Ezekiel 1:25 Komentář

The circumstances of the vision which Ezekiel saw, and in which he received his commission and instructions, are here very particularly set down, that the narrative may appear to be authentic and not romantic. It may be of use to keep an account when and where God has been pleased to manifest himself to our souls in a peculiar manner, that the return of the day, and our return to the place of the altar (Gen 13:4), may revive the pleasing grateful remembrance of God's favour to us. "Remember, O my soul! and never forget what communications of divine love thou didst receive at such a time, at such a place; tell others what God did for thee." I. The time when Ezekiel had this vision is here recorded. It was in the thirtieth year, v. 1. Some make it the thirtieth year of the prophet's age; being a priest, he was at that age to enter upon the full execution of the priestly office, but being debarred from that by the iniquity and calamity of the times, now that they had neither temple nor altar, God at that age called him to the dignity of a prophet. Others make it to be the thirtieth year from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar, from which the Chaldeans began a new computation of time, as they had done from Nabonassar 123 years before. Nabopolassar reigned nineteen years, and this was the eleventh of his son, which makes the thirty. And it was proper enough for Ezekiel, when he was in Babylon, to use the computation they there used, as we in foreign countries date by the new style; and he afterwards uses the melancholy computation of his own country, observing (Eze 1:2) that it was the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. But the Chaldee paraphrase fixes upon another era, and says that this was the thirtieth year after Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law in the house of the sanctuary, at midnight, after the setting of the moon, in the days of Josiah the king. And it is true that this was just thirty years from that time; and that was an event so remarkable (as it put the Jewish state upon a new trial) that it was proper enough to date form it; and perhaps therefore the prophet speaks indefinitely of thirty years, as having an eye both to that event and to the Chaldean computation, which were coincident. It was in the fourth month, answering to our June, and in the fifth day of the month, that Ezekiel had this vision, Eze 1:2. It is probably that it was on the sabbath day, because we read (Eze 3:16) that at the end of seven days, which we may well suppose to be the next sabbath, the word of the Lord came to him again. Thus John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, when he saw the visions of the Almighty, Rev 1:10. God would hereby put an honour upon his sabbaths, when the enemies mocked at them, Lam 1:7. And he would thus encourage his people to keep up their attendance on the ministry of his prophets every sabbath day, by the extraordinary manifestations of himself on some sabbath days. II. The melancholy circumstances he was in when God honoured him, and thereby favoured his people, with this vision. he was in the land of the Chaldeans, among the captives, by the river of Chebar, and it was in the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity. Observe, 1. The people of God were now, some of them, captives in the land of the Chaldeans. The body of the Jewish nation yet remained in their own land, but these were the first-fruits of the captivity, and they were some of the best; for in Jeremiah's vision these were the good figs, whom God had sent into the land of the Chaldeans for their good (Jer 24:5); and, that it might be for their good, God raised up a prophet among them, to teach them out of the law, then when he chastened them, Psa 94:12. Note, It is a great mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a great duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The word of instruction and the rod of correction may be of great service to us, in concert and concurrence with each other, the word to explain the rod and the rod to enforce the word: both together give wisdom. It is happy for a man, when he is sick and in pain, to have a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, if he have but his ear open to discipline, Job 36:10. One of the quarrels God had with the Jews, when he sent them into captivity, we for mocking his messengers and misusing his prophets; and yet, when they were suffering for this sin, he favoured them with this forfeited mercy. It were ill with us if God did not sometimes graciously thrust upon us those means of grace and salvation which we have foolishly thrust from us. In their captivity they were destitute of ordinary helps for their souls, and therefore God raised them up these extraordinary ones; for God's children, if they be hindered in their education one way, shall have it made up another way. But observe, It was in the fifth year of the captivity that Ezekiel was raised up amongst them, and not before. So long God left them without any prophet, till they began to lament after the Lord and to complain that they saw not their signs and there was none to tell them how long (Psa 74:9), and then they would know how to value a prophet, and God's discoveries of himself to them by him would be the more acceptable and comfortable. The Jews that remained in their own land had Jeremiah with them, those that had gone into captivity had Ezekiel with them; for wherever the children of God are scattered