This sanctuary is many times referred to in the Word of God; it is the great temple of Yahweh’s rulership over the earth as expressed in the Psalm – “Yahweh is in his holy temple, Yahweh’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. “(11:4)
The Heavens Were Opened (Verse 1)
Many interesting passages of scripture immediately come to mind; Jesus saw the heavens opened (Matt.3:16) and promised Nathanael that he would see “heaven opened” (Jno.1:51) and that the angels of God which he would see ascending and descending would be “upon the SON OF MAN”.
In Acts 7:56 it is recorded that Stephen at his stoning saw “the heavens opened, and the SON OF MAN standing on the right hand of God”. These are very fascinating scriptures which cannot be expounded in detail at this point. It is evident that in each case the opening of the heavens refers to an actual or an impending manifestation of God, and its connection in the last two references with the SON OF MAN, indicates that the opening of the heavens of which they speak would be for the purpose of judgement. (For the connection between the Son of Man and divine judgement see Dan. 7:13 et seq., Jno.5:27, Mark 14:62.) Ezekiel, no less than ninety times, is called SON OF MAN (e.g. Ch.2:1; 3:1,4,10,17,25 etc.), and this association of the OPENING OF THE HEAVENS with one who is the SON OF MAN makes us ask the question – “Are we being introduced here in Ch.1 to a vision of Yahweh’s judgements?”. We shall see that the answer to the question is “YES”.
But perhaps the most interesting passage in connection with this opening of the heavens is Revelation chapters 4 – 6 which shows many similarities to the Ezekiel vision. We can set the two in parallel thus:
This comparison show us that we are not considering in this first section _E Ezekiel things which are literal; – we are being told in APOCALYPTIC LANGUAGE things about to happen in the earth, or in the words of the Apocalypse “things which must shortly come to pass” were being “SIGNIFIED” to the prophet. (Rev.1:1.)
This means that Ezekiel’s visions have to be interpreted in just the same way as those in the Revelation. This will be our pleasure during this first series of articles; we shall strive to let scripture throw light on scripture, remaining ever conscious of our fallibility as we attempt to know the mind of the Spirit.
Whirlwind, Cloud, and Fire
Ezekiel introduces his first vision at verse 4. The RSV,which follows the Septuagint, renders thus: “A stormy wind came out of the _ north, and a great cloud with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually….” All the features of this introduction are significant. The STORMY WIND (WHIRLWIND A.V.), the CLOUD, and the FIRE all speak of the storm of God’s approaching judgements. All are natural phenomena; all are the effects of things taking place in the heavens felt upon the earth; and therefore they are all very fitting symbols of the judgements of God which very soon were to be meted out upon the wicked people of Israel which remained in the land.
It is interesting to compare the prophecies of Jeremiah,who was at this time still in Jerusalem, with the words of Ezekiel. Jeremiah too speaks of the WHIRLWIND. In Ch.23 he is addressing the false prophets who were very active in Israel and who were saying that there would not be another invasion from the north.”Ye shall have peace… .no evil shall come upon you”. (v.17). In reply Jeremiah says,
“Behold a WHIRLWIND of Yahweh is gone forth in fury, even a grievous WHIRLWIND: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.”
This whirlwind was the Babylonian invasion of Israel. In Chapter 4 he speaks of the impending desolation of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar –
“The Zion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.” (v.7)
In verses 11-13 of this chapter there is again a reference to this whirlwind which would come out of the north, but also we note,
“he shall come up as CLOUDS, and his chariots shall be as a WHIRLWIND.”
In this same chapter the prophet speaks of these judgements as the fury of God coming “forth like FIRE” and in Ch.15 (another prophecy of the Babylonian invasion of Jewry) Yahweh says, “I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a FIRE is kindled in mine anger,which shalt burn upon you.” (v.14)
The WHIRLWIND, the CLOUD, and the FIRE are all symbols of God’s judgements which in the near future were to break out upon Israel still in the land. These judgements were poured out by Nebuchadnezzar who was the instrument in God’s hand for the punishment of his people. This is why in his vision Ezekiel saw these things coming “out of the NORTH”. (v.4 and cf. Jer.4:6)
This is an important point.
There have been many expositions of this first chapter of Ezekiel, but most have failed to fit the vision into the context of these opening words of the prophet. This is a vision of the approaching judgements of God upon Israel; these would come from the north. We must remember this when we come to try to understand the significance of that which emerged from the midst of the storm cloud.
