Turn now to Ezekiel 1:22-25 and read the description of the firmament that was supported by these living creatures or cherubim. The firmament was like a crystal to look upon and was stretched forth over the heads of the living creatures. It reminds one of that which is described by Moses in Exodus, 24:9-11: "9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: and they beheld God, and did eat and drink."

A very clear description of the throne of God, and of the Almighty upon it, is to be found in I Kings 22:19-23. In connection with this passage one would do well to read Revelation, chapters 4 and 5. When anyone reads these accounts, he can see that the pavement and the throne of the Almighty are described in terms similar to those of human monarchs.

The occupant of the throne which was resting upon the firmament described by Ezekiel is presented in Ezekiel 1:26-28. In verse 26 we are told that "upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above." His bodily appearance from his loins and upward was veiled in the semblance of a fire of glory. From his loins and downward there also was the appearance of fire. But since there is a distinction made here in the description, everyone must recognize that fact—though he may not be able to picture clearly the difference. The thing for us to notice is that upon this throne is one like unto a Son of man who is seated upon the portable throne which comes out of heaven to earth. If this passage were the only one in the record, we would be at a loss to determine why this representation. But there are other data which will throw light upon this most important question. In the first promise of the Redeemer, Genesis 3:15, the sacred writer spoke of "the seed of the woman." This is the only occurrence of such an expression, as genealogies were always reckoned after the male and never after the female. But this one is called the seed of the woman, a most striking and unique expression. The fact that this term was employed is proof that this one is indeed different from all others. Isaiah the prophet declared to the house of David, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14). Here is a prediction that a virgin shall give birth to one whom she is to call Immanuel, which means God is with me. By the ancient rabbis this passage was interpreted as a reference to King Messiah, whose supernatural character they all recognized. The Messiah was also known as the Son or descendant of David, who in a vision saw Him, and who spoke in Psalm 110 concerning Him: "Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2 Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies" (Ps. 110:1-2). David recognized the fact that this descendant of his was his Lord and declared that God in heaven would speak to Him when He came to earth and when the Jews of Jerusalem were hostile to Him, would invite Him to leave earth, to ascend to glory, and to sit at His right hand until He, Jehovah, would make the enemies of King Messiah the footstool of His feet. This passage shows that when Messiah comes to Israel, the leaders of the Jews reject Him; but it does not tell to what extent their hostility drives them. That information is obtained from other passages, such as Psalm 22:1-21 and Isaiah 53:1-9. That this virgin-born Son, who is God in human form, is killed is seen clearly from Zechariah 13:7: "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones." In this passage the Lord, speaking to the sword (by metonymy, to the one handling the sword), commands it to act against his shepherd, who is a man, and who at the same time is His "fellow." The meaning of the word, fellow, in the Hebrew indicates an associate, an equal. By the use of this term in his message, the prophet meant to affirm that this man, the shepherd of Jehovah's flock, is equal to God—though He is a man. From other passages which bear upon the same subject, we learn that, when the Messiah is killed, He is invited to leave the earth and to take His seat at the right hand of the throne of God where He is to remain until the Jews, His enemies, accept Him and plead for His return.

In Daniel 7:13,14 we have this language: "13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

In this marvelous prediction we see that "one like unto a son of man" is in heaven, is escorted into the presence of Jehovah the Father, and is invested with authority over a world-wide kingdom, which is to last as long as the earth endures. This passage, viewed in the light of the others which we have just been studying, is clearly a reference to the Messiah of Israel, who entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth, was rejected and executed by His people, ascended to the right hand of the throne of God when He was raised from the dead, has been seated there for nineteen hundred years, and will return to earth when penitent Israel pleads for Him to do so. This scripture is a prediction of the time when the Jews, having been given the truth concerning Him, repent of their having rejected Him and confess their national sin, pleading for Him to return. Thus He will be ushered into the presence of the Ancient of Days and will be invested with world dominion. At that time He will come to earth again and set up His reign of righteousness.

It seems most plausible and logical to interpret the Son of man of Ezekiel's vision, recorded in chapter 1 of his prophecy, as being identical with the Son of man of Daniel's prediction. The two visions are very much alike—with some slight difference. The general thought is the same. Daniel's vision is purely prophetic of the end time when Messiah, invested with world-dominion, will return to take unto Himself world-wide authority. Ezekiel's vision is of the same Son of man, the Messiah of Israel. That which differentiates Ezekiel's vision from Daniel's is this: Ezekiel in the first thirty-three chapters, roughly speaking, deals with the judgments that have already come upon the children of Israel because of their persistence in sin. In the rest of his book Ezekiel devotes his entire attention to the final restoration of the nation, when the Messiah, who is at present in glory at the right hand of the throne of God and has been since His ascension nineteen hundred years ago, will be invested with universal power and will return and reign for a thousand years. In anticipation of His incarnation and of the special work which He would do for Israel as her Messiah, He, the Son of man, appeared to the prophet. In view of all the related facts, one therefore can not avoid the conclusion that this one who is the Living Word is none other than the Son of man, the Messiah of Israel.

In Ezekiel 1:28 the prophet tells us: "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." Thus the brightness of this bow seemed to encircle the throne of the Son of man. This statement instantly recalls to one's mind the first record of the rainbow, which is found in Genesis 9:1-16. In this passage we read of the everlasting covenant into which God entered with all humanity at the conclusion of the Flood. A careful examination of this passage reveals the facts that there was imposed upon the human family a fourfold obligation: To be fruitful and to multiply and replenish the earth (9-11); to live on a diet consisting of animals, fish, and vegetables (9:3); to abstain from eating blood and things strangled (9:4); and to execute all murderers by capital punishment (9:5,6). All of these conditions are constantly being ignored by man. The covenant of which these are the conditions was entered into by the Lord with every man, woman, and child upon the face of the globe. It is therefore called "the everlasting covenant."