abroad he will find out tutors for them. 2. The prophet was himself among the captives, those of them that were posted by the river Chebar; for it was by the rivers of Babylon that they sat down, and on the willow-trees by the river's side that they hanged their harps, Psa 137:1, Psa 137:2. The planters in America keep along by the sides of the rivers, and perhaps those captives were employed by their masters in improving some parts of the country by the rivers' sides that were uncultivated, the natives being generally employed in war; or they employed them in manufactures, and therefore chose to fix them by the sides of rivers, that the good they made might the more easily be conveyed by water-carriage. Interpreters agree not what river this of Chebar was, but among the captives by that river Ezekiel was, and himself a captive. Observe here, (1.) The best men, and those that are dearest to God, often share, not only in the common calamities of this life, but in the public and national judgments that are inflicted for sin; those feel the smart who contributed nothing to the guilt, by which it appears that the difference between good and bad arises not from the events that befal them, but from the temper and disposition of their spirits under them. And since not only righteous men, but prophets, share with the worst in present punishments, we may infer thence, with the greatest assurance, that there are rewards reserved for them in the future state. (2.) Words of conviction, counsel, and comfort, come best to those who are in affliction from their fellow sufferers. The captives will be best instructed by one who is a captive among them and experimentally knows their sorrows. (3.) The spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel, but some of the brightest of divine revelations were revealed in the land of the Chaldeans, which was a happy presage of the carrying of the church, with that divine revelation upon which it is built, into the Gentile world; and, as now, so afterwards, when the gospel kingdom was to be set up, the dispersion of the Jews contributed to the spreading of the knowledge of God. (4.) Wherever we are we may keep up our communion with God. Undique ad coelos tantundem est viae - From the remotest corners of the earth we may find a way open heavenward. (5.) When God's ministers are bound the word of the Lord is not bound, Ti2 2:9. When St. Paul was a prisoner the gospel had a free course. When St. John was banished into the Isle of Patmos Christ visited him there. Nay, God's suffering servants have generally been treated as favourites, and their consolations have much more abounded when affliction has abounded, Co2 1:5. III. The discovery which God was pleased to make of himself to the prophet when he was in these circumstances, to be by him communicated to his people. He here tells us what he saw, what he heard, and what he felt. 1. He saw visions of God, Eze 1:1. No man can see God and live; but many have seen visions of God, such displays of the divine glory as have both instructed and affected them; and commonly, when God first revealed himself to any prophet, he did it by an extraordinary vision, as to Isaiah (Isa 6:1-13), to Jeremiah (ch. 1), to Abraham (Act 7:2), to settle a correspondence and a satisfactory way of intercourse, so that there needed not afterwards a vision upon ever revelation. Ezekiel was employed in turning the hearts of the people to the Lord their God, and therefore he must himself see the visions of God. Note, It concerns those to be well acquainted with God themselves, and much affected with what they know of him, whose business it is to bring others to the knowledge and love of him. That he might see the visions of God the heavens were opened; the darkness and distance which hindered his visions were conquered, and he was let into the light of the glories of the upper world, as near and clear as if heaven had been opened to him. 2. He heard the voice of God (Eze 1:3): The word of the Lord came expressly to him, and what he saw was designed to prepare him for what he was to hear. The expression is emphatic. Essendo fuit verbum Dei - The word of the Lord was as really it was to him. There was no mistake in it; it came to him in the fulness of its light and power, in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit; it came close to him, nay, it came into him, took possession of him and dwelt in him richly. It came expressly, or accurately, to him; he did himself clearly understand what he said and was abundantly satisfied f the truth of it. The essential Word (so we may take it), the Word who is, who is what he is, came to Ezekiel, to send him on his errand. 3. He felt the power of God opening his eyes to see the visions, opening his ear to hear the voice, and opening his heart to receive both: The hand of the Lord was there upon him. Note, The hand of the Lord goes along with the word f the Lord, and so it becomes effectual; those only understand and believe the report to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed. The hand of God was upon him, as upon Moses, to cover him, that he should not be overcome by the dazzling light and lustre of the visions he saw, Exo 33:22. It was upon him (as upon St. John, Rev 1:17), to revive and support him, that he might bear up, and not faint, under these discoveries, that he might neither be lifted up nor cast down with the abundance of the revelations. God's grace is sufficient for him, and, in token of that, his hand is upon him.

