Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 10:14
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.
14. The verse, which LXX. omits, is difficult. The words rendered “first face” might have that sense or the sense “one face” at a pinch, but mean naturally “face of the first;” and those rendered “the second face” can hardly mean anything but “the face of the second,” for it is precarious to extend constructions like Jer 46:2 “the year of the fourth” (year) = the fourth year, to other words than “year.” The easiest course would be to omit the word “face” before “first” and “second,” as in fact it does not stand before “third” and “fourth;” or perhaps it might be enough to omit it before “second” and assume that the anomalous constr. “one face” (Lev 24:22; 2Ki 12:10) had led to the insertion of “face” before “the second.”
face of a cherub ] Of the cherub. As the other faces were those of a man, a lion, and an eagle, this face must be that of the ox (ch. Eze 1:10). Why should this be called the face of the cherub? It is said that the winged bulls at the portals of Assyrian temples are called cherubs in Assyrian (Fried. Del. Paradies, p. 153, Lenormant, Les origines de l’histoire, p. 118), but these winged bulls have not the face of an ox but that of a man, and there is no probability that in Israel the cherubs in the temple were ox-faced.
It seems possible to explain the verse only by making some suppositions which may appear rather artificial, viz. first that the prophet looking at the phenomenon of the chariot and four creatures as a whole saw four faces presented to him, one (and a different one) by each of the creatures, and that he named the faces which were thus presented to him. We should then translate “the face of the first,” “the face of the second” &c., though this seems opposed to the meaning of the first words of the verse. And secondly, that he assumes the side of the chariot presented to him not to be the front, but regards the side looking in another direction as the front or head. His view of the chariot is taken when it rose and proceeded eastward ( Eze 10:19); and he regards the side of the chariot turned to the east as the front, and he calls the cherub which led the movement to the east the cherub. Further at this moment the chariot and cherubim were standing on the south side of the house ( Eze 10:3), and the prophet’s position was probably near the house and thus to the north or left of the phenomenon. Now the ox-face of all the cherubs was on their left (ch. Eze 1:10), that is, in the case of a cherub leading the movement eastward, toward the north where the prophet presumably was standing. Thus he would see the ox-face of the first cherub (whose human face was eastward, leading the whole chariot). He would also see the man’s face of the cherub on the side of the chariot facing himself, the lion’s face of the cherub who stood on the west side of the chariot, and the eagle’s face of the cherub on the south side of the chariot, for all the eagle-faces looked inward to the centre of the chariot. This is the order followed in the verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The first face … – The face of the first was the face of the cherub, and the face of the second was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion and the fourth the face of an eagle. Of the four faces of each cherub, the seer names only one – the face looking in the direction in which that cherub leads the motion of the chariot. The face of the cherub which presented itself to the seer was that of an ox. When he looking northward first saw the chariot the ox-face was on the left side Eze 1:10. This would make the ox-face look eastward, and it is not unlikely that the man might approach the chariot from the southeastern part of the inner court.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 10:14
Every one had four faces; the first face was the face of a cherub.
The Christian ministry
The text seems to have a decided reference to the angelic hosts,–those ministers of God who do His pleasure. To resemble these should be the great desire of every Christian, that Gods will may be done on earth even as it is done in heaven. But especially should this be the case with the Christian minister: his office greatly resembles that of the holy intelligences above; he is a messenger of God to mankind, an angel of the Church, and therefore well does it become him to study the character and emulate the holiness of cherubim and seraphim in heaven.
I. The first face was that of a cherub. The symbol–
1. Of exalted dignity. Dwelling around the throne of Deity. His especial ambassadors, etc. No office can be more exalted than that of the Christian ministry. It is that to which Jehovah appointed His own Son. One writer quaintly remarks, God had only one Son, and He made a preacher of Him. Workers together with God, etc.
2. Of elevated devotion. They are represented as holding great intimacy and close fellowship with God. How indispensable that the ministers of Christ live near to the Lord, hold close communion with the skies.
3. Of distinguished holiness. Ye that bear the vessels of the Lord, etc., as the priests of old. Not only partakers of the ordinary graces of the Spirit, but adorned with the mature fruits of holiness to the glory of God.
II. The second symbol is that of a man. With the sanctity of the cherub is to be united the sympathy of sanctified humanity. As men, Christian ministers are–
1. To be influenced by their relationship to Jesus as Head of the Church. They should have His meekness, humility, lowliness, desire to labour, readiness to suffer, etc.
