Ezekiel 1:4

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. A WHIRLWIND - emblematic of God's judgments (Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 25:32). OUT OF THE NORTH - i:e., from Chaldea, whose hostile forces would invade Judea from a northerly direction, by the entering in of Hamath. The prophet conceives himself in the temple. A FIRE INFOLDING ITSELF - laying hold on whatever surrounds it, drawing it to itself, and devouring it. Literally, catching itself - i:e., kindling itself (Fairbairn). The same Hebrew [ mitlaqacha...

We must first consider the intention of this Vision. I have no doubt but that God wished first to invest his servant with authority, and then to inspire the people with terror. When therefore a formidable form of God is here described, it. ought first to be referred to reverence for the teaching conveyed; for, as we have remarked before, and shall further observe as we proceed, the Prophet’s duty lay among a hard-hearted and rebellious people; their arrogance required to be subdued, for otherwise the Prophet had spoken to the deaf. But God had another end in view. An analogy or resemblance is to be held between this vision and the Prophet’s doctrine. This is one object. Then as to the vision itself, some understand by the four animals the four seasons of the year, and think that the power of God in the government of the whole world is here celebrated. But that sense is far-fetched. Some...

1-14 It is a mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The voice of God came in the fulness of light and power, by the Holy Spirit. These visions seem to have been sent to possess the prophet's mind with great and high thoughts of God. To strike terror upon sinners. To speak comfort to those that feared God, and humbled themselves. In ver. Ezekiel 1:4, is the first part of the vision, which represents God as attended and served by a vast company of angels, who are all his messengers, his ministers, doing his commandments. This vision would impress the mind with solemn awe and fear of the Divine displeasure, yet raise expectations of blessings. The fire is surrounded with a glory. Though we cannot by searching find out God to perfection, yet we see the brightness round about it. The likeness of the living creatures came...

Verse Ezekiel 1:4. _A WHIRLWIND CAME OUT OF THE NORTH_] Nebuchadnezzar, whose land, Babylonia, lay north of Judea. _Chaldea_ is thus frequently denominated by Jeremiah. _A GREAT CLOUD, AND A FIRE INFOLDING ITSELF_] A mass of fire concentrated in a _vast cloud_, that the flames might be more distinctly observable, the fire never escaping from the cloud, but issuing, and then returning in upon itself. It was in a state of powerful agitation; but always involving itself, or returning back to the centre whence it appeared to issue. _A BRIGHTNESS_ WAS _ABOUT IT_] A fine tinge of light surrounded the cloud, in order to make its limits the more discernible; beyond which verge the turmoiling fire did not proceed. _THE COLOUR OF AMBER_] This was in the centre of the cloud; and this am

OUT OF THE NORTH - From this quarter the Assyrian conquerors came upon the holy land. The vision, though seen in Chaldaea, had reference to Jerusalem, and the seer is to contemplate judgment as it is coming upon the holy land. Others consider the words expressive of the special seat of the power of Yahweh. The high mountain range of Lebanon that closed in the holy land on the north naturally connected to the inhabitants of that country the northern region with the idea of height reaching to heaven, from which such a vision as this might be supposed to come. INFOLDING ITSELF - Forming a circle of light - flames moving round and round and following each other in rapid succession, to be as it were the framework of the glorious scene. AMBER - The original word occurs only in Ezekiel. The Septuagint and the Vulgate have “electrum,” a substance composed by a mixture

EXPOSITION For the life of the prophet prior to the vision which this chapter relates, and which constituted his call to that office, see Introduction. EZEKIEL 1:1 NOW; literally, _and. _The use of the conjunction indicates here, as in Jonah 1:1, that the narrative that follows links itself on to something that has gone before. In Exodus 1:1 and 1 Samuel 1:1 it may point to a connection with the book that precedes it. Here the sequence is subjective. We may think of Ezekiel as retracing the years of his life till he comes to the thirtieth. Then, as it were, he pulls himself up. That must be t

AND I LOOKED,.... Being under the influence of the Spirit and power of God: AND, BEHOLD, A WHIRLWIND CAME OUT OF THE NORTH; which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar and his army coming from Babylon, which lay north of Judea: see Jeremiah 1:14; but it seems to me to be, with what follows, only an apparatus to the following vision: and is designed to awaken the mind of the prophet, and to fix his attention to what should proceed from hence, and be seen by him; just as the Lord speared in and answered Job out of, the whirlwind, Job 38:1; A GREAT CLOUD; as is usual when there is much thunder and lightning; though some understand this also of Nebuchadnezzar's army, which came in great human, swiftly and powerfully, as a cloud: AND A FIRE INFOLDING ITSELF: in the

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. PREDICTIONS BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM A. judgment Predictions Concerning Jerusalem (1-24) Chapter S 1:1-3:14 The Vision of Glory and the Call of the Prophet _ 1. The introduction (Ezekiel 1:1) _ 2. The vision of glory (Ezekiel 1:4) 3. Ezekiel's call and commission (Ezekiel 2:1) 4. The roll eaten and the repeated commission (Ezekiel 2:9; Ezekiel 3:1) Ezekiel 1:1. The introductory words give

EZEKIEL 1-3. EZEKIEL ENTERS UPON HIS MINISTRY. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel's Vision. Ezekiel 1:1. Like the prophets generally, Ezekiel enters upon his ministry only after he has had a vision of God and a call from Him. The book, therefore, appropriately opens with a description of these experiences. They took place in the thirtieth year a difficult phrase: perhaps the thirtieth year of the prophet's life in any case in 592 B.C., the fifth year after Jehoiachin and the leading citizens of Judah had been carried captive into Babylon (2 Kings 24:10 Ezekiel 1:16). Among them was Ezekiel, who whether or not a priest himself, c

BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. WHIRLWIND. Hebrew. _ruach =_ spirit, but it came to be rendered "storm or whirlwind". Note the three symbols of Jehovah's glory, Storm, Cloud, and Fire. Compare Nahum 1:3.Revelation 4:5. OUT OF THE NORTH. See note on Psalms 75:6, and Isaiah 14:13. INFOLDING ITSELF. taking hold of itself. Revised Version margin, "flashing continually". Human and finite language is unable to find words to express infinite realities. It may mean spontaneous ignition: i.e. without the application of external fire. Compare...