Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 24
VER. 24.
And when they went, I heard a noyſe of their wings, like the noyſe of great waters, as the noyſe of the Almighty, the voyce of ſpeech; as the noyſe of an hoſt; when they ſtood, they let down their wings.
HEre is a farther deſcription of the Angels, by their going, their noyſe, their ſtanding, and letting down their wings. The principall is the noyſe of their wings; and that I ſhall make moſt inquiry into. A difficulty incounters us in the beginning of the Verſe, when they went, I heard the noyſe of their wings; rather when they did fly was the noyſe of their wings, then when they went. The originall will help us ſomething in this ſtrait; it's otherwiſe there: thus the words are read, And I heard the noyſe of their wings, like the noyſe of great waters; as the voyce of the Almighty when they went; ſo that there the originall brings it in, and ſo wee may take it thus; the noyſe of their flying was as the noyſe of great waters, and the noyſe of their going, as the voyce of the Almighty; or, rather thus: by going we may underſtand their motion, the execution of their office, and that made a great noyſe, which is amplified and ſet out by divers ſimilitudes.
The firſt ſimilitude is of great waters: waters that run among the ſtony and rocky mountains, make a terrible noyſe, gulling into the earth, and threatning the foundations of the mountains; hence Job 14.19. the waters are ſaid to weare the ſtones, they eat into them, making concaves and chambers therein; and for their noyſe in the 46. Pſalm. v. 3. there it's no gentle murmuring, but a roring; the Sea roares, ſo that it's heard in ſome places many miles.
The ſecond ſimiltude is, as the voyce of the Almighty, or, the voyce of God: ſome underſtand hereby, a great voyce, becauſe it's the uſuall dialect of the Hebrew tongue, to expreſſe great things, by ſaying, they are things of God; as Cedars of God, for tall and great ones, Pſal. 80.10, 11. Rivers of God, for great rivers, and full of waters, Pſal. 65.10. Mountains of God, for high ones, Pſal. 36.6. ſo a trembling of God, 1 Sam. 14.15. for a very great trembling: and in like propriety of ſpeech, the voyce of the Almighty, for a great voyce; ſome truth in this may be granted, but ſomewhat more then a great voyce in generall is to be looked at,Pſal. 18.13. it being a Viſion, and Hieroglyphicall things preſented to the Prophet therein, we muſt therefore refer it to that in Pſal. 29. even the thunder, which is called the voyce of the Lord, verſ. 4. The voyce of the Lord is powerfull, the voyce of the Lord is full of Majeſty; it breaks the Cedars, yea, the Cedars of Lebanon; and ſo to that Pſ. 18.13.
The third Similitude, is the voyce of ſpeech: ſome myſtery lies in this, that their noyſe ſhould be like an articulate voyce, the ſpeech of man. And two things may be intended in it; either the ſpeech of man that is upon ſome terrible deſigne, and ſo ſpeaks grievous words, even words of death, and ſo it holds analogie with the other ſimilitude of Waters, and of Thunder; or elſe by voyce of ſpeech, the noyſe of their wings, the judgements they executed did ſpeak and proclaime Gods commands, his wrath, and the peoples ſins; if the judgements ſeemed terrible, as they were indeed; the cutting down of a kingdome, the ruine of the chiefeſt City and people in world; the voyce of ſpeech was, God commands, God is angry; you are guilty, and we muſt proceed.
The 4th and laſt ſimilitude, is, as the noyſe of an hoſt, this is a dreadfull noiſe; there is beating of Drums, ſound of Trumpets, clattering of Armour, jumping of Chariots, rattling of wheels, neighing, ſtamping, prauncing and ruſhing of Horſes, the roaring of Cannons, the clamors of men wounded, groanes of men dying: Carry me out of the Hoſt, for I am wounded, ſaith Ahab: O the dolefull complaints that are there, ſuch as would aſtoniſh a man of ſpirit to heare; the noyſe of the Angels was ſuch a noyſe.
