In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
The Glory of the Lord
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Ezekiel 1 ESV
Ezekiel 1: 1-3 Ezekiel in Babylon And The Glory OF The Lord
In the thirtieth year - The shadows are consistent throughout Scripture, and 30 is the age that a man enters the priesthood, it was also the age that Christ started His earthly ministry, a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
…2“Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families, 3men from thirty to fifty years old — everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. 4This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.… Numbers 4: 2-4
“If Ezekiel were thirty years old in 593, therefore, he would have been born about 622, during the reign of the pious King Josiah. About 600, when he was some twenty-three years of age, the prophet married. With his wife he went to Babylonia as an exile in 597 at the age of twenty-six. The last dated prophecy of his book (Ezek. 29:17) is that of the year 571, when he would have been fifty-six. Meanwhile he would have lost his wife when he was thirty-seven (24:18).” (Vawter and Hoppe)
Exiles by the Chebar Canal - This canal was said to flow southeast from Babylon, and was called the royal canal, some believed to connect the Euphrates and Tigris in a very fertile area. He is believed to be part of the second wave of exiles given the dates here.
“He was a victim of a common ancient Near Eastern policy toward conquered peoples: the mass deportation of entire populations designed to break down national resistance at home by removing political and spiritual leadership, and to bolster the economy and military machine of the conqueror’s homeland.” (Block)
The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God - In a foreign land, among a strange people, as an exile standing on the bank of a place far from his home, to him the heavens open. God is still God, never outside His jurisdiction in that He has created all things. There is no cathedral ceiling above him, no familiar items used for temple worship, no choir, no lamb, no pulpit, just the muddy bank on the canal of his captors. None of the religious pomp and ceremony is there to invoke awe, to try to sway people that do not understand spirit and truth, all the sites and sounds are not only foreign but defeating. There is much sorrow for those dragged from their homes, removed from their country and place of worship. It is within the sight of Ezekiel, not looking so far back, a Jerusalem filled with mirth, festivities, shops, bread and family; it really doesn't seem that long ago. Here, of all places, the heavens open.
…2There on the willows we hung our harps, 3for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.” 4How can we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?… Psalm 137: 2-4
Fifth year of the exile of king Jehoiachin - Jehoiachin was taken by Nebuchadnezzar along with the gold in the temple.
Ezekiel the priest - He shares this distinction of being both prophet and priest with Jeremiah and Zechariah. Like Isaiah and Jeremiah, nothing is the same after these visions, with them comes the Spirit, and look at the young man's name.
The name Ezekiel “Signifies either, the strength of God, or, strengthened by God.” (Poole)
The hand of the Lord was upon him there - Other uses of the hand of the Lord with His prophets:
…45Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. 1 Kings 18: 45-46
…14Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. 15But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha 16and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’… 2 Kings 3: 14-16
…20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1: 20-21
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