Bro Sulley argues that the references to Jerusalem in ch8 and 9 and continuing 10 have reference to spiritual Jerusalem and the judgements are therefore against the sinners and the wicked who are rejected at the judgement seat

THE TRANSFORMED CHERUB

Before the commencement of judgment depicted in the ninth chapter, " The Glory of the Lord " mentioned in the third verse, " had gone up from the cherub". After the man clothed in linen had reported the fulfilment of the commandment to judge His house, Ezekiel " looked" (Chap. x. 1) and saw a change in the cherubim.

The Temple of Ezekiel's prophecy 5.6.11.

1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

Coals of fire

The man clothed with linen " fills his hand with the coals of fire " from " below the

cherubim" to scatter them over the city. These are the fiery judgments of Him who is appointed judge, which are scattered as it were "over the city," i.e., upon the disobedient members of the household.

"For our God is a consuming fire " (Heb. xii. 29.) His hand is filled from "below the cherubim" because all his judgments appertain to the acts of members of his household represented by the cherubim. There will be literal "coals of fire " upon the unrepentant servants rather than the figurative burning of the conscience of Rom. xii. 20 ;

Mark ix. 47-48).

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In the Mosaic Tabernacle and the Solomon Temple, they rested-golden and motionless. And the Glory of God rested quietly upon them. This is the ideal state of peace with God. It does not indicate, however, any lessening of living activity, for these are still the Living Creatures that rest not day and night from worshipping and glorifying God, as they are described in Revelation 4. But it does indicate absence of militant judicial activity. When they rested, they let down their wings, and they were silent.

The Cherubim in Ezekiel's visions are aroused. They have a terrible work to perform in the earth, beginning at the sanctuary of God. The primary application was the destruction of Jerusalem - the breaking up of the nation and a scattering and slaying of the people. But the antitypical application is the judgments to come upon the earth in the last days of God's wrath and recompense.

How do the glorified saints, who are still today mostly in their graves and far from any glory, how do they figure in the judgments upon Jerusalem 2500 years ago, as the Living Creatures? All live unto Him. All things are for their sakes. All things are in answer to their righteous prayers.

Similarly we find the Living Creatures in the Revelation, directing the judgments upon Rome-both pagan and papal. IF we are the true children of God, and we can be, IF we are prepared to give our lives wholly and unreservedly to Him, then the whole course of human history is but working out our welfare and our glory-the glory of the Cherubim. It has no other purpose at all for existence. Our glory, of course, being for and to the glory of God.*

3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

The cherubim now stand as it were on the right side of the house. All those on the left hand are cast out, with weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt xxii. 11-13). The man as it were went in or is united with his faithful bride. Therefore, also the cloud (of "witnesses" Heb. xii. 1) has figuratively filled the inner court.

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Here the punishment of Jerusalem is connected with the Cherubim. It comes from them.

The cherubim were standing (verse 3) "on the right side of the house." The house or Temple faced east. The right side was the south side. Right and south always being associated in Hebrew, and the left side was the north side. Note that all the way through chapter 8, the abominations were on the north, or left hand side-the side of rejection. The Cherubim were on the right side-the south side.*

4 Then the glory of Yahweh went up <Lifted 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.

Again the glory of the Lord goes up from the cherub, as it were, because now the shadow is lost in the substance, and the court is full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.

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5 And the sound of the cherubim wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the El Shaddai when he speaketh.

This is a sad part. The outer court was the court of the Gentiles. Jerusalem said in Lamentations, which is Jeremiah's description of this very time,

"All mine enemies have heard of my troubles, and they are glad."

And Jeremiah says of this time, in Jer.22:8-9,

"Many nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord." "The sound of the Cherubim's wings was heard even to the outer court."

Israel was chosen to be very close to God. Their conduct either glorified or shamed Him before the nations. They could not be neutral, from their very position. We are in the same position. We can either bring glory or dishonour upon His Name by our conduct in the sight of the world-the outer court. And because Israel did not have the wisdom to be a faithful witness to God's glory, they had to be made a witness to His wrath and His righteous judgment.