There is another point we must make in connection with the storm cloud. Each of these things – the whirlwind, the cloud, and the fire – speaks of the PRESENCE OF GOD. We think of God answering Job out of the whirlwind; we think of the cloud and the fire which accompanied the manifestation of Yahweh at Sinai; and we think of such scriptures as Psalm 18:7-11; 97:1-3, qv. The approach of the whirlwind, the cloud,and the fire, speaks then of God coming to Israel for the purpose of judgement. This is an idea seen repeatedly in the prophets and Micah ch.1 is much to the point. In Ch.1:2 he refers to the “holy temple” which,as we have already mentioned, appears to be representative of the position of God – God’s rulership over the earth. Micah proceeds to warn that Yahweh was about to reveal his righteous judgements in the midst of Israel.
“For, behold, Yahweh cometh forth out of his place, and WILL COME DOWN, and tread upon the high places of the earth.” (Mic.1:3)
Similarly, Jeremiah, speaking of the effects in the land of Israel of the “evil from the north” (4:6) says at 4:26
“I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down AT THE PRESENCE OF YAHWEH, and by his fierce anger”. (See also Jer.5:22)
This idea is developed in Ezekiel in the description of that which he saw emerge from the midst of the storm cloud.
Four Living Creatures
“Out of the midst thereof came the likeness of FOUR LIVING CREATURES.” (v.5).
We know that these living creatures are the cherubim because Ezekiel tells us so in Ch.10:20. We must not assume that the cherubim are literal beings as Ezekiel describes them – he is “signifying” things – the cherubim here described REPRESENT something, just as the storm cloud represents something. What do the living creatures here described in Ezekiel Ch.1 signify? The usual explanation of this first chapter to be found in Christadelphian literature, is that the living creatures constitute a representation of the saints in their post-resurrectional glory. I do not believe that this can be substantiated from scripture. To affirm, without adequate proof, that the cherubim in Ezekiel I represent the saints, and then to build an exposition of this chapter upon that hypothesis, misses the whole point of Ezekiel’s first vision. Ezekiel is telling us of judgements SOON to be poured out upon Israel; the cherubim, whatever they are, were to be intimately involved in the pouring out of these storm judgements – they were to be “in the midst”. How can this refer to the saints in post-resurrectional glory?
Before the cherubim of Ezekiel’s vision can be understood, it is necessary to understand the general teaching of the scriptures about the cherubim, and then we can apply the general principles to Ezekiel’s vision, bearing in mind both its historic and its prophetic context.
The Meaning Of The Word ‘Cherubim’
The meaning of this word is obscure. Young and Bullinger suggest that it signifiestto hold’ (in safe keeping). Gesenius (Dr. Thomas follows him) derives it from a Hebrew word meaning a CHARIOT, and compares it to a similar Arabic word which means a ship of conveyance. That this latter (i.e. chariot) is undoubtedly the true meaning of the word is shown by the way in which it is used in scripture. Speaking of the materials which David had set aside for the temple which Solomon was to build, we are told (I Chron.28:18 R.V.) that there was “gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim.” This idea comes out in Psalm 18 where we are told that God “rode upon a cherub”. (v.10)
This Psalm 18 is very instructive. It was written as a song of thansgiving for the deliverance which Yahweh had afforded David.
“David spake…the words of this song in the day that Yahweh had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.” (II Sam. 22:1 which then follows with the text of Psalm 18.)
Reading the Psalm we note the following sequence:-
- David is in distress. (v.5)
- He cries to God who hears his plea. NOTE: God is said to hear “out of his temple” (v.6), which again reminds us of the apocalyptic temple context of Ezekiel’s vision.
- Yahweh then COMES DOWN (v.9).Presumably the HEAVENS were OPENED so that Yahweh’s presence could be manifested on the earth.
- Yahweh comes down by RIDING UPON A CHERUB (v.10).
- The outcome is that David’s enemies are routed (vv.11-14).
From this it is clear that the cherub is that upon which Yahweh rides forth; The cherubim constitute the VEHICLE OF YAHWEH’S MANIFESTATION. In the Psalm we see Yahweh riding forth in the cherubic chariot producing the judgement of David’s enemies, and, far more important, the protection of David himself. (v.17)
The Work Of The Cherubim – Judgement And Protection
After the transgression and subsequent condemnation of the first man and woman, they were driven out of the garden of Eden, and we are told that God placed
“at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Gen.3:24)
Here, right at the beginning of things, we have a priciple revealed which is applicable to every reference to the cherubim in scripture. Whatever the cherubim are, or whatever they represent,they have a duty to perform. It is the work of the cherubim to KEEP THE WAY OF THE TREE OF LIFE, i.e. to protect it; and in this work of protection FIRE and SWORD are employed.
