Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
I just took a couple days to do some fishing on a private small boat just out from Panama City and the fresh air, sunshine, and God’s creation never fails to energize and encourage.
Last time we began to examine the wheel-like structures associated with the four living creatures described in Ezekiel chapter 1. I remember first reading about this when I was a young child, and I had more questions than most had answers for. It was however, intriguing to me! Since there are four wheels – one beside each creature – the mention of “a wheel in the middle of a wheel” (v.16) may refer to the wheels being at right angles to one another since each wheel was beside a creature that face away from the conveyance.
When the conveyance moved, it did not turn, but went in one of the four directions that the creatures faced. (v.17) The rims of each wheel had eyes all around the rims. The wheels and the living creatures moved together and there seems to be a common spirit within the creatures and the wheels as if the wheels were an appendage of each creature. (vv.20-21)
I still think this would make an awesome movie, but who could recreate exactly what was seen? I know I sure couldn’t.
These four are very unusual beings, yet have a very specific purpose. They were the vehicle to carry the throne of God in His glorious state. There was a platform or firmament above the four creatures. (v.22) These beings spread their wings and moved them when the conveyance moved. (v.24) Above the crystal platform was a sapphire red throne. (v.26) Seated on the throne was being that looked like a man but he had a glorious fiery appearance.
Ezekiel heard a voice speaking to him in the vision. The voice told him “I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation.” (Ezekiel 2:3) Ezekiel is told to deliver a message, (God’s words), to the children of Israel. (v.7) He is told to eat a scroll, symbolic of receiving and digesting the message he was to proclaim. (Ezekiel 3:1-3) He was instructed to go “to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them.” Then in the vision he is lifted up by the spirit and he “heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!”” (v.12)
Ezekiel related then “I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.” (v.13)
What an amazing vision! Even though it was a vision, it must have revealed a reality that there really were these four creatures and the wheels that conveyed this special throne.
Ezekiel 10 presents virtually an identical description of these four creatures with their wheels and they are called cherubim.
In fact, Ezekiel states “And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar” (v.15) and “This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.” (v.20)
This makes clear that this special portable throne carried “the God of Israel.” The chapter reveals the departure of what is called the shekinah glory from the temple. “Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth” (vv.18-19)
At this juncture, there are various questions you and I could propose.
- What are the eyes all around the wheels and what purpose did they serve?
- Are the wheels permanently attached to these four living creatures or cherubim?
- Do all cherubim have the same appearance?
- Has this amazing conveyance ever been seen by mankind?
There are stories even today concerning “sightings” that claim to describe some very bright object moving very fast but making right angle turns. Having lived near Offutt Airforce Base in Nebraska for most of my years growing up, I’ve seen some pretty strange things. So, who knows what some have seen? I personally cannot discount some of the sightings of strange moving objects that many have seen.
Let’s examine another mention of unusual angelic messengers: “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.” (Rev. 1:4)
The seven spirits are evidently seven angelic messengers. They are associated with the heavenly realm, God’s throne, and are also sent out to the earth to observe and report back to God and to Christ. These seven spirits or angelic messengers are referred to in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5 and 5:6. John records what he sees in vision at the throne of God in heaven. “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” (Rev. 5:6)
This symbolism of seven eyes is also mentioned in Zechariah 4:10 in reference to the seven lamps mentioned in Zech. 4:2.
The “eyes” seem to be an allusion to the seeing and observing done by these seven messengers.
Does God need angels to report to Him to know what is happening on the earth?
Most of God’s called out ones believe God has knowledge of all things taking place, especially on the earth. So why are these seven messengers sent out to observe and report? I don’t know the answer to that for certain. Maybe He chooses not to know.
Well, we’ve looked at an overview and had just a glimpse behind the scenes of some unusual beings created by God for His purposes. Won’t it be exciting someday to very possibly see these creatures in person!
Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.