2. To feel for their fellow sinners peculiar compassion. They are their brethren, of one blood, spirit, and destiny.
3. To know their own insufficiency and entire dependence on Gods blessing. This treasure in earthen vessels, etc. Paul planteth, etc.
III. The third emblem was the face of a lion. By this we are to understand the strength and magnanimity which are necessary to the ministerial office. The Christian minister must be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. He must be strong to resist evil, to stand firm in the conflict, and to conduct himself as a man of God.
IV. The fourth symbol is that of the eagle. By this–
1. The true character of the ministers work is portrayed. He has to do with spiritual things. He teaches not philosophy, science, economy, legislation, but the truths of the kingdom of God, the knowledge of the way of salvation.
2. The symbol of the eagle may be designed also to be expressive of their ardour and zeal The minister of Jesus is to be instant, earnest, energetic, zealously affected in every good thing.
3. His soul is to yearn with intense anxiety over perishing sinners. Application–
1. Let the solemn character of the office ever be cherished, and a lively sense of its importance be maintained from day to day.
2. Let the glorious results of faithfulness in the Saviours service animate to constancy and perseverance. (J. Burns, D. D.)
The combination of faculties in spiritual life
In the power of this life it does not matter where we are, or under what conditions we are found, we find a sufficiency of grace. Mr. Ruskin, in his Loves Meinie, describes the Phalerope, a strange bird living out of the way of human beings, in the Polar regions of Greenland, Norway and Lapland, which he calls The Arctic Fairy. It is a central type of all bird power, but with elf gifts added: it flies like a lark, trips on water lily leaves like a fairy, swims like a duck, and roves like a seagull, having been seen sixty miles from land; and finally, though living chiefly in Lapland and Iceland, it has been seen serenely swimming and catching flies in the hot water of the geysers, in which a man could not bear his hand. As the above bird has a combination of faculties, so the gift of Eternal Life as personified in Christ bestows faculties of grace which enable us to stand in the clear light of Gods holy throne, which empower us to bear trials fiery ordeal, which equip us for conflict with the great adversary, which endow us with endurance in treading lifes rough way, which energise with strength in the work of the Gospel, which environ us with peace and joy in time of persecution, and which ennoble our whole being, for we are lifted into the realm of Gods dear Son. (Footsteps of Truth.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. The first – was the face of a cherub] In Eze 1:10, this is called the “face of an ox;” here, the “face of a cherub:” hence, a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least, as to its head. kerub never occurs as a verb; and its meaning cannot be precisely ascertained. Parkhurst thinks the caph to be here the note of similitude; and then translates ke, “like,” rab or rob, “the mighty one;” and, in consequence, makes the cherubim an emblem of the Holy Trinity. See his lengthy Dissertation under in his Hebrew and English Lexicon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Every one, of the living creatures, Eze 1:6, the cherubims in this chapter.
The first face, which each had.
The face of a cherub: in Babylon, at the river Chebar, he saw somewhat a different face; in the temple he seeth a cherub, one of the faces, which leads us to look on angels employed in those revolutions.