This chapter contains a vision, which is the introduction to the prophet's call and commission to perform his office; in the account of which may be observed the time when it was seen, Eze 1:1; and the place both where the prophet was when he saw it, and the object or things that were beheld by him; and the original, form, and manner of the vision, Eze 1:3; next follow the particulars of it; and first, four living creatures appear, described by their general likeness, as human, Eze 1:5; and, in particular, by their faces, feet, hands, and wings, Eze 1:6; by their motion and progress, and the spirit by which they were influenced, Eze 1:12; and by their forms of light, brightness, and heat, in which they appeared and moved, Eze 1:13; and next the wheels, described by their number; for, though they seemed to be as one, they were four; and by their situation on the earth, and by the side of the living creatures, Eze 1:15; by their appearance, which was alike in them all, and as the colour of beryl, and as a wheel within a wheel, Eze 1:16, by their motion, which was on their sides, and not retrograde, Eze 1:17; by their rings or circumferences, which were high, dreadful, and full of eyes, Eze 1:18; by their dependence on the living creatures, moving as they, having the same spirit they had, Eze 1:19; and then a firmament is seen, described by its situation, over the heads of the living creatures; and by its colour, as the terrible crystal, Eze 1:22; by what were under it, the wings of the living creatures of which a more particular account is given, Eze 1:23; by what was heard from it, a voice, Eze 1:25; and by what was above it, a throne; described by its colour, as a sapphire stone; and by a person on it, who had the appearance of a man, Eze 1:26; who, in general, looked like the colour of amber; within which was the appearance of fire from his loins upwards, and from his loins downwards; the fire had a brightness round about it; and that brightness was like a rainbow in a cloud, on a rainy day; and this appearance was no other than that of a divine and glorious Person; which, when seen by the prophet, caused him, through reverence, to fall upon his face; when he heard a voice speaking to him what is recorded in the following chapter, Eze 1:27.

And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads,.... Which was the voice of Christ upon the throne, above the firmament, over the heads of the living creatures; which directed them when and where to go, and what to do, and when and where to stop: when they stood, and had let down their wings; either encouraging them to lift them up, and go on in their work, notwithstanding the sense they had of their own weakness and unworthiness; or, having done their work, calling them to himself in heaven.

