Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 10

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  The vision of the coals of fire, to be scattered over the city.
8  The vision of the cherubims.
Verse 1

Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
I looked
Isaiah 21:8,9, Habakkuk 2:1
in the
1:22-26, Exodus 24:10, Revelation 4:2,3
above
20, 11:22, Psalms 18:10, 68:17,18, Ephesians 1:20, 1 Peter 3:22
as the
1:22,26, Genesis 18:2,17,22,31, 32:24,30, Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2, Jeremiah 13:6,8, Jeremiah 13:18-22, John 1:18, Revelation 1:13
Verse 2

And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
unto
7, 9:2,3,11
Go
8-13,16, 1:15-20
thine hand
Heb. the hollow of thine hand. coals.
1:13, Exodus 9:8-10, Psalms 18:12,13, 140:10, Isaiah 6:6,7, Revelation 8:5
scatter
20:47,48, 24:9-14, 2 Kings 25:9, Isaiah 30:30, Jeremiah 24:8-10
Verse 3

Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
and the
3, 9:3, 43:4
Verse 4

Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.
the glory
18, 1:28, 9:3, 11:22,23, Numbers 16:19
went up
Heb. was lifted up. and the house.
43:5, Exodus 40:35, 1 Kings 8:10-12, 2 Chronicles 5:13,14, Haggai 2:9, Revelation 15:8
Verse 5

And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
the sound
1:24
outer
46:21, 1 Kings 7:9, 2 Chronicles 4:9
the voice
Exodus 19:16,19, 20:18,19, Deuteronomy 4:12,13, Job 37:2-5, 40:9, Psalms 29:3-9, Psalms 68:33, 77:17, John 12:28,29, Hebrews 12:18,19, Revelation 10:3,4
Verse 6

And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
2, Psalms 80:1, 99:1
Verse 7

And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
stretched forth
Heb. sent forth. unto the.
6, 1:13
and went
41:23-26, Matthew 13:41,42,49,50, 24:34,35
Verse 8

And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.
21, 1:8, Isaiah 6:6
Verse 9

And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
behold
1:15-17
as the
Daniel 10:6, Revelation 21:20
a beryl
Tarshish is generally rendered by the LXX. and the Vulgate the chrysolite, so called by the ancients (from [chrusos] gold, and [lithos] a stone,) because of its fine gold yellow colour. It is now called by the moderns the topaz; is a very beautiful and valuable gem in its pure and perfect state, though very rarely found so; and the finer pieces of it are in hardness second only to the diamond. The Vulgate, however, in ch. 1:16, renders, quasi visio maris, "as the appearance of the seas," i.e., azure; and Dr. Geddes (on Ex 28:10) says, that, with Abarbanel, he believes the beryl to be intended. It is a pellucid gem, called by our lapidaries, aqua marina, of a sea or bluish green colour, found in the East Indies and about the gold mines of Peru. The genuine beryl never receives any other mixture of colour; and in its perfect state approaches the hardness of garnet.
Verse 10

And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
1:16, Psalms 36:6, 97:2, 104:24, Romans 11:33
Verse 11

When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
they went upon
22, 1:17
whither
1:20, Matthew 8:8-10
Verse 12

And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
body
Heb. flesh. were.
1:18, Revelation 4:6,8
Verse 13

As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
it was cried, etc
or, they were called in my hearing, Wheel, or Galgal.
Verse 14

And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
every
21, 1:6-10, 1 Kings 7:29,36, Revelation 4:7
the face of a cherub
In ch. 1:10, instead of "the face of a cherub," it is "the face of an ox:" hence a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least as to its head. The extraordinary shape of these angelic beings, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is manifestly symbolical; for it is not to be supposed that these heavenly beings are really thus formed. The four faces, wings, and the arms of a man, denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence; of a lion, their intrepid courage; of an ox, their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle, their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up into all that is great and divine. The wings being stretched out, signifies their readiness and rapidity in obeying the commands of their Master; the wings bent down, denotes their profound respect before the Lord of the Universe; and the man's arms under the wings, shew that zeal produces application and labour.
Verse 15

And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
lifted
18,19, 8:6, 11:22, Hosea 9:12
This
20, 1:5,13,14, 43:3
Verse 16

And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
1:19-21
Verse 17

When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
for
1:12,20,21
of the living creature
or, of life.
Genesis 2:7, Romans 8:2, Revelation 11:11
Verse 18

Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
the glory
4, 7:20-22, Psalms 78:60,61, Jeremiah 6:8, 7:12-14, Hosea 9:12, Matthew 23:37-39
and stood
3,4, Genesis 3:24, 2 Kings 2:11, Psalms 18:10, 68:17,18
Verse 19

And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
the cherubims
1:17-21, 11:22,23
of the east
8:16, 43:4
and the glory
1, 1:26-28
Verse 20

This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
the living
15, 1:22-28, 3:23
the river
1:1
and I
1 Kings 6:29-35, 7:36
Verse 21

Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
had four
14, 1:8-10, 41:18,19, Revelation 4:7
and the
Verse 22

And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.
the likeness
1:10
they went
11, 1:12, Hosea 14:9

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