Ezekiel 1:24

24 And I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, as it were the voice of the most high God: when they walked, it was like the voice of a multitude, like the noise of an army, and when they stood, their wings were let down.

Ezekiel 1:24 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 1:24

And when they went
In their ministrations, preaching the Gospel, and administering ordinances: I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters:
so the voice of Christ, which is no other than his Gospel preached by his ministers, is said to be as the sound of many waters, ( Revelation 1:15 ) ; which is heard a great way off, as the Gospel ministry is, even to the ends of the earth; thither the sound of the apostles' words reached, ( Romans 10:18 ) ; and which, as they move with great force, yield a pleasant sound of and may denote both the energy of the word, and the delightfulness of it: as the voice of the Almighty;
the Gospel being the word of God, and not of man; which is quick and powerful, and full of majesty, and works effectually in them that believe: the voice of speech;
an articulate voice, a human one, pronounced by men, whom God employs to deliver out his mind and will: as the noise of an host;
the church being militant, to whom they minister; so that their voice, in their ministry, is sometimes reproving, convincing, confuting, contending, and disputing, as well as teaching and instructing. The Targum is,

``and the voice of their words, when they confess and bless the Lord, the living everlasting King, is as the voice of the host of angels on high:''

when they stood, they let down their wings;
those two with which they flew, and with them covered their faces, or some part of their bodies, as ashamed of their own unworthiness and imperfections; or this may denote their having done their work, and finished their course.

Ezekiel 1:24 In-Context

22 And over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of the firmament, the appearance of crystal terrible to behold, and stretched out over their heads above.

23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other, every one with two wings covered his body, and the other was covered in like manner.

24 And I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, as it were the voice of the most high God: when they walked, it was like the voice of a multitude, like the noise of an army, and when they stood, their wings were let down.

25 For when a voice came from above the firmament, that was over their heads, they stood, and let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of the sapphire stone, and upon the likeness of the throne, was the likeness of the appearance of a man above upon it.