Wheel within the Wheel

[Serving]

 

 

Justfaith

 

It's hard for us to picture, but heaven is a spiritual place and everything in heaven consists of the spiritual and not made of the material as we have in our world.

Even God's throne is not made of a physical material, but is made out of spiritual material.

Everything is spirit in God's world, which is in the heavenly realm..

 

Ezekiels vision of God sitting on his throne shows us that the throne sits on a chariot, and the wheels are made up of spirit - cheribums.  These four go whereever the spirit of God goes.  These spiritual creatures travel everywhere with God.  I don't think you can get much closer than that when it comes to the angels, being part of the throne.

 

The four beasts in Revelations have similar descriptions, only they have 6 wings, and one face each with eyes all around.  These four are around the throne, and not part of the throne.  These four beasts are seraphims.  

 

 Isaiah 6:2   Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 

 

I'm not sure here if it's their own face and feet they are covering, or God's?

 

I think if we go to all the other scriptures scattered throughout concerning these different type of angels, we will get a much clearer picture.

Which is something that I look forward to doing within the next few days,because it gives us such an amazing glimpse.

 

Hi Sister,

 

I agree that the seraphims and cherabims are two different classes of beings, as their attributes are not the same.

 

Concerning whose feet and face they are covering...well concerning that vision Ezekiel was given, id say they were covering Gods face and feet....

 

FOR...NO MAN has seen Gods face at any time....

 

If they weren't covering Gods face, then Ezekiel would have seen his face...and then promptly dropped dead....

 

God bless.

[Sister]

 

 

 

Justfaith

 

It's hard for us to picture, but heaven is a spiritual place and everything in heaven consists of the spiritual and not made of the material as we have in our world.

Even God's throne is not made of a physical material, but is made out of spiritual material.

Everything is spirit in God's world, which is in the heavenly realm..

 

Ezekiels vision of God sitting on his throne shows us that the throne sits on a chariot, and the wheels are made up of spirit - cheribums.  These four go whereever the spirit of God goes.  These spiritual creatures travel everywhere with God.  I don't think you can get much closer than that when it comes to the angels, being part of the throne.

 

The four beasts in Revelations have similar descriptions, only they have 6 wings, and one face each with eyes all around.  These four are around the throne, and not part of the throne.  These four beasts are seraphims.  

 

 Isaiah 6:2   Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 

 

I'm not sure here if it's their own face and feet they are covering, or God's?

 

I think if we go to all the other scriptures scattered throughout concerning these different type of angels, we will get a much clearer picture.

Which is something that I look forward to doing within the next few days,because it gives us such an amazing glimpse.

 

Hi Sister,

 

I agree that the seraphims and cherabims are two different classes of beings, as their attributes are not the same.

 

Concerning whose feet and face they are covering...well concerning that vision Ezekiel was given, id say they were covering Gods face and feet....

 

FOR...NO MAN has seen Gods face at any time....

 

If they weren't covering Gods face, then Ezekiel would have seen his face...and then promptly dropped dead....

 

God bless.

 

Hi Serving

 

Thanks for clearing that up because what you said makes absolute sense!  No man can see the face of God and live.

 

Can you tell me in your opinion who you think is higher ranked between the cherubs and seraphims?

and also do you agree that God's throne is a chariot made up of spiritual creatures that take him everywhere?

 

Also, I am wondering if you can answer this?

What is the connection between the cherubs being part of God's chariot, and the 2 cherubs that guard the mercy seat, and the cherubs that were guarding the tree of life.

I am trying to make the connection.  Maybe you have better insight.

Thanks brother.

 

And when you have finished answering that I have another question for you lol!

Just in case I forget the question in my head right now, I'll ask you now for later.

If Lucifer was God's covering angel, and travelled everywhere with God, then how could he leave to come down to earth?

[Willa]

Just faith

 

Ezekiel got a glimpse of God's actual throne.  It's a chariot with wheels, and these unusual looking heavenly spirit creatures travel with him wherever he goes. They are called cherubims

Does the devil look like these creatures ?

