Ezekiel 10

Ezekiel 10:1-22 . VISION OF COALS OF FIRE SCATTERED OVER THE CITY: REPETITION OF THE VISION OF THE CHERUBIM.

1. The throne of Jehovah appearing in the midst of the judgments implies that whatever intermediate agencies be employed, He controls them, and that the whole flows as a necessary consequence from His essential holiness ( Ezekiel 1:22 Ezekiel 1:26 ).
cherubim--in Ezekiel 1:5 , called "living creatures." The repetition of the vision implies that the judgments are approaching nearer and nearer. These two visions of Deity were granted in the beginning of Ezekiel's career, to qualify him for witnessing to God's glory amidst his God-forgetting people and to stamp truth on his announcements; also to signify the removal of God's manifestation from the visible temple ( Ezekiel 10:18 ) for a long period ( Ezekiel 43:2 ). The feature ( Ezekiel 10:12 ) mentioned as to the cherubim that they were "full of eyes," though omitted in the former vision, is not a difference, but a more specific detail observed by Ezekiel now on closer inspection. Also, here, there is no rainbow (the symbol of mercy after the flood of wrath) as in the former; for here judgment is the prominent thought, though the marking of the remnant in Ezekiel 9:4 Ezekiel 9:6 shows that there was mercy in the background. The cherubim, perhaps, represent redeemed humanity combining in and with itself the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life (compare Romans 8:20 ). Therefore they are associated with the twenty-four elders and are distinguished from the angels ( Revelation 5:1-14 ). They stand on the mercy seat of the ark, and on that ground become the habitation of God from which His glory is to shine upon the world. The different forms symbolize the different phases of the Church. So the quadriform Gospel, in which the incarnate Saviour has lodged the revelation of Himself in a fourfold aspect, and from which His glory shines on the Christian world, answers to the emblematic throne from which He shone on the Jewish Church.

2. he--Jehovah; He who sat on the "throne."
the man--the Messenger of mercy becoming the Messenger of judgment the will of "the Man," who is Lord of men.
wheels--Hebrew, galgal, implying quick revolution; so the impetuous onset of the foe (compare Ezekiel 23:24 , 26:10 ); whereas "ophan," in Ezekiel 1:15 Ezekiel 1:16 implies mere revolution.
coals of fire--the wrath of God about to burn the city, as His sword had previously slain its guilty inhabitants. This "fire," how different from the fire on the altar never going out ( Leviticus 6:12 Leviticus 6:13 ), whereby, in type, peace was made with God! Compare Isaiah 33:12 Isaiah 33:14 . It is therefore not taken from the altar of reconciliation, but from between the wheels of the cherubim, representing the providence of God, whereby, and not by chance, judgment is to fall.

3. right . . . of . . . house--The scene of the locality whence judgment emanates is the temple, to mark God's vindication of His holiness injured there. The cherubim here are not those in the holy of holies, for the latter had not "wheels." They stood on "the right of the house," that is, the south, for the Chaldean power, guided by them, had already advanced from the north (the direction of Babylon), and had destroyed the men in the temple, and was now proceeding to destroy the city, which lay south and west.
the cherubim . . . the man--There was perfect concert of action between the cherubic representative of the angels and "the Man," to minister to whom they "stood" there ( Ezekiel 10:7 ).
cloud--emblem of God's displeasure; as the "glory" or "brightness" ( Ezekiel 10:4 ) typifies His majesty and clearness in judgment.

4. The court outside was full of the Lord's brightness, while it was only the cloud that filled the house inside, the scene of idolatries, and therefore of God's displeasure. God's throne was on the threshold. The temple, once filled with brightness, is now darkened with cloud.