Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 13
VER. 13.
As for the likeneſſe of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures, and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went out lightning.
foreignTHe Hebrew word notes a Torch or burning wood, where the fire and flame are more tenacious and ſtrong, titiones, firebrands, that are lively, and flaming, heating and lightning.
In this verſe is ſet out, not the figure and ſhape of the living creatures, that was done in the 10th verſe; but the colour of their faces: which is deſcribed,
Firſt, by ſimilitudes.
1. They are liken'd to burning coals of fire.
2. To lamps.
Secondly, by the motion of it, It went up and down among the living creatures.
Thirdly, by the operation and efficacy of it, lightning went forth of it.
For the better underſtanding of this dark verſe; we muſt conſider, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, being exceedingly offended with the wickedneſſe of the Jewes, is preſented in the viſion to the Prophet, ſitting as an angry Judge upon the throne, ready to take vengeance on them for their ſins; they were Idolatrous, oppreſſive, prophane, ingratefull, ſlighting, and perſecuting the prophets; therefore Chriſt comes arm'd againſt them with zeale and fury, and ſuffer they muſt: hereupon the Angels being inflamed with the zeal and indignation of their Lord and Maſter, are ſaid to be like burning coals and lamps. When men have a holy anger againſt ſin and ſinners, and are zealous for God, how do their faces burn and glow, and their eyes ſparkle? ſo was it here, the Angels were affected much to ſee the Lord Chriſt ſo wronged by a company of ſinfull wretched men; whereupon their colour became fiery, their faces burned with zeal, and their eyes ſparkled, and they were ready to execute the ſentence of the Judge upon this delinquent people.
It went up and down among the living creatures.
The fire and flame that ſtood not ſtill,foreign but was in perpetuall motion, Mithhallecheth, it made it ſelf to walk of it own accord and pleaſure; it went up and down; it, that was fire went up and down among thoſe four formed creatures: ſome make it the likeneſſe and appearance it ſelf that went up and down, but it's better to underſtand it of the fire which is diſtinct from the likeneſſe of the creatures, and it's the vigour of Chriſts Spirit. Vertue came out from Chriſt, the King and Judge upon the Throne, which was like fire and flame, to prepare, quicken, and actuate theſe ſpirits to a fuller execution of divine pleaſure.
It was light, and out of the fire went forth lightening.
Here you have the operation of this fire: it was light, that is, it did inlighten the Angels; they ſaw by this light what was to be done in this great deſign of Chriſt in ſaving the innocent, and puniſhing the guilty. Out of it went forth lightning; that is, the effect of it was dreadfull unto men, as lightning is; the judgements of Chriſt executed by Angels in the world, work effectually for the benefit of the godly, and for the undoing of the wicked.
Obſerv. 1. That the Lord Chriſt doth uſe Angels in the execution of his judgements upon ſinners; an Angel ſmote Herod, Senacheribs hoſt, Pharaohs firſt-born, the Sodomites. Pſal. 35.5, 6. it's the Angel of the Lord that chaſeth and perſecutes the wicked.
2. That Angels are zealous, forward and effectuall in executing judgements upon delinquents; they are burning Coals, Heb. 1.7. they are called a flame of fire; fire is hot, and notes their zeal and forwardneſſe; it's active and conſuming, which notes their effectualneſſe: Angels are like the fire that fell upon Elijah's ſacrifice, which conſumed the ſacrifice, the wood, ſtones, duſt, and licked up the water, 1 King. 18.38. So effectuall was that fire, that nothing could ſtand before it; and when the Lord Chriſt ſends out Angels, none can ſtand before them, they are ſo zealous of, and effectuall in the execution of his judgements. The wicked are but as the wood, ſtones, duſt and water, theſe flames of fire will conſume them. This ſhould quicken Magiſtrates and thoſe be armed with authority, to be zealous and forward in puniſhing malefactors, and executing judgement upon delinquents. Rom. 13.4. The ſword is not given them in vain, they are revengers of Gods quarrell, and it's Angelicall to execute wrath upon them do evill; it was Sauls ſin that he ſpared Agag, but Samuels glory that hee hewed him in pieces, hee was zealous, forward and effectuall in it; ſo Aſa in removing his mother Maachah from being Queen, becauſe ſhe had made an Idoll in a grove, which he cut down, 2 Chron. 15.16. and brake her Idoll in pieces, and burnt it. Thoſe are appointed of God to ſee juſtice done, if they do it not, become guilty themſelves. Old Eli a Judge in Iſrael, becauſe hee was too partiall towards his ſons, God was angry, and his end was ſad. Lewis the 11th, King of France, having pardoned a murtherer twice, and ſuing again for his life, ſaid, What, doſt thou ask pardon again?Iam tertium homicidium perpetraſti. this is the third murther thou art guilty of: his fool ſtanding by, ſaid, The other two are thine, who didſt pardon them, this is his firſt; had juſtice been executed then upon him, hee would never have fallen into this. So another Lewis having pardoned a murtherer, and afterward reading that in the 106. Pſalme v. 3. Bleſſed are they that keep judgement, and he that doth righteouſneſſe at all times; preſently recalled the pardon, and ſaid,Non minus coram Deo veus eſt quam ſi …pſe perpetraſſ…. That Prince which doth not puniſh delinquents when he may, is no leſſe guilty before the Lord, then if he himſelf had done the fact. Let thoſe therefore that it concerns, be zealous of, ready to, and effectuall in the execution of juſtice upon delinquents.