This work of PROTECTION by JUDGEMENT is seen repeatedly in the scripture records of the lives of men, and in the history of the nation of Israel. The way of the tree of life, which is the object of cherubic protection, can be traced from the garden of Eden, through the lives of the patriarchs, through the nation of Israel, to the one who said,”I am the WAY….” (Jno.14:6). We, having passed through the “strait gate” are treading the “narrow WAY” and treading it become part of it, being one with him who is the WAY. What follows then, is not a mere academic exercise – the cherubic protection of the WAY of the tree of life is a part of our experience in the Truth.
As we survey the history of God’s faithful men and the history of God’s nation to the time of Messiah, we can see how that repeatedly:-
- God has come down in his chariot; he has appeared in the vehicle of his manifestation, to judge those who threatened the WAY, ,
- Thereby bringing about the protection of those who were a part of the way.
This is very well illustrated in the Psalm (18). Here David, the one to whom God had promised the SEED who would reign for ever on his throne, is in danger. He was the bearer of the HOLY SEED – the way of the tree of life went through David, and the way was being threatened; by Goliath, by Saul, by men of his own house. God rides forth on the cherubic chariot and the enemies of David are judged and the way of the tree of life is protected.
The Nature Of The Cherubic Chariot
The cherubic chariot is angelic – it is the angels that constitute the vehicle of Yahweh’s manifestation. It is the angels who protect the way of the tree of life, for it is written, “The angel of Yahweh encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Psalm 34:7), and of the angels it is said that they are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb.1:14).
When Yahweh comes down (as in Exodus 19:20) it is by manifestation in the angels (as Acts 7:38 shows when compared with Exodus 19:20) and one angel in particular carries the name of Yahweh (Exodus 23:21). Together they manifest the rulership of Yahweh over the earth, working out his purpose in keeping the way of the tree of life, receiving their commands from the One upon the throne.
Consider them at work in the life of Jacob. If Jacob had died in his youth; if he had died childless; if, like Esau, he had married the Canaanite; – then the way of the tree of life would have come to a dead end, for Abraham’s seed would have been lost. The work of the angels prevented this, and Jacob acknowledged this when he blessed the sons of Joseph.
“The Angel which REDEEMED ME FROM ALL EVIL, bless the lads.” (Gen.48:16)
Throughout the national life of the people which descended from Jacob we see the angel hosts at work. Take as an example the time of the Assyrian invasion of Judah during the days of Hezekiah, recorded in II Kings 19. This was a most critical time in the history of this people; – all the cities of Judah had fallen; the stronghold of Zion remained and Hezekiah was shut up there like a bird in a cage. The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, sent a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah, taunting both him and Yahweh whom he served. Hezekiah with tremendous faith took the letter into the temple court and addressed his prayer to his God.
“O Yahweh, God of Israel, which dwellest (i.e. inhabitest) between the cherubims…bow down thine ear,and hear: open, Yahweh, thine eyes, and see….” (vv.15,16).
What was the response to this plea to the one who rides the cherubim? –
“It came to pass that night, that the ANGEL OF YAHWEH went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand.” (v.35).
A moment’s reflection will reveal again the important position occupied by childless Hezekiah in the history of the way of the tree of life. And so again, we see the wonderful protection of the WAY by the angelic cherubic chariot of Yahweh.
The Cherubim In Ezekiel
We must now relate these things to Ezekiel’s vision. We have seer that the whirlwind, cloud, and fire relate to the judgements of God. The Almighty was coming down to judge his people. The four living creatures which Ezekiel saw represent the chariot upon which Yahweh was to ride forth and through which he would manifest himself in Israel.
He was to visit the earth in this way for the purpose of keeping the WAY of the tree of life. At the time of Ezekiel the WAY went through the nation of Israel, and God had promised them from the beginning this cherubic protection.
“Behold I send an Angel before thee to KEEP thee in the WAY…” (Exod 23:20.)
But God also warned that this protection was predicated upon obedience. Disobedience would result in punishment at the ‘land of the protecting angel.
“Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” (v.21)
These punishments were detailed by God, through the prophet Moses, in such well known scriptures as Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26.
Israel transgressed. In Ezekiel’s day they had filled up the cup of their iniquity – there could be no remedy. The punishments long foretold through the prophet Moses were about to be fulfilled, and the early chapters of Ezekiel have many direct references to these prophecies. The sins of Israel threatened the continuity of the Way of the tree of life. Abraham’s seed was in danger of being lost through apostacy. The nation was no longer entitled to the cherubic protection, but because they themselves threatened the WAY, was deserving of cherubic judgement by fire and sword. The judgement, when it came, accomplished the end whereto it was sent, for the whole process of the judgement of Israel at the hand of the king of Babylon, and the seventy years captivity, produced a remnant of faithful Israelites who returned to the land and refounded the true worship of Yahweh. It is true that this too became apostate, but this new beginning at the time of Zerubbabel ensured the continuity of the WAY until in the fulness of time God sent forth his son, who was the WAY.
The Solution