John Wesley

the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar.

“The word - What was visions, ver. 1, is here the word, both as signifying and declaring the mind of God, what he would do, and as continuing his commands to Ezekiel and to the people.”

The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox…

“A man - Each face is compared to what is most excellent in its kind, man excels in wisdom, lions in strength, the ox in patience and constancy of labour, the eagle in speed and high flight.”

Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.

“Straight - Which way soever they went, each living creature had one face looking straight forward. The spirit - The will, command, and breathing of the Spirit of God, both gave and guided their motions.”

The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel.

“Work - All that was wrought, whether engraved or otherwise was of one colour. One likeness - The same for dimensions, colour, frame, and motion.”

Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.

“Likeness - The appearance or resemblance. As crystal - For splendour, purity, and solidity, all that was above these creatures and wheels was beautiful and very majestic, and 'tis therefore called terrible, because it impressed a veneration upon the mind of the beholders.”

From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around.

“Amber - In this colour does Christ appear against the rebellious Jews; he that would have visited them clothed with the garments of salvation, now puts on the garments of vengeance, expressed by such metaphors.”

The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.

“The bow - A like appearance of Christ in a surrounding brightness, as of the rainbow you have, Rev. iv, 3. Mercy, and truth, and both according to covenant are about the throne of Christ.”

“Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”

“And - He that sat upon the throne, Jesus Christ. Son of man - A phrase which is ninety-five times, at least, used in this prophecy to keep him humble who had such great Revelations.”

Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and in it was a scroll,

“Roll - Their books were not like ours, but written in parchment and in the length of it, and so one piece fastened to another, 'till the whole would contain what was to be written, and then it was wrapped or rolled about a round…”

Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die.

“I Lay - Permit it to be laid before him. He shall - Perish in his sin. Remembered - Shall not be profitable to him; "he that apostatizes is the worst of men, because he falls from known ways of goodness and holiness."”

For I have assigned to you 390 days, according to the number of years of their iniquity. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

“I have laid - I have pointed out the number of years wherein apostate Israel sinned against me, and I did bear with them.”

When you have completed these days, lie down again, but on your right side, and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah.

“Forty days - Probably from Josiah's renewing the covenant, until the destruction of the temple, during which time God deferred to punish, expecting whether they would keep their covenant, or retain their idolatries, which latter they did for thirteen years of Josiah's reign, for eleven…”

You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.

“By weight - Not as much as you will, but a small pittance delivered by weight to all. Twenty shekels - Ten ounces: scarce enough to maintain life. From time to time - At set hours this was weighed out.”

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations.

“Commentary on Chapter V 1. Take - Thus foretel the mourning, reproach, and deformity that are coming, for all this is signified by shaving the head and beard. A third part - Described on the tile, chap.”

As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’

“Scatter - This was verified when they were fetched away, who were left at the departure of the besiegers, and when the very small remnant with Johanan fled into Egypt.”

This is what the Lord GOD says: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and cry out “Alas!”

“High places - The places of your idolatrous worship. Cast down - Before the altars of your idols, which you fly to for refuge.”

Their violence has grown into a rod to punish their wickedness. None of them will remain: none of their multitude, none of their wealth, and nothing of value.

“None - They shall be utterly wasted for their sins. Wailing - The living shall not bewail their dead friends, because they shall judge the dead in a better case than the living.”

He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head.

“And - This, and all the passages to the end of the 16th verse, was done in vision only. Inner gate - To the door of the gate of the inner court.”

“Son of man,” He said to me, “now lift up your eyes to the north.”

“Northward - Ahaz had removed it from the middle of the court and set it near this north gate, to which it gave name. Entry - In the very passage to the temple, to affront the worship of God.”

Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them.

“Seventy - Heads of the tribes or families, who should have been examples of true religion, not ringleaders in idolatry. Shaphan - Mentioned 2 Kings xxii, 9.”

So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the…

“The porch - That stately porch, beautified with the curious and mighty brass pillars, Jachin and Boaz. Altar - The brazen altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the court before the front of the temple, and is here represented in its proper place.”

“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they…

“Violence - All injustice is here meant towards all sorts of men, whom they first despise and next destroy. Returned - From injustice against man they return to impiety against God.”

Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with a weapon of destruction in hand.”

“Them - Those whom God hath appointed to destroy the city: perhaps angels. Every man - Everyone; 'tis an Hebrew idiom.”

Now when the man went in, the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple, and a cloud filled the inner court.

“The right side - The north-side, the side towards Babylon, from whence the fire came which consumed the city. The man - Christ, the Lord of angels, who now attend his coming and commands.”

Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the temple.

“The glory - The visible token of the presence of the God of glory. Went up - In token of his departure from the temple.”