Why did God grant the prophet Ezekiel a vision of the divine chariot?

Ezekiel reached the legal age to commence his priestly duties, such as entering the sanctuary, offering sacrifices, participating in daily liturgies, celebrating feasts, and enjoying the joyful praises. However, he was deprived of all this because he was in the land of captivity; so he would sit on the banks of the River Chebar, mourning the condition of his

682 St. Jacob of Sarug, Homily 177 On the Cherub and the Thief.

683 Eschatology refers to matters after the consummation of this world; matters of the world to come.

nation, his people, and the temple of the Lord. While there, he was granted a vision of the glory of God in which four living creatures appeared (Ezek. 1:1, 28). He described these living creatures as being cherubim (Ezek. 10:4, 18–22). In the midst of the bitterness of soul of this priest and prophet, the Spirit lifted him up to the heavens and brought him to the heavenly Jerusalem to delight in the everlasting temple. He did not see the ark of the covenant, the golden menorah, or the altar of incense, etc.; but he saw instead the fiery divine chariot, and the fiery divine throne. The heavens were opened before him so that he might enter before the throne of the almighty God. He came to realize that human affairs do not come about randomly, but by the wondrous governance of God. The almighty God cares for every detail that concerns the life of humanity, and this is the secret of our consolation even in the midst of tribulation.

In captivity, the people’s spirit had been broken, especially because the Chaldeans paraded their god Bel or Marduk⁶⁸⁴ through the streets of the capital city with pomp and splendor, while the Israelites were deprived of their temple and their songs of praise. Their own defeat therefore seemed to the be the defeat of their God. Therefore, God did not manifest Himself to them in a simple burning bush as He had done with Moses (Ex. 3:2), but in the form of a fiery chariot full of glory and splendor. For God wished to assure His prophet and His people that His glory fills heaven and earth even in the times when His people are handed over to captivity for chastisement.

In the Book of Revelation, St. John saw only one face for each living creature (Rev. 4:6– 7). But the prophet Ezekiel said that he saw four faces for each living creature; one face on each side. Perhaps the reason for this is that St. John saw these creatures from only one side and they did not turn around; while the prophet Ezekiel saw them from all sides as the chariot moved around?