Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 26
VER. 26.
And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the likeneſſe of a Throne, as the appearance of a Saphire ſtone; and upon the likeneſſe of the Throne, was the likeneſſe as the appearance of a man above upon it.
27. And I ſaw as the colour of Amber as the appearance of fire round about within it: from the appearance of his loynes, even upward; and from the appearance of his loynes even downward: I ſaw, as it were, the appearance of fire, and it had brightneſſe round about.
28. As the appearance of the bowe that is in the cloud in the day of rain; ſo was the appearance of the brightneſſe round about: this was the appearance of the likeneſſe of the glory of the Lord; and when I ſaw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voyce of one that ſpake.
IN theſe words we have the laſt and beſt part of the Viſion, being of Chriſt in his Throne; in the 26th Verſe wee have the Throne diſcribed:
1. From the ſituation of it; it was above the firmament.
2. From the colour or likeneſſe of it; it was as a Saphire ſtone.
3. From the party in it; and that was one had the appearance of a man.
The word Throne ſometimes ſignifies Kingdomes, and Dominions, Dan. 9.7. I beheld, till the Thrones were caſt down; that is, the kingdomes of the earth were ruin'd: ſometimes it notes a choyce ſeat, fit for Kings and Judges to ſit in, 1 King. 10.18, 19. The King made a great Throne of Ivory, and overlaid it with the beſt Gold, there were ſix ſteps, and twelve Lions; and there was not the like in any Kingdome; In this laſt ſenſe wee are here to take it, a ſeat for Chriſt to ſit in, and ſo the Temple or Sanctuary is called the Throne of God, Jer. 17.12. a glorious high Throne from the beginning, is the place of our Sanctuary. A Throne here holds out unto us ſundry things:
1. Divine Majeſty and highneſſe of Chriſt.
2. Kingly Dignity.
3. Triumphant Glory.
4 Judiciary Power, Pſal. 9.4 Thou ſateſt in the Throne judging right. Kingly and judiciary power are chiefly meant, 2 Cor. 18.18. I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon his Throne, and all Hoſt of heaven ſtanding on his right hand and on his left: and Rev. 20.11, 12. I ſaw a great white Throne, and him that ſate on it, and the dead, ſmall, and great, ſtood before God, and the Books were opened; here Chriſt ſate in judgement over the Jewes, and exerciſed his power, pronouncing ſentence againſt them.
The next thing is the likeneſſe; as the appearance of a Saphire ſtone. The glory of this Throne was great, Solomons was of Ivory and Gold, but Chriſts is of Saphire, The Scripture mentions Palaces, Pſal. 45.8. Towers, Cant. 7.4. Beds, Amos 6.4. Houſes, Amos 3.5. Veſſels, Rev. 18.12. And Thrones of Ivorie, 2 Cron. 9.17. but none of Saphires;Gemma gêmarum, Abulenſ. Hieroglyph. 41. the Saphire is a ſtone of admirable worth and ſplendor, the chiefeſt of Pearles; and Pererius ſaith, it was among the Ancient alwayes of great eſteeme: The Empire and high Prieſthood were ſignified by it. Among the Egyptians, Aelianus.the chief Prieſt being Judges, alſo wore a Saphire about their necks; and at this time, when Cardinals are newly created,Deorum munera & opima beneficia invitare conciliare que fertur, ut vel hinc Eccleſiaſticis praeſulibus omniū maxime dignā rude vulgus profiteatur, Ruen. de gemmis. Coeleſti colore conſpicui ſunt Ruen. ibid. foreign Aureis punctis lucere. the Pope ſends to each of them a Saphire, which ſets out dignity and greatneſſe.