The second face, the second which each cherubim had, was a mans face, &c.: see Eze 1:6,10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. cherubbut in Eze1:10 it is an ox. The chief of the four cherubic forms wasnot the ox, but man. Therefore “cherub”cannot be synonymous with “ox.” Probably Ezekiel, standingin front of one of the cherubim (namely, that which handed the coalsto the man in linen), saw of him, not merely the ox-form, but thewhole fourfold form, and therefore calls him simply “cherub”;whereas of the other three, having only a side view, he specifies theform of each which met his eye [FAIRBAIRN].As to the likelihood of the lower animals sharing in “therestoration of all things,” see Isa 11:6;Isa 65:25; Rom 8:20;Rom 8:21; this accords with theanimal forms combined with the human to typify redeemed man.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And everyone had four faces,…. That is, everyone of the wheels, for of these the words are continued; and which agrees with Eze 1:15;
[See comments on Eze 1:15]:
the first face [was] the face of a cherub; this being in the room of the ox’s face, Eze 1:10, shows that the face of an ox and a cherub are the same; and that the living creatures have the general name of cherubim, from the face of an ox; and are so called from , which in the Syriac and Chaldee languages signifies to “plough”, that creature being made use of in such service:
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; how these are applicable to Gospel churches, and the true members of them,
[See comments on Eze 1:15].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Now Ezekiel descends to the animals themselves, which he now pronounces to be cherubim, yet under another form than that in the sanctuary. We said in the first chapter why he saw four cherubim since only two surrounded the ark of the covenant. This variation may seem absurd, for God was accustomed to accommodate his visions to the forms of the law, that he might hold the people in the simplicity of the law. But the reason which I brought forward in the first chapter is by no means to be rejected, because in truth so great was the grossness and rudeness of the people, that it was necessary to bend aside from the first and genuine institution. God had been content with two cherubim, and in that number doubtless he represented all angels; but he was surrounded on the right hand and on the left that he might show the people that he could never be wanting in power to bring them help. Now the Jews were so stupified that they shut up God in heaven, because scarcely any recognition of his providence then remained, as we have already seen. Since, therefore, the Jews thus excluded God from the government of the world, he was obliged to use a new form, different from that of the law, that they might really perceive that God’s government extended over the four quarters of the world. And there is no doubt that by the four living creatures God reminded them that nothing took place in the world without his control. But when the world is described, its four quarters or regions are put.
Now, therefore, we understand why the Prophet saw not two cherubim only but four: the same reason for difference in the form of the cherubim is also added. For the cherubim were like winged boys: but the Prophet says, that each of the living creatures was furnished with four heads. This was doubtless an assistance towards rousing’ the people from their torpor, because the Jews could not otherwise understand the meaning and the force of the angelic inspiration by which God governs the whole world: hence after four living creatures had been presented before the Prophet, four heads were also given to each living creature, namely, the head of an ox, of a man, of a lion, and of an eagle We said in the first chapter, that by these heads all living creatures were represented to us: for although trees, and the sea, and rivers, and herbs, and the air, and stars, and sun, are parts of the universe, yet in living beings there is some nearer approach to God, and some clearer display of his energy: for there is motion in a man, in an ox, in an eagle, and in a lion. These animals comprehend within themselves all parts of the universe by that figure of speech by which a part represents the whole. Meanwhile since angels are living creatures we must observe in what sense God attributes to angels themselves the head of a lion, an eagle, and a man: for this seems but little in accordance with their nature. But he could not better express the inseparable connection which exists in the motion of angels and all creatures. We have said, that angels are not called the powers (221) of God in vain: now when a lion either roars or exercises its strength, it seems to move by its own strength, so also it may be said of other animals. But God here says, that the living creatures are in some sense parts of the angels though not of the same substance, for this is not to be understood of similarity of nature but. of effect. We are to understand, therefore, that while men move about and discharge their duties, they apply themselves in different directions to the objects of their pursuit, and so also do wild beasts; yet there are angelic motions underneath, so that neither men nor animals move themselves, but their whole vigor depends on a secret inspiration.
A difficult question remains, namely, why Ezekiel says here that the first head was that of a cherub, while in the first chapter he said it was that of an ox. (Eze 10:10.) Some escape the difficulty by saying that it appeared at a distance like an ox, but a nearer inspection showed it to be a cherub, But this is too forced, so that I have no doubt that there is some difference in the vision; nor does what he afterwards adds, that this was the living creature which he saw at the river Chebar, oppose this; for he calls anything which is like another, and has the same object, the same thing. Paul says their fathers in the desert ate the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink. (1Co 10:3.) But we know how different was the symbol manna, and the water flowing from the rock, from the sacred Supper which Christ left for us; but as I have already said, since there is an affinity between the sacred symbols, they are to be referred to the same scope. Thus Paul says, the same drink and the same food, and Ezekiel says, it was the same living creature. Meanwhile, there is nothing out of place in our saying that the vision is slightly changed, For when God opened himself at first, the Prophet was on profane ground, now the vision is added more in the form of the sanctuary, because he was seized by the Spirit, that he might see the abominations by which the Jews had stained the temple, as already stated. When therefore the face of an ox was presented to the Prophet, near the river Chebar, that he might now understand that they were angels, or living’ cherubs, and that the four heads may not distract him, the face of a cherub is presented to him; so that, being admonished by this sign, he may determine that each living creature is nothing else than an angel or cherub, although it differs from the received form, of which God had proposed to Moses an example on the mount.
