Ezekiel 1:1-28

I am Ezekiel the son of Buzi, a priest. I was living among the Jewish exiles in Babylon by the River Chebar. One day when I was thirty, the heavens opened before my eyes, and I saw visions of God! It happened on the fifth day of the fourth month during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile. It was then that the word of YAHWEH was powerfully revealed to me, and I felt the mighty hand of YAHWEH come upon me! As I looked into the spirit realm, I saw a fierce whirlwind and a massive cloud coming toward me from the north. Within the approaching cloud I saw raging flames of fire—flames enfolding themselves in flames! And outlining the glory cloud was a radiant light. And in the center of the flashing fire, I saw a substance of blinding brilliance with the appearance of electrum. And I also saw standing in the middle of the storm what seemed to be four creatures, each with the appearance of a man. They looked like this: Each had four faces, and each had four wings. Their legs were straight, but they had hooves like calves. Their hooves were bright and glistening like polished brass. All four of them had faces and wings, and each of the supernatural beings had a pair of human hands under its wings. There were hands on all four sides of the living creatures. They joined one another with their wings, forming a square. When they moved forward in whatever direction, they went together as a group, without turning their bodies. And all four beings had four faces: a human face in front, a lion’s face to the right, an ox’s face to the left, and an eagle’s face in the back. Their wings were divided into two pairs; one pair was extended upward so that each one touched the wingtips of the one next to it, and the other pair covered its body. And each one moved straight forward, moving where the Spirit directed them, and they did not turn as they moved. These living creatures looked like burning coals of fire, like blazing torches. Flames flashed back and forth between the creatures. The light was blinding, and lightning was flashing out of it. And the living creatures kept disappearing and reappearing like shooting stars. As I observed the four-faced creatures, I saw four shining wheels standing on the ground beside each of them. All four wheels looked entirely alike, glittering like sparkling jewels. Each appeared to have another wheel inside it. And the wheels were able to go in any direction the living creatures faced without turning to change direction. The circumference of the rims seemed enormous, breathtaking in size, and all four rims were full of eyes all the way around. Regardless of the direction the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them, and when the living creatures levitated off the ground, the wheels levitated also. And the spirit in the living creatures was also in the wheels, and wherever the spirit went, the creatures went. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, the creatures went there, and the wheels also rose and went with them. So every time the creatures moved, or halted, or levitated, the wheels did also because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Suspended above the living creatures I saw something that looked like a platform spread out above them. The platform was fearsome, transparent, and shining like sparkling glass. And under the platform were the four living creatures with wings outstretched and touching one another and each with a pair of wings covering its body. When they moved, I heard the awesome sound of their wings. It was like the noise of roaring rapids, like the voice of Shaddai, and like the sound of an army advancing! And when the creatures stopped moving, they lowered their wings. Then, as they stood still, I heard someone speaking from above the platform over their heads. High on the platform over their heads, I saw something that looked like a beautiful throne made of sapphire. And high above on the throne was one who had the form of a man. I saw what appeared to be his waist upward, and it was bright and dazzling metal; and from what appeared to be his waist downward, I saw what looked like flames of fire, giving off a brilliant light all around. The radiance of the light encircling the throne had in it every color of the rainbow like on the day of a downpour. This was the appearance of the glory of YAHWEH! And when I saw this, I fell on my face. Then, I heard the voice of someone speaking to me.