Once they had been brought specially close to God, they could no longer be neutrals or escape from their great responsibility. We have been called near; we cannot run away and hide from God. There is no going back. It is a tragedy when the sins and follies of God's people give the heathen occasion to reproach and rejoice.*

Since judgment is now spread abroad by the wings as it were upon the inhabitants of the earth the sound thereof extends everywhere, beyond the nation of Israel who nationally stand in the inner court in relation to Yahweh. Secondly, as to " The sound is as "the voice of El shaddai", which signifies " Mighty Ones," refers to the saints who now become the antitypical "Sons of Thunder" (Mark, iii: 17).

A mighty Host, who will, under the direction of their chief, call down fire from heaven upon the enemies of Israel, or pronounce edicts which will be heard from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (Isa. ii. 3).

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6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubim; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

Since the wheels signify saints possessed of the spirit of life who by their brazen hoofs, when immortalized, tread down the wicked with fiery judgments, this fire is as it were taken from between the wheels.

The fire is placed in the hands of Him who cometh to judge. This judgment begins " at the house of God " (1 Pet. iv. 17). It is regulated by the inter-relations of the saints, who have constantly put their case before Him, appealing for His judgment. Again, the saints in their glorified corporate capacity are the rod of His anger against a wicked world.

They go forth under His direction to subdue the kingdom of men. "

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Having severed the wicked from the just, the man clothed in linen is now united with the rest of the saints. Thus the whole fourfold symbol appears as the hands of one man (vv 8, 9), of whom Jesus is the head (Eph. iv. 13-16). The wheels comprising the glorified community become one. His " hand under the wings." So he is represented as" standing beside the wheels."

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7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

We have seen that the community represented by the " living creature" is symbolized by fourfold figures representing four epochs or camps. Now, not until the termination of the period symbolized by the last of the four living creatures can the fiery

judgment be manifested. The fire, therefore, is as it were " given " to the man clothed with linen by one of the cherubim, but the fire of judgment appertains to all the others.

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8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.

Form of a Man's hand - redemption has come through the son of man by Yahweh's power.

9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.

In the first chapter the same symbol is described thus:

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl, (v. 16.)

Daniel also saw the same colour in the body of the symbolical Son of man (Chap. x. 6)

According to Parkhurst, a beryl stone is of a vivid bright yellow colour. "So called in Greek and Latin from its fine gold yellow colour."

We have seen that tried faith is likened to pure gold refined in the fire. Be it observed that here the work of the wheels is likened to this colour—not that the wheels were made of gold, but the " work " of the community symbolized by the wheels appears like gold. Their " faith is accounted unto them for righteousness (Rom. iv. 3).

The "work" they accomplish is by faith, as saith the Apostle John, " our faith overcometh the world " (1 John. v. 4). Also it is testified that " without faith it is impossible to please God " (Heb. xi. 6), In fact, the element of faith is the substance and foundation of all that is done in relation to " the hope " set before the saints.

...Thus the golden colour of the work of the wheels seems to indicate this element of faith towards the Father, in that which he promises to do for his children. When the Son of Man corneth will he find this " faith " in the earth ? It is the most important element in the House which the Lord is building,—the foundation of the whole

fabric.

The Temple of Ezekiel's prophecy 5.6.11.

12 And their whole body [basar], and their backs, and their hands, and their wings [kenafayim], and the wheels [Ofanim], were full of eyes [eynayim] round about, even the wheels [Ofanim] that they 4 had.

Whither the head looked they followed it

Just as the wings indicate that the members of the community which they represent turn not to the right hand or to the left, so the wheel symbol indicates the same obedient character "To the place where the Head looked they followed it." Whithersoever the Head (Jesus anointed) pointed, they follow. This is a leading characteristic of the whole living creature in its fourfold phases for "the four had wheels" (ibid, verse 12).

The wheel, like the wings, also depicts a prospective relationship to eternal life, and the realization of it. Thus the Apostle said :

"We are passed from death unto life because we love the brethren " (1 John 3: 14).

As a matter of covenant relationship, from the moment an immersed believer rises out of the waters of immersion his " faith " is " accounted to him for righteousness," and consequently he is made an heir of those exceeding great and precious promises, by which he will become " a partaker of the divine nature " (Gal. 3: 26-29; 2 Pet. 1: 4.)