We now understand why God turned aside from the course prescribed in his law, when he offered this vision to his Prophet; because, in truth, the people had so degenerated from all sense of piety, that they could not be taught by the simple plan or rule of the law, but had need of gross remembrancers. This is one explanation. Then again four living creatures are employed, that God may signify that his energy is diffused through the whole universe. Then, again, four heads are assigned to each living creature, that we may know that no part of the world is free from his providence, and from that secret inspiration which is efficacious through angels. Then as to the last clause, where the face of an ox appeared to the Prophet before, now he beholds that of a cherub, that he may understand that these living creatures are nothing else than angels; but the reason why God endues his angels with a new form, is because the slothfulness of the people was so great, that they did not recognize what they ought to have been familiar with, for it was not God’s fault that they had not imbibed the doctrine of piety from their earliest childhood. Now it follows —
(221) “ Virtutes .” — Lat. “ Vertus de Dieu.” — Fr. An important word, lint not very easily translatable by a single English word. — Tr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
14. This is a description corresponding exactly to that given in Eze 1:10, except that here, instead of “the face of an ox,” we have the face of a cherub. Many explanations of this have been attempted, but none seem satisfactory. Some suppose that Ezekiel calls the face of the ox the face of “ the cherub” (Hebrews) referring to the one which had given the coal of fire to the man in linen; others think that he refers thus to it because the movement of the chariot was in the direction which it faced; others imagine that he intends to express here the idea that the typical cherub form was that of an ox, while still others venture to hint that the prophet had changed the face of an ox into the face of the cherub, because the former notion had proven distasteful to his companions in exile. The last two suppositions are contradicted by many direct statements in both visions; the other hypotheses do not seem very convincing, and unless a future examination of ancient manuscripts shall show a corruption of the text it may be best frankly to acknowledge that we do not know why the prophet makes this change. Professor Toy omits the verse from his revised text.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And every one had four faces, the first face was the face of the 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.’
Here it is the face of ‘the cherub’ that is prominent, and that looks ahead. The ox of Eze 1:10 has dropped out. This was partly because in Eze 1:10 the living creatures were not seen as connected with the cherubim. But at this stage in events the faces of the cherubim change for a more important reason, because they are acting against domesticised creation (the ox) in Yahweh’s departure from the temple of Yahweh. He will be going among the wild beasts of Assyria and Babylon. So now Ezekiel realises that the man’s face that looks forward is not that of a man but of ‘the cherub’ (the cherubim had faces similar to men). Yet he also recognises that mankind must continue to be included as the prime ones of creation. And all beasts are included in the lion and the eagle. We must not expect full consistency in this continuing vision, it is conveying ideas rather than physical realities.
The order of the faces is against the cherub being replaced by the ox as a scribal error. It was the movement of Yahweh from His temple and the new recognition of the living creatures as cherubim that occasioned the change, and the forward looking, controlling face had to be that of the cherub.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 10:14. Face of a cherub Or, Face of an ox. Houbigant reads the sentences in the next verse thus: These are the same living creatures which I saw by the river Chebar; and the cherubims, &c. Eze 10:16. And when they went, the wheels, &c.
