Lesson sequence
Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar
Ezekiel 1:1–3; Ezekiel 1:4–14; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Ezekiel 1:22–28
These opening verses set the scene for Ezekiel with careful dates, place and identity. They show Ezekiel among captives by the river Chebar, where the heavens are opened and God reveals himself. This lesson also brings together The Four Living Creatures, The Four Wheels, The Divine Glory.
Before you teach
The passage marks the time in two ways and places Ezekiel among the captives by the river Chebar, in the land of the Chaldeans. It identifies him as Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, and says he saw visions of God, Yahweh’s word came to him, and Yahweh’s hand was there on him.
Explain the central teaching of Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar, using two details from the reading. These verses present Ezekiel’s experience with careful dates, location, and identity, and they explicitly describe visions of God, Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh’s hand on him. Ezekiel 1:4–14 carefully describes four living creatures with brightness, ordered movement, many-sided features and lightning-like speed. This passage teaches that the wheels in Ezekiel’s vision move in complete agreement with the living creatures and the spirit. This passage teaches that Yahweh’s glory is overwhelming, beautiful and beyond ordinary human description.
Your lesson sequence
Use the teaching outline below for each session, with these reading and activity choices.
Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar
Ezekiel 1:1–3
These verses present Ezekiel’s experience with careful dates, location, and identity, and they explicitly describe visions of God, Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh’s hand on him.
Try together: Use the evidence sheet for Ezekiel 1:1–3. Record key details, compare the opening and closing of this reading, and prepare a short explanation with a supporting Bible reference for each point.
The Four Living Creatures
Ezekiel 1:4–14
Ezekiel 1:4–14 carefully describes four living creatures with brightness, ordered movement, many-sided features and lightning-like speed.
Try together: Use the evidence sheet for Ezekiel 1:4–14. Record key details, compare the opening and closing of this reading, and prepare a short explanation with a supporting Bible reference for each point.
The Four Wheels
Ezekiel 1:15–21
This passage teaches that the wheels in Ezekiel’s vision move in complete agreement with the living creatures and the spirit.
Try together: Use the evidence sheet for Ezekiel 1:15–21. Record key details, compare the opening and closing of this reading, and prepare a short explanation with a supporting Bible reference for each point.
The Divine Glory
Ezekiel 1:22–28
This passage teaches that Yahweh’s glory is overwhelming, beautiful and beyond ordinary human description.
Try together: Use the evidence sheet for Ezekiel 1:22–28. Record key details, compare the opening and closing of this reading, and prepare a short explanation with a supporting Bible reference for each point.
Welcome: Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar
5 minIntroduce “Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar”, “The Four Living Creatures”, “The Four Wheels”, “The Divine Glory” and locate Ezekiel 1:1–3; Ezekiel 1:4–14; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Ezekiel 1:22–28. These verses present Ezekiel’s experience with careful dates, location, and identity, and they explicitly describe visions of God, Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh’s hand on him. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for. Choose the reading for today’s session from the sequence above.
Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel 1:2, Ezekiel 1:3
Read and explain the passage
12 minEzekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar (Ezekiel 1:1–3): The passage begins with precise time markers: “the thirtieth year”, “the fourth month”, and “the fifth day of the month”. This gives the opening a specific setting. In that setting, Ezekiel says “the heavens were opened” and he saw “visions of God”, which introduces the passage as a vision.
The Four Living Creatures (Ezekiel 1:4–14): Ezekiel begins by saying, “I looked”, then reports a stormy wind from the north, a great cloud, flashing lightning and brightness all around. In the middle are fire and something “as it were glowing metal”. The wording shows that he is carefully comparing what he saw to familiar things.
The Four Wheels (Ezekiel 1:15–21): Ezekiel says he saw one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces. The main point here is placement. The wheels are not presented as separate details. They stand beside the living creatures and belong within the same vision Ezekiel is seeing.
The Divine Glory (Ezekiel 1:22–28): Ezekiel first describes an expanse over the heads of the living creatures. It looks like awesome crystal and is stretched out above them. The repeated word likeness shows that he is describing a vision with comparison language, speaking carefully about what it looked like rather than claiming ordinary earthly objects were literally there.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar”, “The Four Living Creatures”, “The Four Wheels”, “The Divine Glory”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel 1:4, Ezekiel 1:15, Ezekiel 1:22
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What details show that Ezekiel wanted readers to know exactly when this happened?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that Yahweh’s glory is overwhelming, beautiful and beyond ordinary human description. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel 1:2, Ezekiel 1:19, Ezekiel 1:20, Ezekiel 1:21, Ezekiel 1:22, Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 1:27, Ezekiel 1:28
Make and respond: Vision and message evidence map
12 minWork on “Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar: Vision and message evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar”, “The Four Living Creatures”, “The Four Wheels”, “The Divine Glory” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel 1:15, Ezekiel 1:28
Closing: return to The Divine Glory
3 minRevisit Ezekiel 1:22–28. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about The Divine Glory and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Ezekiel 1:22, Ezekiel 1:25, Ezekiel 1:28
Questions to explore
What details show that Ezekiel wanted readers to know exactly when this happened?
Look for each time marker, including the month, day, and the year connected to King Jehoiachin’s captivity.
Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel 1:2
How does Ezekiel explain the link between the wheels and the living creatures?
Trace the repeated pattern: when the creatures move or are lifted up, the wheels do the same, because the spirit of the living creature is in the wheels.
Ezekiel 1:19, Ezekiel 1:20, Ezekiel 1:21
Why does Ezekiel keep using words like likeness, appearance and like?
Look at how these words show he is carefully describing a vision that is hard to express in ordinary language.
Ezekiel 1:22, Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 1:27, Ezekiel 1:28
Make, think or respond
Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar: Vision and message evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage describes”, “What is explained in the text”, “What question remains”.
- Read Ezekiel 1:1–3; Ezekiel 1:4–14; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Ezekiel 1:22–28. Use “Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar”, “The Four Living Creatures”, “The Four Wheels”, “The Divine Glory” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Circle an explanation the passage itself provides. Leave unexplained details as questions for further reading.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Ezekiel 1: Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar”, “The Four Living Creatures”, “The Four Wheels”, “The Divine Glory” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Ezekiel 1:1–3; Ezekiel 1:4–14; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Ezekiel 1:22–28. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Ezekiel 1:1–3; Ezekiel 1:4–14; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Ezekiel 1:22–28. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ezekiel 1
1 Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3 Yahweh’s word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and Yahweh’s hand was there on him.
4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire.
5 Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
7 Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this:
9 Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle.
11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire.
14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above.
23 Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.
24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.
25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings.
26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
28 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 Yahweh’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
These activities connect with the passage. Choose one that suits your group and the time you have.
