The Vision of Four Figures

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

As I looked, behold, a high wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing intermittently and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like gleaming metal in the midst of the fire.

Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they sparkled like polished bronze.

Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward.

Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies.

And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.

In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire.

The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling topaz, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another.

Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Whenever those went, they went; and whenever those stopped, they stopped. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Vision of Divine Glory

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.

Under 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.

And I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of a crowd like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stopped, they let down their wings.

And a voice came from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.

Then I noticed from the appearance of His waist and upward something like gleaming metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him.

Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

The Prophet’s Call

Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.”

And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted against Me to this very day.

So I am sending you to those who are impudent and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:’

And as for you, son of man, you are not to fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; you are not to fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, since they are a rebellious house.

But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.