Ezekiel 1



Ezekiel 1                                                             Book of Ezekiel  Book of Psalms

Ezekiel = God forsaking Israel, and returning in glory, to say for ever of His Land and city "God-Shammah."
 
Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
  • Ezekiel means El is Strong or El strengthens
  • Ezekiel saw the visions of God
  • Ezekiel The Priest
  • Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
  • Of the four greatest prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel who prophesied in Babylonia are compounded with "El"
  • While Isaiah and Jeremiah who prophesied in the land are compounded with "Jah"
  • Ezekiel was a priest, carried away eleven years before the destruction of the city and temple.
  • Ezekiel 1:3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.
  • Ezekiel 33:21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
  • He dwelt in his own house
  • Ezekiel 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.
  • Jeremiah 29:4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
    5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
    6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
  • He was married; and his wife died in the year when the siege of Jerusalem began.
  • Chebar =  falling into the Euphrates about forty-five miles north of Babylon.
  • On the Inscription it is called nar Kabari = great river, or "Grand Canal", cut between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
  • The "Chebar" of Ezekiel 1:1 was where he dwelt; that of Ezekiel 3:15 is where he was sent
2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
  • Fifth Year = B.C. 484
3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.
  • Ezekiel the priest
  • Expressly = in very deed or in reality
  • The priest: and called, as Jeremiah was, to the office of prophet as well.
  • The hand = was became
  • Was = became = Compare Elijah (1 Kings 18:46); Elisha (2 Kings 3:15); Daniel (Dan 10:10,18); and John (Rev 1:17).
4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
  • Whirlwind = ruach = spirit, but it came to be rendered "storm or whirlwind".
  • Notice the three symbols of God's Glory, Storm, Cloud, and the Fire.
  • Revelation 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
  • Infolding itself = taking hold of itself = flashing continually".
  • Human and finite language is unable to find words to express infinite realities.
  • It may mean spontaneous ignition: without the application of external fire.
  • Colour in  Hebrew "eye" put by for colour = what you see
  • Amber means or, glowing metal = OT:2830 = HEBREW = chashmal (khash-mal'); of uncertain derivation; probably bronze or polished spectrum metal = High polished vehicle
  • Out of: or, in
  • Psalms 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
    7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
    8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.
    9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
    10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
  • South = Therefore it comes from the north. The immediate place of God's throne, to which Satan aspires. Compare Isaiah 14:12-14 -  Job 26:7. This is where promotion comes from.
5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
  • Living ones or living creatures = the likeness of a man
  • The "living creatures" are identical with the Cherubim, one substance with the mercy-seat.
  • Their description are given twice in the word = heavenly orders
  • Revelation 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind
  • The word crystal means absolute purity
  • The Greek word used here for "beast" is "zoon" - meaning living ones or creatures
  • They are not angels or men
  • Their sole task is to love God and guard the throne
  • They are always present when the throne is mentioned
  • They cannot be swayed away from their master by choice, even their own
  • They have been set there as protectors of the throne
  • This beast (zoon) is different from the satanic or serpentine beast (there on, meaning venomous beast) which is used through out the rest of Revelation
  • Look and see how many times the definition of ''a living creatures'' has been translated into the English word ''beast'' when it only means a living creature.
  • These four ''beast'' were with God from the beginning.
  • They are referred to in Genesis as cherubim (Hebrew word Kerub).
  • They were part of the cherubim that were placed in the garden to protect the tree of life (Christ) and to keep man from partaking of it at that particular time
  • Which would have given man eternal life in the state of sin even in the garden
  • Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
  • Revelation 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
  • Beast = living ones or living creatures "verse 6"
  • Where the encampment of Israel is set forth
  • Numbers 2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
  • Numbers 2:8 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
    9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.
    10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
    11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
  • The lion is Judah, which is always on the east
  • Reuben is on the south, is the man
  • Ephraim, on the west, is the ox
  • Dan, on the north, is the eagle
  • So here is the throne of God in the midst of Israel
  • He's talking about the house of Israel and Judah
  • Psalms 60:7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver
  • Centre - Levi
    East Side - Judah, Issachar, Zebulon,
    South Side - Reuben, Simeon, Gad
    West Side - Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin
    North Side - Dan, Asher, Naphtali
  • Bible study: Signs
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
  • Four wings = High polished  bronze vehicle
  • Amber means or, glowing metal = OT:2830 = HEBREW = chashmal (khash-mal'); bronze or polished spectrum metal = Highly polished  bronze vehicle
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
  • Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
  • Revelation 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
  • Verse 5 notes
  • Centre - Levi
    East Side - Judah, Issachar, Zebulon,
    South Side - Reuben, Simeon, Gad
    West Side - Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin
    North Side - Dan, Asher, Naphtali
  • The lion is Judah, which is always on the east
  • Reuben is on the south, is the man
  • Ephraim, on the west, is the ox
  • Dan, on the north, is the eagle
  • So here is the throne of God in the midst of Israel
  • He is talking about the house of Israel and Judah
  • Numbers 2:10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
  • Numbers 2:20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
 
15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
 
17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
  • Ezekiel is describing what he saw
  • Turned = return
18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
  • The living creatures = the living ones
20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
 
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
  • All moving together
22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
  • Noise in Hebrew is "voice", as in the next clause = any noise.
  • Articulate speech not mentioned till Ezek 1:28 with Ezek 2:1.
  • Voice = noise, as above. THE ALMIGHTY. Hebrew. Shaddai.
  • Voice of speech = noise of tumult.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
  • Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
  • The bow in the cloud Reference to, Genesis 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
  • The bow shall be in the cloud, a rainbow
    Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
    4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
    5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
  • He glory Compare to Ezekiel 3:12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.
    I fell upon my face. Reference to Numbers 14:5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
 
Exactly 2520 years from the exile of Benjamin, Iceland became an independent nation.
 
  The first tribe to be conquered by the Assyrians was Manasseh, in 745 B.C. Exactly 2520 years later America became a nation on July 4, 1776.
 
• Study the book: Abrahamic Covenant, (A study outline of the identity of God's people) By E. Raymond Capt - page 25

 
                                                              Ezekiel 1