Ezekiel 1:15-28

content/bible_journal/ezekiel_1:15-28.md

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+title = "Ezekiel 1:15–28"
+date = "2023-03-03"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel1.15-28)
+
+I must have been really tired when I wrote the last entry because I didn't
+discuss the wheels from the latter part of the passage at all. So we're
+overlappingo on the passage a bit today. Ezekiel goes into some detail about
+these wheels that accompany the four living creatures, but it seems like he
+doesn't answer any of the questions we could have about them. Are they alive?
+How does "a wheel within a wheel" actually work? It sounds to me like Ezekiel
+is trying the best he can to describe what he sees, but he doesn't have the
+vocabulary or even the categories for it. In all likelihood, we wouldn't
+either.
+
+We start to get clues as to what purpose the living creatures and their wheels
+serve in the following verses. Above the heads of the creatures is an expanse
+of crystal, or something very like it. The living creatures appear to be
+holding up this expanse with their wings, and a very loud and awesome voice
+from above the expanse commands the creatures to start and stop. "Like the
+sound of the Almighty" (_v. 24_) is a very big hint.
+
+Finally in verse 26 Ezekiel tells us there is a throne on the expanse, made
+entirely out of precious jewels. So then, the living creatures are holding up
+the platform of the divine throne and the wheels are the literal wheels of
+God's carriage. Which is a strange thing for God to have when He is present
+everywhere at all times; He doesn't need to travel anywhere. Yet it is a way
+for Him to show His majesty to us and to make statements, as we shall see in
+chapter 10.
+
+Seated on the throne is Someone who looks like a human, but glowing and
+polished like metal and blazing with glory. Ezekiel calls this the "appearance
+of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh". Within a vision, that's three steps of
+indirection from saying what God looks like, which is entirely appropriate for
+sinners such as us. Moses asked to see God but was allowed only to see the
+afterglow of His passing, because anything more would destroy him. In response
+to catching a glimpse of the Lord, Ezekiel falls on his face, which is the only
+thing any of us can do when confronted with God's infinite holiness.
+
+* * *
+
+You are majestic and have total supremacy over everything.