The Overwhelming and the Reviving in Divine Revelations
W. Jones Ezekiel 1:28-2:2 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about… And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One that spake. And he said unto me, Son of man, etc. Two main lines of meditation are suggested by these verses. I. THE MANIFESTATION OF THE DIVINE GLORY OVERWHELMS EVEN THE BEST OF MEN IN THEIR PRESENT STATE. When he saw "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord," Ezekiel fell upon his face. We find the same thing in Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 43:3; Ezekiel 44:4. Isaiah felt himself "undone" when he "saw the Lord sitting upon a throne" (Isaiah 6:5). Daniel, after a vision of heavenly glory, was emptied of all strength (Daniel 10:8). And even St. John, the beloved disciple, who had reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, when he saw the revelation of his majesty, "fell at his feet as dead" (Revelation 1:17). 1. The sight of such glory humbles man with the sense of his own immeasurable inferiority. How vast is the disparity between the Creator and the creature! He, "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, and who dwelleth in the high and holy place;" we, frail men "that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, and are crushed before the moth." It is humiliating to reflect upon the infinite distance between the glory of God and our insignificance and meanness and shame. Such considerations rebuke those persons who, in hymn or prayer, address the Most High in terms of unbecoming familiarity, or even of positive irreverence. Most inadequate must be their realization of the truth that he is "glorious in holiness," and of their own unworthiness. "God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few." "The more thy glories strike mine eyes, The humbler I shall lie." 2. The sight of such glory overwhelms man by quickening his consciousness of sin into greater activity. Thus it was with Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5); and with St. Peter, when he was impressed with the superhuman powers of his Master, and perhaps realized that he was the Son of God (Luke 5:8). Such splendours as Ezekiel saw reveal the darkness and defilement of the hearts and lives of those who see them. The conscious presence of perfect holiness awakens or intensifies man's sense of his own sinfulness. "I have heard of thee," saith Job, "by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." 3. Such humiliation is a condition of hearing the voice of God. "I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One that spake." Pride and self-sufficiency cannot hear the Divine voice. "The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way.... The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." The highest revelations are for the simple, spiritual, and teachable - the child. like spirits (cf. Matthew 11:25, 26). Moses, eminent for his meekness, was admitted into communion and communication with God of special intimacy (Numbers 12:6-8). The humbling effect of Divine visions sometimes qualifies the soul to hear Divine voices. II. GOD IN HIS GRACE RAISES AND REVIVES HIS SERVANTS OVERWHELMED WITH THE MANIFESTATIONS OF HIS GLORY. "And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet," etc. Three remarks are suggested. 1. The design of such manifestations is not to overwhelm, but to prepare for service. The Divine intention in the vision which Ezekiel saw was to prepare him for the discharge of the arduous duties of his prophetic mission. So also was it with Isaiah 6 and with St. John (Revelation 1.). And if spiritual visions of the true and the holy are granted unto God's servants now, it is in order that they may more efficiently serve him amongst their fellow men. 2. The Divine summons to duty or service is accompanied by Divine strength to obey the same. "And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me." Here are three points. (1) The title by which Ezekiel is addressed. "Son of man." Expositors have discovered various meanings in this appellation; but it seems to us that the interpretation of Lightfoot is the true one. "This expression is of frequent use in Scripture, in the Hebrew rabbins, but more especially in the Chaldean and Syrian tongues Why Ezekiel, and no other prophet, should have been so often styled thus, has been ascribed to different reasons by different commentators. To me... the principal reason appears to be this - that, as his prophecy was written during the Babylonish captivity, he naturally made use of the Chaldean phrase, 'Son of man,' that is, 'O man.'" (2) The summons which was addressed to him. "Stand upon thy feet." That is the attitude of respectful attention. It also indicates readiness for service. (3) The strength which was communicated to him. "And the Spirit entered into me," etc. It is the same Spirit which was in the living creatures and in the wheels. The Spirit was given to the prophet to set him upon his feet and to empower him to hear the word of the Lord. The entrance of the Spirit into him "is a quickening of mind and body conjointly, which brings about the transition from the revelation in vision to the revelation by word" (Schroder). When God commands, he also invigorates for the fulfilment of the command. When he summons man from spiritual death, he bestows the life-giving Spirit to every one who will receive him (cf. Ephesians 2:4-6; Ephesians 5:14). When he calls upon us to work out our own salvation, he encourages us to do so by the assurance that he worketh in us (Philippians 2:12, 13). When he sends us forth to arduous service, he says, "Certainly I will be with thee" (Exodus 3:12). And when he calls us to painful endurance, he gives us the assurance, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). 3. After the Divine summons and strength comes the Divine voice. "I heard him that spake unto me." Humbled by the vision of glory, and revived and strengthened by the Spirit, the prophet was now in a condition to hear the voice of the Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12, 13). "Signs without the Word are in vain. What fruit would there have been if the prophet had merely seen the vision, but no word of God had followed it?" (Calvin). CONCLUSION. Here are two cheering considerations. 1. When God casts down it is in order that he may the more effectually revive us. (Hosea 6:1, 2.) 2. Whom God commissions he also qualifies. - W.J. Parallel Verses KJV: As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. WEB: As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.