Ezekiel 1:28

(Verse 27, 28.) And I saw something like the appearance of electrum, like the appearance of fire within it all around. From the appearance of his loins and upward, I saw something like the appearance of glowing fire all around, like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the splendor of the Lord's glory. When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking. The electrum had the appearance of fire both inside and outside.

It is clear … that Ezekiel saw the cherubim and their course, and the firmament above them and the one seated on the throne. What could be more glorious and exalted than these things?

"Like the appearance of a bow when it is in a cloud on a day of rain." Almighty God placed the rainbow as a sign between Himself and humanity, so that He would no longer destroy the world by flood, saying: "I will set my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. And when I have covered the sky with clouds, my bow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you." Hence in that same rainbow the color of water and fire is shown together, because it is partly blue and partly red, so that it may be a witness of both judgments—namely, of one yet to be done and of another already done—but because the world will indeed be burned by the fire of judgment, yet will no longer be destroyed by the water of a flood, since that is not to happen again. But what does it mean that the prophet beheld the shining fire from the loins of the man presiding on the throne, like the appearance of a rainbow when it is in a cloud on a rainy day? For since fire, as has been said, signifies the ardor of the Holy Spirit, what is the likeness between a rainbow and the Spirit, that the fire which appeared should be said to have appeared like the appearance of a rainbow? But if we attend to the vision of the rainbow which we mentioned before, we see how the rainbow signifies the Spirit. For in the rainbow, as I said before, water and fire appear. And after the coming of the Mediator, the power of the Holy Spirit shone forth in the human race in this way: it both washed the elect of God with the water of baptism and set them on fire with the flame of divine love. […]

"This was the appearance of the splendor all around, and this was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." And when the entire mystical vision was completed, he adds: "This was the appearance of the splendor round about." For, gazing upon what the grace of the Holy Spirit does throughout the entire world, he says: "This was the appearance of the splendor round about." But wishing to consider what glory of the same Holy Spirit remains within, yet unable to see it as it truly is, he adds: "And this was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." For he does not say "the vision of the glory," but "of the likeness of the glory," so that it might be shown that however much the human mind has stretched itself with effort, even if it now restrains the phantasms of bodily images from its thought, even if it now removes all circumscribed spirits from the eyes of the heart, nevertheless while still placed in mortal flesh it is unable to see the glory of God as it is. But whatever of it shines in the mind is a likeness, and not the thing itself. Hence that preacher who had been caught up to the third heaven also said: "Now we see through a mirror in an enigma." In this matter, a question arises for us that should not be overlooked: how did John the Evangelist, when he had described the faithlessness of the Jews toward the miracles of our Redeemer even from prophetic words, add, saying: "These things Isaiah said when he saw his glory, and spoke of him." And if Ezekiel saw not glory, but the likeness of glory, what does it mean that the one is described as having seen the likeness of glory, and the other as having seen his glory? But since John the Evangelist first narrated the miracles of our Redeemer, and afterward added the unbelief of the Jews, he makes clear that Isaiah saw this glory of our same Redeemer which appeared in the world. […]

"And I saw, and I fell upon my face." But let us recognize that the prophet, even when lifted up, could not bear this same likeness of glory. It follows: "And I saw, and I fell upon my face." What then would happen to this man if he had seen his glory as it is, when he who saw the likeness of his glory but was unable to bear it, fell? In this matter we ought to consider with great grief and contemplate with tears into what great misery and weakness we have fallen, we who cannot bear even the very good for which we were created to behold. Yet there is also another thing concerning the prophet's action that we should consider in ourselves. For the prophet, as soon as he saw the likeness of the Lord's glory, fell on his face. Since we cannot see this likeness of glory through the spirit of prophecy, we ought constantly to recognize it and carefully contemplate it in sacred scripture, in heavenly admonitions, in spiritual precepts. When we perceive something about God, we fall on our face, because we blush with shame at the evils which we remember having committed. For there a man falls where he is confounded. Hence Paul also said, as if to certain ones lying on their face: What fruit therefore did you have then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? Behold, by the generous gift of heavenly grace, we have examined the beginning of the book wrapped in mysteries in the prophet Ezekiel, and discussing the mystical words in a mortal manner, we have drawn the soaring theory of prophecy down to earth, so that what previously flew over the minds of little ones and those like me but did not elevate them, may now be read and understood by them, and may both fly and lift them up. Let us therefore give thanks to our Redeemer, who always refreshes us with spiritual nourishment, who as the living bread descended from heaven and gives life to the world. […]

"Let those who said, We shall have peace though we go on, know that our God is a consuming fire, whom they cannot stand before." That this vision had a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem seems plain from ch. xliii. 3 , where he says that it was the vision which he saw when he came to destroy the city, that is, to prophesy the destruction of it.

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain,....

And the more we are acquainted, and the more intimately we converse, with the glory of God in these three branches of it, the more commanding influence will divine revelation have upon us and the more ready shall we be to submit to it, which is the thing aimed at in prefacing the prophecies of this book with these visions.

the bow . . . in . . . rain--the symbol of the sure covenant of mercy to God's children remembered amidst judgments on the wicked; as in the flood in Noah's days (Re 4:3). "Like hanging out from the throne of the Eternal a fing of peace, assuring all that the purpose of Heaven was to preserve rather than to destroy.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes

As the appearance of the bow - Over the canopy on which this glorious personage sat there was a fine rainbow, which, from the description here, had all its colors vivid, distinct, and in perfection - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

The rainbow is not simply a token of glory and splendor. The “cloud” and the “day of rain” point to its original message of forgiveness and mercy, and this is especially suited to Ezekiel’s commission, which was first to denounce judgment, and then promise restoration.