Satan is discribed as being the "anointed cherub who covers" and very beautiful till vanity and pride drew him to exalt himself to desire to be in preeminence to God. Ezek 28:13-15 says it is speaking of the king of Tyre, but he was not in the garden of Eden--satan was; nor was the king a cherub. Perhaps like satan the king's heart was lifted up because of his beauty as in v. 17.

These cherubim are man's attempt to discribe something beyond human comprehension that is full of splendor and power, full of light and possibly some kind of magnetic or electrical charge creating lightning. He calls them living creatures in Revelations 4-5. Perhaps principalities and powers in heavingly places also refers to them. They are discribed as being beautiful and awe inspiring.

Too cool--- The things that await for us to see in heaven that pale beside the beauty of God and of Jesus Christ.

[Serving]

 

 

 

 

Justfaith

 

It's hard for us to picture, but heaven is a spiritual place and everything in heaven consists of the spiritual and not made of the material as we have in our world.

Even God's throne is not made of a physical material, but is made out of spiritual material.

Everything is spirit in God's world, which is in the heavenly realm..

 

Ezekiels vision of God sitting on his throne shows us that the throne sits on a chariot, and the wheels are made up of spirit - cheribums.  These four go whereever the spirit of God goes.  These spiritual creatures travel everywhere with God.  I don't think you can get much closer than that when it comes to the angels, being part of the throne.

 

The four beasts in Revelations have similar descriptions, only they have 6 wings, and one face each with eyes all around.  These four are around the throne, and not part of the throne.  These four beasts are seraphims.  

 

 Isaiah 6:2   Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 

 

I'm not sure here if it's their own face and feet they are covering, or God's?

 

I think if we go to all the other scriptures scattered throughout concerning these different type of angels, we will get a much clearer picture.

Which is something that I look forward to doing within the next few days,because it gives us such an amazing glimpse.

 

Hi Sister,

 

I agree that the seraphims and cherabims are two different classes of beings, as their attributes are not the same.

 

Concerning whose feet and face they are covering...well concerning that vision Ezekiel was given, id say they were covering Gods face and feet....

 

FOR...NO MAN has seen Gods face at any time....

 

If they weren't covering Gods face, then Ezekiel would have seen his face...and then promptly dropped dead....

 

God bless.

 

Hi Serving

 

Thanks for clearing that up because what you said makes absolute sense!  No man can see the face of God and live.

 

Can you tell me in your opinion who you think is higher ranked between the cherubs and seraphims?

and also do you agree that God's throne is a chariot made up of spiritual creatures that take him everywhere?

 

Also, I am wondering if you can answer this?

What is the connection between the cherubs being part of God's chariot, and the 2 cherubs that guard the mercy seat, and the cherubs that were guarding the tree of life.

I am trying to make the connection.  Maybe you have better insight.

Thanks brother.

 

And when you have finished answering that I have another question for you lol!

Just in case I forget the question in my head right now, I'll ask you now for later.

If Lucifer was God's covering angel, and travelled everywhere with God, then how could he leave to come down to earth?

 

Hi Sister,

 

I must admit, I've never really paid much attention to this subject, and since I had various scriptures come to mind when browsing this subject, I got them mixed up and made a boo boo before double checking...my bad.

 

I said Ezekiel saw the Lord's face covered by two wings and His feet likewise else he would have died...but it was Isaiah who saw that particular vision, and they were Seraphims covering the Lord whilst in the temple, and not the Cherubims of Ezekiel.

 

But this has now brought up some interesting questions within me, so, now i'm a little more interested than I've been in the past...

 

I'll get back to you after thinking on it a little more and we can compare ideas if you'd like?

 

God bless.

[WilliamL]

Marilyn C: Interesting question. I`m sure you`ll get the Hebrew scholars giving us their scholarly work.

 

Well, I wouldn't go that far...but here is some background:

 

The heavenly chariot/merkabah is seen as the vehicle ["God has one awesome set of wheels!" , I heard one brother say] by which the Holy One lowers himself to interact with inhabitants of the lower worlds.

 

The seraphim are the angels of the highest level of the three here spoken of. (There are three upper worlds/heavens, according to Hebraic teaching. Paul seems to refer to this when speaking about being "caught up to the third heaven," 2 Cor. 12:2.) The chayot/kherubim ("living creatures/cherubim") are angels of the middle level; and the ophanim/"wheels" are angels of our world. In the case here, the Holy One has lowered himself into our humble realm, both to converse with Ezekiel, and to judge Jerusalem.