(Verse 22 onwards) And the likeness above the heads of the living creatures was like the appearance of a crystal dreadful ice; extended above their heads was what appeared to be a firmament. Under the firmament their wings were straight, one toward another. Each of them had two wings that covered their bodies, and each one had two wings that covered one side. And I heard the sound of the wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty God. When they walked, it was like the sound of a multitude, like the sound of a camp; and when they stood still, their wings were let down. For when the voice was being made above the firmament that was above their heads, they would stand and submit their wings. And above the firmament that was over their heads, there was a likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of the throne, there was a likeness as the appearance of a man from above. Wherever we would place ourselves, their wings were straight, and like the sound or voice of the exalted God, the seventy translated it. Their wings were extended and flying; and like a strong voice: which in Hebrew is called 'Almighty' (Saddai). Many things in this chapter and in other chapters have been omitted by them, which they have chosen to skip due to their length. But what we have interpreted more clearly, from one to another: each one covered their body with two wings, and the other likewise covered theirs, for which it is written in Hebrew, a man, on account of his sister, covered his body with two wings, and a man likewise covered his; therefore, after woman, man is put in the same person, so that we may not think of gender in heavenly things: since in one and the same way, according to the Hebrew usage, both man and woman are called the same. Moreover, there appears above four living creatures and as many wheels, the likeness of the firmament, which we call the sky, having the appearance of crystal, which is most pure, and is said to solidify from clean and shining waters by excessive coldness - as much as water is also constricted by frost and called κρύσταλλος in Greek. But it was fitting that in the higher things there be extraordinary purity, which protects all things, that is, rational and wise virtues, and the course of the four seasons, and the regions of the world, and the order of all things, and the preaching of the Gospel, which is understood in part and veiled in part. And the voice that is heard of flying wings, like the voice of many waters, which, according to the Apocalypse of John (Chapter XVII), signifies peoples, and gradually progresses as the voice of camps, and as the voice of the sublime God, which in Hebrew is called Saddai, and according to the Septuagint, the voice of the word; so that we may believe that the voice of the Son of God is everything that is proclaimed in the world. But while the animals were standing, their wings were lowered. For they could not bear the resonating voice of Almighty God in the heavens, but they stood and marveled; and with their silence, they demonstrated the power of God, who sat upon the firmament. The firmament below had the likeness of crystal, but the firmament above appeared like a sapphire stone. The likeness of the sapphire stone was the throne of the one who sat in the likeness of a human. From this, we understand that the firmament, crystal, sapphire, and human are shown in resemblance, not in truth. However, many testimonies teach that the human should be understood as God the Father. Among these is the parable in the Gospel: A certain man planted a vineyard and leased it to farmers (Matthew 21:33). And shortly after: He sent his servants, and above all his son. Again: A certain man made a wedding feast for his son. Not that the son is excluded from the kingdom, of which Isaiah wrote: I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne. And John said: Isaiah said these things because he saw the glory of the Son of God; but he reigns in the Father and the Son. For all the Son of the Father are, who is the image of the invisible Father God (Colossians 1:15). For also in Daniel, God the Father is portrayed sitting (Daniel 7), and the Son of man is offered to him, that he may receive the kingdom. And in the Apocalypse of John, the same things are written about the Son (Revelation 3:7). And in the battle of the first martyr Stephen, he is seen standing at the right hand of the Father. Of whom it is sung in the psalm: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand. I will make your enemies the footstool of your feet (Psalm 110:1). Just as the most pure and shining things are shown in the heavenly bodies, which illuminate our seeing body, so in the sapphire, that is, in the throne of God, and above the firmament that we perceive as the sky, the hidden and secret and incomprehensible mysteries of God are revealed: He made darkness His hiding place (Psalm 18:11), and He is seen in the cloud and in the darkness. And in Exodus it is written: And under the feet of God there was as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as the appearance of the sky when it is most clear (Exodus 24:10). And the bride describes the beauty of the bridegroom in the Song of Songs: His belly is like a block of ivory, set on sapphire stone (Song of Songs 5:14). And in the Book of Revelation, the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire (Revelation 21). And in the breastplate of the high priest, in the order and arrangement of each stone, the second order has carbuncle, sapphire, and jasper (Exodus 28). Concerning which we have spoken in part about the stones, in the Expositions of Isaiah.