He may forfeit that which he has gained by his exercise of faith, testified by his obedience to the command, but if he does not, he has, to all intents and purposes, " passed from death unto life." The realization of the gift, however, comes after, not previous to resurrection and judgment.

The Temple of Ezekiel's prophecy 5.6.10.

The Four living Ones of Ezekiel and John are symbols of the Spirit, multitudinously manifested; for "whither the Spirit was to go, they went," "as the appearance of a flash of lightning" (Ezek. 1:14,20; Rev. 4:6). Their actions are identical; therefore the Spirit and the Living Ones are the same -- "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Ezekiel tells us that what he describes was "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh," or of the Eternal Spirit. It was not the thing itself, but its similitude : the reality pertaining to the New Order of Elohim, to Jesus and his brethren.

Now, Paul teaches that we are invited to the glory of God through the gospel; and Peter, that "He hath called us to His Eternal Glory." Hence, the Four Living Ones that John saw, are represented as celebrating in song their redemption by the Lamb, that they might reign as God's kings and priests upon the earth. The Living Ones are, therefore, spirit symbols of the Sons of God in glorious manifestation. Their Eyes, however, are not limited to "seven," but are numberless; for "their whole body, their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and their wheels were full of Eyes round-about" (Ezek. 10:12)...

The eyes of Daniel's symbol are identical with the eyes of the cherubim: each eye being the representative of an individual saint. In the aggregate they are "as lamps of fire," whose mission is to slay the beast, and to destroy his body, and to give it to the burning flame (Dan. 7:11); and to take away the dominion of the rest of the beasts (v.12): or as John expresses it, to burn Babylon utterly with fire: to torment her adherents and the kings of the earth with fire and brimstone, and the sword; to bind the Dragon, and take possession of the kingdoms of the nations in all the earth (Rev. 18:8: 14:8-11: 17:14; 20:2; 11:15): all of which is implied in the words of Zechariah, that the Seven Eyes as lamps of fire, "are the Eyes of Yahweh scourging in all the earth."

PHANEROSIS - "His Eyes As Lamps Of Fire"

14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

The face of a cherub.

The most remarkable change in the aspect of the cherubim is the disappearance of the face of the ox, which symbolizes sin's flesh. In place thereof is the face of " a cherub"

Now, since the spirit is the substratum of the whole cherub, this change of face can only mean that sin's flesh has been eliminated in the change from corruption to incorruption, and that the saints now possess spirit nature, and "cannot die any more, for they are equal to the angels" (Luke xx. 36). But their relationship to the four elements signified by the four faces remains, except that sin's flesh is purified.

The Temple of Ezekiel's prophecy 5.6.11

15 And the [Keruvim] were lifted up. This is the living creature [Chayah] that I saw by the river of Chebar [Kevar River].

But though Ezekiel introduces them as four living ones and four wheels in ch. i. 5,16, in referring to them in ch. x. 15, he speaks of them as one, saying, "this is hachaiyah, THE LIVING ONE." In other words, the individuals of whom this Spirit manifestation is composed are, in the aggregate, what the voice issuing from their midst proclaims without intermission day and night, namely, the thrice or superlatively holy YAHWEH, the Omnipotent Deity, who was, and who is, and who is coming (Apoc. iv. 8).

These are the ONE BODY, nearly all the atoms of which are now in death, "sleeping in the dust." But, speaking of them as they are now in reference to its future, the Spirit styles them "My DEAD BODY, and says "they shall arise," and, in view of the resurrection, exclaims, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust."

When they come forth from the dust they are no longer the Spirit's Dead Body, but they become the Spirit's Living One, and can then say, "I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: and I was dead, and behold I am living for the Aions of the Aions, the Amen." Jesus is the visible Head of these. Without Him the Living One would be incomplete (Isa. xxvi. 19; Apoc. i. 18).

Eureka 4.4.

22 And the demut (likeness) of their panim (faces) was the same panim which I saw by the Kevar River, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

...signifies that now the saints are glorified the glory as it were stands over, or is within the whole community, i.e., the glory stands not at the threshold, but is over the household.

19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's house; and the glory of the Elohim of Israel was over them above.

(The cherubim) stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's House, because now the glorified ones stand at the east gate of Yahweh's Temple, the Temple described in the last nine chapters of Ezekiel, ready to enter its precincts.

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