 

[YHWH] maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire... Ps. 104:4

 

Seraphim traditionally are seen as composed of fire, cherubim of spirit/wind.
 

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, Marilyn C. and WiliamL.

 

 

 

Marilyn C: Interesting question. I`m sure you`ll get the Hebrew scholars giving us their scholarly work.

 

Well, I wouldn't go that far...but here is some background:

 

The heavenly chariot/merkabah is seen as the vehicle ["God has one awesome set of wheels!" , I heard one brother say] by which the Holy One lowers himself to interact with inhabitants of the lower worlds.

 

The seraphim are the angels of the highest level of the three here spoken of. (There are three upper worlds/heavens, according to Hebraic teaching. Paul seems to refer to this when speaking about being "caught up to the third heaven," 2 Cor. 12:2.) The chayot/kherubim ("living creatures/cherubim") are angels of the middle level; and the ophanim/"wheels" are angels of our world. In the case here, the Holy One has lowered himself into our humble realm, both to converse with Ezekiel, and to judge Jerusalem.

 

[YHWH] maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire... Ps. 104:4

 

Seraphim traditionally are seen as composed of fire, cherubim of spirit/wind.
 

 

I will. (Go that far, that is.)

 

The two beings, a “kruwV” (pronounced “kuh-ROOV”) and a “saaraaf” (pronounced "saw-RAWF") are quite differently described by Yesha`yahu (Isaiah) and Yechezk’el (Ezekiel). A “saaraaf,” the plural being “sraafiym," is a “BURNING (ONE).” The word can be found in Numbers 21:6, 8; Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 6:2, 6; 14:29; and 30:6, seven times total. A “kruwV” is a little more difficult to understand, but not impossible, thanks in large part to the descriptions of Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10.

 

Numbers 21:6-9

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

KJV

 

Deuteronomy 8:11-17

11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

KJV

 

Isaiah 6:1-7

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

KJV

 

Isaiah 14:29

29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

KJV

 

Isaiah 30:6-7

6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.

7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

KJV

 

The “kruwV,” plural is “kruwviym” (pronounced “kuh-roo-VEEM”), is found in many more verses (93 total occurrences):

 

Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18, 19 (3x), 20 (2x), 22; 26:1, 31; 36:8, 35; 37:7, 8 (3x), 9 (2x); Numbers 7:89; 1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2; 22:11; 1 Kings 6:23, 24 (2x), 25 (2x), 26 (2x), 27 (3x), 28, 29, 32 (2x), 35; 7:29, 36; 8:6, 7 (2x); 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chronicles 13:6; 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:7, 10, 11 (2x), 12 (2x), 13, 14; 5:7. 8 (2x); Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61; Psalm 18:10; 80:1; 99:1; Isaiah 37:16; Ezekiel 9:3; 10:1, 2 (2x), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (3x), 8, 9 (3x), 14, 15, 16 (2x), 18, 19, 20; 11:22; 28:14, 16; 41:18 (4x), 20, and 25.

 

Now, look at the descriptions in Ezekiel 1 and 10:

 

Ezekiel 1:1-11

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

KJV

 

Ezekiel 10:1-9

1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

4 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.

5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.

10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

KJV

 

Notice that both descriptions include the same 3 faces: that of a lion, that of a man, and that of an eagle. The face that is different is the face of an “ox” in chapter 1 and the face of a “kruwV” in chapter 10. Through the rest of the verses above and the rest of the descriptions, one can learn that the “kruwV” was a man-shaped ox with straight legs ending in hooves and with four wings.

[seandavids]

It represents a very real different realm of which most humans can't accept as a reality, so they spiritualize all these visions to mean and represent in human standards what their minds can't fathem to be real

 

thus things become tanks and helicopters as most people can't accept interdimensional beings and spiritual manifestations of locust that man has never witnessed

[WilliamL]

It represents a very real different realm of which most humans can't accept as a reality, so they spiritualize all these visions to mean and represent in human standards what their minds can't fathem to be real

 

thus things become tanks and helicopters as most people can't accept interdimensional beings and spiritual manifestations of locust that man has never witnessed

Amen. We should never forget that we are in an inter-dimensional war.

