Commentary - Ezekiel 1:22-28

Bird's-eye view

In this staggering conclusion to the vision of chapter one, the prophet Ezekiel's gaze is lifted from the living creatures and their fearsome mechanics to the very throne room of God. What he sees is the ultimate reality that undergirds all other realities. Above the chaos of the storm, above the disciplined power of the cherubim, there is a crystal firmament, a throne of sapphire, and seated on that throne is a figure with the appearance of a man, blazing with the glory of fire and surrounded by the promise of a rainbow. This is the mobile command center of the sovereign God of the universe. The vision is given to a man among the exiles, reminding him and all of God's people that Yahweh is not confined to the temple in Jerusalem. His throne is not stationary. He is the sovereign King over all creation, and His rule is not threatened by the machinations of Babylon or the unfaithfulness of Israel. The central point is the identity of the one on the throne: a man. This is a profound Christophany, a pre-incarnate vision of the Son of God, the one through whom God has always intended to rule. The vision climaxes with Ezekiel's only appropriate response: utter prostration.

This passage establishes the authority for Ezekiel's entire prophetic ministry. He is not speaking his own words; he is a messenger from the Man on the throne. The vision reveals a God who is simultaneously transcendent and terrifying in His holiness (the crystal, the fire, the sapphire throne) and immanently personal and covenantally faithful (the man, the rainbow). This is the God who judges and the God who saves, and His glory is the central subject of this book and of all history.

Outline

Context In Ezekiel

Ezekiel chapter 1 is the commissioning vision of the prophet. Ezekiel, a priest, is among the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon in 597 B.C. The temple in Jerusalem is still standing, but it is corrupt, and the nation's judgment is not yet complete. The exiles would have been tempted to believe that Yahweh, their God, had been defeated by the gods of Babylon, or that He was trapped back in Jerusalem. This vision demolishes that lie from the outset. It reveals that Yahweh's throne is not a piece of furniture in a building; it is a mobile, terrifying, glorious chariot. God is with His people in exile. This vision of God's absolute sovereignty and untethered glory is the necessary foundation for the hard messages of judgment that Ezekiel must deliver (chapters 2-24) and the glorious promises of restoration that will follow (chapters 33-48). Everything Ezekiel says for the remainder of the book flows from the authority of the one he sees on the throne in this chapter.

Key Issues

The Man on the Throne

When we get to the pinnacle of this vision, we must not miss the forest for the trees. Amidst all the indescribable phenomena, the wheels, the eyes, the wings, the lightning, the climax is startlingly familiar. On the throne of the universe sits a man. The text is careful, using phrases like "the likeness of" and "the appearance of," because God in His essence is invisible and cannot be depicted. But the form He chooses to reveal Himself in is that of a man. This is not an afterthought. This is the central point.

From the beginning, God's plan was to exercise His dominion over the earth through His image-bearer, man (Gen 1:26). Adam failed. But God's plan did not fail. The one on the throne here is the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, the pre-incarnate Son of God. John tells us that Isaiah "saw his glory and spoke of him" (John 12:41), and the same is true of Ezekiel. The ultimate ruler of all things is the God-Man, Jesus Christ. This vision shows us that the incarnation was not a plan B. The humanity of God is at the very center of His eternal purpose. The one who has all authority in heaven and on earth is our brother, a man.

Verse by Verse Commentary

22 Now over the heads of the living creatures there was something with the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads above.

The prophet's vision moves upward. Below is the storm cloud of God's approach, with the four living creatures as the engine of His chariot. Now, above their heads, Ezekiel sees a platform, a floor. He calls it an expanse, the same word used for the firmament in Genesis 1. It is the floor of heaven, separating the throne room of God from the created order below. It is not cloudy or opaque; it is like crystal, utterly pure, transparent, and dazzling. The word "awesome" here is better translated as "terrible" or "fear-inspiring." This is the holy ground of God's immediate presence. It is a barrier of pure holiness that nothing unclean can cross.

23 And underneath the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other.

Underneath this crystal platform, the creatures are at attention. Their upper wings are stretched out straight, holding up the expanse, as it were. They are the pillars of the throne. Their other two wings are used for modesty, covering their bodies. This is a picture of both service and reverence. Like the seraphim in Isaiah 6 who cover their faces and feet, these creatures demonstrate that even the highest and most powerful created beings must display humility and reverence in the presence of the uncreated God.

