C. Paul Willis
The Book of Ezekiel #1
Ezekiel 1:1 - 3 (NKJV) 1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
Ezekiel was both a priest and a prophet. David was both a prophet and a king. Jesus is the only one to hold all three anointed offices, King of Kings, High Priest and Prophet!
A Priest was appointed at the age of 30 – why this is important to Ezekiel!
“The Word of the Lord” comes 7 times in the book – he was not in psychological ecstasy. This was a total transformation (Isa 6:) and he was totally transformed. See Rev 4: & 5.
Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon during the reign of Jehoiachin. (2nd captivity)
2 Kings 24:10 - 12 (NKJV) 10At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, as his servants were besieging it. 12Then Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.
The Year was 597 BC. Jeremiah was an old man at this time – he was taken with the remnant of the land to Egypt – Daniel had become prime minister in Babylon
Ezekiel was taken to the canal area off the river Euphrates miles from Babylon so probably never met Daniel though he quotes from Daniel 3 times.
The people cried:
Psalms 137:1 - 9 (NKJV) 1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. 2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. 3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’S song In a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! 6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth— If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. 7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, “Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation!” 8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us! 9 Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!
Ezekiel wrote: “the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.” What a contrast! While these people had already put their harps on a willow tree and sat down to weep Ezekiel was seeing visions of God!
Ezekiel was the most spiritual of all the prophets. Jeremiah is the prophet of the Father, Isaiah is the prophet of the Son and Ezekiel is the prophet of the Holy Spirit!
Display of the Lord’s Glory
Ezekiel 1:4 - 21 (NKJV) 4Then 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. 5Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward. 10As 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. 11Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went. 13As 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. 14And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning. 15Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16The 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. 17When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19When 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. 20Wherever 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. 21When 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.
The North is used in scripture to point to the throne of God
Isaiah 14:13 - 14 (NKJV) 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Psalms 75:5 - 7 (NKJV) 5 Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.’” 6 For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
What’s missing? - The North!
A whirlwind is coming from the north – indicating God’s judgment
It is like being on the inside of an atomic blast!
Hebrews 12:28 - 29 (NKJV) 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.
\ Acts 26:12 - 18 (NKJV) 12“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
The Four living creatures
Rev 4: 6 Before the throne there £was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy,£ holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
9Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, £O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they £exist and were created.”
Gen 3: 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
When Moses made the ark he placed two cherubim over the mercy seat – when Adam and Eve looked back at the garden they saw the blood of a slain animal!
John 14:6 (NKJV) 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
1 John 1:7 (NKJV) 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Exodus 33:18 - 23 (NKJV) 18And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” 21And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”
The Four faces
Ezekiel 1:10 - 11 (NKJV) 10As 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. 11Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
The Gospel of Luke is the Gospel of Jesus’ humanity
The Gospel of Mathew is the Gospel of Jesus’ Kingship
The Gospel of Mark is the Gospel of Jesus’ servanthood
The Gospel of John is the Gospel of Jesus’ the incarnate God
God is omnipotent – He has intelligent purpose
Ezekiel 1:15 - 21 (NKJV) 15Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16The 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. 17When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19When 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. 20Wherever 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. 21When 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.
The Throne of God
Ezekiel 1:26 - 28 (NKJV) 26And 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. 27Also 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. 28Like 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.
The Prophet sees a sapphire-studded throne flashing like a diamond and colored like a rainbow.
Rev 4: 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3£And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white £robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5And from the throne proceeded lightnings, £thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the£ seven Spirits of God.
6Before the throne there £was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy,£ holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
Notice that both in Ezekiel and in Revelations there is no description of God! Ezekiel saw more than Moses saw, more than David, Isaiah or Daniel, He did not see God as person but His presence and His Glory!
Conclusion: He fell on his face.
Isaiah 6:1 - 5 (NKJV) 1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Rev 1: 12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.
