Ezekiel’s circumstances did not change as he lived and preached God’s Word throughout the dark days of Babylonian captivity. On earth, it appeared that pagans ruled. But God assured Ezekiel that He rules in heaven and determines all the events on earth. It is for us to know that God is on the same throne that Ezekiel saw and is ordering His cherubim and chariots to accomplish His will and purpose as much now as then. So, in the light of God’s assuring Word, let’s return to the initial question: How goes the world? It goes exactly as God has purposed, and nothing can frustrate that unfailing purpose.
How goes the world? Answering that question tends to lead to discouragement. Everything seems upside down. Evil is considered good; good is considered evil. Truth has fallen in the streets and is trampled by academic processions, political machinery, and populous parades. It seems that Christianity is an ever-shrinking minority with less influence than numbers. Who is in control? How can these things be? Although we may not know why things are the way they are, we must believe that the Bible is true and that there is a throne secluded from natural sight that governs absolutely with an agenda of self-glory and salvific good—God’s throne. It may seem that the world is out of control, but it is not.
Throughout biblical history, God assured His people of His unfailing purpose at times when they needed that assurance most. Ezekiel lived when it appeared that hostile powers would successfully have their pagan way against God’s redemptive plan. Since he was a priest, Ezekiel knew that the sins of his nation warranted the present calamity (Deut. 28), and he was keenly aware that God was using the Babylonians as His instrument to inflict long-threatened chastisement on Judah, the covenant-breaking nation. Yet, Ezekiel, now exiled in Babylon through no fault of his own, faced a personal crisis. The dates mentioned in Ezekiel 1:1–2 are telling. The thirtieth year most likely refers to Ezekiel’s age, which coincided with the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, a captivity that included Ezekiel and ten thousand others (2 Kings 24:8–16). Destined to be a priest from birth, the exiled Ezekiel missed two critical points in his lifelong calling. At age twenty-five, he should have entered the temple service to commence his apprenticeship (Num. 8:24), and at thirty he would have officially commenced his priestly duties (Num. 4:35). Contrary to his expectation, he was now an unemployed priest miles away from the temple, the place where priests were to work. At this moment of crisis, God revealed Himself to Ezekiel in a strange vision and called the jobless priest to be prophet. In the providence of God, there was a divinely intended job for Ezekiel after all. The vision that God gave to Ezekiel to assure him in his dark days is relevant and assuring for our dark days as well.
Visions were one of the ways that God communicated His word to the holy men of old (Heb. 1:1). Significantly, the visions of God that Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:1) are equated with the word of the Lord (Ezek. 1:3). For sure, the images of the vision are odd and highly symbolic, but they are the authoritative revelation given by God, intended to convey, not conceal, truth. Although it would be virtually impossible to portray what Ezekiel saw in art, the point is the function of the figures rather than in their strange appearance. The mysterious vision progresses in four movements or scenes, each one highlighting a vital truth that should assure us that everything is under control regardless of time or circumstance.
Scene 1: God’s Presence is Certain
By the Chebar River in Babylon, Ezekiel saw a bright fiery cloud coming from the north that became increasingly dazzling as it approached (Ezek. 1:4). Often in the Old Testament, the cloud was a visible symbol of the divine presence, a theophany or appearance of God. For instance, it was the cloud that led the nation out of Egypt, overshadowed Sinai at the giving of the law, and guided the people throughout the wilderness wanderings. It was the shekinah cloud of glory that descended on both the tabernacle and then the temple as a manifestation of God’s presence in the place of worship.
The assurance God gave to Ezekiel applies to us as well. We see the darkness of political, social, economic, and health crises and wonder where God is in all this. We must rest in the assurance that God is right here with us. The reality of His presence is determined not by circumstance or location but by the certainty of His word that He will never leave or forsake His people. Faith takes precedence over sight.
Scene 2: God’s Activity is Otherworldly
Having assured Ezekiel of His presence, the Lord draws Ezekiel’s attention to His activity (Ezek. 1:5–14). The focus of the vision transitions from the cloud to four mysterious living beings. When Ezekiel recounts this vision later on, he identifies them specifically as cherubim (Ezek. 10:15). According to Hebrews 1:14, all angels are ministering spirits commissioned to minister to God’s people as the agents of divine providence. The cherubim are a specific class of angelic beings, particularly associated with God’s presence and holiness. That function was first seen when they were stationed at the entrance to Eden with flaming swords to prevent fallen man from the Tree of Life and then later with their image hovering over the ark of the covenant, that apex object lesson of God’s holy presence with His people.
In this vision, the cherubim are described as strange-looking creatures. Each odd feature of the living beings highlights their submission to God’s control. Each one had four faces and four wings (Ezek. 1:6, 10). Most likely, the human face was a symbol of their intelligence, the lion of their power, the ox of their persistent, unwearied service, and the eagle of their swiftness to do God’s bidding. The four wings underscored their ability to move quickly in their obedient service to the Lord. These general descriptions are reinforced with specific and curious imageries detailing aspects of their divinely ordered activity. For instance, their straight, calf-like feet that sparkled like burnished bronze represent stability and purity (Ezek. 1:7). That they had hands symbolizes their capacity and ability for work (Ezek. 1:8). Their wings’ being joined together speaks of the unity of purpose; there was no competition or self-promotion among them (Ezek. 1:9,11). That they moved straight forward without turning puts in bold relief their unrelenting determination and resolve to fulfill their commission (Ezek. 1:9). Adding to the significance of this straight-ahead movement was the fact that they had those four faces, each pointing in a different direction. Although difficult to visualize, there was no reason to turn because they were going in every direction at once. That they moved swiftly, like a flash of lighting (Ezek. 1:14), only according to the Spirit’s leading, was evidence of their submissiveness to obey God (Ezek. 1:12).
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