Eze 10:20. And I knew that they were the cherubims This expression seems evidently to denote that these cherubims were the same with those in the temple, and that Ezekiel knew them to be such. There can be no doubt that the word tachat, rendered under, is properly rendered. The whole representation manifestly confirms this version. Concerning the etymology of the word, we refer to Dr. Sharpe’s Discourse on Cherubim, p. 397 while I have great pleasure in confirming what has been advanced on chap. 1 respecting the cherubim, by the opinion of a very learned and able writer, Mr. Roques; who, speaking of the vision of Ezekiel, observes, that for the right interpretation of it, the following rules are to be laid down. The first rule is this: “An explanation which accounts for all the parts contained in the vision, is much more probable than those which explain only one part of the vision.” The second is this: “An explanation which is conformable to the present circumstances of the prophet, and of the people to whom he speaks, as well as to the nature of the things which he is called upon to say to them, is incomparably more probable than those explanations, which go in quest of past or future events, which have no connection with the immediate circumstances of the prophet, nor with the end of his mission.” These rules, which appear incontestable, being laid down, we observe, that their opinion who think that God here draws out a plan of the government of his providence applied to the present state of the Jews, accounts for all that Ezekiel saw, and that in a manner which refers to the end of the prophet’s mission, and all that he had to say to this rebellious people. Why wish God to represent to his prophet the future state of the Christian church, which was not to be founded till after a series of time, rather than the state of the Jewish church, and the chastisements which hung over the heads of that hardened people? The people having revolted from God, and persevering obstinately in that revolt, notwithstanding the menaces of the prophet, it was proper to shew to Ezekiel, in order that he might declare it to the rebellious, that providence had its eyes open to all that had been done, all that had hitherto happened, and that it had seized upon the rod to smite. The people imagined but too much, according to the errors of infidelity, that God saw every thing with indifference, and had given the world up to chance. It was necessary, therefore, to divest them of these fatal prejudices, and to teach them that the Supreme Being did not behold with the same eye, order and disorder, contempt of his laws and submission to his will; and that all the revolutions of states are directed by a superior intelligence, which cannot be imposed upon. The Jewish people imagined but too much, that the prophets exaggerated when they threatened them with the severest chastisements. They repeated with emphasis and complacency the promises of God made to the patriarchs; that their posterity should not only be more numerous than the stars of heaven, and the sand which covers the sea-shore; but that it should subsist for ever and ever. God had declared to Abraham, I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee; Gen 17:7. It was proper, therefore, to shew this stiff-necked people, that the threatenings of God, and his promises, were not contradictory. That the people, as a nation, conformable to the promises given by God to the patriarchs, should not be destroyed; but that, notwithstanding, severe national judgments should be inflicted upon them, to correct them for their propensity to idolatry, and their scandalous irregularities.
These suppositions, which are reasonable, being granted, we shall have no difficulty to perceive the sense of this celebrated vision. We shall not follow the order observed by Ezekiel in the description of what he saw; he raises himself from the nearest to the most distant objects, going back from effects to their general cause. We will begin with the First Cause, which gives motion to the whole, traces out the plan, and procures the execution, according to the rules of his ineffable wisdom, and agreeable to the nature of those creatures which are the object of his agency. Next we will proceed to consider the effects of this universal providence, and the intelligent secondary causes which he frequently employs in the administration of the government of the universe.
Ezekiel saw a firmament which was above the heads of the animals; there was the resemblance of a throne, like a sapphire stone, and over the resemblance of the throne there was as it were the resemblance of a man. This vast transparent firmament represents to us the heaven, the peculiar residence of the Lord of the World, and where he has established the throne of his empire. This appearance of a man, was the emblem of Providence, or God, considered as taking care of all the creatures whom he hath made. Man is the symbol of intelligence. The mind of man, with respect to his knowledge and wisdom, is a weak sketch of that Mind which knows all things, and whose wisdom is unbounded. And yet of all sublunary beings there is none that approaches so near to the divine nature as man. Under this emblem also it is that God, considered as seeing all things, and directing all, would be represented. This resemblance of man was seated upon a throne, to shew that God governs all things as Lord, and that without agitation, and without labour.
The shining metal, and the fire which surrounded him who sat on the throne, were the symbols of his glory and his judgments, which are poured upon the wicked as a fire, and which nothing can withstand; agreeable to Isaiah, chap. Eze 33:14.
