Ezekiel's Vision by the Chebar

In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, Ezekiel the priest was among the exiles by the Chebar canal when the heavens opened and he saw visions of God (Ezekiel 1:1-3). A windstorm arrived from the north, bringing a great cloud with flashing fire and a brilliance like glowing metal. Within the fire were four living creatures, each possessing the likeness of a human but having four faces and four wings. Their faces were those of a human, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, and their wings touched one another as they moved. Beside each creature was a wheel on the earth, described as a wheel within a wheel, with rims full of eyes (Ezekiel 1:15-18).

Above the heads of the living creatures was an expanse that looked like awesome crystal. A voice came from above this expanse, where a throne of lapis lazuli sat. Upon the throne was a figure with the appearance of a man, glowing like metal from the waist up and like fire from the waist down, surrounded by a radiance like a rainbow on a rainy day (Ezekiel 1:26-28). The text identifies this as the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Upon seeing this, Ezekiel fell facedown, but a spirit entered him and set him on his feet to hear the voice of the one speaking.

Ezekiel was commanded to go to the Israelites, described as a rebellious nation. The text does not say why they were stubborn, only that they were impudent and stiff-necked. He was presented with a scroll written on both sides with words of lament, mourning, and woe, which he was told to eat (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3). The scroll tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth. He was appointed as a watchman for the house of Israel, tasked with giving them warnings from God. The Spirit then lifted him up and he went in bitterness and anger of spirit to Tel Abib, where he sat overwhelmed among the exiles for seven days (Ezekiel 3:14-15).