3. That Angels have new influence from Chriſt ſuitable to the Miniſtration they are to be imployed in; though Angels be creatures of much knowledge, wiſdome, ſtrength, ſpeed, and uſefulneſs, yet when Chriſt is to imploy them, they muſt have new vertue and influence; it went up and down among the living creatures: Let them be as burning coals, they have need of more heat; let them be as lamps, they have need of more light, their ſervices are great, and Chriſt contributes unto them continually: as they have new inſtructions,Quae adſingulares vocationes & effectiones corum ſunt neceſſariae. ſo new acceſſions and additions of vertue which are needfull to their callings and operations. If they have need of divine vertue to further them in their operations, much more have we need of freſh ſupplies. Joh. 15.5. Without me yee can do nothing; hee ſaith not, you may do ſomething, or you can do little, but plainly, without mee you can do nothing; it's the vertue and influence of Chriſt which inables Angels and men to do the duties of their places and callings, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me; when Hee ſits upon the Throne, ſends out fire and flame, light and heat to ſtrengthen us, then can wee do all things, 1 Cor. 12.5. There are difference of admininiſtrations, but the ſame Lord; it's the Lord Chriſt, that appoints the adminiſtration of men and Angels, that gives direction about them with ſupplyes of grace and ſtrength, to exerciſe them; when we go about any imployments of our generall and particular callings, wee ſhould conſider our own impotency, and look up to Chriſt, who hath all fulneſſe, and is ready to ſend out vertue to ſupply all our wants; therefore Paul tels the Philippians, Chap. 4. ver. 19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus.
4. That the divine vertue comes from Chriſt, is an active thing, it went up and down, it reſted not. Men have ſought after the perpetuall motion, and lo, here it is: this vertue acted continually in the Angels; it went not by a tranſitive motion, from one Angel to another, but the motion was immanent, continually acting in them, and therefore it is called fire, which is a living active thing. The Word of God was as fire. Jer. 20.9. His Word was within mine heart as a burning fire ſhut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not ſtay; it overcame him, and quickened him up to his work, when hee thought to preach no more; many a Chriſtian thinks to heare, pray, reade, meditate, receive no more, but there is vertue gone out from Chriſt, that will walk up and down in them, and cauſe them to fall to it again: that vertue comes forth from Chriſt, is no dull thing. 1 Cor. 15.10. Paul had fire from Chriſt, and it ſet him awork; I laboured more abundantly then they all; ſee how active he was, hee exceeded all the reſt of the Apoſtles; and how came that about? what metall was he made of? he had fire from Chriſt, it was not I, but the grace of God that was with mee, that went up and down in him, and fired his affections and ſpirit. David, Pſal. 39.3. thought to be ſilent, and not to ſpeak any more before the wicked, I, even from good conference he refrained; but what was the iſſue? my heart was hot within mee; the vertue and fire he had from Chriſt began to work, while I was muſing, the fire burned and flamed out, then I ſpake; Hee could hold no longer: So Acts 4.20. Wee cannot but ſpeak the things we have ſeen and heard,
5. That actions done by divine vertue, afford light and lightning: the fire went up and down among the Angels, put them upon execution of judgement; and from hence, (theſe actions being ſo done) prove light and lightning to the world; they are ſeen, and ſeen far. They are light to the godly: when Angels execute Gods judgements upon ſinners, the Saints ſee much in it; they ſee matter of feare and praiſe; of feare, in that Gods power, wrath, and hatred are manifeſted in them againſt ſin and ſinners: of praiſe, in that themſelves are delivered, and juſtice is performed. Pſal. 58.10, 11. The righteous ſhall rejoyce when hee ſeeth the vengeance, hee ſhall waſh his feet in the blood of the wicked: when the wicked are taken away by a divine ſtroke, by the hand of juſtice, and God hath the glory of his juſtice, the righteous rejoyce at it: but is that all? no, Hee waſheth his feet in the blood of the wicked, that is, by this judgement he fears and reformes; it's a metaphor taken from the practice of thoſe parts, where they went barefoot, or with Sandalls, and ſo contracted much filth, and uſed to waſh and cleanſe their feet when they came in; ſo here, the godly ſeeing the hand of God upon the wicked, feares, and judges himſelf for his ſins, purges his conſcience and affections, and ſtands now in awe of that God who hath ſtricken the wicked for thoſe ſins, which hee himſelf in part is guilty of. Waldus, a man of note in Lions, ſeeing one ſtruck dead in his preſence, he waſhed his hands in his blood, for preſently he gave almes to the poor, inſtructed his family in the true knowledge of God, and exhorted all came unto him to repentance and holineſſe of life.
They are lightning to the wicked, that is, dreadfull and confounding. In this worke of executing judgement, as they are lamps to light the godly, ſo they are burning coales, and lightning to deſtroy the wicked. How terrible was the deſtroying Angel when the plague was in Davids dayes? Rev. 16. when the Angels powred out their vials of wrath, how dreadfull were they? men blaſphemed and repented not, to give glory to God.