The Glory of the Lord on His Throne

Ezekiel 1:15-28

15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 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. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

How awesome and overwhelming it must have been for Ezekiel to see the very throne of God Almighty in this vision of Him and His angelic entourage!  He was admiring the four living angelic beings quite unlike any human of God’s creation, noting their synergy of movements and of purpose.  Who knows exactly what they looked like as words seemed to fail to find a common language of the heavenly realm with our earthly one.  The wings and faces seem easy enough to grasp, but the wheel-like things beside them which had eyes all around and moved with the beings wherever they went is difficult to picture clearly.  Especially unnerving is when he wrote that “spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”  Then there is the heavenly sky above them all that looked like an immense ice jewel similar to the description in Revelation 4:6 of the sea of glass crystal before the throne of God.  Under that clear canopy of crystal beauty the four touched wings in a circle and made a sound echoing the voice of Almighty God (Revelation 1:15) that was like many waters of a great river flowing and as a marching army of overwhelming power.  The crowning part of the vision, however, was the One seated in the sapphire throne above their heads!  He looked like a man but the colors of amber and fire glowing from all over revealed this was no mere mortal (Revelation 4:2-3).  The bright shining light was almost a rainbow after a storm brought rain and the sun illuminated everything all around.  This, said the prophet, was the very likeness of God’s glory he was seeing!  Seeing His glory as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6:5, Ezekiel fell prostrate in worship and fear of the LORD (Daniel 8:17).  Then he heard God speak.  Imagine even seeing God in a vision and not face to face as we will when He sets up His throne on the new earth in the  Jerusalem brought down from heaven to earth!  Ezekiel was overwhelmed with fear and awe, and we will be also before the throne of grace because of Christ.  That will be no vision but reality, and it will not end with us waking from a God-given vision.  God will be actually there and we will see Him forevermore.  What glory is to come to see the LORD on His throne (Revelation 22:3-4)!  The high and lifted up throne will be set before us to rule us in person.  I cannot wait in my anticipation of fearful awe to worship and enjoy Him forever!