3 Now the cherubim were standing on the1 south side of the temple when the man went in, and the acloud filled the inner court.
4aThen the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, andpaused over the threshold of the1 temple; and bthe house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s cglory.
5 And the asound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like bthe voice of Almighty God when He speaks.
6 Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside the wheels.
7 And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and took someofit and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went out.
8aThe cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
9aAnd when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared tohave the color of a bberyl stone.
10Asfor their appearance, all four looked alike—as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
11aWhen they went, they went toward anyof their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went.
12 And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, wereafull of eyes all around.
13 As for the wheels, they were called in my1 hearing, “Wheel.”
14aEach one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubim were lifted up. This wasathe living creature I saw by the River Chebar.
16aWhen the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them.
17aWhen1thecherubim stood still, thewheels stood still, and when2one was lifted up, theother lifted itself up, for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18 Then athe glory of the Lordbdeparted from the threshold of the1 temple and stood over the cherubim.
19 And athe cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the beast gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
20aThis is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel bby the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.
21aEach one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And athe likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. bThey each went straight forward.
A vision of the burning of the city. (1-7) The Divine glory departing from the temple. (8-22)
Verses 1-7 The fire being taken from between the wheels, under the cherubim, ch. 1:13, seems to have signified the wrath of God to be executed upon Jerusalem. It intimated that the fire of Divine wrath, which kindles judgment upon a people, is just and holy; and in the great day, the earth, and all the works that are therein, will be burnt up.
Verses 8-22 Ezekiel sees the working of Divine providence in the government of the lower world, and the affairs of it. When God is leaving a people in displeasure, angels above, and all events below, further his departure. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, directs all creatures, in heaven and on earth, so as to make them serve the Divine purpose. God removes by degrees from a provoking people; and, when ready to depart, would return to them, if they were a repenting, praying people. Let this warn sinners to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call on him while he is near, and cause us all to walk humbly and watchfully with our God.
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