Ezekiel 1:4

VISION OF GOD’S CHARIOT.

4. Out of the north The region of storm, and also of divine mystery. The Hebrews looked to the north as the sacred quarter (Psalms 48:2; Jeremiah 1:13), as did also all other ancient peoples. (See Warren, Paradise Found; Oneil, Night of the Gods.) The oldest dated tomb on the earth, the Pyramid of Medum, opens to the north. Yet it may be that, as the highway from Palestine entered Tel-abib from the north, Ezekiel was praying toward the holy city when the vision came as the answer to his prayer.

Whirlwind… cloud So God often reveals himself (Exodus 19:16; Psalms 77:18). The first sight of the coming of Jehovah, far in the distance, is like the coming of a tempest. God’s best revelations often follow after the storm. It is peculiarly appropriate that to this discouraged captive the vision of glory with the rainbow around it should come out of the clouds of wrath. This is the cloud of glory which had left the holy of holies and passed out to the Mount of Olives, abandoning Jerusalem and the temple to the hands of their enemies in order to protect the little band of true worshipers in a foreign land (chaps. 10, 11).

The sun and every vassal star,

All space beyond the soar of angel wings,

Wait on His word; and yet He stays His car

For every sigh a contrite suppliant brings. Keble.

A fire infolding itself Literally, taking hold of itself. As he looked at the coming storm he saw a bright light in the cloud not a mild radiance, but like incessant lightning flashes. The whole cloud was illumined by these lightnings from its center until it looked like amber ( flashing metal, LXX.).