What is the meaning of Ezekiel 10:15? Then the cherubim • Cherubim are real, exalted angelic beings assigned to guard the holiness of God (Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18-22; 1 Kings 6:27). • In Ezekiel’s visions they serve as the visible throne-bearers of the LORD’s glory (Ezekiel 1:22-28; 10:1-2). • Their appearance here signals that what follows is connected to God’s holy presence and judgment (Psalm 99:1; Revelation 4:6-8). rose upward • “The cherubim rose upward” shows movement, not of their own whim, but in response to the glory of the LORD lifting (Ezekiel 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23). • The upward motion pictures God’s glory departing from the defiled temple—an act of judgment (2 Chronicles 7:16 vs. 2 Kings 23:36-37). • It also foreshadows hope: as the glory can depart, it can return when there is repentance (Ezekiel 43:1-5). These were • Ezekiel identifies them with certainty; no new beings have appeared. • The phrase stresses continuity and reliability of prophetic revelation (Hebrews 6:18; 2 Peter 1:19). the living creatures • “Living creatures” is the name Ezekiel first used (Ezekiel 1:5-14). Here he equates them with cherubim, confirming that both terms describe the same heavenly beings (Ezekiel 10:20). • Their life, energy, and mobility symbolize the ever-active sovereignty of God (Psalm 18:10; Daniel 7:9-10). I had seen • Ezekiel’s eyewitness testimony underlines the literal reality of the vision (Ezekiel 1:1; 8:4). • It affirms the consistency of God’s message across time and setting (John 19:35; 1 John 1:1-3). by the River Kebar • The River Kebar in Babylon was the site of Ezekiel’s initial call (Ezekiel 1:1-3; 3:15). • Mentioning it ties the current temple vision in Jerusalem to his earlier exile vision, reminding exiles that God is present and ruling even in a foreign land (Jeremiah 29:4-7; Psalm 137:1). summary Ezekiel 10:15 assures us that the very same cherubim Ezekiel first saw by the Kebar Canal are now lifting God’s throne to depart the polluted temple. Their upward movement marks the withdrawal of God’s glory in judgment, yet the continuity of the beings and the vision highlights the faithfulness of God’s revelation and His sovereign presence with His people—whether in Jerusalem or in exile. |
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