Karen gave me prophetic words last night. It was directed that I study Ezekiel chapters 1-3
v1 13th year, 4th month, 5th day
Ezekiel was with all of the CAPTIVES.
They were “NEAR” the River Chebar (Chebar = “far off”)
An OPEN HEAVEN occured
He had VISIONS OF GOD
v2 the first mentioned Word came on the 5th day of the 5th month of the year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity
Jeoiachin = “Jehova establishes”
v3 he says that the word came EXPRESSLY to Ezekiel the priest. IN THE LAND OF THE CHALDEANS (Babylonians) BY THE RIVER CHEBAR
Both times, he mentions being near the far off river. The first, he is amongst the captives. This time, he is in the land of babylonians. Babylonian spirit is mammon. The hand of the Lord was upon him there.
In verse one, we see Ezekiel speaking in first person. When he moves to verse 2, he speaks in 3rd person. Verse 2 starts his vision. He is watching this unfold.
v4 (first person again) “Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst of the fire.”
This must be the Spirit of God coming down. Why the north? What is significant of the north? Was it a geographical thing, given babylon’s location? Or was it a spiritual allegory?
1) Came DOWN
2) Came from the NORTH
3) Was a great CLOUD – the witnesses described in Hebrews 12 is a “great cloud of witnesses” Does this only mean size?
4) Had RAGING FIRE ENGULFING ITSELF – Consuming fire. The LORD says that He is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29).
5) BRIGHTNESS was all around it.
6) RADIATING out of its midst was the COLOR of AMBER, out of the MIDST of the FIRE.
v5 “Also from within came the likeness of FOUR LIVING CREATURES.
Appeared as:
1) likeness of a man.
2) Each one had four faces
3) each one had four wings
4) their legs were straight
5) souls of their feet were like calves’ feet
6) they sparkled like the burnished bronze
7) the hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides
8) each of the four had faces and wings
9) their wings touched one another
10) each went straight forward
11) each had the face of a man
12) each had the face of a lion on the right side and a face of an ox on the left side
13) each of the four had the face of an eagle
Man = image of God
Lion = Jesus, king, royalty
Ox = strength
Eagle = prophet
Daniel also had a vision of 4 great beasts. In that lion = babylon
v11 Their wings stretched upward, two of each one touched one another and two covered their bodies.
v12 And EACH ONE WENT STRAIGHT FORWARD; they went WHEREVER THE SPIRIT WANTED TO GO, and they did NOT turn when they went.
v12 is a repeat of v9 – WHEREVER THE SPIRIT WANTED TO GO, THEY WENT. THEY DID NOT TURN AT ALL
v13 The likeness of the living creatures:
1) was like the appearance of burning coals of fire (coals of fire cleansed Isaiah’s lips – sanctification)
2) like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures
3) the fire was bright and out of the fire went lightning
4) and the living creatures RAN back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning
v15 “Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.”
v16 The wheels:
1) color of beryl (medium to dark green)
2) all four wheels looked the same
3) it looked like a wheel in the middle of a wheel
4) v17, when they moved, they went toward any one of four directions, THEY DID NOT TURN ASIDE WHEN THEY WENT
This is the third time that direction is mentioned. Each time, the path is directly straight. There is no turning at all. The first vehicle is wings, the second was wings, the third was wheels.
5) As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome. And their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. God sees everything from up eye. He can see all around.
6) The wheels went wherever the living creatures went – even when they were lifted up in the air.
v20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
This is a huge verse.
1) Again, wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went.
2) the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. The significance of the wheels? Vehicles?
3) they moved WITH the spirit. They lifted together.
v22 Awesome crystal above the heads describes the firmament. Firmament was used in describing the spaces above and below the earth at creation.
v23 “Under the firmament, their wings spread out straight, one toward another.”
Wings: two spread out straight toward one another, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body.
v24 “When they went” Their wings made the noise like “many waters” like the “voice of the Almighty”
The voice of God sounds like many waters, a “tumult like the noise of an army”.
“and when they stood still, the let down their wings.”
v25 a voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads
“whenever they stood, they let down their wings.”
v26 The throne:
1) It was above the firmament.
2) Appeared like a sapphire stone
3) had the appearance of a man high above it
v27 The man:
1) from waist up, there was the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around it
2) from the waist down, there was the appearance of fire with brightness all around
3) the brightness was like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day (v28)
“This was the likeness of the glory of the Lord”
When he saw it, he fell on his face. The glory of the Lord will humble us. It brings us to our faces in worship.