Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings, Sermons
I. OBSERVE THEIR NUMBER AND VARIETY. As all matter is cubical, having length, breadth, and thickness, so the number four is the prophetic sign for our terrestrial globe. Hence we have in the vision a four-laced form of life, with one aspect towards each quarter of the globe. There is completeness and sufficiency in all God's arrangements. The manifold varieties of creature life are ordained to do their Master's will, in whatever quarter of the world exigency may arise. This is an intimation of help to the righteous, but of vengeance to the wicked. II. NOTE THEIR INTELLIGENT QUALITIES. The human form is prominent in the prophetic picture, indicative of the fact that intelligence and reason are the ruling attributes. The universe is not a promiscuous assemblage of dead atoms, nor is the life of men the march of inexorable fate. Combined with the intelligence of man, is the courage of the lion, the patient endurance of the ox, and the stilt speed of the eagle. The noblest service which God's creatures can render, falls immeasurably short of the requirements of God. Yet are our powers never so ennobled or enlarged as when engaged in his work. To him must our very best be consecrated. Far from exhausting our strength, God's service renews and refreshes the spirit. There is always a latent reserve of power. The more we do, the more we can do. Two wings are at rest, while two are in motion. III. MARK THEIR INTENSE DEVOTION. "Their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps... the fire was bright." The nature of true servants was given to these living creatures. They glowed with sympathetic ardour to fulfil their Monarch's will. The flame within was kindled and kept alive by an invisible hand, so that by virtue of its intense energy, it touched and beautified every part of their nature. As the ministers of Jehovah, they shared in his resplendent purity. IV. SEE THEIR PROMPT AND GLAD OBEDIENCE. "They went every one straight forward... whither the spirit was to go, they went." Service was a delight. It would have been a restraint upon the impulses and energies of their nature - a very pain - if no service had been allotted them. Hastening to execute the high behests of God, they go and return like a lightning flash. Personality was retained in its full integrity, but self was repressed; they moved spontaneously under the Divine impetus. Self-will sweetly coalesced and identified itself with the will of God. The perfection of a child spirit is reached when we can say, "I do always the things that please him." No by-ends, nor sinister advantages, are sought by these dutiful servants. Each one moves in a straightforward line. The shortest course is pursued to reach the Divine end. V. THERE WAS UNITY OF ACTION, COMBINED WITH DIVERSITY. Each form of creature life had its special mission to fulfil; yet each worked in harmony with the other for a common end. In appearance they were conjoined, and yet were separate. The particular service to be performed by the eagle's wing could not be executed by the foot of the ox, nor by the hand of the man. There is scope in God's service forevery quality and attribute of soul. VI. NOTE THEIR SPECIAL COMMISSION. These ideal forms of creature life were commissioned to chastise the rebellious nations. They appear on this occasion as the executors of Divine vengeance. "Fire went up and down among the living creatures, and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning." When God comes forth to judge the earth, he is accustomed to employ a variety of agents. Sometimes he employs the material elements, as at Pompeii and Moscow. Sometimes he employs men - even "men of the world, which are his hand." Sometimes he employs the principalities and powers of heaven. "The angels are the reapers;" "They shall bind the tares in bundles to burn them." John heard a voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth." The Jews in their exile, when Ezekiel appeared upon the scene, were flattering themselves with the prospect of a speedy restoration to liberty and to home; but the mission of Ezekiel was designed to dissipate this false hope. A long night of chastisement was to precede the dawn of mercy. The glowing fire and the lightning flame were impressive portents of impending judgment. "Our God is a consuming fire." - D.
The hands of a man under their wings. We are to do God's works without noise or notice of ourselves. Angels, that are agents for God, have their hands under their wings; their actions are seen, but not their hands. When Manoah catechised the angel, and asked him, "What is thy name?" the angel would not tell him, but said, "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?" And you shall not find the names of above two angels in Scripture, Gabriel and Michael. Angels are jealous of God's glory, and had rather conceal their hands and names than God should lose the least degree of His glory; for Manoah would therefore have known his name, that he might have honoured the angel afterward: and we are very apt to look at the instrument, and neglect the principal. It is wisdom to muffle up ourselves and to hold forth God as much as may be: Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works," etc.; He doth not say, that they may see you, but see your good works, and glorify your Father, not you.(W. Greenhill, M. A.) II. AS A SYMBOL OF SUPERHUMAN ENERGY AND FORCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE HUMAN INSTRUMENTALITY. Human skill, tact, and eloquence are powerless unless winged by superhuman might. III. THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THE HAND OF SERVICE IS UNDER THE WING OF FAITH. "Whether ye eat or drink," etc. IV. IN THE NOBLEST SERVICE THERE IS NEED FOR SWIFTNESS AND GRACE. If there were more delight in service there would be no need to repeat appeals and resort to contrivances and schemes to get work done. V. THE HAND OF SERVICE PARTLY HIDDEN BY THAT WHICH GIVES IT SPEED. Often those whose days are filled with business find time for Christian labour of most varied kinds. (H. Starmer.) And they went everyone straight forward. Sunday Circle. If you look at a map of Russia, you will find that the railroad between the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg is a straight line. It happened in this way. When the engineers were about to survey for making the railway, they asked the Czar which way he wished the line to take. He asked for a map, and, without a moment's hesitation, he took a ruler and drew a straight line between the two cities, and said, "That is the way I wish the line to be made." And has not God in the same manner drawn a straight line from the soul to Himself, its true goal, and is not Conscience the bright and shining light that signals the way clear between earth and heaven?(Sunday Circle.) The man who says, "I am going straight for glory, and if anybody is in my way, so much the worse for him," for I am bound to take the right road; such a man will find a pretty clear track. Mr. Moody would say, "Make a bee line for heaven." A bee knows the nearest way, and keeps to it with all its force. Let me hear each one of you say, "I am not going to take any corners, or twists, or windabouts; but straight away, what God bids me to do I am going to do; what He bids me believe I am going to believe, and if there is anything to be suffered for it, all right."( C. H. Spurgeon.) People Babylonians, Buzi, Ezekiel, JehoiachinPlaces ChebarTopics Faces, Hands, Human, Sides, Thus, WingsOutline 1. The time of Ezekiel's prophecy at Chebar.4. His vision of four cherubim; 15. of the four wheels; 26. and of the glory of God. Dictionary of Bible Themes Ezekiel 1:8 1090 God, majesty of Library God's Providence"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 54: 1908 The Noble Results of this Species of Prayer 'Deliver us from Evil' This State of Prayer not one of Idleness, but of Noble Action, Wrought by the Spirit of God, and in Dependence Upon Him --The Communication Of The Prophet Jonah. How Subjects and Prelates are to be Admonished. A Sight of the Crowned Christ Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature Of Love to God Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals. An Advance Step in the Royal Programme Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature Ezekiel Links Ezekiel 1:8 NIVEzekiel 1:8 NLT Ezekiel 1:8 ESV Ezekiel 1:8 NASB Ezekiel 1:8 KJV Ezekiel 1:8 Bible Apps Ezekiel 1:8 Parallel Ezekiel 1:8 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 1:8 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 1:8 French Bible Ezekiel 1:8 German Bible Ezekiel 1:8 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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