24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters as they went, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

The movement of this throne-chariot is not silent. The sound of the wings is overwhelming. Ezekiel piles up similes to describe it. It is like the roar of a massive waterfall or a raging sea, a sound of immense, untamable power. He then identifies it directly as the sound of the Almighty (Shaddai). This is the very voice of God in motion. It is also the sound of an army camp, which is not just noise, but the sound of disciplined, organized, purposeful power on the move. When the chariot stops, the creatures drop their wings, and the sound ceases. The silence is one of respectful attention, awaiting a command.

25 And there came a sound from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

This verse emphasizes the hierarchy. The sound of the wings is the sound of the servants carrying out their duty. But when they stop, another sound is heard, a voice from above the crystal expanse. This is the voice of the one on the throne. The creatures are silent so that the King may speak. All the power and tumult described previously is subservient to the one who sits enthroned above it all.

26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something in the likeness of a throne, like sapphire stone in appearance; and upon the likeness of the throne, high up, was the likeness of one with the appearance of a man.

Here is the focal point of the entire vision. Above the crystal floor is a throne. A throne means a king, sovereignty, judgment, and absolute authority. It appears like sapphire, a deep, royal blue, the color of the heavens, signifying its celestial origin and royal nature. And on this throne is the most stunning sight of all: the likeness of a man. Not a beast, not a disembodied spirit, not an abstract force, but a man. This is the great mystery of the faith revealed. God rules His universe as a man. This is a direct pointer to the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who would take on flesh and be seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High.

27 Then I saw from the appearance of His loins and upward something like the gleam of glowing metal with the appearance of fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something with the appearance of fire; and there was a radiance all around Him.

The description of the man on the throne is a description of pure, unapproachable glory. From the waist up, He looks like glowing metal, perhaps electrum, a brilliant gold-silver alloy, with fire contained within it. From the waist down, He is simply fire. This is the consuming fire of divine holiness and judgment (Heb 12:29). He is surrounded by a brilliant radiance, a nimbus of glory. This is not a tame God. This is a being of terrifying power and purity. To see Him is to be undone.

28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the radiance all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. And I saw this, and I fell on my face and heard a sound of a voice speaking.

Surrounding this figure of consuming fire is a radiance that looks like a rainbow. The rainbow is the sign of God's covenant of mercy with Noah, a promise never again to destroy the earth with a flood (Gen 9). Its presence here, encircling the throne of judgment, is profoundly significant. It means that God's fiery holiness and His covenant faithfulness are not in conflict. Mercy and judgment are met together. The God who judges is the God who saves. Ezekiel then sums up the entire vision: this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. He did not see God's essence, but a manifestation of His glorious character. And what is the proper human response to such a vision? It is not to start a committee or take a selfie. It is to do what Ezekiel did: he fell on his face in abject humility, worship, and fear. It is only from this position, flat on his face, that he is prepared to hear the voice of God speak.

Application

This vision was not given to Ezekiel for his private theological enrichment. It was given to fortify him for a difficult ministry in a time of national collapse. And it is given to us for the same reason. We live in a world that seems to be spinning out of control. Empires rise and fall, cultures decay, and our personal lives are often marked by confusion and crisis. The message of Ezekiel 1 is that above all the chaos, there is a crystal platform and a sapphire throne, and a Man is seated on that throne.

Our God is not wringing His hands. He is not surprised by the headlines. He is the sovereign King, directing all of history from His mobile command center according to His perfect will. The one on that throne is not a distant, abstract deity, but the Lord Jesus Christ, the Man of glory. He is a consuming fire to His enemies, but to His people, He is surrounded by the rainbow of covenant promise. He will be faithful. He will keep His word.

Therefore, the application for us is twofold. First, like Ezekiel, we must fall on our faces. True theology always leads to doxology, and true doxology always begins in humility. We must have our pride and self-sufficiency shattered by a vision of the holy majesty of God. Second, having fallen on our faces, we must listen for His voice. God still speaks through His word, and He calls us, like Ezekiel, to be faithful messengers in a faithless world. We can do this with courage, not because we are strong, but because we know who sits on the throne.