For the colour of the ſtone; Pliny ſaith, in his lib. 37. c. 9. that it is of an ayrie colour, hee ſhould have ſaid of a skie or blew colour; for when the heavens are moſt cleere, and have a tranſparent pleaſant blew, then the Saphire doth moſt reſemble them; very fair and beautifull: Jerome will have Sapphire to be from Saphar, Pulcher, becauſe theſe ſtones are very faire and delightfull. Pliny in the place before cited, ſaith, they do flame and ſparkle with purple veins, much like the colour of Brimſtone when it's firſt fired, there is a pleaſant blew, with a little purple in it; and ſo oft it's in the heavens when they are cleer. The Saphire and heavens cleerneſſe, are brought in together by Moſes, Exod. 24.10. they ſaw the God of Iſrael, and there was under his feet, as it were, a paved work of a Saphire ſtone, and, as it were, the body of heaven in its cleerneſſe; the pavement was Saphire, and the colour of it, as the cleerneſſe of heaven. Wee muſt inquire what the Saphire repreſents unto us; for ſurely there is ſomething, yea, much in it. Should wee tell you what vertue is given to this ſtone by men of great note, it would take up much time. Avicen, Albertus, and Mathiolus, affirm this ſtone to be good againſt Melancholy, and the quarterne ague: Galen and Dioſcorides, that it helps againſt poyſoning, ruptures and exulcerations; but I will paſſe by ſuch things, and come to that is neerer our purpoſe. The Saphire is an Embleme:
Symbolum libertatis.1. Of liberty, ſo you ſhall finde it to ſpeak in that Exod. 24.10. the Iſraelites were come from their pavement of bricks to one of Saphire; now the God of Iſrael was exalting them to precious liberty from their vile bondage.
Puritatis & ſoliditatis.2. Of purity and ſolidity; it hath the colour and cleerneſſe of heaven, it hath no impunity in it; things impure are the ruine of themſelves, and ſo are unſolid, but that's pure is firm, as the firmament,Sublimitatis coeleſtium myſteriorum. Sapphirum coeleſtiali quid portendere ſignificat ipſius color Sanct. it's pure and ſolid: Hence the Saphire is a foundation ſtone of the new and heavenly Jeruſalem, Rev. 21.19.
3. Of the incomprehenſibleneſſe of divine myſteries; it hath a skie colour, the colour of the firmament it ſelf, and that blewneſſe wee ſee in the heavens is intenſe light, and ſets out the incomprehenſibility of Gods wayes.
4.*Caeſtitatis venereos compeſcit affectus. Rivet. Of chaſtity; it's an enemy to wanton luſts: hence Cant. 5.14. Chriſts belly is ſaid to be overlaid with Saphires, and his Throne being ſaphirine, it tells us, that Chriſt expects chaſtity in the ſpirituall marriage, between him and his Church.
5. Of vigour and cheerfulneſſe, Lam. 4.7. Their poliſhing was of Saphire, Vigoris & letitiae vultus eorum Sapphirus.their faces were ſaphirine; ſo the Chaldee reades it, their countenance before were full of vigour, cheerfull, like thoſe are well poliſhed; but now through famine, black they were, withered, and like a ſtick without all cheerfulneſſe.
Gloriae.6. Of glory; and here in this Viſion, Chriſts glory is likened to Saphire, the glory of his Throne was ſaphirine. From the likeneſſe of the Throne, wee come to the party, whoſe the Throne is, and that is, one had the appearance of a man: who this is muſt be cleered; it was not God the Father, or God the Holy Ghoſt, for the learned obſerve, that neither Father nor the Holy Ghoſt have ever appeared in mans ſhape, but that will not hold, for the Antient of dayes God the Father appeared to Daniel, Chap. 7. Verſ. 9. in the form of a man. Expoſiters do moſt agree it was the Lord Chriſt, and of that judgement ſhall wee be, not becauſe they ſay ſo, this were a blinde ground for a rationall man to be led by, but becauſe wee finde in Scripture, that Chriſt hath oft appeared in Viſion like unto man, Dan. 9.13. I ſaw in the night Viſions, and behold one like the Sonne of man; the Jews acknowledging this to be meant of Meſſiah: ſo in Rev. 1.13. one like the Sonne of man appeared in the midſt of the ſeven Candleſticks, and Rev. 14.14. I looked, had behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one ſate like unto the Sonne of man. By theſe places we have good warrant to conceive, that it was Chriſt that did appear unto Ezekiel in this Viſion.