The Jews acknowledged that there was a Providence which governed the whole universe with infinite wisdom. The Psalmist gives us a description of it equally just and pathetic, in Psa 104:27; Psa 104:35. Christians no less than Jews admit this important truth; and the Gospel establishes it no less strongly than the law. See Mat 6:26; Mat 10:29-30. To raise the mind of the prophet up to the first Mover of those events which strike and astonish us in all the revolutions that happen with respect to individuals, families, and states, God shews him four wheels above the firmament, over which the emblem of Providence was placed on a throne. These wheels are a symbol of those perpetual revolutions which are observed in the earth, and which by turns lift up and abase individuals and nations. They are of a prodigious height; to shew that man cannot fathom or know all that is great, wonderful, and astonishing in the ways of Providence. See Job 11:7-8. Isa 55:8-9. Rom 11:33-34. These wheels move themselves every way, and are full of eyes in the vast circle of their felloes. This shews that all which God does, he effects without pain, and that the eye of his wisdom ordereth all events in his permissive, appointing, or suffering will. The wheels did not move of themselves, but they followed the impulse of the four living creatures: when the living creatures went, they went, &c. This shews that in the government of the world all the creatures are subject to Providence, and that God subordinates the creatures one to another. He directs what those holy intelligences ought to do, who serve him as ministers, and are here represented by the four animals. And these intelligences, enlightened and supported by the supreme wisdom, contribute, as far as is suitable, to all that happens to mankind. The angels, whom Ezekiel saw, were in number four; with reference to the four cardinal points of the world; to shew that their ministry extends every where, and that there is no part of the universe which the providence of God does not govern either in an immediate manner, or by the means of his ministers. The extraordinary shape of these angels, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is symbolical; for it is not to be supposed, that those heavenly ministers are really thus formed. The four faces, wings, and arms of a man, denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence, of a lion their intrepid courage, of an ox their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up towards all that is great and divine. The wings being stretched out, signify that they are always ready to set forward and run with rapidity wherever the commands of their great Master call them. The wings bent down, are a symbol of that profound respect in which these heavenly ministers stand before the Lord of the Universe. Under the wings there were men’s arms, to shew that zeal produces application and labour. Labour without zeal can never be supported; and zeal without application, is only a hypocritical ardour which amounts to nothing with that Supreme Master, who requires sincere homage from those who serve him. If God chose to make known to Ezekiel that his providence extends to all things, and that even in this life it often takes up the rod to chastise nations and individuals; he would also shew beforehand, that he wished not the destruction of the Jewish people, whom he was about to visit in his anger, but only its correction and amendment. This is signified by the precious metal, which the prophet found unmelted in the midst of the fiery cloud. This cloud of fire, urged on by a whirlwind, and involving on all sides the metal, represented the judgments of God, which were about to fall upon this rebellious people, not to destroy them as a nation, but to humble and purify them. Nothing is more proper than afflictions to bring men through grace back to their duty. As fire purifies metals, so the paternal chastisements of God purify the soul and heart, if the man be not entirely incorrigible. The people upon whom God was about to pour the vials of his anger, were not worthy of his lenity. But that great God who is firm in his promises, remembers the covenant of peace which he had made with the patriarchs. This covenant is made sensible to the prophet under the image of the rainbows, which was round about him who appeared upon the throne. Every one knows that this splendid phaenomenon, which seems to join heaven and earth together, was given to Noah and his posterity, as a symbol of the covenant which God then made with mankind, and by which he declared to them, that the earth should undergo a deluge no more. And thus the pagans considered the Iris as the messenger of the deities. See Virg. AEn. lib. 5: ver. 604. But whereas the rainbow to the Jews was a symbol of peace, the Iris of the Pagans was a messenger of trouble. On the sight of this bow, the symbol of grace, Ezekiel was to be encouraged, and persuaded that his people were not threatened with an utter destruction. The event fully justified all that the prophet had contemplated with surprize in this enigmatical picture. The Chaldeans, the rod of the Lord’s just severity, ravaged Judea: the people were carried away captive: they groaned for seventy years in a foreign land: but they were protected in a miraculous manner against the bloody designs of a cruel Haman: and, at length, favoured with various decrees of the kings of Persia, they had permission, not only to return to their own country, but also to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, as we shall see hereafter in our notes on chap. 37:
REFLECTIONS.1st, We have here a glorious appearance of the Divine Majesty, like that which the prophet saw, chap. 1.
A throne of dazzling brightness is set in the firmament above the cherubim, and God’s attendant ministers stand ranged on the right side of the house, as expressive of their abhorrence of the image of jealousy which stood on the left.
1. God departs from his holy place, from the cherub, where the Shechinah, the symbol of the divine presence, rested, and stood over the threshold of the house, as ready to depart; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory, see 1Ki 8:11. The temple was in darkness, an emblem of the blindness of the Jews; and the court of the Gentiles illuminated, God having resolved to send to these the light of his Gospel. And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, loud as the voice of mighty thunderings; intimating their departure thence, or signifying the glorious voice of Gospel-grace, which by the preaching of the apostles should sound forth to the most distant nations.
2. The city of Jerusalem is doomed to be burnt with fire, signified by the command to the man clad in linen, &c. to go in between the wheels under the cherub, and take thence burning coals, and scatter them on the city; and he immediately went in, when one of the cherubs took off the coals, chap. Eze 1:13 and put them in his hand, and he went forth straight to execute his commission; which intimates, (1.) That the wrath of God against sin is most holy: it is fire from between the cherubims, (2.) The Lord Jesus hath all judgment committed to him; and at his second coming to judge the world, shall burn up the earth, as then Jerusalem, with fire. (3.) The great quarrel of God against Jerusalem was especially their persecution of those ministers whom the cherubim represented.
