EZEKIEL CHAPTER 10 – COALS OF FIRE

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 10 of Ezekiel is a continuation of the prophet’s second vision and is the third of four chapters (8-11) in which Ezekiel relates details of a visit to Jerusalem which he experienced while in a prophetic trance. Bear in mind that that he was physically located in Babylon while taken to Judah temporarily in a vision.  Although complicated and repetitive, chapter 10 is important because it links back to the vision of YHWH’s kabod in chapter 1 and forward to its return in chapter 43.

The settings of Ezekiel’s first and second visions are different but the imagery is similar. Some small discrepancies in detail are noticeable but essentially chapters 1 and 10 each describe a firmament, a throne, winged creatures and wheels.

The parallels are as follows:

• Four wings and four faces – 1:6 and 10:21

• Human hand(s) – 1:8 and 10:8, 21

• Each creature moves straight forward – 1:12 and 10:22

• The four faces described – 1:10 and 10:14

• A wheel beside each creature – 1:15 and 10:9

• Wheels gleaming like beryl – 1:16 and 10:9

• A wheel within a wheel – 1:16 and 10:10

• Wheels travel in four directions without turning as they go – 1:17 and 10:11

• Rims full of eyes – 1:18 and 10:12

• The wheels moving in sync with the living creatures – 1:19 and 10:16

• Spirit of the living creatures(s) – 1:21 and 10:17

• The sound of wings – 1:24 and 10:5

• Throne, firmament/sapphire – 1:26 and 10:1

The most important aspect of the chapter, however, is the location of the kabod (Glory, Presence) of the Lord. Because Judah and Jerusalem have been turning away from the pure worship of YHWH his Presence is gradually moving away from them (8:4; 9:3; 10:1, 10:18, 19; 11:23). This abandoning of the sanctuary by YHWH provides an explanation for the destruction soon to be wreaked by the Babylonians – the city is no longer under God’s protection. No doubt this revelation came as a great shock to a nation that thought itself invincible because of YHWH’s presence in the Jerusalem temple. Jeremiah, however, had warned them that such a belief was no longer valid: ‘Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD.’ (Jer 7:4)

Chapter 10 falls into two main sections:

(1-8) Preparations for Jerusalem’s Judgement

(9-22) Preparations for the Kabod’s Departure

(1-8) PREPARATIONS FOR JERUSALEM’S JUDGEMENT

Ezekiel continues his report of the second vision using the first person ‘I looked and behold.’ He uses this expression again in v. 9. What he sees is similar to the first vision of chapter 1 at Chebar. There he describes the figures as ‘living creatures’ (ḥayyāh), here in chapter ten he clarifies that they are, in fact, cherubim (vv. 15, 20). The chariot of the first vision reappears (10:1) and Ezekiel again sees the sapphire-like throne but makes no mention of any person on the throne. Note that in the book of Ezekiel ‘throne’ is only mentioned in the three visions that involve the kabod of YHWH (1:26; 10:1; 43:7).

Verse 2 does not clarify who speaks (probably YHWH) and commands the man clad in linen to go beneath the ‘whirlers’ (galgal), fill his hands with coals of fire and scatter them over the city. Galgal in 10:2, 6, 13; also 23:24; 26:10 is not the usual word for wheel (which is ’ôp̱ān). In Isa 5:28 and Jer 47:3 galgal refers specifically to chariot wheels. It is interesting that in Solomon’s temple, where this scene is set, the laver stands (1 Kgs 7:27-37) had carved panels decorated with lions, oxen and cherubim (1 Kgs 7:29) beneath which were wheels which the author of Kings (7:33) specifically says were made like chariot wheels.

The three imperatives in v.2 are Go, Fill, Scatter.

What do the coals signify? Many commentators point out that the mention of cherub(im) together with coals of fire is associated with judgement in 2 Sam 22:8-13 and Psa 18:8-13 (note: there is an opposite minority view that the coals are for marking those to be spared, see 9:4). Others, basing their conclusion on Isa 6:6-7, take the fire as a symbol of purification. Or, the fire may be symbolic of YHWH’s jealousy (8:5; Deut 4:24). The filling of both hands symbolises that the judgement will exhaustive.

That the cherub(im) here are the ones Ezekiel saw in his first vision and not the cherubim that covered the ark of the covenant (1 Kgs 6:23-28; 8:7) is clear because the latter were not located in the south side of the temple but in the Holy of Holies nor did they have wheels. ‘Cherub’ in v.2 is singular and possibly refers to the one nearest Ezekiel, or to the highest ranking of the four cherubim (cp 28:14), or to one especially associated with fire.

