When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. When they movedThis phrase refers to the movement of the living creatures described earlier in Ezekiel 1. The Hebrew word for "moved" is "halak," which means to go, walk, or proceed. This movement is not random but purposeful, indicating divine direction and intention. The creatures' movement symbolizes the active presence of God, who is not static but dynamically involved in the affairs of the world. This serves as a reminder that God is always at work, guiding and orchestrating events according to His divine will. I heard the sound of their wings
The sound of the wings is significant, as it represents the power and majesty of these heavenly beings. The Hebrew word for "sound" is "qol," which can also mean voice or noise. This auditory element emphasizes the awe-inspiring nature of the vision. The wings' sound signifies the presence of God, echoing His glory and authority. It reminds believers of the reverence due to God, whose presence is both majestic and overwhelming. like the roar of many waters
This simile draws a vivid picture of the overwhelming and powerful sound associated with the creatures' movement. The imagery of "many waters" is often used in Scripture to describe the voice of God (e.g., Revelation 1:15). The Hebrew word "hamon" for "roar" suggests a tumultuous, mighty sound, akin to the crashing of waves. This comparison highlights the divine nature of the vision, suggesting that the presence of God is as powerful and unstoppable as a mighty ocean. like the voice of the Almighty
The phrase "voice of the Almighty" directly connects the sound of the wings to the voice of God Himself. The Hebrew term "Shaddai" for "Almighty" emphasizes God's ultimate power and sovereignty. This connection underscores the authority and majesty of God, whose voice commands creation and whose presence is awe-inspiring. It serves as a reminder of God's omnipotence and the reverence He commands. like the tumult of an army
This imagery conveys the idea of organized power and might. The Hebrew word "hamulah" for "tumult" suggests a noisy, chaotic sound, yet the context of an "army" implies order and purpose. This reflects the organized and purposeful nature of God's actions, even when they seem overwhelming or chaotic to human understanding. It reassures believers that God is in control, orchestrating events with precision and authority. And when they stood still
The stillness contrasts with the previous movement, indicating a pause or cessation of action. The Hebrew word "amad" for "stood" implies standing firm or being established. This stillness signifies moments of divine reflection or decision, where God's presence is felt in the quiet as much as in the movement. It reminds believers of the importance of stillness and waiting on God, trusting in His timing and purpose. they lowered their wings
The act of lowering the wings signifies submission and reverence. The Hebrew word "raphah" for "lowered" can mean to let down or relax. This gesture indicates a response to the presence of God, acknowledging His authority and majesty. It serves as a model for believers, illustrating the appropriate response to God's presence—humility and worship. It encourages a posture of surrender and reverence before the Almighty. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the author of the book and the recipient of the visions described. 2. CherubimAngelic beings described in Ezekiel's vision, characterized by their wings and their role as attendants to the divine presence. 3. The AlmightyA reference to God, whose voice is compared to the sound of the cherubim's wings. 4. BabylonThe place of exile for the Israelites, where Ezekiel received his visions. 5. The Vision of the Four Living CreaturesA significant event in Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, symbolizing God's glory and presence. Teaching Points The Majesty of God's PresenceThe sound of the cherubim's wings reflects the overwhelming majesty and power of God's presence. As believers, we are called to approach God with reverence and awe, recognizing His supreme authority and holiness. The Role of Angelic BeingsThe cherubim serve as attendants to God's glory, reminding us of the unseen spiritual realm that operates according to God's will. This encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty and the protection He provides through His heavenly hosts. The Power of God's VoiceThe comparison of the sound to the voice of the Almighty emphasizes the power and authority of God's word. As Christians, we should prioritize listening to and obeying God's voice through Scripture and prayer. Stillness in God's PresenceWhen the cherubim stood still, they lowered their wings, symbolizing a posture of humility and readiness before God. We are reminded to be still and know that He is God, finding peace and direction in His presence. The Importance of Vision and RevelationEzekiel's vision underscores the importance of spiritual insight and revelation. We should seek to understand God's will and purpose for our lives through diligent study of His word and openness to the Holy Spirit's guidance. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the description of the cherubim's wings in Ezekiel 1:24 enhance our understanding of God's majesty and power? 2. In what ways can we cultivate a sense of reverence and awe in our daily walk with God, similar to the response evoked by Ezekiel's vision? 3. How do the roles of angelic beings in Scripture encourage us to trust in God's protection and sovereignty? 4. What practical steps can we take to prioritize listening to God's voice in our lives, and how can we discern His guidance? 5. How can we apply the principle of stillness before God in our busy lives, and what benefits might we experience from this practice? Connections to Other Scriptures Revelation 1:15The sound of many waters is also used to describe the voice of Christ, highlighting the majesty and power of divine communication. Psalm 29:3-4The voice of the Lord is described as powerful and majestic, similar to the imagery in Ezekiel. Isaiah 6:1-4The vision of the Lord's glory and the presence of seraphim parallels Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim. Exodus 19:16-19The sound of God's presence at Mount Sinai is described with similar awe-inspiring imagery. Daniel 10:6The description of an angelic being with a voice like a multitude connects to the powerful sound in Ezekiel's vision. People Babylonians, Buzi, Ezekiel, JehoiachinPlaces ChebarTopics Abundant, Almighty, Army, Camp, Dropped, Ears, Fall, Host, Lowered, Mighty, Moved, Noise, Rest, Roar, Ruler, Rushing, Speech, Standing, Stood, Thunder, Tumult, Tumultuous, Voice, Waters, Whenever, WingsDictionary of Bible Themes Ezekiel 1:24 1210 God, human descriptions
