Vision of the Horns
February 13, 2021
Commentary
Ezekiel’s job was to give God’s Word to the prisoners in exile. Many of the events of this book are in visions that God showed to Ezekiel. These visions were pictured to Ezekiel so that he would know what to tell the people He witnessed an awesome visual display. It blew his mind, but it was superficial. Much like watching the Fourth of July fireworks displays. It is superficial. The bright colors and loud booms awe us. We go, “Ooh! Ah! Oh!” This is a contrast to mere religious experience. It’s one thing to have an experience, it’s quite another to put it into action.
The horns were the four world powers that oppressed Israel/Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Medo-Persia (vv. 18-21). The four craftsmen (v. 20) were the nations used to overthrow Israel’s enemies. God raised them up to judge the oppressors of his people. Though the exiles had experienced great change, God was still in control.
“The glory of the Lord” appeared like fire and a brilliant light to Ezekiel (v. 27). Ezekiel was uncomfortable with his assignment. The four living creatures and the four wheels are powerful pictures of judgment, yet the rainbow over the throne symbolizes God’s never ending faithfulness to His people (vv. 27-28). Just as God sent a rainbow to Noah to symbolize His promise to never again destroy the earth by a flood (Gen. 9:8-17), so this rainbow symbolizes God’s promise to preserve those who remain faithful to Him.
Application
Religious experience means nothing without action. Based on how I am living today, how will I respond to God’s holiness?
Ezekiel 1:15– 28 (NET)
15 Then I looked, and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four beings. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like gleaming jasper, and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. 21 When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped. When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel.
22 Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads. 23 Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering its body. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings—it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Sovereign One, or the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still. 26 Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. 27 I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, 28 like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.