Ezekiel 3:12–14

The prophet has now been qualified and given strength for his work. So he is brought into it — lifted by the Spirit, with the sound of the wings of the living creatures that kissed one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them.

The Spirit took him up, with the noise of the glory going with him. After seven days among the captives at Tel-abib, the word came that Jehovah had made him a watchman to Israel, with the most solemn charge and responsibility to be faithful at his own risk. It was no longer a question of the nation, but of personal faithfulness.

This sound is heard behind him, at his back, because in the path where God leads, the movement of the living creatures — the whole machinery of government, as it were — follows the man who is walking in it. So it becomes spoken praise of the glory that shines out, whatever the place it shines from. That glory was now seen not in what had been its dwelling place on earth, not in Israel's temple, set apart for it for so many generations, and not yet in its own proper home in heaven. It was seen in an activity called for not simply by its own nature, but by the needs of man, of the creature, and so of creation everywhere.

In Ezekiel the prophet's place is completely outside Jerusalem, by the river Chebar. He is carried there to see the judgment carried out. But the glory of the Lord goes there (it led Nebuchadnezzar in judgment) to judge, and it shows that, come what may, His throne on the cherubim is always there, far beyond the special way it once stood among the people. He had placed Himself among the people in stooping grace and wisdom, but that was only a special showing of Himself in great favour and to display His glory. His people had been unfaithful to it, and that took away the seat of the Throne — the Throne, and not Jehovah off His Throne.

And we know that the Spirit was like a chariot, carrying the prophet of old from place to place, either in reality or in vision. (See 1 Kings 18:12; Ezek. 3:12; Acts 8:29.)

Ezekiel says that in these visions God "brought me to the land of Israel." That is, Ezekiel was carried there only in spirit. The apostle John speaks in the same way in Revelation: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day"; "he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness."

Here is another link with the book of Revelation, where it says of these same living creatures that "day and night they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'" It is beautiful to see the perfect harmony here as their wings, in the prophet's striking word, "kiss" one another. On earth the darkness of night may hang low, and lightning may flash from the threatening storm; yet here there is no storm and no conflict, but peace — the wings even taking on, according to the Hebrew, a tender character, like "a woman with her sister."

In chapter 3 this is followed up. The eaten scroll proves sweet as honey. God sent the prophet to Israel, certain that they would not hear. They were shameless and hard-hearted, but the prophet faced them with a forehead of adamant... Then the Spirit took him up, with the noise of the glory going with him. After seven days among the captives at Tel-abib, the word came that Jehovah made him a watchman to Israel.

He was "in the Spirit" (Revelation 1:10). And we know that the Spirit was like a chariot to carry the prophet of old, either really or in vision, here and there. (See 1 Kings 18:12; Ezekiel 3:12; Acts 8:29.)

In Ezekiel these stand as symbols of God's attributes, tied to His throne. They also picture how He acts on earth in His judicial government and providence. There were wheels on earth, and there was a wheel within a wheel. These wheels acted together with the living creatures. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels... Each living creature had four faces. The face of a man speaks of intelligence. The face of a lion symbolises strength. The face of an ox represents patient endurance. The face of an eagle implies swiftness of execution.

It is the exact opposite of circumstances left to blind chance. On the contrary, whatever the revolutions or changes among men, God guides it all with full knowledge, where you would least expect it. The instruments of that providential government stood below the firmament, or expanse. They were in full accord with what was above. And over this was the likeness of a throne.

He hears this sound behind him, at his back. In the path where God leads, the movement of the living creatures — the whole machinery of government, as it were — follows the man who walks in it. So that movement turns into spoken praise of the shining-out glory, wherever that glory shines from. And now the glory showed itself in a new place. Not in what had been its dwelling place on earth, Israel's temple, set apart for it for so many generations. Not in its own proper home in heaven either. It showed itself in activity — activity called out not simply by its own nature, but by the needs of man.

Here is another link with the book of Revelation. It says of these same living creatures that "they never cease to say, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" (Revelation 4:8). It is beautiful to see the perfect harmony here. Their wings, in the prophet's strong wording, "kiss" one another. On earth the covering of night may hang, and lightning may quiver from the threatening storm. Yet here there is no storm and no conflict. Here there is peace, plain and clear.

So, driven by the same energy, the prophet says: "The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me." He still feels the bitterness of God's judgment on His people. This is no discord, once we know the heart behind that judgment — a heart the judgment does not slacken, but drives on... The hand of Jehovah is strong upon him. He is the unchangeable One, known as the Unchangeable in His very covenant name. His hand enables the prophet to carry out the commission he has been given.

Notice the thought underneath. What the servant of God gives out as prophecy or teaching must first be eaten, digested, and made his own. Nothing does more spiritual damage than to proclaim and parade knowledge of truth we have not yet made our own in meditation, in prayer, and in experience. Getting fresh truth is sweet and thrilling, like honey. But once we digest it and take it in, it always displaces the flesh, self and the world — and that is a bitter process.

The bitterness of God's judgment on His people is still felt. This is no discord, once we know the heart behind the judgment — a heart not slowed by that judgment, but driven on. The anger against the rebellion of the people of God burns all the hotter in the man who realises that these are the people of God, and that God is robbed of His glory in them. The hand of Jehovah, the Unchangeable One, known as the Unchangeable in His very covenant name — this hand is strong upon him to equip him for the work God has given him to do.

He was "in the Spirit" (Revelation 1:10). And we know that the Spirit was like a chariot to carry the prophet of old, from place to place, either in reality or in vision. See 1 Kings 18:12; Ezekiel 3:12; Acts 8:29.

All through the book we meet that characteristic expression, seldom found elsewhere: "The hand of the LORD was upon me." Again: "The hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me" (Ezekiel 8:1). And even "the hand of the LORD being strong upon me," where Hebrew uses the same word, chazaq (Ezekiel 3:14). So Jehovah abides, and His word abides, though it is now in judgment.

The prophet's name, "the Mighty One makes strong" or "firm," is characteristic of the book. God applies it plainly at the very start. Giving him his charge against a people "hard of brow and stiff of heart," He declares that He has made his face hard against their faces, and his forehead hard against their foreheads. This means not only the strength he needed for his hard position. It means much more: the attitude of Jehovah Himself towards them.

The character of this prophecy is worth noticing — it is judgment, unlike Jeremiah 15. In Jeremiah, bad as their ways were, God still reasons with their heart. He speaks. Jeremiah is never told that he will be silent. But the strong hand of God, in His majesty, rests on Ezekiel.

Notice this: however high the prophet is raised, he never leaves the plain ground of right and wrong that the conscience sees; see verses 17, 18. High claims to prophetic testimony are more than suspect if they depart from basic moral truth instead of giving it strong support.