Read & explore together
God’s Glory Exits the Temple
Ezekiel 10 describes a vision of Yahweh’s glory in and above the house, together with cherubim, wheels, fire, cloud and sound. The passage emphasises God’s holy presence and the ordered movement of the vision.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
In this vision, Ezekiel sees again the living creatures he saw by the river Chebar and now knows they are cherubim. The passage stays within the setting of Yahweh’s house, court and east gate, tracing commands, movement and repeated identifying details as the vision unfolds.
Ezekiel 10:1–22Main takeaway
This vision presents Yahweh’s glory moving with purpose, while the cherubim and wheels act in complete unity.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A throne above the cherubimEzekiel first sees above the cherubim something like a sapphire stone, with the appearance of a throne.
Explanation
Ezekiel first sees above the cherubim something like a sapphire stone, with the appearance of a throne. Then the man clothed in linen is told to go between the whirling wheels, take coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. Ezekiel simply reports the command and the man’s obedience.
02Cloud, brightness and a mighty soundThe cherubim stand on the right side of the house while the cloud fills the inner court. Yahweh’s glory rises and stands over the threshold of the house.
Explanation
The cherubim stand on the right side of the house while the cloud fills the inner court. Yahweh’s glory rises and stands over the threshold of the house. The house is filled with cloud and the court with brightness. The wings of the cherubim are heard as far as the outer court.
03Fire, wheels and watchful designA cherub gives fire to the man clothed in linen, and Ezekiel notices a human-like hand under the wings.
Explanation
A cherub gives fire to the man clothed in linen, and Ezekiel notices a human-like hand under the wings. He then describes four wheels beside the cherubim, alike in form, like a wheel within a wheel, moving without turning. Their bodies and wheels are full of eyes, and the wheels are called whirling wheels.
04The same living creatures identifiedThe cherubim rise, and Ezekiel identifies them as the living creatures he saw by the river Chebar.
Explanation
The cherubim rise, and Ezekiel identifies them as the living creatures he saw by the river Chebar. Their movement remains perfectly joined to the wheels because the spirit of the living creature is in them. He also names their four faces: cherub, man, lion and eagle, with four wings and hands under their wings.
05Yahweh’s glory moves to the east gateAt the end of the chapter, Yahweh’s glory goes out from over the threshold and stands over the cherubim.
Explanation
At the end of the chapter, Yahweh’s glory goes out from over the threshold and stands over the cherubim. They lift up their wings and move to the east gate of Yahweh’s house, with the glory of the God of Israel above them. Ezekiel confirms that these are the same creatures and that they go straight forward.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What details show the greatness of Yahweh’s glory in this vision?
Look at where the glory stands and how cloud, brightness and sound fill the house and court around it.
02How are the wheels and cherubim described as moving together?
Notice the repeated statements that they move in step, go straight ahead, and do not turn aside.
03How does Ezekiel show that these are the same creatures he saw before?
Follow the references to the river Chebar and the repeated features he lists, including faces, wings and hands.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Ezekiel 10:1–22
1Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” He went in as I watched.
3Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4Yahweh’s glory mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh’s glory.
5The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside a wheel.
7The cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
8The form of a man’s hand appeared here in the cherubim under their wings.
9I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub. The appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.
10As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.
11When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it. They didn’t turn as they went.
12Their whole body, including their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.
13As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”.
14Every one of them had four faces. The first face was the face of the cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third face was the face of a lion. The fourth was the face of an eagle.
15The cherubim mounted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn’t turn from beside them.
17When they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18Yahweh’s glory went out from over the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim.
19The cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21Every one had four faces, and every one four wings. The likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves. They each went straight forward.