Chapter 1: Ezekiel’s Calling and First Vision

Chapter 1: Ezekiel’s Calling and First Vision

Collin Leong. July 4, 2025

(v1-28) Ezekiel's Inaugural Vision

(v1-3) Self Introduction.

Ezekiel received the vision when he was 30 years old. He was with the exiles by the Kebar River in Babylon. This is around 593 BC, the 5th year of King Jehoiachin exile in the second wave. Ezekiel is a priest, the son of Buzi. 

See the Introduction blog for more information about Ezekiel

(v4-14) The Four Living Creatures

Ezekiel saw a windstorm coming from the north, with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliants light. The center looks like a glowing metal. There were four living creatures in it. The had the form of a human, with straight legs, a feet are like the calf that gleamed like burnish bronze. They did not turn but went ahead, following the spirit. They sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. 

All four has a human being face, but they also have the face of lion, ox, and eagle. They two wings spreading upwards, each wing touching that of the other creature. There are another two wings covering it's own body. Their appearance is like coals of fire or torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures.

These four living creatures sound like Cherubim, as their appearance was radiant and fiery, similar to the Cherubim in Ezekiel 10 and Revelation 4.  

(v15-21) The Wheels

He saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the four living creatures. The wheels sparkle like topaz and are constructed like intersecting wheels (a wheel within a wheel), allowing movement in any direction without turning. The rims are tall and awe-inspiring, covered with eyes all around. The wheels move in perfect synchronization with the living creatures. When the creatures move, rise, or stand still, the wheels do the same. The spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels, indicating a deep, mysterious unity between them.

The wheels seems to be a physical and sophisticated instrument, with intersecting wheels, and able in any direction without turning, such as our car. Their rims are covered with "eyes" - symbolizing awareness and perception, similar to self-driving car. It seems that the creatures are the one who control the wheels to go which way. This suggest a king of chariot-throne - a divine vehicle. It is often called the Merkavah (Hebrew for "chariot") by the Jewish mysticism. 

(v22-24) The Man On The Throne

Something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, was above the head of the living creatures. On top of the vault looks like a throne of lapis lazuli, and on the throne was a figure that looks like a man. He looked like glowing metal like fire and brilliant light surrounds him. The radiance around him looks like a rainbow. This is the likeness of the glory of the Lord. 

The word translated as “vault” is raqiaʿ, the same word used in Genesis 1:6–8 for the “expanse” God created to separate the waters—often rendered as “firmament.” It is spread out above the creatures’ heads, forming a kind of canopy or platform. 

"Lapis Lazuli" is a deep blue semi-precious stone. The word Latin, lapis ("stone") and Persian lazhward ("blue" or "sky"). It is the color of the throne, that emphasize its heavenly brilliance and majesty.

On the throne sits a man, describe as glowing metal and full of fire, and a brilliant light surrounded him that looks like a rainbow. This describe the throne of God. In Revelation 4:2-3, John saw a throne in heaven, with "a rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne."   Daniel 7:9-10 also describe the throne of God flaming with fire.

After Daniel saw this vision, he fell facedown, and he heard a voice speaking.