Queſt. But ſeeing Chriſt was not yet incarnate; why is he here preſented in the likeneſſe of man?
Anſw. 1. Becauſe in his divine nature hee is inviſible, and being to manifeſt himſelf, he appeared in the form of man, as being moſt ſuitable to the nature of man.
2. It was a prefiguration of his incarnation, that in the fulnaſſe of time his Divine nature ſhould aſſume our fleſh into the unity of his perſon.
3. That according to his humane nature, hee ſhould ſit upon the Throne of God, and judge the ſonnes of men: hee was adminiſtrator Patris, the great Agent of his Father.
Whether Chriſt in this Viſion ſate or ſtood, is doubted, becauſe it's ſaid, above upon it; neither ſtanding nor ſitting being expreſſed: but my inclinations are to conceive, that the Lord Chriſt ſate, and ſtood not.
1. Becauſe Thrones are not for ſtanding, but ſitting; and we never find in Scripture, that any ſtood in Thrones, but ſate they have; ſitting in Thrones, is the uſuall phraſe of Scripture, 1 King. 2.12. Solomon ſate upon the Throne of David his father, and in the 22th Chap. 10. The King of Iſrael, and the King of Judah, as they ſate each upon his Throne; and Iſa. 6.1. Iſaiah ſ… the Lord ſitting upon a Throne, Rev. 4.10. The twenty four Elders fell down before him that ſate on the Throne.
2. Kings and Judges here on earth do not uſe to ſtand, but ſit, which doth more fully ſet out their State and Majeſty, and if Kings on earth do ſo, how much more this King in heaven? Beſides, ſtanding is a ſervants poſture, Deut. 17.12. and Ch. 10. v. 8. but ſitting is not, Luke 17.7, 8. that is the Maſters, the Lords poſture.
Obſer. 1. The wiſdome of Gods Spirit in laying down things to prevent the corruptions and miſtakes of man; wee are apt to think groſly of the divine nature, that God is viſible, corporeall, contained in place, ſitting as man; but ſee how the Spirit of God carries it here, and takes off from all ſuch conceits; here is mention of likeneſſe, appearance of things, not that they were materially ſo; it's the likeneſſe of a Throne, the appearance of a Saphire, and upon the likeneſſe of the Throne, was the appearance of a man; no true body: The Anthropomorphites thought God to be like unto us, to have his Throne in heaven, and ſit in it; and ſo far did theſe men proceed in this opinion, of Gods corporeity, and circumſcription, that they aſſembled into troops, and threatned to ſtone all oppoſed it: So tenacious of, and violent for errors are men, even the deluded ſons of men.
2. That man is not capable of immediate acceſſe to, and converſe with God: Here be many ſteps and degrees before the Prophet comes to ſee Chriſt, and then it's not in his Divine nature, but in the appearance of a man. Here be the living creatures in the way by the firmament over their heads, and then a Throne, and that of Saphirine colour, and afterward a ſight of Chriſt in the form of a man, and then converſe. If the Lord ſhould not condeſcend to our weakneſſe, and mantle up his Majeſty, there could be no communion between him and us.