"For when there was a voice above the firmament that was over their head, they stood and lowered their wings." We have judged that the upper firmament should be expounded under a twofold understanding. For, as has been said, by the name of firmament the celestial powers can be understood. And by the name of firmament the incarnate Only-begotten can be designated, through the fact that in him our nature has been made firm unto eternity. Let us therefore first speak of what we think concerning the angels, and afterwards concerning the Lord of angels. For behold it is said: When there was a voice above the firmament, they stood and lowered their wings. In this passage, this must first be known, that "to lower" should be understood not as stretching from lower to higher things, but as putting down their wings from higher to lower things, on account of what was stated before: When they stood, their feathers were let down. Therefore we must inquire what the voice is that occurs above the firmament. But we understand that same voice better if, ascending from the lowest things to higher ones, we climb as if by certain steps. Just as the hearing of the body is aroused by a voice, so the sense of the mind is aroused by understanding, which is exercised concerning interior things. Therefore the voice in the mind is, as it were, a certain sound of understanding. But it must be known that sometimes the voice of the flesh speaks to our senses, sometimes the voice of the soul, sometimes the voice of the firmament, sometimes the voice that is above the firmament. Let us set before our eyes the case of someone who has been injured by a neighbor, who thinks according to human reasoning to repay the injury in kind, to return evil for evil. To this person the voice of the flesh speaks in his mind, because when the divine commandments order us to do good to those who hate us, whoever thinks of doing evil to those who hate him, in his soul the voice of the flesh sounds. We do many earthly things daily, and after these we return to prayer. The soul is kindled to compunction, but images of those things which we have done turn about in the mind and impede the intention of compunction in prayer; and what we willingly did outwardly, we suffer inwardly against our will, so that certain phantasms of thoughts scatter the mind through bodily images, lest it gather itself wholly together in strict attention during prayer. This too is the voice of the flesh. But when we subdue even these things and drive away all bodily images from the eyes of the mind, seeking within ourselves the very nature of the soul—what kind of thing it is that can give life to the flesh, yet cannot restrain itself in good thoughts as it desires—we find a certain intellectual spirit, living through the power of the Creator, giving life to the body it sustains, yet nevertheless subject to forgetfulness, subject to change, which fear often afflicts and joy exalts. This very intellect of the soul is its voice, because it sounds forth what it is; yet this voice is still beneath the firmament. But transcending the soul, we seek the voice from the firmament when we investigate what that innumerable multitude of holy angels is like in the sight of the almighty Lord: what in them is the endless festival of the vision of the Lord, what joy without failing, what ardor of love not tormenting but delighting; how great in them is the desire for the vision of God together with satisfaction, and how great is the satisfaction together with desire. In them neither does desire generate pain, nor does satisfaction produce weariness. How by clinging to blessedness they are blessed, how by always contemplating eternity they are eternal, how joined to the true light they have become light, how always beholding the unchangeable they have been changed into unchangeableness. But when we think these things about the angels, the voice is still from the firmament, not above the firmament. Let the mind therefore pass through and transcend everything that has been created. Let it fix the eyes of faith on the light of its Creator alone: that God who created all things is one and gives life to all; that He is everywhere and everywhere whole; that He is uncircumscribed and incomprehensible, able to be perceived yet unable to be seen; that He is nowhere absent, and yet is far from the thoughts of the wicked; that He is not absent even where He is far, because where He is not present through grace, He is present through vengeance; that He touches all things, yet does not touch all things equally. For some things He touches so that they exist, but not so that they live and perceive, as are all insensible things. Some things He touches so that they exist, live, and perceive, but not so that they discern, as are brute animals. Some things He touches so that they exist, live, perceive, and discern, as is human and angelic nature. And though He Himself is never unlike Himself, yet He touches unlike things in unlike ways. He who is present everywhere can scarcely be found; He whom we follow as He stands still, we are unable to grasp. Let us therefore place before the eyes of the mind what that nature is which holds all things, fills all things, embraces all things, surpasses all things, sustains all things. Nor does He sustain from one part and surpass from another; nor does He fill from one part and embrace from another; but by embracing He fills, by filling He is embraced, by sustaining He surpasses, by surpassing He sustains. When the mind, drawn close, contemplates the power of this nature, a voice is made above the firmament, because it conceives the understanding of Him who by His incomprehensibility transcends even the perception of angels. When therefore the voice is made above the firmament, the living creatures stand and lower their wings, because when the minds of the saints consider the power of their