Burning Coals Over Jerusalem
Study note
Ezekiel again saw the sapphire throne above the cherubim. God told the man in linen to take burning coals from between the cherubim and scatter them over Jerusalem. This was a sign that God's purifying fire would consume the city. One of the cherubim handed the coals to the man in linen. Fire from God's own throne would bring judgment on the city that had rejected him.
1 I looked up and saw something above the crystal dome over the cherubim's heads. It looked like a throne made of sapphire. Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 God spoke to the man in white linen: "Go between the spinning wheels under the cherubim. Scoop up handfuls of the burning coals from among the cherubim and fling them across the city." I watched as the man walked in. And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
3 The cherubim were stationed on the south side of the temple when the man entered. At that moment, the cloud of God's presence filled the inner courtyard. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 The Lord's glory lifted off from above the cherubim and moved to the temple doorway. The cloud filled the temple, and brilliant light from the Lord's glory flooded the courtyard. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory.
5 The sound of the cherubim's wings was so loud it could be heard in the outer courtyard. It sounded like the voice of God Almighty. And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
6 God told the man in linen to grab fire from between the wheels under the cherubim. The man went in and stood next to one of the wheels. And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
7 One of the cherubim reached into the fire burning among them, scooped up coals, and placed them in the linen-clad man's hands. The man took them and walked out. And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
The Cherubim Described Again
Study note
Ezekiel described the cherubim and wheels again, connecting this vision to his first one by the Chebar River. The cherubim had human hands under their wings, four faces each, and wheels covered with eyes that moved in perfect unity with them. This time, one face was called the face of a cherub instead of an ox. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels, meaning they all moved as one.
8 Beneath the cherubim's wings, something that looked exactly like human hands was visible. And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 I counted four wheels -- one beside each cherub. They gleamed like precious gemstones. And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
10 All four wheels looked exactly the same. Each one was built as if one wheel crossed through another at the center. And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
11 They could roll in any of four directions without pivoting. Whichever way the lead cherub faced, the whole group followed without swerving. When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
12 Eyes covered every part of the cherubim. Their bodies, backs, hands, and wings were covered with eyes. Each of the four wheels was also covered with eyes. And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
13 I heard someone call these wheels "the whirling wheels." As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
14 Each cherub had four faces. The first was a cherub's face. The second was human. The third was a lion. The fourth was an eagle. And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 The cherubim rose into the air. I realized these were the exact same living beings I had encountered at the Chebar River. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
16 Whenever the cherubim moved, the wheels moved right along with them. When the cherubim opened their wings to rise off the ground, the wheels stayed glued to their sides. And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
17 When the cherubim were still, the wheels were still. When the cherubim flew upward, the wheels went up too, because the life-force of these creatures powered the wheels. When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
God's Glory Moves to the East Gate
Study note
In one of the most dramatic moments in Scripture, the glory of the Lord left the doorway of the temple and moved to rest above the cherubim. The cherubim then rose up and moved to the east gate of the temple. This was the beginning of God's glory departing from Jerusalem, a process that would be completed in chapter 11. Ezekiel recognized these as the same creatures he had seen in his first vision by the Chebar River.
18 Then the Lord's glory departed from the temple doorway and hovered above the cherubim. Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
19 As I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and ascended from the ground, wheels right beside them. They came to rest at the east gate of the Lord's temple, and the glory of Israel's God shone above them. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 These were the same living beings I had seen beneath the God of Israel at the Chebar River. Now I knew for certain they were cherubim. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
21 Each had four faces, four wings, and what appeared to be human hands beneath its wings. Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 Their faces were identical to the ones I had seen at the Chebar River. Each creature moved in a straight line, directly ahead. And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.