3. That the Lord Chriſt, who appeared like man, hath Kingly Majeſty: Here is a Throne, and a Throne ſet before him. Thrones preſent royall Majeſty unto us, and this Throne preſenteth Chriſts when on earth he was in the forme of a ſervant, but in heaven he appeared to the Prophet in the form of a King. Neither hath he a Throne only, but what ever appertains to Kings: Ʋnction he had, and ſuch as other Kings had not, hee was anointed with the Holy Ghoſt, and with power, Act. 10.38. Promulgation, Zach. 9.9. O daughter of Jeruſalem, behold thy King cometh unto thee. A Crowne, Hebr. 2.9. Wee ſee Jeſus crowned with glory and honour; the Jews crowned him with thornes, the Lord with glory; A Scepter hee hath alſo, and better then of Gold, Hebr. 1.8. A Scepter of righteouſneſſe is the Scepter of thy Kingdom; A royall guard of Angels, they are under the firmament, ſtand ready at his foot-ſtool; he hath his Agents and Ambaſſadors in the kingdome of the world, to declare his pleaſure, to tranſact his appointments; Epheſ. 4.11. Apoſtles, Prophets, Euangeliſts, Paſtors, Teachers; theſe negotiate the great affaires of this King, they diſpenſe the myſteries of his Kingdome, he is not a titular King, but hath large Dominions, Dan. 7.14. There was given him dominion and glory, and a Kingdome, that all people, nations, languages ſhould ſerve him; and Pſal. 2.8. The heathens are his inheritance, and the ends of the earth his poſſeſſion. He hath a Legiſlative power, he makes and abrogates Lawes at his pleaſure.Gen. 49.10. He came of the Princely Tribe that made the Lawes; Judah bare the Scepter, and gave the Lawes, and therefore by David is called, The Law-giver, Pſal. 60.7. and Chriſt deſcending thence, and being typified by the King of Judah; he is the true Law-giver, Jam. 4.12. there is one Lawgiver, and therefore, Matth. 28. laſt, Teach them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you; hee hath a pardoning and puniſhing power, he pardoned Mary Magdalene, and puniſhed him had not on his wedding garment.
4. That Chriſt is not only King, but the chiefeſt of Kings, his Throne is not on earth, but in heaven, it's above the firmament that was over Angels heads, and Chriſts Throne is above them both; ſo that all power in heaven and earth are under Chriſt; his Throne is exalted above them all, Heb. 1.6. Let all the Angels of God worſhip him; the greateſt Archangel muſt do it; thoſe Thrones, for ſo they are termed, Col. 1.16. muſt ſtoop to this Throne, Epheſ. 1.20.21. God hath ſet Chriſt in heavenly places, foreign.among the heavenly thrones, yea, in ſuperceleſtiall places; for it followes, hee hath ſet him far above all Principalitie and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world, but alſo in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, even Angels are under the firmament where his feet ſtand, and all the Princes of the earth are under him. Rev. 1.5. Hee is the Prince of the Kings of the earth; The inſcription of his veſture and thigh, is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; this title is not Xerxes, Nebuchadnezzars, nor Alexanders, but Chriſts alone: the kings of the world, when they ſit upon their thrones, they have their expanſum over their heads, ſome cloth of ſtate made of the richeſt ſtuffe that the brains of men can reach unto, bedeckt with Diamonds and Pearles that are moſt coſtly; but this over their throne intimates their ſubjection to ſome higher power, but it's not ſo with Chriſt, hee is above the Expanſum, nothing is over his head, Angels, Kings, Devils, are under his feet, and unto him muſt every knee bow.