Ezekiel then sees the man in white linen go in as instructed, whereupon ‘the cloud’ fills the inner court (10:3) and then the whole temple (10:4). Presumably this refers to a cloud of smoke from the coals of judgement scattered on the temple by the man in linen. Alternatively, it might refer to the cloud of the kabod of YHWH that had previously filled the temple (1 Kgs 8:10-11) – although Ezekiel says in v.4 that here its brightness filled only the court. Solomon’s temple was literally burned by the Babylonians a few years later:

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 2 Kings 25:8-9

In v.4 Ezekiel repeats the information already given in 9:3 that the kabod has moved to the temple exit and in v.5 concentrates on the scary noise made by the whirling wings. He uses a simile to describe the awesomeness of the sound, it was ‘as the voice of El Shaddai’ -God almighty.

In vv.6-8 Ezekiel’s attention focuses once more on the man dressed in linen. After the command of v.2 is reiterated a cherub reaches into the fire and places some (coals) into the man’s hands. Verse 8 explains how this is possible; the cherubim have hands under their wings, as in 1:8. The man in linen then leaves the scene in order to complete his task. The passage says of him: ‘he went in…..and went out.’ We are not told what happens to the coals of fire and what effect they have on the city. The man disappears and is not mentioned again.

(9-22) PREPARATIONS FOR THE KABOD’S DEPARTURE

THE WHEELS (9-13)

Again Ezekiel says ‘I looked and behold’ as his attention now shifts to the wheels. What he describes is essentially the same as 1:15-21 except that chapter 1 speaks of living creatures, here in chapter 10 they are called cherubim. For Ezekiel the noticeable aspects of the wheels are that a) their hubs are themselves wheels (v.10), b) they move forward in unison without veering off course (v.11) and c) they are full of eyes (v.12). Ezekiel emphasizes that the wheels move directly forward and maintain their course; the phrase ‘they turned not as they went’ occurs twice in v.11. In chapter 1 only the wheels were full of eyes, here the whole body – backs, hands and wings as well as the wheels – was full of eyes. They can see everything and nothing can divert them. In Ezekiel’s hearing (v.13) the wheels are instructed to turn or whirl (‘O wheel!’).

THE CHERUBIM (14-17)

10:14 begins exactly like 1:6 (‘and every one had four faces’) but there are differences in detail between the two accounts. In chapter 1 it is the four living creatures that have the faces but in chapter 10 it is grammatically unclear if the faces belong to the wheels or to the cherubim since the subject at the end of v.13 is the wheels. The cherubim, however, are the subject at the beginning of v.15 so it is more likely that Ezekiel is already thinking of them v.14. In 1:10 the faces listed are those of a human, a lion, an ox and an eagle, whereas in 10:14 they are the faces of a cherub, a human, a lion and an eagle. In chapter 1 Ezekiel just gives the position of two of the faces, the lion on the right and the ox on the left whereas in 10:14 he numbers the faces 1 to 4 (first, second, third, fourth).

In vv.15-17 he describes the cherubim taking off and notes that they and the wheels move in unison. This harmony is because the spirit of the living creature is in them, they are not machines – they share the same life. Whenever the cherubim fly the wheels go with them, whenever the cherubim are stationary the wheels are inactive as well. These observations are essentially the same as 1:19-21. As he views the scene Ezekiel realises that the cherubim are/is the ‘living creature’ (singular and feminine – ‘she is the creature’) of his first vision (10:15).

THE DEPARTURE (18-22)

Verse 18 describes another stage in the slow departure of the kabod from the temple. The ‘kabod of the God of Israel’ leaves the threshold of the temple and takes up position (on the sapphire stone, v.1) above the cherubim. The cherubim with the kabod above them then mount up and fly to the east gate, over which they hover while Ezekiel receives a further oracle in chapter 11. This gate was the main entrance to the temple complex.

The last three verses of the chapter (20-22) consist of editorial comment by Ezekiel in which he confirms:

• his identification of the cherubim with the living creature that he saw under the God of Israel at the River Chebar. Note ‘God of Israel’ not ‘God of Judah.’
• that the cherubim had four faces, four wings and hands like humans under their wings (1:8).
• that their faces are the same as those he saw by the River Chebar i.e. man, lion, ox, eagle. There is no explanation about the cherub face of v.14 being replaced.
• that they move directly forward. Nothing can stop the progress of YHWH’s throne-chariot. God can move around anywhere he pleases. This fact is important to Ezekiel, he mentions the idea several times (1:9, 12, 17, 19, 20, 21; 10:11,16, 22).

SUMMATION

Ezekiel chapter 10 continues Ezekiel’s report of experiences during his second vision. They are a dramatic portrayal of God’s righteous anger and determination to bring judgement upon a rebellious nation. The early verses of the chapter focus on coals of fire taken from between the cherubim and scattered over the city; an action that represents the fiery judgement about to befall Jerusalem. The awe-inspiring imagery of the cherubim and wheels emphasizes the holiness and majesty of the Lord. The gradual departure of God’s glory from the temple is a stark symbolic reminder of the withdrawal of both the Lord’s presence and protection from his people. The defeat and disaster that befalls them will not be because YHWH is dead or weak but because he is no longer in his temple and has left to be with the exiles in Babylon. Chapter 10 serves as a solemn warning about the dire consequences of sin and disobedience.