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Jehovah Shammah.
Our next enquiry takes us beyond the kingdom into the period of captivity. Babylon,
the seat of the Satanic opposition for the time, becomes dominant. The dwelling place
of God is once more defiled and removed, and it is to Ezekiel in the fifth year of
king Jehoiachin's captivity that the heavens were opened and visions of God were given
by the river Chebar. Before looking at the record of his visions in chapter 1: we will
settle the question as to the identity of these "living creatures" by turning to chapter 10::--
"This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar: and
I knew that they were the cherubim" (Ezek. 10: 20).
We can therefore return to the investigation of chapter 1: with the consciousness that
the mighty beings there described are the cherubim, the subjects of our study. The vision
opens with a whirlwind coming out of the north, a great cloud and a fire unfolding itself,
and a brightness about it in glory like to amber or molten metal. From the midst of the
fire came the likeness of four living creatures. These creatures were composite, being
like a man, yet having four faces, four wings, and feet like those of a calf:--
"As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a
lion on the right side, and they four had the face of an ox on the left side: they four also
had the face of an eagle" (Ezek. 1: 10).
As for their likeness, the prophet could only say that their appearance was like burning
coals of fire, like the appearance of lamps, and that from the fire went forth lightning.
Then follows a description of wheels, rings high and dreadful and full of eyes, and further
we are told that the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. We do not pretend to
understand the import of these terrific accompaniments. They impress us with wonder
and with power superhuman. Yet after all these wondrous beings are but the supporters
of the throne of God. Above their heads the expanse was stretched in colour like the
terrible crystal:--
"And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the
appearance of a sapphire stone, and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as
the appearance of a man above upon it . . . . . as the appearance of the bow that is in the
cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was
the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord" (Ezek. 1: 26-28).
The most important fact for us at the moment is the association of the cherubim with
the "glory of the Lord". The prophet being taken up by the spirit, and hearing the noise
of the wings and the wheels of the living creatures, also hears the words "Blessed be the
glory of the Lord from His place" (Ezek. 3: 12). Ginsburg thinks be rum (arose) should
be read here instead of baruk (blessed). "(When) the glory of the Lord arose from its
place", i.e., when the vision was withdrawn (see Companion Bible). In chapter 3: 23
the fact is repeated:--
"And, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river
of Chebar."