<< Ezekiel X >>

PARABLES: THE SLAUGHTER IN JERUSALEM

1 Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
 2 And he spake unto the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
 3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
 4 And the glory of Jehovah mounted 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 Jehovah's glory.
 5 And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaketh.
 6 And it came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
 7 And the 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 in linen, who took it and went out.
 8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
 9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like unto a beryl stone.
 10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel have been within a wheel.
 11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
 12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels.
 14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
 15 And the cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
 16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also turned not from beside them.
 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
 18 And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
 21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
 22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.

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

1. See Chapter I., 26. A. 5313.
    See Chapter I., 26. A. 9407.
    See Chapter I., 26. A. 9873.
    See Chapter I., 26. R. 14.
    See Chapter I., 26. E. 253.
    See Chapter I., 26. E. 297·
1--2. The Divine spiritual of the Word there forming the church is described. P. P.
1-7. In these passages it is evident that the Lord's providence is signified by the cherubim, lest they should enter into the mysteries of faith. For the same reason they were left to their insane lusts, which are also signified by the fire that should be scattered over the City, and no one should be spared. A. 308.
1-22. The guard and providence of the Lord is described by the four animals, each of which had four faces under the throne on which the Lord was. A. 9509.
1-9, 14, 16, 18, 19. They are cherubim which are here understood by the four animals. E. 277.

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

2-7. See. Chapter IX., 2. A. 7601.
    By linen clear and shining is signified truth, pure and genuine. R. 671.
2, 6, 7. See Chapter IX., 3, 4, 11. E. 951.

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

3, 4, The cloud filled the inner court, the presence of Jehovah in His Divine truth is meant by clouds. E. 36.
    The cloud indicates the presence of the Lord by Divine truth. E. 594.
3-6. Because the court was the representative of the outmost heaven, therefore it was filled with the cloud and the brightness of the glory of Jehovah as well as the house itself, for the cloud and the glory are Divine truth. A. 9741.
    The external of the church is signified by the court therefore also the church on earth, and also heaven in the ultimates are signified by it, because the church on earth is the entrance into heaven, and in like manner in ultimates. R.487.
    By the cherubs seen by the prophet was represented the Lord as to providence and guard that He may not be approached except by the good of love. Consequently by the cherubs are signified the superior heavens, specifically the inmost heaven, for this is the heaven where that defence or guard is. By the house which was filled with the cloud is signified heaven and the church. By the inner court, which the cloud also filled is signified the ultimate heaven. By the outer court as far as where the voice of the wings of the cherubs was heard, is signified the entrance into heaven, which specifically is in the natural world, and afterwards in the world of spirits. By the cloud and by the splendor of the glory of Jehovah is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. E. 630.
    from which the internal and the external of the church is full of the Divine. P. P.

4 And the glory of Jehovah mounted 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 Jehovah's glory.

4, By the house is here understood heaven and the church and by the cloud and glory the Divine truth. E. 220:
4, 5, Jehovah stands for good, and Shaddai for truth. A. 1992.
4, 18, 19. By glory is signified the Divine wisdom and intelligence, which was represented by a rainbow, such as is seen in a cloud. A. 8427.
The Divine truth is meant by glory. R. 629.

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

5. The voice is Divine truth. The voice of the wings, and the voice of the wheels are spiritual truths. A. 9926.
5, 21. See Chapter I., 4, 6, 23, 24. A. 8764.
    See Chapter I., 23, 24. R. 245.
    See Chapter I., 4, 6, 23, 24. E. 283.

6 And it came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
7 And the 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 in linen, who took it and went out.
8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like unto a beryl stone.
10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel have been within a wheel.

6-8. from this the doctrine is Divine. P. P.
9. See Chapter I., 16. A. 9872.
9, 10. Doctrine from the Word, which is spiritual within. P. P.
9-14. See Chapter I., 15-21. A.8215.

11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

11. It should act in unity with the Word. P. P.
12. The eyes signify the understanding, hence by the sight of the eyes intelligence. As the eyes see by natural light, so the understanding sees by spiritual light. Since by cherubs the Lord's guard and providence are signified, lest the spiritual sense of the Word should be harmed, it is therefore said of the four animals, which were cherubs, that they were full of eyes before and behind, and that their wings, in like manner, were full of eyes. Also that the wheels, upon which the cherubs were carried, were full of eyes round about. R. 48.
    By the eyes, when speaking of man, the understanding is signified, and when of the Lord, His Divine wisdom, and the same when said of the Word. By before and behind, when speaking of the Word from the Lord, the Divine wisdom and the Divine love therein are signified. R.240.
12, 13. It is full of Divine truths. P. P.

13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.

13, 14. See Chapter I., 10. A. 3901.
14. See Chapter I., 10. A.6367.
14, 15. It is known from the Word, that it is such inwardly and outwardly. P. P.
15. So fully does the wild animal signify what is living, that the angels or cherubim seen by Ezekiel are called the four wild animals or living creatures. A. 908.
    See Chapter I., 5, 13-15, 19· A. 2921.
    See Chapter I., 5, 13-1 5, 22. E. 388.
15, 20. That by the four animals cherubim are understood, appears in Ezekiel, by whom similar things were seen at the river Kebar, which are described by him. E. 277.

16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also turned not from beside them.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

16, 17. Doctrine is from the- Word. P. P.

18 And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
 
18, 19. It has, sometimes been granted me to see that Divine truth in heaven appears in glory, and the good within that truth appears there as fire. Thus the cloud variegated by fire presents the wonderful aspects which constitute glory in the external sense. A. 5922.
18-20. Influx of the Lord therefrom into the church. P. P.
19. Cherubs signify the Lord as to providence, guarding lest any should approach otherwise than by the good of love. The eastern door of the gate of the house signifies approach, the house of God is heaven and the church. The east is where the Lord appears as a sun, thus where He is continually in the morning, hence it is said the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. E. 179.
    See Chapter VIII., 3, 4. E. 208.
    The Lord is signified by cherubim. From the Lord as a sun, where the east is, proceed all the good of love, and all truth from that good. Therefore the cherubim were seen to stand at the door of the east gate of the house of Jehovah, and the glory of the God of Israel over them above. E. 42 2 .
19, 20. The God of Israel and the Holy One of Israel is the Lord as to the Divine Human. A. 7091.
    See Chapter VIII., 4. L. 39.
    See Chapter VIII., 4. T. 93.

21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.

21, 22. Conjunction of all things of the Word, and consequent
life. P. P.
Chapter mentioned. See Chapter I., under Chapter mentioned. A. 9457.

Author: Emanuel Swedenborg (Compiled by Robert S. Fischer 1925)