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| 1 Then looked I, and lo! in the expanse which was over the head of the cherubim, as a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, appeared over them. |
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| 2 Then said he unto the man clothed in linen–then said he, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both thy hands with live coals of fire from between the cherubim, and throw over the city. So he went in before mine eyes. |
The man clothed with linen – Pastor Russell (see comment and additional comments Eze. 9:2)
Between the wheels – In the overlapping time between the Gospel and Millennial Ages.
Under the cherub – God dwells between the cherubim as represented in the Shekinah light in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle. There the light represents His Wisdom, the two cherubim represent His Love and His Power. What was under the two cherubim? It was the Mercy Seat - Justice.
Fill thine hand – "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." (Eccl. 9:10) The hand indicates what we do with the gifts we are given. In this case, Pastor Russell is told to take Coals of fire - the truth - and get to work (the hand) in its service.
Coals of fire – The word of God, Present Truth. Psa. 18:12-13 Note also that these coals of fire (Psa. 18:13) are also called "hail stones." - see Rev. 16:21 In other words, these Coals of Fire represent the "Seven Last Plagues." Rev. 15:1
Between the cherubims – Where God dwells (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chron. 13:6; Psa. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16)
It is interesting to note that 7 times in God's word we find this description, that He dwells between the cherubims.
Scatter them over the city – Pour out the seven last plagues upon Mystic Babylon.
He – Pastor Russell.
Went in – To get the coals of fire (plagues, truth) from under the cherubim.
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| 3 Now, the cherubim, were standing on the right side of the house, when the man went in,–and, the cloud, filled the inner court. |
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| 4 Then arose the glory of Yahweh from off the cherub, unto the threshold of the house,–and the house was filled, with the cloud, and, the court, was filled with the brightness of the glory of Yahweh. |
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| 5 And, the sound of the wings of the cherubim, was heard, as far as the outer court,–like the voice of the Almighty GOD when he speaketh. |
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| 6 So then it came to pass–when he commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, then went he in and stood beside the wheel. |
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| 7 And the cherub put forth his hand from between the cherubim, unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took up [thereof] and gave into the hands of him who was clothed with linen,–who took [it] and went forth. |
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| 8 Now the cherubim appeared to have, the likeness of the hand of a man, under their wings. |
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| 9 Then looked I, and lo! four wheels, by the cherubim–one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub,–and, the appearance of the wheels, was to look upon like a Tarshish stone; |
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| 10 and, as for their appearance, one likeness, had they four,–as might be a wheel in the midst of a wheel. |
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| 11 When they went, upon their four sides, they went, they turned not when they went,–for, to the place whithersoever the head turned, after it, they went, they turned not when they went. |
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| 12 And, all their flesh, and their back, and their hands, and their wings,–and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even their wheels, which they four had, |
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| 13 To the wheels–to them, was made the cry–O whirling wheel! in mine ears. |
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| 14 And, four faces, had each one,–the first face, was the face of a cherub, and, the second face, was the face of a man, and, the third, was the face of a lion, and, the fourth, was the face of an eagle. |
And every one had four faces: – This indicates that the Four Attributes of God all work in connection one with another, i.e., one is never in violation of the others.
Since the sequence in which these 4 attributes are displayed in the Bible, (Eze. 1:10; 10:14; Rev. 4:7) is different each time, it behooves us to determine why. The thought seems to be that the attribute which is mentioned first is the one most prominently on display at that time.
The first face was the face of a cherub – Justice. This is actually the key for understanding that this attribute is Justice. The context here is that the Man Clothed with Linen (7th Messenger) is to scatter coals of fire (the plagues - judgments of God) over the (nominal) city, i.e., over Christendom. Thus, this attribute would be justice.
It is also of interest that this is the only attribute where the symbol changes. In Eze. 1:10 it is an ox. In Rev. 4:7 it is a calf. It is for us to determine why and what is God telling us by this.
Our initial thought is that a progression is being shown going from calf (young animal) to an ox (full-grown animal) to a cherub (mighty heavenly being). Since the mightiest of these is the cherub and the setting here is the pouring out of the seven last plagues, and these plagues are both the just reward coming to society as well as the fact that "in them is filled up the wrath of God," it seems appropriate that that the cherub should here be indicating God's justice.
The second face was the face of a man – Love. Man was made in the image of God and "God is love." 1 John 4:8, 16
The third the face of a lion – Power. Gen. 49:9; Num. 23:24; 2 Sam. 17:10; Pro. 30:30; 1 Pet. 5:8
The fourth the face of an eagle – Wisdom. Likely a reference to an eagle's far-sightedness In all three occasions where these attributes are shown in this manner, the Eagle (Wisdom) is always the last one mentioned.
Please see Four Attributes in Symbol. |
| 15 Then arose the cherubim,–the same, was the living one, which I had seen by the river Chebar. |
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| 16 When the cherubim went, then went the wheels beside them,–and, when the cherubim lifted up their wings, to arise from off the earth, the wheels themselves, turned not from beside them; |
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| 17 when they stood, these, stood, and, when they, arose, these, arose with them,–for, the spirit of the living one, was in them. |
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| 18 And, when the glory of Yahweh went forth from off the threshold of the house,–and stood over the cherubim, |
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| 19 then the cherubim uplifted, their wings and arose from the earth, before mine eyes, as they went forth, the wheels also in unison with them,–and it stood at the opening of the gate of the house of Yahweh that was toward the east, with the glory of the God of Israel over them, above. |
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| 20 The same, was the living one, which I saw under the God of Israel, by the river Chebar,–then knew I that, cherubim, they were. |
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| 21 Four faces severally, had each one, and, four wings, had each one,–and, the likeness of the hands of a man, was under their wings. |
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| 22 And, as for the likeness of their faces, they, were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves–every one straight before him, did they go. |
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