[rjp34652]

 

How have different commentators interpreted and understood this imagery over the years?

 

How was this prophecy relevant to Ezekiel's original audience and his overall prophetic message?

 

What is the meaning of the faces ?

 

Are these ceatures literal ?

 

Why Flame, thunder, lightning.? not water or other elements 

 

Ezekiel 1 King James Version (KJV)

 

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

 

2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

 

3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

 

4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

 

5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

 

6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

 

7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

 

8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

 

9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

 

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

 

11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

 

12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

 

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

 

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

 

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

 

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

 

17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

 

18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

 

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

 

20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

 

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

 

 

A number of secular persons and groups use the Ezekiel vision as justification for the existence of ancient UFO's.  Chief among them is Eric Von Daniken, a con artist if ever there was one.

 

First, it should be noted that any vision or revelation of the Glory of God is a complex image.   Never simple.   Even the easily understood image of the throne of God has numerous representations of the throne, glass floor, attendant saints, angels and Holy Creatures.  The nature of God is to hide Himself and His will.   He chooses which parts will be revealed and at what time.  Visions of the Glory of God, therefore, are difficult to understand because that is God's intent.

 

That being said, the reader should note that Ezekiel first sees his vision of the Glory of God on a riverbank.   This is the point many advocates of UFOlogy quote as proof of extraterrestrial visitation.    However, if the reader continues an exploration of the book of Ezekiel, it will be discovered that the Glory moves next to the threshold of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Next the vision moves inside and finally it moves to a hill to the east of the city.   The visions accompany and underline God's displeasure with spiritual debauchery of the people.

 

My point is that if the Glory image is that of a flying saucer, then the spacecraft must also have been using the Holy Temple as a hanger since the Glory is inside at one point in the narrative.

 

It's ridiculous, of course, but such logic usually escapes those who see what they want to see.

 

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

[seandavids]

 

 

How have different commentators interpreted and understood this imagery over the years?

 

How was this prophecy relevant to Ezekiel's original audience and his overall prophetic message?

 

What is the meaning of the faces ?

 

Are these ceatures literal ?

 

Why Flame, thunder, lightning.? not water or other elements 

 

Ezekiel 1 King James Version (KJV)

 

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

 

2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

 

3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

 

4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

 

5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

 

6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

 

7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

 

8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

 

9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

 

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

 

11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

 

12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

 

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

 

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

 

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

 

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

 

17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

 

18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

 

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

 

20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

 

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

 

 

A number of secular persons and groups use the Ezekiel vision as justification for the existence of ancient UFO's.  Chief among them is Eric Von Daniken, a con artist if ever there was one.

 

First, it should be noted that any vision or revelation of the Glory of God is a complex image.   Never simple.   Even the easily understood image of the throne of God has numerous representations of the throne, glass floor, attendant saints, angels and Holy Creatures.  The nature of God is to hide Himself and His will.   He chooses which parts will be revealed and at what time.  Visions of the Glory of God, therefore, are difficult to understand because that is God's intent.

 

That being said, the reader should note that Ezekiel first sees his vision of the Glory of God on a riverbank.   This is the point many advocates of UFOlogy quote as proof of extraterrestrial visitation.    However, if the reader continues an exploration of the book of Ezekiel, it will be discovered that the Glory moves next to the threshold of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Next the vision moves inside and finally it moves to a hill to the east of the city.   The visions accompany and underline God's displeasure with spiritual debauchery of the people.

 

My point is that if the Glory image is that of a flying saucer, then the spacecraft must also have been using the Holy Temple as a hanger since the Glory is inside at one point in the narrative.

 

It's ridiculous, of course, but such logic usually escapes those who see what they want to see.

 

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

 

then again were told the shapeshifter Satan was cast down to earth whom we are told can appear as an angel of light, yet we see from scripture he is described as a dragon or a serpent.

Oh! and he took a 1/3 of God's angels with him, considering they were traveling to and fro through the earth back in the ancient world of Job it seems highly likely they're a bit further advanced than us