One
thing that stands out in Ezekiel’s description is his use of the word “likeness”. It is as though he is
emphasizing that he is describing things that are glorious to see, and
overwhelming in their awesomeness, and yet are only the likeness of realities
that are even greater than a vision could reveal.
While
Ezekiel uses this clarification in reference to the four living creatures, it
seems to rise to its highest place when he draws our attention to the one who
sits on the throne. After his awe-inspiring description of God he concludes, “Such was the appearance of the likeness of
the glory of the LORD.”[2]
Since Ezekiel’s
words are like a signpost leading us to the center of the picture, let us start
at the center and work our way outwards from there. At the center is “the glory of the LORD”. What Ezekiel
sees in his vision is the “likeness”
of this glory. What he describes for us is “the
appearance” of this likeness. Together it leaves the impression that the
majestic glory of the description pales in comparison to the reality it
describes.
Ezekiel’s
attempt to put into words “the appearance
of the likeness of the glory of the LORD,” reminded me of Paul’s effort to
put similar things into the timeless words of Scripture. Paul wrote about, “the light of the gospel of
the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”[3] and, “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.”[4]
In
the second phrase, Paul gives this series of thoughts: First, we are dealing
with the glory of God. The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ
since he is “the radiance of the glory of
God”.[5] Jesus gives us the “knowledge
of the glory of God”; God has given us the “light” to see this knowledge; this has come to us by God shining
into our hearts, and God shone into our hearts with “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” (vs 4)
My
conclusion today is that the point of these revelations and visions is to lead
us to the one who sits on the throne. They are not to lead us to deep and
unprovable speculations about what the likenesses and appearances mean, but to
give us the prelude to the greatness of the glory of God that is revealed to us
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord, and one day will be seen in greater ways
when we are with the Lord forever.
There
is a reason that Ezekiel’s vision of the living creatures and the throne of God
come in the first chapter. It is because God wants our attention on his words
for the rest of the book. The description of the appearance of the likeness of
the glory of the LORD is certainly enough for us to keep our listening ears on
as we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God.[6]
From my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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