Obſerv. 1. That the judgements of God executed upon kingdomes, cities, perſons, are very dreadfull: they are like roarings of the Sea, when great ſtorms be, and mighty Navies are daſhed in pieces, and ſunk into the deeps; they are formidable as the noyſe of an Army, marching or fighting. How dreadfull were the plagues of Egypt? that in Exod. 9.23, 24. when hail, thunder, and fire were mingled together, was very grievous, ſuch as never was; the burning of Sodome was dreadfull, yet Jeruſalems judgement was ſorer, Lam. 4.6. all their pleaſant things were ſpoyled, women and maids raviſhed in the ſtreets; their mighty men troden under feet; young men and virgins cruſhed, troden down as grapes in the Wine-preſſe; Prieſts and Elders dyed for famine, children ſwooned in the ſtreets, powred out their ſouls in their mothers boſomes for want of bread and water, pitifull women ſod their children of a ſpan long, and made meals of them; they were ſlain in the Sanctuary, terrors were round about, and no way to eſcape left; if they looked for comfort, there was none to give it; Princes were hanged up by the hands, thoſe did weare ſcarlet, imbraced dung-hils, Sabbaths; Sanctuary, Law, Viſion, all failed, prevailing fire was in their bones, death they longed for, and found it not, God was againſt them, their enemies proſpered, and mockt at them and their Sabbaths: Where's your God? what's become of all your worſhip, ſacrifice, prayers, faſtings? they clapt their hands, hiſſed, wagged their heads, and ſaid of Jeruſalem, Is this the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? this is the day that we looked for; Theſe expreſſions you have in the Book of Lamentations. David, a King, a Prophet, a man of a warlike ſpirit, that feared not the Bear, the Lion, Goliah, ſaith, my fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, I am afraid of thy judgements, Pſal. 119.120. When other things did not daunt him at all, Gods judgements did; there was daunting terror in them and no marvell, there is wrath in them, ſuch rage, wrath, fury, as is in wild beaſts: Hoſ. 5.14. I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the Houſe of Judah: I, even I will teare and go away, I will take away, and none ſhall reſcue; ſuch terror as is in an earthquake, that ſhakes the foundations of all: Iſa. 29.6. ſuch as in a ſtrong winde, and an overflowing ſhowre: Ezek. 13.13. ſuch as in a flail that beats out the corn, and breaks the ſtraw in pices: Hab. 3.12. ſuch as in the Sea or Earth ſwallowing up; Pſal. 21.9. What a dreadfull cry, when Corah and his company ſunk alive into the earth, when Pharaoh and his hoſt were overwhelmed in the Sea! ſuch terror is in Gods judgements; yea, more dreadfull yet, ſuch as in thunder, lightning and devouring fire, Iſa. 29.6. yea, ſuch as is in fire and brimſtone, Pſal. 11.6. God is Baal-chemah, foreignNahum 1.2. A Lord of wrath, ſo the originall is, a Poſſeſſour of wrath, and in his judgements doth diſtribute terrors and ſorrows; him therefore ſhould the ſonnes of men reverence.
2. Gods Judgements have the voyce of ſpeech in them, they ſpeak unto ſinners, Mic. 6.9. The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City, and the man of wiſdome ſhall ſee thy Name: heare yee the rod, and who hath appointed it; If the firſt voyce be the cry of the Prophets and Miniſters, the ſecond is the cry of the Judgements of God the rod ſpeaks aloud, it proclaims Gods anger, wrath, fury, jealouſie, revenge, his Omniſcience, holineſſe, juſtice; the terror of the Almighty, it proclaimes our folly, ſhame and ingratitude, treachery and great guiltineſſe before God; it cries to us for repentance: when deſtruction lay at the gates of Ninivie, they underſtood the language thereof, and repented in duſt and aſhes, Jon. 3. It cries to us for righteouſneſſe, when Gods judgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 26.9. They cannot learne unleſſe they be taught; and do they not teach, and teach many leſſons to feare God, whom men have forgotten in their proſperity, to make reſtitution to men whom they have wronged in the day of their wills; to be charitable in cenſuring others, and rigide in cenſuring themſelves?
3. Angels are not only ſwift, but efficacious in their motions, and adminiſtrations: The great waters, mighty thunders and numerous armies make way before them, and nothing can withſtand their force; and ſo it is with Angels when they are upon ſervice, none can ſtand before them; they deſtroy armies, ſhake kingdoms, move all the wheels in the quarters of the world, and their motions are not faint, but forcible.
4. It's not every eare that heares the noyſe of Angels wings, though their noyſe be great, efficacious, like waters, thunder, the voyce of ſpeech, as an hoſt, yet all heare them not; it's the Prophet heares them, and ſuch as have divine ſpirits: the operations of Angels are unperceiveable to moſt of the world; all eyes ſee not viſions, neither do all eares heare the things that viſions do ſpeak; few are capable of divine myſteries; To you it is given to know the myſteries of the Kingdome, Mat. 13.11. There be myſteries in the government of the world, as well as in the Kingdome of heaven, and it's a ſpeciall gift to be acquainted with them; Gods ſecrets are made known to them that feare him, Pſal. 25.14. ſome choyce, precious, excellent ſpirits, they heare, they ſee what others do not; ſuch as turn from iniquity, Dan. 9.13. ſuch as are wiſe, Hoſ. 14.9. they underſtand, ſuch as are deeply intereſted in the truth and Churches cauſe, as have ſuffered much, and have their droſſe purged out by the fire of afflictions; they heare, they ſee more, and greater things then the men of the world; Nehemiah, Iſaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, John, that were men of great ſufferings, they heard voyces others heard not: In the Revelation it's ſaid oft, Hee that hath an eare to heare, let him heare, every man hath an outward eare, but not the inward, the eare of the heart, whereby to perceive the meaning of the Spirit; men heare not the voyce of the Spirit in the Churches, they heare men, but not the Spirit, what that ſpeaks in the Ordinances, and as they heare it not in them, ſo they heare not the Spirit in the wheels, nor the voyce of it in the great judgements of God.