God’s Spirit remains perfectly in control, always present, and powerfully at work in His creation.
As the prophet Ezekiel, who ministered to the Jewish exiles between approximately 593-571 BC, stood by the river Chebar in Babylon (modern-day Iraq), he beheld an astonishing vision of God’s glory. In the midst of swirling wind and gleaming fire, he saw four living beings, each connected to a wheel that sparkled like beryl. These living beings later prove to be cherubim (Ezekiel 10:1). Their appearance was unlike anything Ezekiel or his audience had experienced, signifying the majesty and otherworldly nature of the LORD’s presence among His people in exile.
Ezekiel describes this remarkable interaction between the creatures and their wheels in the verse: “Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.” (Ezekiel 1:21). The wheels were inseparable from the living beings, forever accompanying them in perfect harmony. The phrase for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels underscores that God’s Spirit, manifested in these angelic attendants, directed their every movement. No distance or obstacle could hinder where the LORD wished to go, so that His works could unfold wherever He willed.
In this vision, the wheels’ ability to move instantly in any direction without turning (Ezekiel 1:17) demonstrates God’s omnipresence and omnipotence. Though Ezekiel and his people were far from Jerusalem, the LORD was not confined to a Single Temple or city. His Spirit, shown here guiding the angelic creatures, transcends geography and time, bringing hope to those in exile. In the same way that John in Revelation glimpsed a heavenly vision of living creatures ceaselessly proclaiming God’s holiness (Revelation 4:8), Ezekiel witnesses God’s throne and all creation under His complete dominion.
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Ezekiel 1:21 meaning
As the prophet Ezekiel, who ministered to the Jewish exiles between approximately 593-571 BC, stood by the river Chebar in Babylon (modern-day Iraq), he beheld an astonishing vision of God’s glory. In the midst of swirling wind and gleaming fire, he saw four living beings, each connected to a wheel that sparkled like beryl. These living beings later prove to be cherubim (Ezekiel 10:1). Their appearance was unlike anything Ezekiel or his audience had experienced, signifying the majesty and otherworldly nature of the LORD’s presence among His people in exile.
Ezekiel describes this remarkable interaction between the creatures and their wheels in the verse: “Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.” (Ezekiel 1:21). The wheels were inseparable from the living beings, forever accompanying them in perfect harmony. The phrase for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels underscores that God’s Spirit, manifested in these angelic attendants, directed their every movement. No distance or obstacle could hinder where the LORD wished to go, so that His works could unfold wherever He willed.
In this vision, the wheels’ ability to move instantly in any direction without turning (Ezekiel 1:17) demonstrates God’s omnipresence and omnipotence. Though Ezekiel and his people were far from Jerusalem, the LORD was not confined to a Single Temple or city. His Spirit, shown here guiding the angelic creatures, transcends geography and time, bringing hope to those in exile. In the same way that John in Revelation glimpsed a heavenly vision of living creatures ceaselessly proclaiming God’s holiness (Revelation 4:8), Ezekiel witnesses God’s throne and all creation under His complete dominion.