God's Glory Exits the Temple
10:1 Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
Chapter 8 gave the reason why the Shekinah Glory must depart. The reason for the departure was that all of Judah was worshiping demonic idols. In chapter 9, God marked the believing remnant, but He ordered six angels to slay everyone without the mark. In this description, Ezekiel would witness the departure of the Shekinah Glory from the Jewish Temple.
10:2 And he spake unto the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
The angel in linen was commanded to fill his hands with burning coals. The angel was to scatter the coals over the city of Jerusalem in order to cleanse the city. The burning coals spoke of fiery judgment. Jerusalem was about to be judged.
10:3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
The filling of the temple court meant that the Shekinah Glory had left the Holy of Holies and entered the courtyard.
10:4 And the glory of Jehovah mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Jehovah's glory.
The Shekinah Glory mounted the cherub and moved to the threshold of the temple. The court was now full of smoke, which was the presence of the Shekinah Glory.
10:5 And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he spoke.
The wings of the cherubim were heard in the other court, meaning that the Shekinah Glory and the cherubim were moving out of the inner court and unto the temple court.
10:6 And it came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
The angelic leader was clothed in linen. He reached between the wheels of the cherubim and took the coals from the burning fire.
10:7 And the cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took the coals, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
The cherub gives the burning coal to the angel in linen, thus enacting the divine purification of Jerusalem.
10:8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
The form of a man's hand appeared from the wings of the cherub. God used His finger work to create the heavens and earth. He used His bare arm for salvation. He used His hands to purify, cleanse, and judge Jerusalem.
10:9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like unto a beryl stone.
The wheels were supernaturally beautiful. They were about to be set in motion. Beryl stone is a yellowish-gold color.
10:10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel have been within a wheel.
This appearance of the Shekinah Glory was the same description given in chapter one. Again, this vision was not a space ship, but the cherub of God.
10:11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not as they went, but to the place wherever the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
The cherub had four heads, so they had no need to turn. Notice that Ezekiel mixed the singular and plural forms when identifying the cherubim.
10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
In chapter one, the wheels were full of eyes. Now, Ezekiel pointed out that the entire body was full of eyes as well. The multiplicity of eyes symbolized omniscience.
10:13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels.
The wheels were beginning to whirl, meaning that the Shekinah Glory was about to move out of the temple court area.
10:14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
These faces of the cherubim were the same four faces that were described in chapter one, except for the face of the ox had been replaced with the face of a man.
10:15 And the cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
God is mounting the cherubim. He was about to depart from the temple court. Ezekiel was observing this vision supernaturally from the Grand Canal in Babylon.
10:16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also turned not from beside them.
The cherub was now hovering over Jerusalem with God in the saddle.
10:17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
God mounted the cherub. The cherub was completely controlled by the Holy Spirit.
10:18 And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
The Shekinah Glory was hovering over the temple.
10:19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
The cherubim were hovering over the Eastern Gate. God had mounted on the top of the firmament. The firmament was being carried by the wings of the cherubim.
10:20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
This was not a space ship, but a living cherubim. Ezekiel saw this vision near the Grand Canal of Babylon.
10:21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
This description of the cherubim was the same as the vision which was given in chapter one.
10:22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
The cherubim began to move forward. The purpose of this chapter was that God showed Ezekiel why the Shekinah Glory must leave Jerusalem. Ezekiel was to proclaim this vision to the captives in Babylon, for God wanted the captives to know the reason for His departure.