The Gospel According to Ezekiel

Historical Context and Structure of Ezekiel

By the time Ezekiel comes on the scene, several horrendous things have taken place. This is the result of sin within the congregation of Israel, primarily seen in the gods of the Canaanites that persisted within Israel.

Several decades before, King Josiah came onto the throne and purged the idolatry of Israel, bringing it back to Yahweh worship. Yet even during that great reform, the prophet Jeremiah recognized the sickness of Israel's sin and warned that the reform would not last if it did not stick in the hearts of the people.

Josiah then unwisely antagonized the Pharaoh of Egypt, who had no interest in fighting. Josiah was wounded and died, and Israel quickly plummeted back into idolatry. Babylon conquered the Jews and brought some into exile, including Ezekiel, in 597 BC during the reign of King Jehoiachin. This is confirmed by Babylonian accounts.

Ezekiel, a priest and prophet, receives his call during this exile. The book splits into two portions: the first preaches doom and destruction, the latter restoration and warnings against neighboring nations.

The primary theme is the glory of God, seen in His holiness, vindicating Himself as the essential being at the center of our lives. A life totally satisfied with God is the only manner of life. Secondarily, the book brings hope of Jesus Christ, pointing to the coming Savior and King who restores God's people permanently.

The chief end of man is to know God, confirmed in John 17.

The Series: The Gospel According to Ezekiel

We will go through the book chapter by chapter, titled the gospel according to Ezekiel. Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel are the four gospels of the Old Testament. The book was written in the first half of the sixth century BC, around 597 BC.

Ezekiel's Vision in Chapter 1

Ezekiel chapter 1 begins:

Now it came about in the 30th year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the River Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile...)

The word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar, and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.

As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward.

As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man; all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies. And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.

In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.

Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them. The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. The wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp. Whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. And above the expanse that was over their heads was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure like the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

The 30th year likely refers to Ezekiel's age, around the time priests begin service (Numbers 3). The date corresponds to July 31, 593 BC. "The hand of the Lord was upon him" is a recurring phrase in Ezekiel.

This vision is difficult to understand, more challenging than math for me. Yet keys within the context make it applicable to our lives today. Medieval artwork has tried to depict it but falls short.

Two Key Principles from the Vision

1. Visions of God

Ezekiel sees visions of God, not merely cherubim (a type of angel). Hebrews 1:14 explains angels render service for those who inherit salvation, like priestly utensils for sacrifice. They assist God's people and carry out judgment.

Here, the cherubim demonstrate God's attributes: four beings moving in every direction without turning (omnipresence), eyes all around (omniscience), called the Almighty (omnipotence).

God is enthroned above the cherubim, like the holy of holies mercy seat (1 Kings 6:23-28; Psalm 18:10; 2 Samuel 6:2). This is Ezekiel the priest seeing God apart from the physical temple, yet greater. It is God's movable chariot throne, judgment throne, military throne—He rules anywhere.

Ezekiel is captivated by the glory of Yahweh. Chapter 1 sets the tone for the book and our lives: foundationally grounded in God's glory. Before ministry or difficult principles, Ezekiel stands in awe in God's heavenly sanctuary.

Chapters 1-3 are more than Ezekiel's call; they invite us to experience God as Ezekiel did, creating awe and proper response. God's glory is essential for living.

God's Glory Explains Judgment and Suffering

24 chapters later, God kills Ezekiel's wife to illustrate judgment: as Ezekiel delighted in his wife, Israel delighted in idolatry. We understand this only through God's glory.

How else to grasp suffering, resist sin, or answer "why bad things happen to good people"? (They happened once, to Christ.) Maximizing God's glory maximizes sin's horror.

Israel's sins shocked even pagan nations. God deals with them as holy and just. We find comfort in His sovereignty—He controls all for His glory, not our temporary comforts.

Ezekiel falls on his face in submission to God's lordship. His holiness is most satisfying to Him and should be to us.

Applications: Three Responses to Such Sights

1. Spectacular

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song for Him who rides through the clouds; His name is Yahweh, and exult before Him. (Psalm 68:4)

O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God. (Psalm 68:35)

God rides the clouds (a common Old Testament epithet). Have we stood in awe of God as in Ezekiel 1? Has Scripture gripped us to worship: "You are awesome, God"?

Nothing prevents God from being awesome to us. If He is not, our relationship with Him is lacking. Everything about Him is soul-satisfying. God reveals Himself in degrees we can bear, unlike Moses who saw only the aftermath (Exodus 33).

Old Testament saints feared upon seeing Yahweh, Lord of Hosts. We must too.

2. Sanctifying

Seeing God's glory loosens sin's grip. No one is safe from sin: "He who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Avoid legalistic Pharisee-reading of Ezekiel: "That was ancient Israel; I don't worship idols outwardly." Jesus exposed heart-sins (Matthew 5; whitewashed tombs). Every sin is idolatry—the heart is an idol factory.

Chapter 1 helps: God reveals Himself first. Seeing Him high and holy makes sin repulsive (Romans 3:23).

In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him... "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" ... Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined; because I am a man of unclean lips..." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal... from the altar. (Isaiah 6:1-6)

Isaiah saw Christ (John 12); purified, he was commissioned. Israel's exile followed ignoring Jeremiah's 40-year gospel and Josiah's reforms. They blamed ceasing Queen of Heaven worship.

Read Scripture until it burns, like Ezekiel's coal or Emmaus disciples, purifying us.

3. Satisfying

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

Ezekiel saw glory so satisfying he pursued nothing else. Faith realizes who God is and what He has done for you, grasping this glory as sustaining.

With God central, temptation loses appeal—He is better (1 Corinthians 10:13). "Exult" means extreme joy and satisfaction in God's glory.

James 1:2: Count it joy in trials (same word as temptations). Ezekiel faced immense hardship; yet glory-centered life finds joy in resistance, grace, suffering, salvation.

All life—temptation, sinning, suffering, salvation—is rightly understood with God's glory central. World conditions overwhelm without it, but glorify Him in judgment or salvation.

Three Kinds of People in Ezekiel

The book concerns:

1. The "righteous": legalistic right-living without grace-reliance. Warnings for them.
2. The wicked: no moral iota.
3. The remnant: elect, scattered, recognizing God's glory, responding in faith to Christ.

Worldviews fail without saturating in: God is free, always good, His glory our greatest good.

Is God's glory your life's centerpiece? Making His name famous your motivation? Otherwise, idols fail. Live for His glory in marriage, family, work—more essential than anything else. Ezekiel 1 lays this foundation.