5196 voice Ezekiel 1:1-28 8474 seeing God Ezekiel 1:3-28 7775 prophets, lives Ezekiel 1:4-28 1090 God, majesty of
1469 visions Ezekiel 1:5-25 4627 creatures Ezekiel 1:22-24 4150 cherubim Library God's Providence
"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 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. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 54: 1908The Noble Results of this Species of Prayer
The Noble Results of this Species of Prayer Some persons, when they hear of the prayer of silence, falsely imagine, that the soul remains stupid, dead, and inactive. But, unquestionably, it acteth therein, more nobly and more extensively than it had ever done before; for God Himself is the mover, and the soul now acteth by the agency of His Spirit. When S. Paul speaks of our being led by the Spirit of God, it is not meant that we should cease from action; but that we should act through the internal …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer 'Deliver us from Evil'
'But deliver us from evil.'--MATT. vi. 13. The two halves of this prayer are like a calm sky with stars shining silently in its steadfast blue, and a troubled earth beneath, where storms sweep, and changes come, and tears are ever being shed. The one is so tranquil, the other so full of woe and want. What a dark picture of human conditions lies beneath the petitions of this second half! Hunger and sin and temptation, and wider still, that tragic word which includes them all--evil. Forgiveness and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture This State of Prayer not one of Idleness, but of Noble Action, Wrought by the Spirit of God, and in Dependence Upon Him --The Communication Of
Some people, hearing of the prayer of silence, have wrongly imagined that the soul remains inactive, lifeless, and without movement. But the truth is, that its action is more noble and more extensive than it ever was before it entered this degree, since it is moved by God Himself, and acted upon by His Spirit. St Paul desires that we should be led by the Spirit of God (Rom. viii. 14). I do not say that there must be no action, but that we must act in dependence upon the divine movement. This …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament How Subjects and Prelates are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 5.) Differently to be admonished are subjects and prelates: the former that subjection crush them not, the latter that superior place elate them not: the former that they fail not to fulfil what is commanded them, the latter that they command not more to be fulfilled than is just: the former that they submit humbly, the latter that they preside temperately. For this, which may be understood also figuratively, is said to the former, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: but to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great A Sight of the Crowned Christ
(Revelation, Chapter i.) "Since mine eyes were fixed on Jesus, I've lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit's vision, Looking at the Crucified." "The Lord Christ passed my humble cot: I knew him, yet I knew him not; But as I oft had done before, I hurried through my narrow door To touch His garment's hem. "He drew me to a place apart From curious crowd and noisy mart; And as I sat there at His feet I caught the thrill of His heart-beat Beyond His garment's hem. "Rare was the bread He broke …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Of Love to God
I proceed to the second general branch of the text. The persons interested in this privilege. They are lovers of God. "All things work together for good, to them that love God." Despisers and haters of God have no lot or part in this privilege. It is children's bread, it belongs only to them that love God. Because love is the very heart and spirit of religion, I shall the more fully treat upon this; and for the further discussion of it, let us notice these five things concerning love to God. 1. The …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
To declare emphatically that the people of God are a covenant people, various signs were in sovereignty vouchsafed. The lights in the firmament of heaven were appointed to be for signs, affording direction to the mariner, the husbandman, and others. Miracles wrought on memorable occasions, were constituted signs or tokens of God's universal government. The gracious grant of covenant signs was made in order to proclaim the truth of the existence of God's covenant with his people, to urge the performance …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature
The arrangements of the synagogue, as hitherto described, combined in a remarkable manner fixedness of order with liberty of the individual. Alike the seasons and the time of public services, their order, the prayers to be offered, and the portions of the law to be read were fixed. On the other hand, between the eighteen "benedictions" said on ordinary days, and the seven repeated on the Sabbaths, free prayer might be inserted; the selection from the prophets, with which the public reading concluded--the …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezekiel 1:24 NIVEzekiel 1:24 NLTEzekiel 1:24 ESVEzekiel 1:24 NASBEzekiel 1:24 KJV
Ezekiel 1:24 Commentaries
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