In Isaiah 24:1-20 we have a description of the wreckage upon the earth that will be wrought during the Tribulation by the judgments of the Almighty. These will be sent because the inhabitants of the earth "have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant" (Isa. 24:5). Since there is but one everlasting covenant into which God has entered with all races—the one referred to above—and since the world is to be punished because of its having disregarded the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant, we may be certain that reference is here made to the Noahic Covenant, the sign of which is the rainbow.

In the scene of the throne of God (Rev., chap. 4) we see it encircled by a rainbow. This doubtless is the rainbow of the Noahic Covenant which appears on this occasion to remind the people of earth that they are being punished because they have violated the conditions of the everlasting covenant. At the same time it is most highly probable that the appearance of the bow encircling the throne of the one like unto the Son of man which Ezekiel saw has the same significance. It will remind the world of the broken everlasting covenant.

Evidently the sight of this chariot or portable throne with the one like unto a Son of man seated in glory, power, and majesty did overwhelm the prophet who instantly fell to the ground. This supposition is the necessary inference drawn from the statement "and he said unto me, son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak with thee." When this command was given, the spirit of God entered into the body of the prophet, put him upon his feet, and gave him strength—both physical and spiritual. He was then ready to receive the message, the commands from the Lord of all the earth.

The one like to a Son of man, the Messiah of Israel—seated upon the throne—addressed the prophet, calling him "son of man." The expression, son of man, is but a synonym for man. This is clearly seen in such a passage as Psalm 8:4: "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Man in the first question is a synonym for the son of man in the second. (Some scholars not knowing Hebrew parallelism have understood that the one called "the son of man" here is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of man par excellence. But this is a misinterpretation of the phrase.)

As we have seen, this one who was seated upon the throne is the Son of man in the highest sense of the term because of His being God who entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth and who is the God-man. Though He is God, He is also man. Let us not think of Him as God and man, a monstrosity. But He is the God-man because of His taking the form of man; and, being most profoundly interested in man in every particular, He is the Son of man in the highest sense of the term. Thus this expression in the gospel record is messianic in its import as it is here in Daniel 7:13, 14.

But why did the God-man address Ezekiel as son of man? In the light of all the facts it seems most highly probable that He used the expression to indicate His kinship with Ezekiel—and to man in general—to whom He was making His revelation known. In other words, that which is set forth in Hebrews 2:5-18 constitutes a background for the use of "son of man" as applied to Ezekiel. In the Hebrews passage we are told that the God-man identified Himself with us, taking the form of flesh and blood in order that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God for us. Expressed in different terms, there is echoed in the use of our expression, "son of man,"—as applied to the Saviour and to Ezekiel—the thought of the Messiah's being man's Kinsman-Redeemer. Thus the Goel, the Redeemer, aligned Himself with man for his redemption and ultimate glorification.

Ezekiel was told that the children of Israel, to whom he was sent, were a rebellious people. Here Israel is spoken of as "nations." Doubtless "nations" here is applied to the tribes of Israel. Moses declared, "Jehovah hath not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day" (Deut. 29:4). Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9). While the Apostle Paul stated: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him" (I Cor. 2:14).

The prophet was reminded of the fact that, though His message would not be received by the people, he was to give it forth. We are not held responsible for results. It is ours to obey and to give the truth, believing that the Lord's word will not return unto Him void but that it will accomplish that whereunto He has sent it. According to the Apostle Paul the gospel is a savor of life unto life, and of death unto death. To those who are hungering for the truth it brings life and they grow and increase in spiritual life and stature, and finally enter into eternal life. On the other hand, those who do not want the truth are living in the shadow of spiritual death. The preaching of the gospel hardens the hearts of all who do not want the truth. Thus the gospel becomes a savor of death unto death to such.

In this section of our lesson (2:8-3:3) we are told that "a roll of a book" was given to the prophet on which were written "lamentations, and mourning, and woe." He was commanded to eat this scroll, which he did. This reminds one of the statements made by Jeremiah, who was a contemporary of Ezekiel: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts" (Jer. 15:16). It also suggests John's receiving a further revelation from God by eating a little book which in his mouth was sweet, but in his stomach was bitter (Rev., chap. 10). The process of receiving this message from God was enacted symbolically by the Apostle, who ate, devoured, digested and assimilated the scroll. This act signified the reception of the message from God and a spiritual and intellectual grasp of it. It was doubtless a delight, as it was to the prophets, to receive a further revelation from God. But upon grasping the import and the significance of the same, he was made sad, which fact was set forth by the book's being bitter in his stomach.

In 3:4-11 Ezekiel is again reminded of the fact that the people to whom he was being sent were rebellious, and that they would not accept his message. But he was not, he was told, being sent as a foreign missionary to a pagan nation whose language he could not understand. He was going to his own people, who had hardened their hearts and steeled themselves against the message from God. In order to meet such opposition as that which was facing the prophet, the Lord declared that he had made Ezekiel's forehead hard against them. It was as adamant and as flint. In other words, the Lord reinforced the heart, the soul, of the prophet, so that he could meet opposition and declare to the children of Israel their sins.