Creator with intent contemplation, the virtues they possess become worthless in their own estimation; and they become humble in their own sight to the degree that what sounds above the angels is lofty to them. For perhaps they are teachers; but when they begin to consider in silent mind what the ineffable wisdom of God is, which teaches the minds of men without the noise of words, and how this same wisdom, if it does not teach the minds of hearers, the voice of teachers labors in vain, their own teaching immediately becomes worthless to them, because neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Perhaps they are prophets; but when they consider in silent mind that they cannot penetrate all the mysteries of Divinity at once with the eye of their prophecy, since as the Apostle says: We know in part, and we prophesy in part, in that immensity of secrets they see that all they see is little, and from that immense height of light they consider how small is what they saw with intent eye as if through cracks. Let them therefore lower their wings when the voice is made above the firmament, that is, let them be humbled in what they apprehend when they behold heavenly things that cannot be comprehended by them. Often the good things they possess flatter even the thoughts of the saints, so as to lift up their minds in some confidence in themselves; but they immediately return to the hidden judgments of God, how some fall from virtues to hell through pride, while others, corrected from vices, are raised to heaven through humility. Hence the Prophet, calling us back to humility, terrifies and admonishes us, saying: Come, and see the works of the Lord, how terrible in His counsels over the sons of men. For who can worthily consider how great the terror of God's counsels is over us, when one person from virtues tends toward vices at the end, and another from vices concludes the end in virtues? For according to the voice of Solomon: There are just and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. Yet man knows not whether he is worthy of love or hatred, but all things are kept uncertain for the future. And: There is a way that seems right to men, and its end leads to death. Therefore to ponder these depths of hidden judgment, what else is it but to lay down wings, that is, to trust no longer in any virtue, but to tremble under great fear? For whether they consider the nature of almighty God, or weigh His judgments, they tremble, they are afraid. So for them to lay down wings, as it were, is to humble the virtues they possess. So Abraham laid down his wings, who when he began to speak with God, recognized himself to be dust and ashes, saying: Shall I speak to my Lord, since I am dust and ashes? So Moses laid down his wings, who, instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, as soon as he heard the words of the Lord, discovered that he had no words, saying: I beseech you, Lord, I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before. For since you have spoken to your servant, I am of more impeded and slower tongue. As if he were saying openly: After I hear the words of life from you, I recognize myself to be confused in my former words. So Isaiah, whose life had pleased the Lord for preaching, when, having contemplated the same Lord, he was touched on the mouth with a coal from the altar, said: Woe is me because I have been silent, because I am a man of polluted lips. Behold, raised up to higher things, he was displeased with himself concerning the pollution of his lips. For unless he had beheld the heights of heavenly purity, he would not have found himself to be condemnable. So when the Lord speaks, Jeremiah cries out: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God, behold I do not know how to speak, because I am a child. For according to the words he was hearing, he had recognized that he had no words. So Daniel, seeing a sublime vision, languished and was sick for many days, because those who are strong in virtues, when they behold the higher things of God, become weak and feeble in their own estimation. So blessed Job, of whom the Lord said to his friends: You have not spoken rightly before me, as my servant has, when he heard the words of God speaking with him, responded, saying: I have spoken foolishly, and things that would exceed my knowledge beyond measure. And a little later: Therefore I reproach myself, and do penance in dust and ashes. For he who had spoken wisely as far as men were concerned, hearing God speaking to him, reproached himself for having spoken foolishly, because in the contemplation of true wisdom his own wisdom became worthless to him. Therefore at the voice coming from above the living creatures lay down their wings, because whether we seek to contemplate the power of God in his nature, or think to investigate his hidden judgments, because his heights are impenetrable to us, whatever good things were believed to be in us become worthless to us. And we who were believed to fly in however small a knowledge, weighing the invisible nature above us and his impenetrable judgments, stand humbly with wings lowered.

This chapter contains that extraordinary vision of the Divine glory with which the prophet was favored when he received the commission and instructions respecting the discharge of his office, which are contained in the two following chapters. The time of this Divine manifestation to the prophet, Eze 1:1-3. The vision of the four living creatures, and of the four wheels, vv. 4-25. Description of the firmament that was spread over them, and of the throne upon which one sat in appearance as a man, Eze 1:26-28. This vision, proceeding in a whirlwind from the North, seems to indicate the dreadful judgments that were coming upon the whole land of Judah through the instrumentality of the cruel Chaldeans, who lay to the north of it. See Jer 1:14; Jer 4:6; Jer 6:1.

