Ezekiel 43:3

3 What appeared when I looked was like what I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and also like what I saw at the Chebar River, and I fell on my face.

Ezekiel 43:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 43:3

And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I
saw
Recorded in the first, ninth, and tenth chapters of this book; the form in which the glory of the God of Israel now appeared was like to what he then saw; in each of which visions was the likeness of a throne, and on it the appearance of the glory of God: even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the
city;
the city of Jerusalem; not that the prophet destroyed it, or came to destroy it himself, which was to be done, and was done, by the Chaldeans; but to foretell the destruction of it; which prediction of his made it as certain as if it was done. So the Targum,

``when I prophesied to destroy the city;''

and this was, when he was bid to cause, in a visionary and prophetic manner, six men, with their destroying weapons, to draw near unto it, and smite it; at which time he saw the glory of the God of Israel go up from the cherub, ( Ezekiel 9:1-3 ) . And the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar;
the four living creatures and the wheels; the throne of sapphire stone, and the glorious appearance above it, ( Ezekiel 1:3-28 ) ( 10:1-20 ) only with this difference, then he saw the glory of the God of Israel departing, especially in the last vision, but now returning: and I fell upon my face;
in reverence of such glorious majesty: affected with such a display of grace and goodness, and sensible of his own unworthiness to behold it: the clearer and fuller views saints have of the grace and glory of Christ, the more humble they are; see ( Isaiah 6:1-3 Isaiah 6:5 ) .

Ezekiel 43:3 In-Context

1 Then he led me to the east gate,

2 where the glory of Israel's God was coming in from the east. Its sound was like the sound of a mighty flood, and the earth was lit up with his glory.

3 What appeared when I looked was like what I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and also like what I saw at the Chebar River, and I fell on my face.

4 Then the LORD's glory came into the temple by way of the east gate.

5 A wind picked me up and brought me to the inner courtyard, and there the LORD's glory filled the temple.

Footnotes

• [a] Vulg; MT I