2nd, The particulars here recorded of this glorious vision were before observed, chap. 1 and with very little variation, except that the face of an ox, there, is here called, the face of a cherub, which seems to intimate that they were the same.
They who interpret the cherubim of the angels, and the wheels of the Divine Providence, observe,
1. That this world, like these wheels, is in a state of constant revolution; and though the dispensations of providence appear sometimes intricate, as wheel within wheel, they all exactly correspond, and tend to one great end, the glory of God.
2. Nothing can interrupt the counsels and will of God: whatever difficulties are in the way, the wheels go forward, and every obstruction is borne down, or removed.
3. The angels are the ministering spirits, whose service God is pleased to employ in his providential government of the world.
The design of repeating this transcendently magnificent appearance here, seems to be in order to upbraid their wickedness and folly, who provoked this glorious God to depart from them, as he was now about to do. He departs from the threshold, ascends his cherubic chariot, and upwards they mount, removing first to the outer gate of the Lord’s house, then to a mountain on the east, chap. Eze 11:23 and at last he utterly abandons the land. Thus God at first caused his word to be preached to the Jews; and when they rejected his Gospel, he departed from them, and sent his ministers far off to the Gentiles.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 10:14 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.
Ver. 14. The face of a cherub, ] i.e., Humana quidem, sed splendidissima, saith Junius: Facies pueri alati, saith another. There are those who tell us, that in the Syriac tongue, the word cherub is taken from a word which signifieth drawing the plough, which is the bullock’s proper labour. We must believe therefore, say they, that cherub signifieth properly the figure of a bullock, under which hieroglyphically was represented an angel. The laborious preacher’s face shall once shine as an angel’s.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
a cherub the cherub, identifying it with that of Eze 10:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
every: Eze 10:21, Eze 1:6-10, 1Ki 7:29, 1Ki 7:36, Rev 4:7
the face of a cherub: In Eze 1:10, instead of “the face of a cherub,” it is “the face of an ox:” hence a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least as to its head. The extraordinary shape of these angelic beings, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is manifestly symbolical; for it is not to be supposed that these heavenly beings are really thus formed. The four faces, wings, and the arms of a man, denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence; of a lion, their intrepid courage; of an ox, their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle, their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up into all that is great and divine. The wings being stretched out, signifies their readiness and rapidity in obeying the commands of their Master; the wings bent down, denotes their profound respect before the Lord of the Universe; and the man’s arms under the wings, shew that zeal produces application and labour.
Reciprocal: Exo 36:8 – cherubims 2Ch 4:3 – And under Eze 41:18 – and every Rev 4:6 – four beasts
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 10:14. The description of each of tbe four creatures in this verse differs in only one item from the corresponding picture in chapter 1: 10. That has an ox while this has the cherub, but there is no difficulty involved, for both traits were possessed by these institutions being represented, Having the face of a cherub would indicate they were invested with something heavenly (1: 24; Dan 4:17), man indicates intelligence and also that the institutions included humanity, lion means boldness and eagle indicates exaltation and fleetness.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 10:14. And every one had four faces See notes on Eze 1:6-10. The first had the face of a cherub That is, of an ox, as appears by comparing this verse with Eze 1:10. The word cherub, indeed, originally signifies an ox. The several faces are here represented in a different order from the description given of them Eze 1:10, of which difference this reason may be assigned. In the first chapter the prophet saw this vision coming out of the north, and advancing southward, (Eze 10:4,) where the face of a man, being placed on the south side, was first in view. The lion, being on the east part, was toward his right hand; the ox, being placed toward the west, was on his left; and the eagle was toward the north. This interpretation is justified from the situation of the standards of the several tribes of Israel in the wilderness, (Num 2:2; Num 2:10; Num 2:18; Num 2:25,) where Judah, whose standard was a lion, was placed on the east side; Reuben, whose standard was a man, was placed on the south; Ephraim, whose standard was an ox, was placed on the west; and Dan, whose standard was an eagle, was placed on the north side. Here the prophet is supposed to stand westward of the Shechinah, as that was moving eastward: so the ox was first in his view.