以西结的第一个异象
以西结书一章4至20节
4我观看,见狂风从北方刮来,随着有一朵包括闪烁火的大云,周围有光辉,从其中的火内发出好像光耀的精金;
5又从其中显出四个活物的形像来。他们的形状是这样:有人的形像,
6各有四个脸面,四个翅膀;
7他们的腿是直的,脚掌好像牛犊之蹄,都灿烂如光明的铜;
8在四面的翅膀以下有人的手。这四个活物的脸和翅膀乃是这样:
9翅膀彼此相接,行走并不转身,俱各直往前行。
10至于脸的形像:前面各有人的脸,右面各有狮子的脸,左面各有牛的脸,后面各有鹰的脸。
11各展开上边的两个翅膀相接,各以下边的两个翅膀遮体。
12他们俱各直往前行,灵往哪里去,他们就往那里去,行走并不转身。
13至于四活物的形像,就如烧着火炭的形状,又如火把的形状。火在四活物中间上去下来,这火有光辉,从火中发出闪电。
14这活物往来奔走,好像电光一闪。
15我正观看活物的时候,见活物的脸旁,各有一轮在地上。
16轮的形状和颜色(注:原文作“做法”)好像水苍玉。四轮都是一个样式,形状和做法好像轮中套轮。
17轮行走的时候,向四方都能直行,并不掉转。
18至于轮辋,高而可畏;四个轮辋周围满有眼睛。
19活物行走,轮也在旁边行走;活物从地上升,轮也都上升;
20灵往哪里去,活物就往那里去;活物上升,轮也在活物旁边上升,因为活物的灵在轮中。
信息分享
不过,当中所隐藏的信息却十分明显。那些活物能够按照自己的心意,往任何想去的方向转动;但轮中的轮却不必向任何一方转动。活物的构造如此巧妙,有一个轮子可以去活物想去的任何方向,没有任何东西能够拦阻他们。
这正是异象的核心,也是其含意所在。这一切都是象征神的能力和主权。当祂要行动的时候,没有任何东西能够拦阻祂。祂超越一切;万有都在祂的统管之下。
以色列人岂不是被掳到巴比伦吗?是神要他们被掳到那里的。尼布甲尼撒王岂不是攻陷耶路撒冷,将当中的百姓掳走吗?是神赐力量给他去作成的。百姓要永远留在巴比伦么?不,在神预定的时间,祂将要带他们重回故国。这些便是以西结要传给同胞的部分信息。
这些信息同样是给我们的。当我们经历幽暗,前路迷惘的时候,我们必须紧记神仍掌管一切。祂知道自己在做甚么,也知道祂对我们生命的计划。我们可以将自己和挚爱的人交在祂的手中。祂能从起初看到末了,带领我们经过一切的境况。愿我们颂赞祂的荣耀和恩典。
我一路蒙救主引导,
一切别事何必求?
EZEKIEL’S FIRST VISION
Ezekiel 1:4-20
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.
8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Message
But the hidden message is clear. Those angelic beings moved in whatever direction they wanted to. The wheels within wheels did not need to turn one way or the other. They were so constructed that there was a wheel ready to go in whatever direction the angelic beings desired to go and nothing could stop them.
That is the heart of the vision. That is the hidden meaning. All this was symbolic of the power and the sovereignty of God. When He desires to move, nothing can stand in His way. He is over all. He is in complete control.
Why were the Israelites in Babylon? God had put them there. Did Nebuchadnezzar defeat and capture Jerusalem? It was God who gave him the power to do so. Were the Israelites to be in Babylon forever? No, in God’s time He would bring them back again to their own land. All this and more was part of Ezekiel’s message to the people.
Again this message is for us. When the day seems dark and the future uncertain, we need to remember that God is sovereign. He knows what He is doing and knows His plan for our lives. We can trust our lives, our loved ones to Him. He can see the end from the beginning and can bring us through whatever circumstances we may face, to the praise of His glory and grace.
All the way my Saviour leads me.
What have I to ask besides?

