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<p>To inspire us with a holy awe and dread of God, and to fill us with his fear, we may observe, in this part of the vision which the prophet had,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. The glorious appearance of his majesty. Something of the invisible world is here in the visible, some faint representations of its brightness and beauty, some shadows, but such as are no more to be compared with the truth and substance than a picture with the life; yet here is enough to oblige us all to the utmost reverence in our thoughts of God and approaches to him, if we will but admit the impressions this discovery of him will make. 1. He is here <i>in the firmament above the head of the cherubim</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.1" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.1">Ezek. 10:1</a>. He manifests his glory in the upper world, where purity and brightness are both in perfection; and the vast expanse of the firmament aims to speak the God that dwells there infinite. It is <i>the firmament of his power</i> and of his prospect too; for thence <i>he beholds</i> all <i>the children of men</i>. The divine nature infinitely transcends the angelic nature, and God is <i>above the head of the cherubim</i>, in respect not only of his dignity above them, but of his dominion over them. Cherubim have great power, and wisdom, and influence, but they are all subject to God and Christ. 2. He is here upon the throne, or that which had <i>the appearance of the likeness of a throne</i> (for God’s glory and government infinitely transcend all the brightest ideas our minds can either form or receive concerning them); and it was <i>as it were a sapphire-stone</i>, pure and sparkling; such a throne has God <i>prepared in the heavens</i>, far exceeding the thrones of any earthly potentates. 3. He is here attended with a glorious train of holy angels. When God came into his temple <i>the cherubim stood on the right side of the house</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.3" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.3">Ezek. 10:3</a>), as the prince’s life-guard, attending the gate of his palace. Christ has angels at command. The orders given to all the angels of God are, to <i>worship him</i>. Some observe that they <i>stood on the right side of the house</i>, that is, the south side, because on the north side the image of jealousy was, and other instances of idolatry, from which they would place themselves at as great a distance as might be. 4. The appearance of his glory is veiled with a cloud, and yet out of that cloud darts forth a dazzling lustre; in <i>the house</i> and <i>inner court</i> there was <i>a cloud</i> and darkness, which filled them, and yet either the outer court, or the same court after some time, <i>was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.3,Ezek.10.4" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.3,Ezek.10.4"><span class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.3">Ezek. 10:3</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.4">4</span></a>. There was a darting forth of light and brightness; but if any over curious eye pried into it, it would find itself lost in a cloud. His righteousness is conspicuous <i>as the great mountains</i>, and the brightness of it <i>fills the court</i>; but <i>his judgments are a great deep</i>, which we cannot fathom, <i>a cloud</i> which we cannot see through. <i>The brightness</i> discovers enough to awe and direct our consciences, but the <i>cloud</i> forbids us to expect the gratifying of our curiosity; for <i>we cannot order our speech by reasons of darkness</i>. Thus (<a class="bibleref" title="Hab.3.4" href="/passage/?search=Hab.3.4">Hab. 3:4</a>) <i>he had rays coming out of his hand, and yet there was the hiding of his power</i>. Nothing is more clear than that God <i>is</i>, nothing more dark than <i>what</i> he is. God <i>covers himself with light</i>, and yet, as to us, <i>makes darkness his pavilion</i>. God took possession of the tabernacle and the temple in a cloud, which was always the symbol of his presence. In the temple above there will be no cloud, but we shall see <i>face to face</i>. 5. The cherubim, made a dreadful sound with their wings, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.5" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.5">Ezek. 10:5</a>. The vibration
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<p class="tab-1">II. The terrible directions of his wrath. This vision has a further tendency than merely to set forth the divine grandeur; further orders are to be given for the destruction of Jerusalem. The greatest devastations are made by fire and sword. For a general slaughter of the inhabitants of Jerusalem orders were given in the foregoing chapter; now here we have a command to lay the city in ashes, by <i>scattering coals of fire</i> upon it, which in the vision were fetched <i>from between the cherubim</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">1. For the issuing out of orders to do this <i>the glory of the Lord</i> was lifted <i>up from the cherub</i> (as in the chapter before for the giving of orders there, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.3" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.3">Ezek. 10:3</a>) <i>and stood</i> upon <i>the threshold of the house</i>, in imitation of the courts of judgement, which they kept in the gates of their cities. The people would not hear the oracles which God had delivered to them from his holy temple, and therefore they shall thence be made to hear their doom.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">2. <i>The man clothed in linen</i> who had marked those that were to be preserved is to be employed in this service; for <i>the same Jesus</i> that is the protector and Saviour of those that believe, having <i>all judgement committed to him</i>, that of condemnation as well as that of absolution, will <i>come in a flaming fire to take vengeance on those that obey not his gospel</i>. He that sits on the throne calls <i>to the man clothed in linen</i> to <i>go in between the wheels, and fill his hand with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city</i>. This intimates, (1.) That the burning of the city and temple by the Chaldeans was a consumption determined, and that therein they executed God’s counsel, did what he designed before should be done. (2.) That the fire of divine wrath, which kindles judgement upon a people, is just and holy, for it is fire fetched <i>from between the cherubim</i>. The fire on God’s altar, where atonement was made, had been slighted, to avenge which fire is here fetched from heaven, like that by which Nadab and Abihu were killed for offering strange fire. If a city, or town, or house, be burnt, whether by design or accident, if we trace it in its original, we shall find that the <i>coals</i> which kindled the <i>fire</i> came from <i>between the wheels</i>; for there is not any evil of that kind in the city, but the Lord has done it. (3.) That Jesus Christ acts by commission from the Father, for from him he <i>receives authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man</i>. Christ came to <i>send fire on the earth</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Luke.12.49" href="/passage/?search=Luke.12.49">Luke 12:49</a>) and in the great day will speak this world into ashes. By fire from his hand, the earth, and all the works that are therein, will be burnt up.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">3. This <i>man clothed with linen</i> readily attended to this service; though, being <i>clothed with linen</i>, he was very unfit to go among the burning <i>coals</i>, yet, being called, he said, <i>Lo, I come</i>; this commandment he had received of his Father, and he complied with it; the prophet saw him go in, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.2" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.2">Ezek. 10:2</a>. <i>He went in, and stood beside the wheels</i>, expecting to be furnished there with the coals he was to scatter; for what Christ was to give he first received, whether for mercy or judgement. He was directed to take fire, but he staid till he had it given him, to show how slow he is to execute judgement, and how long-suffering to us-ward.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">4. One of the cherubim reached him a handful of fire from the midst of the living creatures. The prophet, when he first saw this vision, observed that there were <i>burning coals of fire</i>, and <i>lamps</i>, that <i>went up and down among the living creatures</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.1.13" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.1.13">Ezek. 1:13</a>); thence this fire was taken, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.10.7" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.10.7">Ezek. 10:7</a>. The <i>spirit of burning, the refiner’s fire</i>, by which Christ purifies his church, is of a divine original. It is by a celestial fire, <i>fire</i> from <i>between the cherubim</i>, that wonders are wrought. <i>The cherubim put it into</i> his <i>hand</i>; for the angels are ready to be employed by the Lord Jesus and to serve all his purposes.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">5. When he had taken the fire he <i>went out</i>, no doubt to <i>scatter</i> it up and down upon <i>the city</i>, as he was directed. And <i>who can abide the day of his coming</i>? Who can stand before him when he goes out in his anger?</p>
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