Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
likeness . . . appearance—not tautology. "Likeness" expresses the general form; "appearance," the particular aspect.
coals of fire—denoting the intensely pure and burning justice wherewith God punishes by His angels those who, like Israel, have hardened themselves against His long-suffering. So in Isaiah 6:2, Isaiah 6:6, instead of cherubim, the name "seraphim," the burning ones, is applied, indicating God's consuming righteousness; whence their cry to Him is, "Holy! holy! holy!" and the burning coal is applied to his lips, for the message through his mouth was to be one of judicial severance of the godly from the ungodly, to the ruin of the latter.
lamps—torches. The fire emitted sparks and flashes of light, as torches do.
went up and down—expressing the marvellous vigor of God's Spirit, in all His movements never resting, never wearied.
fire . . . bright—indicating the glory of God.
out of the fire . . . lightning—God's righteousness will at last cause the bolt of His wrath to fall on the guilty; as now, on Jerusalem.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ezekiel 1:13:
Isaiah 6:2
Ezekiel 1:14
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