The Unwavering Taxonomy of Judgment: Ezekiel 10:20-22
Introduction: When God Packs His Bags
We live in a sentimental age, an age that has tried to domesticate God. We want a God who is a celestial housecat, purring on the cosmic hearthrug, a comforting presence who would never dream of knocking over our precious trinkets. We want a God who is manageable, predictable, and above all, stationary. Our unspoken assumption is that God is obligated to remain in the buildings we construct for Him, that His presence is something we can control, like flipping a light switch.
The prophet Ezekiel was sent to a people who thought just like that. They were steeped in idolatry, their hearts were calloused, and their worship was a polluted mockery. Yet they still clung to the talismanic belief that because the Temple of the Lord was in Jerusalem, they were safe. God would never abandon His own house, would He? They treated the Temple not as a place of holy communion with a living God, but as a divine insurance policy against the consequences of their sin. They thought God was locked in the box of the Holy of Holies.
The vision that unfolds in Ezekiel chapter 10 is therefore one of the most terrifying passages in all of Scripture. It is the detailed, deliberate, and dreadful account of God packing His bags. This is not a fit of pique. This is a slow, methodical, judicial departure. The glory of the Lord, which had once filled the Temple, now rises from the mercy seat, moves to the threshold of the building, and prepares to leave the city altogether. And the vehicle for this departure is the very same chariot-throne of living creatures that Ezekiel saw in his inaugural vision by the river Chebar in chapter 1. God is not being driven out; He is sovereignly mobile. He is not tied to real estate; He is the Lord of heaven and earth. And when a people persistently profane His worship and despise His covenant, He will leave. And when He leaves, the hedge of protection is removed, and judgment is inevitable. What Ezekiel is seeing here is the prelude to the Babylonian invasion, the divine authorization for the destruction of Jerusalem.
Our text today is a moment of recognition and confirmation for the prophet. He is seeing these terrifying agents of God’s mobility up close again, and he is telling us precisely what they are. This is not just a description of strange angelic beings; it is a lesson in the nature of divine power, the totality of God’s dominion over creation, and the unswerving purpose of His holy judgments.
The Text
These are the living creatures that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim.
Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the likeness of human hands.
As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.
(Ezekiel 10:20-22 LSB)
Recognition and Confirmation (v. 20)
Ezekiel begins with a moment of stark realization.
"These are the living creatures that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim." (Ezekiel 10:20)
Notice the connection he makes. This is not a new vision, but a second look at a previously revealed reality. What he saw in chapter 1 as "living creatures," he now identifies with certainty as "cherubim." This is important. Cherubim, in the biblical imagination, are not the chubby, flying babies of Renaissance art. That is sentimental nonsense. Cherubim are guardians of holy ground. After Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden, God placed cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the way back to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). Their images were woven into the curtains of the Tabernacle and carved onto the Ark of the Covenant, their wings overshadowing the mercy seat, the very throne of God on earth. They are fierce, powerful, and intimately associated with the immediate presence and holiness of God.
So when Ezekiel identifies these living creatures as cherubim, he is telling us something profound. The very beings who guard God’s holiness are the ones powering His departure. The guardians of the throne are now the engines of His judgment. God is using the very instruments of His holiness to execute His verdict against the unholiness of His people. This is a covenant lawsuit, and the bailiffs are the highest-ranking officers of the heavenly court.
The fact that he saw them "beneath the God of Israel" establishes their subordinate role. They are immensely powerful, but they are servants. They are the bearers of the throne, but they are not the one on the throne. This vision is a radical polemic against all idolatry, which always confuses the creature with the Creator. These beings are terrifying, but they are on a leash. They are under the absolute command of the God of Israel, the covenant God who is now bringing the curses of that same covenant upon His unfaithful people.
The Anatomy of Dominion (v. 21)
Next, Ezekiel provides a brief but potent description of these cherubim.
"Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the likeness of human hands." (Ezekiel 10:21 LSB)
This is a taxonomy of divine government. The four faces, as we know from chapter 1, are those of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Why these four? Because they represent the fullness of all created life, the pinnacle of four distinct realms. The lion is the king of wild beasts. The ox is the strongest of the domestic animals. The eagle is the chief of the birds of the air. And man is the ruler over all of them, made in God’s image. These faces, all combined in one being, symbolize God’s total sovereignty over every aspect of His creation. There is no sphere of life, whether wild or tamed, in the heavens or on the earth, that is outside of His direct rule. When God moves in judgment, He marshals all of creation to accomplish His purpose.
The four wings signify their swiftness and their reverence. With two they fly, executing God’s commands with immediate and unhindered speed. With the other two, they cover their bodies, a posture of humility and reverence before the blinding holiness of the God they serve. They are both mighty and meek.
And then there is that striking detail: "beneath their wings was the likeness of human hands." This is crucial. Their power is not arbitrary or mindless, like a hurricane or an earthquake. It is directed with intelligence, skill, and purpose. The hand is the instrument of work, of craftsmanship, of deliberate action. This tells us that the coming judgment on Jerusalem is not a random accident of geopolitical forces. It is a carefully crafted, divinely administered act of justice. The hands of God’s agents are at work, and their work is precise, intentional, and just. God is not losing control; He is tightening His grip.
Unswerving, Unwavering Purpose (v. 22)
Finally, Ezekiel emphasizes the consistency of the vision and the nature of their movement.
"As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead." (Ezekiel 10:22 LSB)
Ezekiel stresses the continuity. Nothing has changed. God’s character has not changed, and the instruments of His rule have not changed. The God of judgment is the same as the God who first revealed Himself in glory. This is a comfort to the faithful and a terror to the wicked. God is not fickle. His standards are fixed. The same holiness that Ezekiel saw in chapter 1 is the same holiness that now demands judgment in chapter 10.
And their movement is the key: "Each one went straight ahead." In chapter 1, we are told they did not turn when they moved. Their four faces meant they could move in any direction with their face forward. There is no turning back, no hesitation, no deviation, no second-guessing. This is the very picture of resolute, unwavering purpose.
Contrast this with the way of the wicked. The fool’s eyes are on the ends of the earth (Proverbs 17:24). The proud man walks blindly, straight ahead toward a fall he refuses to see (Proverbs 16:18). But these cherubim move straight ahead because their course is set by the Spirit of God. Their movement is not blind; it is perfectly aligned with the will of God. When God decrees a judgment, His purpose moves forward with this same relentless, unstoppable, and righteous determination. It does not swerve to the right or to the left. It does not get distracted. It goes straight ahead to its intended target.
Conclusion: The Throne on the Move
What is the takeaway for us? First, we must dispense with any notion of a tame, stationary God. The God of the Bible is a consuming fire. His presence is not guaranteed by our church buildings or our religious traditions. It is retained by faith and obedience. When a church or a nation gives itself over to idolatry and covenant-breaking, it should not be surprised when the glory departs. And the departure of God's glory is a far more terrifying prospect than the arrival of an enemy army.
Second, we must understand that God’s judgments are not chaotic. They are purposeful, intelligent, and total. The hands of a man are under the wings. God’s sovereignty extends over every realm of creation, and He will press it all into the service of His will. Nothing is random. The God who directs the cherubim also directs the affairs of nations, the rise and fall of empires, and the circumstances of our individual lives.
But finally, for the believer, this vision is a profound comfort. The same throne that moved in judgment out of Jerusalem is the throne that has come to rest in the person of Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, God has not abandoned His people, but has made His dwelling place within them by His Spirit. The throne of God is now established in the Church. And this throne is also on the move. The living creatures of Revelation 4, which are these same cherubim, surround the throne of the Lamb. The river of life flows from this throne, going out into all the world (Ezekiel 47). The gospel is moving "straight ahead" into the nations, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
The question for us, then, is whether we are moving with the throne or standing in its way. Are we aligned with God’s unwavering purpose to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory, or are we clinging to idols that will cause that glory to depart from us? The throne is moving. Let us, by faith, move with it.