What is the meaning of Ezekiel 1:18? Their rims were high and awesome • Ezekiel’s first look at the wheels (Ezekiel 1:16) had already stunned him, but now he notices their rims—towering, imposing, inspiring reverent fear. • “High” underscores magnitude. Just as Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1), these immense rims announce that nothing in creation rivals God’s throne-chariot. • “Awesome” translates the sense of holy dread that comes when finite creatures meet infinite majesty (Psalm 47:2; Deuteronomy 7:21). • Because the wheels move in perfect harmony with the living creatures (Ezekiel 1:19-20; 10:9), their height also hints at unstoppable mobility. God’s sovereign presence is never confined or hindered. and all four rims were full of eyes all around • Eyes in Scripture picture perception and vigilance. These eyes blanket every rim, indicating total, unblinking awareness (Ezekiel 10:12). • The scene parallels Revelation 4:6-8, where the living creatures around God’s throne are likewise “full of eyes,” stressing His omniscience that surveys both heaven and earth (2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3). • Fourfold symmetry matches the four directions (north, south, east, west). God’s watchful care is comprehensive; no corner of creation escapes His gaze (Psalm 139:2-3; Zechariah 4:10). • Taken literally, Ezekiel sees an actual wheel-work outfitted with countless eyes. Spiritually, the vision reassures exiles—then and now—that the Lord sees every injustice, every heartache, and will act in His perfect timing. summary Ezekiel 1:18 shows towering, awe-inspiring rims filled with eyes to proclaim two inseparable truths: God’s sovereign power can go anywhere, and His omniscient gaze misses nothing. The Lord who rides on such wheels is both mighty to move and fully aware, giving His people confidence that He governs every place and every moment with flawless wisdom and holy authority. |
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