Ezekiel, Sarah Barry
GOD'S GLORY DEPARTS FROM THE TEMPLE
Passage: Ezekiel 10:1~22  
Key verse: 18
God’s Glory Departs From the Temple
10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(A) of lapis lazuli(B) above the vault(C) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(D) 2 The Lord said to the man clothed in linen,(E) “Go in among the wheels(F) beneath the cherubim. Fill(G) your hands with burning coals(H) from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the Lord(I) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice(J) of God Almighty[a] when he speaks.(K)
6 When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels,(L) from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire(M) that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. 8 (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)(N)
9 I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.(O) 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about[b] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes,(P) as were their four wheels.(Q) 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim(R) had four faces:(S) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,(T) and the fourth the face of an eagle.(U)
15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures(V) I had seen by the Kebar River.(W) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.(X)
18 Then the glory(Y) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.(Z) 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.(AA) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory(AB) of the God of Israel was above them.
20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River,(AC) and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces(AD) and four wings,(AE) and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River.(AF) Each one went straight ahead.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 10:5 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Ezekiel 10:11 Or aside
Cross references
- Ezekiel 10:1 : S Rev 4:2
- Ezekiel 10:1 : S Ex 24:10
- Ezekiel 10:1 : Eze 1:22
- Ezekiel 10:1 : S Ge 3:24
- Ezekiel 10:2 : S Eze 9:2
- Ezekiel 10:2 : S Eze 1:15
- Ezekiel 10:2 : Rev 8:5
- Ezekiel 10:2 : S 2Sa 22:9
- Ezekiel 10:4 : S Ex 24:16; Eze 9:3; 44:4
- Ezekiel 10:5 : S Job 40:9
- Ezekiel 10:5 : S Eze 3:13
- Ezekiel 10:6 : Da 7:9
- Ezekiel 10:7 : S Eze 5:4
- Ezekiel 10:8 : Eze 1:8
- Ezekiel 10:9 : S Ex 28:20; Rev 21:20
- Ezekiel 10:12 : Rev 4:6-8
- Ezekiel 10:12 : Eze 1:15-21
- Ezekiel 10:14 : 1Ki 7:36
- Ezekiel 10:14 : Eze 1:6
- Ezekiel 10:14 : 1Ki 7:29
- Ezekiel 10:14 : Eze 1:10; 41:19; Rev 4:7
- Ezekiel 10:15 : S Isa 6:2
- Ezekiel 10:15 : S Ps 137:1
- Ezekiel 10:17 : S Eze 3:13
- Ezekiel 10:18 : S 1Sa 4:21
- Ezekiel 10:18 : S Ps 18:10
- Ezekiel 10:19 : Eze 11:1, 22
- Ezekiel 10:19 : Eze 43:4
- Ezekiel 10:20 : Eze 1:1
- Ezekiel 10:21 : Eze 41:18
- Ezekiel 10:21 : Eze 1:6
- Ezekiel 10:22 : Eze 1:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. The radiance of the glory of the Lord (1-5)
The temple of the Lord was the Lord's dwelling place among the Israelites. The Lord meant to rule them, and his throne and his dwelling are true glory. For the people of Israel this should be their sole worship. Ever since the tabernacle in the desert the Lord filled his dwelling with glory. His word and his voice make his people radiant, but only when they listen and obey him.
2. The glory departs (6-22)
In his vision Ezekiel again saw the man in linen as well as the cherubim. The cherubim now rose upward. Then the glory of the Lord departed from the temple. Apart from God there is no glory. This was the most fearful pronouncement of all.
Prayer: Lord, help me to worship only you and know your glory.
One Word: Seek God's glory