What is the meaning of Ezekiel 10:21? Each had four faces – Ezekiel repeats the detail first given in 1:6, confirming these are the same cherubim who support the glory-throne of God. – The four distinct faces (10:14) display the fullness of God’s character simultaneously: • Lion – royal power and courage (Revelation 5:5). • Ox – strength in servanthood (Numbers 7:3). • Man – intelligence and relational capacity (Genesis 1:26). • Eagle – sovereign oversight and swiftness (Deuteronomy 32:11). – Because each creature carries all four faces, nothing of God’s nature is ever out of view. The vision stresses that His rule is perfectly balanced—never one-dimensional. and four wings – As in 1:6, the wings spread upward and downward, touching one another and covering the bodies (1:11), illustrating both unity and humility in service. – Wings in Scripture picture swiftness (Psalm 18:10) and shelter (Psalm 91:4). These cherubim can move “wherever the Spirit would go” (10:17), ready to obey instantly, while also providing a covering for the blazing glory above them (Exodus 25:20). – The number four again points to universality—God’s presence reaches the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:12). with what looked like human hands under their wings – Ezekiel first noticed the hands in 1:8; here they are highlighted to show that God’s heavenly agents carry out His work with skill and purpose. – Hands signify ability to act (Exodus 15:6) and tenderness to care (Isaiah 41:13). Hidden under the wings, they remind us that divine activity often moves invisibly yet effectively. – The fact that the hands appear “human” bridges heaven and earth: the Almighty chooses to work through means we recognize and understand, without surrendering a shred of His transcendence. summary Ezekiel 10:21 presents literal, awe-inspiring beings who uphold God’s throne. Their four faces proclaim every facet of His nature, their four wings embody His swift and sheltering presence, and their human-like hands reveal His intimate, purposeful activity. Together they assure us that the Lord who reigns over all is powerful, balanced, near, and always at work for His glory and our good. |
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