Jerusalem had been attacked and conquered by the Babylonians in 597BC. A large proportion of the population were taken to Babylone in captivity including a young priest called Ezekiel. His name means God strengthens. Ezekiel’s prophesy begins 5 years after this exile and at this point Jerusaelm was still standing with a significant population in it.

Ezekiel’s vision that is described here is of the glory of God. In their great need this is what the people really needed was a vision of God’s greatness, because their despair would turn to hope only as they came back to trust in and worship the One True God.

The vision had four creatures, each with four wings on top of four wheels, and a throne seated above them. The faces of the four creatures were of  a man (symbolising intelligence), a lion (royalty), a bull (strength) and an eagle (compassion, see Exod. 19 v4).

The vision speaks a lot about fire, lightning, brightness pointing to the awesome glory of God. The wheels speaks of how God’s glory can move to where He pleases and certainly was not confined to the temple in Jerusalem.

The image on the throne being like a human, points of course to the wonder of God’s Son who would come in flesh. God is awesome, glorious, exalted so far above us, but He is the God who comes near, in mercy, in Jesus.