5. That the Lord Chriſt, who hath ſuch a glorious Throne, is exceeding glorious himſelf; his Throne is like Saphires, of a Saphirine colour, which is very beautifull; it's like the glory of the heavens: if an earthly throne be a Throne of glory, as Hanna ſtyles it, 1 Sam. 2.8. what is this throne? a reſemblance of the Throne of his glory, which hee ſpeaks of in Matth. 19.28. and Chap. 25. verſ. 31. The cloathing of the Kings daughter, Pſalm. 45.13. was wrought Gold, a glorious outſide, but there was more glory within, ſhee was all glorious within; ſo if Chriſts Throne, the outſide of it be ſo glorious, what is hee in the Throne? all glorious, all glory, Joh. 1.14. Wee beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten. If Apoſtles ſaw glory in him, being on earth, in his low condition, what did our Prophet ſee in him, being above the firmament, in his Throne and glorious condition? The Scriptures ſet him out, not only to be glorious, but glory: Pſal. 24.8. King of glory, Jam. 2.1. Have not the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Lord of glory, in reſpect of perſons. The word Lord in the ſecond place is not in the originall,foreign. but thus it ſtands there: have not the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the glory; ſo that Chriſt is glory and the glory, the glory of heaven, the glory of the world, the glory of Sion, the glory of the ſoul: and not only is Chriſt glorious and glory,foreign. but hee is, Heb. 1.3. the brightneſſe of glory; that is, ſpotleſſe, perfect, intenſe, exceeding glory, hee is the brightneſſe of the glory of the Father, or the Fathers glory ſhines out moſt brightly and intenſly in the Son; the Fathers glory in the whole creation, is but darkneſſe to his glory in Chriſt, and therefore he is brightneſſe of glory, and every thing that comes from Chriſt hath ſome beames of glory in it; his works are called glorious, Luke 13.17. they rejoyced for all the glorious things done by him, the liberty he purchaſed is glorious liberty, Rom. 8.21. his Church is glorious, Epheſ. 5.27. his Goſpel is glorious, 1 Tim. 1.11.
6. That Chriſts Throne muſt not be of common ſtone, but precious ones, of Saphires; the pavement of God was of ſtones or bricks of Saphire, Exod. 24.10. and Chriſts throne muſt be of Saphires; the Church is Chriſts Throne, viſible and conſpicuous as the heavens, Jerem. 3.17. Jeruſalem is called the throne of the Lord, and the Churches under the Goſpel are the throne of Chriſt, hee ſits in the Congregations, and bears rule in them, Rev. 2.13. I know where thou dwelleſt, where Satans ſeat or throne is, there was a congregation of perſecutors, Idolaters, and unclean parties; for ſuch ſinners are mentioned in the 13. and 14. verſes; and this company was the ſeat and throne of Satan: many congregations are thrones of iniquity, and ſhall the throne of iniquity have fellowſhip with thee? Pſal. 94.20. But godly congregations are the Seat and Throne of Chriſt. Now as the conſcience, which is the inviſible ſeat of Chriſt, muſt be pure, 1 Tim. 3.9. holding the myſtery of faith in a pure conſcience; ſo muſt the viſible Seat of Chriſt be pure, the congregation where hee will ſit and reigne; therefore the promiſe is, Iſa. 54.11, 12. that the ſtate of the Church under the Goſpel, ſhall be better then it was under the Law; there all ſtones were laid in the building, but here ſhould be a difference made; God wll lay ſtones with faire colours, Saphires, Agats, Carbuncles, and pleaſant ſtones; and that it's meant of Goſpel-times and Churches, the words following in the 13. verſe ſhew. All thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord, which Chriſt applies to theſe times, Joh. 6.45. So then the Churches now are to be of Saphires, ſuch as have a heavenly vertue and purity in them, not of Sand-ſtones, Tode-ſtones, or any High-way-ſtones, they are fitter to make Satan a ſeat then Chriſt a Throne, 1 Pet. 2.5. they are called lively ſtones, not dead ſtones, that have no true grace in them, but lively ones they muſt be, that make a houſe, a throne for Chriſt: Stones, that it may be a ſolid building, lively, that it may be a uſefull profitable building, and Saphire, that it may be a pure and glorious building.
7. Judiciary power is put into the hand of Chriſt, not only as God, but as man; there was the appearance of a man, above upon the Throne, there ſate the Sonne of man,Acts 23.3. and ſitting upon the Throne, imports power, and power judiciall, therefore when Chriſt tels his Diſciples of ſitting upon the twelve thrones, hee tells them alſo of judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael, Mat. 19.28. and that Chriſt had ſuch power, and that as Sonne of man, appeares, Joh. 5.27. The father hath given the Son authority to execute judgement, becauſe hee is the Son of man, verſe 22. hee hath committed all judgement to the Son, both judgement of actions, things, and perſons, Acts 17.31. God will judge the world in righteouſneſſe by that man hee hath ordained, the laſt judgement ſhall be by Chriſt, even that great judgement: So particular judgements here, as now Chriſt ſate in judgement upon Jeruſalem, and ſentenced them to death and captivity. And becauſe judgement is opus poteſtatis, an act of power, therefore Chriſt himſelf tels us, that all power in heaven and earth is given unto him, Mat. 28.18.
