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 like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning. Ezekiel 1: 4-14 NKJV
Ezekiel 1: 5B - 9
Continuing the transition from 5A to 5B, a highlight of the prior posts in these two quotes:
· Since the ark of the covenant represented the presence of God among Israel, Yahweh was sometimes called He who dwells between the cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4, 6:2; 1 Chronicles 13:6; Psalm 80:1, 99:1; Isaiah 37:16). This was an earthly artistic expression of a heavenly reality (Hebrews 8:5). Sometimes the phrase speaks of the earthly picture, and sometimes the heavenly reality. - E. Word
Their number. They are four; so they appear here, though they are innumerable; not as if these were four particular angels set up above the rest, as some have fondly imagined, Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel, but for the sake of the four faces they put on, and to intimate their being sent forth towards the four winds of heaven, Mt. 24:31. Zechariah saw them as four chariots going forth east, west, north, and south, Zec. 6:1. God has messengers to send every way; for his kingdom is universal, and reaches to all parts of the world. - BLB Matthew Henry
They had the likeness of a man - Their form was in general erect, and they were intelligent beings. Later they will be described as having a man's face and hands, but amongst a variety of other faces. There is in this a strong sense of human dignity, though men were made a little lower than the angels, yet they are image bearers of God. Christ, God the Son, will humble Himself in such a way as to take on the form of a servant, to add to His deity, humanity. Now seeing that they are to us usually invisible spirits, their form in appearance must be in God's design to convey some truth. Imagine, Christ, through Whom all things were created, including the angels, becomes a man, that He might save that which was lost. Angels take on form, but they do not become human, that is against their design, and their place of authority, just as they are also called into being, and therefore not God, and to try to assume such a place of worship is treason against reality, reason, and their Creator.
…25God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.… Genesis 1: 25-27
…9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, for whom and through whom all things exist, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.… Hebrews 2: 9-11
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Jude 5-7
There is a love of the angels for Christ, their Lord of Hosts, and He will take on more than the likeness of men, even their very nature will be added to His, so that He will be tested in every way like us, yet without sin. These things are so marvelous that even the angels desire to look in upon them.
…11trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.… 1 Peter 1:11-13
Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings - The Seraphim in Isaiah 6 had six wings. The Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, as far as we know, had two wings, and the living creatures around the throne in Revelation 4 also had six wings. In Revelation 4 each of the living creatures has a face, one living creature a lion, one an ox, one a man, and the last an eagle. These Cherubim here each adorn all four of the same faces for this vision.
ii. In Isaiah 6:1-4, the prophet described his heavenly vision where he saw beings he called seraphim who had six wings. It is likely that cherubim and seraphim are the same beings described from slightly different perspectives or noting different details. The name seraphim means burning ones, which seems to fit with these cherubim as described in Ezekiel 1:13. - E Word
Their legs were straight - This would be like a man.
Soles of calves' feet - Not like a man, but sturdy and sure footed, strong to the task.
They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze - It reminds one of the amber in the midst of the fire in verse 4.
The sole of their feet was like that of a calf's foot, which divides the hoof and is therefore clean: as it were the sole of a round foot (as the Chaldee words it); they were ready for motion any way. Their feet were winged (so the Septuagint); they went so swiftly that it was as if they flew. And their very feet sparkled like the colour of burnished brass; not only the faces, but the very feet, of those are beautiful whom God sends on his errands (Isa. 52:7); every step the angels take is glorious. In the vision John had of Christ it is said, His feet were like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, Rev. 1:15. - BLB Matthew Henry
The hands of a man - This probably to their service, but also the deftness of it's execution. God has often duplicated his designs across the extent of His creatures. Many things have ears, varying in sensitivity, eyes, again with much variance. Look at an Osprey. It hovers above the water, picks out a fish, sizes it, dives from the air, plunging into the water, and in all of this it not only has to calculate for depth, but also refraction of the light. When you shoot an arrow at a fish, the fish is never where your eye tells you it is, you have to compensate for refraction. The Osprey is a marvel of optical design, and aeronautical wonder as well.
Their wings touched one another - They all connected by the same Spirit to God's glory.
…4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. 6We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;… Romans 12: 4-6
Went straight forward - There was no variance, no wasted steps.
…2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. 4Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.… Psalm 121: 2-4
…16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.… James 1: 16-18
21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!… Matthew 6: 21-23
…24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. 26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.… Proverbs 4: 24-26
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 3: 12-14
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