THE prophet’s vision of coming judgment continues, and he sees again the judgment throne of God which he had observed in his first vision in the land of Chaldea. When Moses went up in Mount Sinai with Aaron and his sons and 70 elders of Israel (Exodus 24:9, 10) they saw the God of Israel, in so far as He chose to reveal Himself to human sight, and there was under His feet as it were work of transparent sapphire. This stone, azure, or sky-blue in color; is clearly used in Scripture as emblematic of heavenly glory.
The man clothed with linen, who in chapter 9 placed a mark on every one who groaned because of the wickedness going on at Jerusalem, is here instructed to go, (or rather come, for such is the true reading) in between the wheels that he may fill his hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. This is plainly a figure of consuming judgment.
The cloud, token of God’s presence, fills the inner court, but there is no mention of the most holy place: He dwells there no longer. Indeed His presence at Jerusalem is as ordering the execution of wrath upon it, and “the sound of the wings of the cherubim” (verse 5) gives the impression of readiness for immediate departure.
The beryl (verse 9) is believed to be the golden topaz or chrysolite, and from other passages where it appears it would seem to represent the righteousness of God, not as conferred upon others by sovereign grace, but here as judging all that is contrary to it. It is therefore the “appearance of the wheels,”—that which in the divine operations touches the earth, —that was as the look of a chrysolite stone.
In general, the description of the throne of judgment and its action, corresponds with what is set forth in chapter 1. In the present chapter, the eyes which were observed to characterize the rims of the wheels in the first chapter, are seen to cover the body, backs, hands and wings of the cherubim (See Revelation 4:8). May we not with reverence say that the judgment of God demands (and has as its invariable accompaniment) the fullest knowledge, or discernment. There is no respect of persons with Him, nor is aught unknown to Him (Hebrews 4:13, Romans 2:2, 16).
As to the faces of the cherubim, we observe a change from chapter 1 in that the similitude of the ox (endurance, or patience) is gone, and the face of a cherub (judgment) takes its place. The time for endurance is past, and judgment will now proceed. Nevertheless, they are the same as when Ezekiel saw the cherubim by the river Chebar; Jehovah is the Same: He who changes not, as men change, though sin demands judgment and will have it.
Verse 18: The glory departs from the temple, never to return until the dawn of the Millennium, yet it lingers near, as though loath to depart. Thus has our God ever acted toward His wayward, self-seeking creature, man. Nevertheless the judgment day of this world approaches, a day of retribution to every one according to his work.
ML-08/18/1935