8. The Lord Chriſt actually ruleth the world, and all things in it; hee ſits upon the Throne, and exerciſeth his power and authority, 1 King. 2.12. There ſate Solomon upon the throne of David his Father, that is, hee ruled the kingdome, and all the affaires of it: ſo Chriſt ſitting upon the Throne, preſents to us his active ruling; the Prophet might ſee hee held the globe of the world in his hand; that hee raiſed tempeſts out of the North, ſent abroad the four living creatures in the ſeverall parts of the world; that hee orders the wheels, and cauſes them to ſtand or go at his pleaſure; the Lord Chriſt is not out of office, or idle now in heaven, though hee ſits upon a Throne of glory at his Fathers right hand; hee is not neglective of the world, he upholds it by his power, Heb. 1.3. hee ſends out his Angels to miniſter unto his, verſe the laſt; hee ſtill gives gifts to men, and provides for his Church, Epheſ. 4. and makes the Word the favour of life or death to men; hee reſtraines the wrath of enemies, and hedges up their wayes, hee makes uſe of them as rods to drive his ſtragling ſheepe into the fold; hee ſubdues hearts and ſpirits to himſelf, and protects them being ſubdued; hee diſcovers, confounds the enemies plots and perſons.
9. The Lord Chriſt doth govern all with great tranquillity, and with great facility; hee ſits upon the Throne, and doth all that imployes quietneſſe of mind. A ſedate temper, there is no paſſion or perturbation in him, hee is a Lion for his power, a Lamb for his meekneſſe; hee rules by counſell and wiſdome in much quietneſſe, Act. 17.31. he judgeth in righteouſneſſe, and what hee doth is done without difficulty; let him ſpeak the word, and preſently it's done; if hee bid Nebuchadnezzar go and ſack Jeruſalem, carry them away to Babylon, hee goes, hee accompliſheth his will fully.
10. That Chriſt is ready ever to heare the cauſes and complaints of his Church, he ſits upon the Throne, other Judges are of the Bench and Throne, and parties agrieved may come unſeaſonably to them, but it's not ſo here, Chriſt ſits upon the Throne, and that conſtantly, to aſſure us, that he is alwayes willing and ready to heare the motions his ſhall make, and to execute judgements upon their enemies: which is matter of great comfort to poor afflicted ſoules, that they may at any time finde this Judge ſitting, and open their grievances unto him, and have audience; other Judges are abſent from their ſeats, or not at leaſure, or ſtately, and will not give way to poore oppreſſed ones to eaſe themſelves, and acquaint them with their ſuits, none of theſe are to be feared here.
11. Chriſt ſitting on the Throne, prompts unto us, that Chriſt ſhould accompliſh the whole work of mans redemption, which the Father had appointed him, and ſo ſit downe in glory upon the Throne. He appeared as man in that nature, hee did and ſuffered the will of God on earth, and in that nature he ſate down at the right hand of God; had not Chriſt been to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, he had not appeared as man ſitting on the throne, and had he not done it, hee ſhould never have returned to heaven and ſate down in glory; hee hath ſatisfied the Law, is freed from the guilt of our ſins, and hath preſently finiſhed the work undertaken, and therefore told his Father he had glorified him on earth, he had finiſhed the work he had given him to do; and thereupon deſired him to glorifie him, and ſet him upon the Throne, Joh. 17.4, 5. which is done: and this may be of ſingular comfort againſt all our imperfections, corruptions, temptations, and death it ſelf.