Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar
(Psalms 137:1–9)
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. 1 Act 7:56Ezk 11:24Mat 3:16Rev 19:11Act 10:11Ezk 10:15Ezk 10:20Luk 3:21
On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 2Ki 24:12-15Ezk 20:1Ezk 40:1Ezk 8:1Ezk 29:17Ezk 29:1Ezk 31:1 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans 2by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. Ezk 3:14Ezk 3:221Ki 18:462Ki 3:15Ezk 33:22Ezk 37:1Ezk 40:1Ezk 8:1
The Four Living Creatures
I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber, 3 Ezk 1:27Ezk 8:2Jer 23:19Exo 19:16-18Isa 21:1Jer 1:13-14Jer 25:322Ch 5:13 and within it was the form of four living creatures. Rev 4:6-8Ezk 1:26Rev 6:6
And this was their appearance: They had a human form, but each had four faces and four wings. Ezk 10:141Ki 6:24-27Exo 25:20Ezk 1:15Ezk 1:8-11Ezk 10:10Ezk 10:21-22Isa 6:2 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. Rev 1:15Dan 10:6Ezk 1:13Psa 104:4Lev 11:3Lev 11:47
Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings, Ezk 10:21Ezk 1:17Ezk 10:11Ezk 10:18Ezk 10:2Ezk 10:7-8Ezk 8:3Isa 6:6 and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead. Ezk 10:221Co 1:102Ch 3:11-12Ezk 1:11-12Ezk 10:11Luk 9:51Luk 9:62Pro 4:25-27
The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle. Ezk 10:14Rev 4:71Co 9:9-101Ch 12:81Co 14:20Dan 7:4Deu 28:49Isa 40:31 Such were their faces. Isa 6:2Ezk 1:23Ezk 10:16Ezk 10:19
Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved. Ezk 1:9Ezk 1:17Ezk 1:20-21Ezk 10:22Heb 1:14
In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. Psa 104:4Rev 4:5Dan 10:5-6Ezk 1:7Gen 15:17Mat 28:3Rev 10:1Rev 18:1 The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning. Mat 24:27Zec 4:10Dan 9:21Luk 17:24Mat 24:31Mrk 13:27Psa 147:15Zec 2:3-4
The Four Wheels
When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. Dan 7:9Ezk 10:9Ezk 1:19-21Ezk 1:6Rev 4:7Ezk 10:13-17 The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel. Dan 10:6Ezk 10:9-11Eph 3:10Exo 39:13Job 9:10Psa 36:6Psa 40:5Rom 11:33 As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. Ezk 1:9Ezk 1:12Ezk 10:1-11Isa 55:11 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. Ezk 10:12Rev 4:6Rev 4:8Isa 55:9Job 37:22-24Pro 15:3Psa 77:16-19Psa 97:2-5 So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Ezk 10:16Ezk 10:19Psa 103:20
Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Ezk 1:12Ezk 10:171Co 14:32Zec 6:1-8 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Ezk 10:17Ezk 1:19-20Rom 8:2
The Divine Glory
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal. Ezk 10:1Ezk 1:26Rev 4:6Exo 24:10Job 37:22Rev 21:11Rev 4:3 And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body. Ezk 1:11-12Ezk 1:24Job 4:18Luk 17:10Psa 89:7
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, 4 like the tumult of an army. Ezk 43:2Dan 10:6Psa 29:3-9Rev 1:15Rev 19:6Psa 68:33Psa 18:13Job 37:4-5
When they stood still, they lowered their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered. Ezk 1:22
Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. Ezk 10:1Exo 24:10Rev 1:13Dan 10:18Ezk 1:22Dan 7:9-10Eph 1:21-22Heb 12:2 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. Ezk 1:4Ezk 8:2Heb 12:29Psa 97:2Deu 4:24Psa 50:32Th 1:8Rev 1:14-16
The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking. Rev 10:1Rev 4:3Gen 17:3Ezk 3:23Act 9:4Dan 8:17Exo 24:16Ezk 8:4