EZEKIEL'S VISION BY THE CHEBAR. FOUR CHERUBIM AND WHEELS. (Eze. 1:1-28) Now it came to pass--rather, "And it came," &c. As this formula in Jos 1:1 has reference to the written history of previous times, so here (and in Rut 1:1, and Est 1:1), it refers to the unwritten history which was before the mind of the writer. The prophet by it, as it were, continues the history of the preceding times. In the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign (Jer 51:59), Jeremiah sent by Seraiah a message to the captives (Jer. 29:1-32) to submit themselves to God and lay aside their flattering hopes of a speedy restoration. This communication was in the next year, the fifth, and the fourth month of the same king (for Jehoiachin's captivity and Zedekiah's accession coincide in time), followed up by a prophet raised up among the captives themselves, the energetic Ezekiel. thirtieth year--that is, counting from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, father of Nebuchadnezzar, the era of the Babylonian empire, 625 B.C., which epoch coincides with the eighteenth year of Josiah, that in which the book of the law was found, and the consequent reformation began [SCALIGER]; or the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's life. As the Lord was about to be a "little sanctuary" (Eze 11:16) to the exiles on the Chebar, so Ezekiel was to be the ministering priest; therefore he marks his priestly relation to God and the people at the outset; the close, which describes the future temple, thus answering to the beginning. By designating himself expressly as "the priest" (Eze 1:3), and as having reached his thirtieth year (the regular year of priests commencing their office), he marks his office as the priest among the prophets. Thus the opening vision follows naturally as the formal institution of that spiritual temple in which he was to minister [FAIRBAIRN]. Chebar--the same as Chabor or Habor, whither the ten tribes had been transported by Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser (Kg2 17:6; Ch1 5:26). It flows into the Euphrates near Carchemish or Circesium, two hundred miles north of Babylon. visions of God--Four expressions are used as to the revelation granted to Ezekiel, the three first having respect to what was presented from without, to assure him of its reality, the fourth to his being internally made fit to receive the revelation; "the heavens were opened" (so Mat 3:16; Act 7:56; Act 10:11; Rev 19:11); "he saw visions of God"; "the word of Jehovah came verily (as the meaning is rather than 'expressly, English Version, Eze 1:3) unto him" (it was no unreal hallucination); and "the hand of Jehovah was upon him" (Isa 8:11; Dan 10:10, Dan 10:18; Rev 1:17; the Lord by His touch strengthening him for his high and arduous ministry, that he might be able to witness and report aright the revelations made to him).

let down . . . wings--While the Almighty gave forth His voice, they reverently let their wings fall, to listen stilly to His communication.

First Half - The Prophecies of Judgment - Ezekiel 1-32 The Consecration and Calling of Ezekiel to the Office of Prophet - Ezekiel 1-3:21 In a vision of God, Ezekiel beholds in a great cloud, through which shone the splendour of fire, and which a tempestuous wind drives from the north, the glory of the Lord above the cherubim upon a majestic throne in human form (Ezekiel 1), and hears a voice, which sends him as a prophet to Israel, and inspires him with the subject-matter of his announcements (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). He is thereafter transported in spirit to Tel-abib on the Chebar, into the midst of the exiles, and the duties and responsibilities of his calling laid before him (3:4-21). By this divine appearance and the commission therewith connected is he consecrated, called, and ordained to the prophetic office. The whole occurrences in the vision are subdivided into the copious description of the theophany, Ezekiel 1, by which he is consecrated for his calling; and into the revelation of the word, Ezekiel 2:1-3:21, which prepares him for the discharge of the same. From these contents it clearly appears that these chapters do not constitute the first section of the book, but the introduction to the whole, to which the circumstantial notices of the time and place of this revelation of God at the commencement, Eze 1:1-3, also point.