EZEKIEL 1

EZEKIEL’S VISION OF GOD’S GLORY

Ezekiel the priest is shown a vivid vision from God. Suddenly, clouds and fire appear with a great wind. Ezekiel sees four distinct creatures, each with wings and four faces, one of a human, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. These four beings match the description of cherubim, which guarded the Garden of Eden and the Tabernacle (Genesis 3, Exodus 25). Cherubim are usually described as angelic creatures worthy of protecting holy places. Above the creatures, Ezekiel sees a great expanse with a throne-like sapphire structure.

Ezekiel describes the vision as the appearance of the glory of the Lord. Similar to the depiction of God’s presence with the Israelites in the wilderness, the vision contains God’s glory in the form of cloud and fire. Ezekiel also records a rainbow in his vision, the image God provided Noah as a promise to never flood the world again (Ezekiel 1:28, Genesis 9:16). In a tumultuous time of great destruction, God still reminds Ezekiel of His faithful promises.