THE FIERY CHARIOT The book begins by a vision of the divine throne, to confirm to His people that He is longing for them to partake with the heavenliness of the enjoyment of His glory; and from another aspect, that He is in no need for the Temple they have defiled, and for their worship and offerings, unless their hearts are sanctified for Him, prepared for His dwelling. This chapter used to have a special awe among the Jews; that no one was allowed to read or to publicly interpret, on account that it dealt with the mysteries of the throne of God1. An Introduction 1-3. 1- The wind, the cloud, and the fire 4. 2- The four Living Creatures 5-14. 3- The wheels 15-21. 4- The firmament 22-25. 5- The throne and the One sitting on it 26-27. 6- The rainbow 28. AN INTRODUCTION The prophet Ezekiel started his book by giving the date of the first divine vision proclaimed to him; his dwelling place at that time; and the situation prevailing around him.. He says: “In the thirtieth year” (Ez. 1:1). By that he either meant, when he reached his thirtieth year of age, and became a priest, albeit with no priestly work; or he meant the thirtieth year after King Joshua started the restoration of the Temple, and the religious reform; or he probably meant the thirtieth year of the reign of Naboplassar the father of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and founder of the Babylonian Empire. At that time Ezekiel was dwelling by the River Chebar near Tel Abib2 (Ez. 3:15). Ezekiel reached the legal age to start his priestly work; to enter into the sanctuaries, to offer the sacrifices, to partake of the daily liturgies, to celebrate feasts, and to enjoy the joyful praises. But, unfortunately, he was deprived of all that because of captivity. So he was sitting by the River Chebar, mourning for the conditions of his country and people, and that of the house of the Lord; as though reciting the psalm that says: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive required of us a song, and those who plundered us required of us mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion’! How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her skill!!” (Psalm 136 (137). As the priest’s soul was so embittered, the Spirit raised him up to heaven, to bring 1 The Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 5, p. 316. 2 TEL-ABIB: “mound or hill of ears of grain.” The place of Ezekiel's residence among the Jewish captives in Babylonia, on the Chebar, a branch of the Euphrates (Ezek 3:15); the nahr Malcha, Nebuchadnezzar's royal canal. Tel-abib doubtless derives its name from the fertility of the valley, rich in grain, by which it was surrounded. (Fausset's Bible Dictionary. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois.) 6 him up to the higher Jerusalem to enjoy the everlasting temple; not to behold the ark of the covenant, the golden lamp-stand, and the altar of incense etc.; but to behold the fiery divine chariot, and the fiery divine throne. The heavens were opened (Ez. 1:1) before him to behold the divine mysteries, to fill his soul in the circumstances surrounding him, with comfort, as he sees through them the human nature renewed by the fiery Holy Spirit, granted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, through the holy Baptism, that became a fiery chariot carrying God Himself. Heavens were opened before the captive prophet Ezekiel, to bring him as though to the throne of the Almighty God; to let him know that human affairs do not go haphazardly, but are directed by an awesome divine ordinance; as the Almighty God cares for everything that concerns man’s life. That is the source of our comfort amid tribulations. I behold the heavens open; while others do not! No one should think that heavens were opened in the simple material sense. But we, sitting here, may behold heavens opened and closed, according to the different degrees of our worthiness. Perfect faith opens the heavens, while doubt closes them1. St. Jerome This first vision, that will be repeated, came to serve the following goals: (1) To comfort the broken soul of Ezekiel, to let him say together with the Psalmist: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comfort delight my soul” (Ps 94:19). “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:5). That is why the apostle Paul saw Paradise, most probably while being stoned in Lystra; and the apostle John was abducted to the Lord’s day, while exiled on the Island of Patmos. (2) The vision came as fitting to the circumstances prevailing in the ministry; as God grants His visions and His gifts according to the needs for His vine. When God encountered Moses, as the first leader of His people, to cross with them from the fierce servitude to the wilderness; then to bring them over through Joshua to the land of freedom; He appeared to Moses in the form of a burning yet not consumed thorny bush; as though to proclaim the mystery of the divine incarnation, the passion, and the resurrection2. As though, there is no setting forth for the Church, except through the work of salvation by Christ, the incarnate, the crucified and the resurrected from the dead. The miracles that accompanied Moses also came to confirm the same thing3. But here, the souls of the people were so broken up, to see the Chaldeans touring with the magnificent and luxurious procession of their god ‘Bel’ or ‘Marduk4’ through the streets of their capital; while the people of Israel were deprived of their Temple and of hearing and uttering their joyful praises. Their misery was counted as being that of their God. That is why God did not proclaim Himself in a simple burning bush, but through a fiery chariot 1 Hom., 75. 2 Cf. our Book on Exodus, 1981, chapter 2 (in Arabic). 3 Ibid, p. 40-42. 4 Bel (bal; Akkad. Belu, cognate of Heb. ba'al, "lord"). The patron god of Babylon (Jer 51:44) identified with Marduk, head of the Babylonian pantheon. The Hebrews called him Merodach. As a sun-god his festival was celebrated in the spring at the beginning of the year, since the sun's rays were then most potent in reviving nature. The Babylonians paid him supreme tribute and exalted him to the headship of their pantheon shortly after 2000 B.C. According to Enuma elish, the Babylonian account of creation, Marduk was elevated to this superior position because of his slaying Tiamat, the goddess of chaos. He was worshiped in Esagila, the great temple at Babylon. (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois.) 7 filled with glory and splendor; It is as though He intended to confirm to His children and people, that His glory fills the heaven and earth, even during the moments, when He allows His people to be chastised by the nations. (3) This vision proclaims the gift of God to the human nature that is sanctified by the divine incarnation. The fiery chariot represents the holy Church as a divine throne; the catholic (universal) Church; as well as the soul of the believer, who became a member in the Church of God, and a fiery chariot that carries God within it, through receiving the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments of Baptism and ‘Mayron,’ and surrendering his life in God’s hands, to work persistently in it. (4) God probably intended to proclaim to the prophet Ezekiel, how the minister of God should be. If God is a consuming fire, so also His minister should be “a flame of fire” (Ps 104:4). He is likened to a fiery chariot, so as, by the fiery Holy Spirit, he would be capable of working on God’s account. Concerning this St. John Chrysostom says: [Whoever practices a leading role, should have more splendor than a bright star; his life should be blameless, for everyone to behold and follow suit1.] (5) Before presenting the vision, it is said: “The hand of God was upon him” (Ez. 1:3). This phrase was the prophet’s favorite; if, because of captivity, he was deprived of his natural right to practice his priestly work; yet the hand of God stretched to bless him and to grant him the Spirit of prophecy. He is directly called by God to behold the mysteries of His kingdom, and to realize God’s plan with the whole humanity all along the generations till the end of ages. He was appointed by God to minister to the heavenly sanctuaries. (6) In his first homily on the book of Ezekiel, Origen believes that Ezekiel here, represents the Lord Christ in the moments of His Baptism. He, the true Word, truly became a Son of Man. He came to us, we the captives, not to show us the fiery chariot, but to lead us by His Holy Spirit through the water of Baptism, by the power of His cross, to His divine throne. He came to open His heavens before us, to find for us a place in the bosom of His Father, where to settle down, and rest forever. He transforms His Church into a fiery chariot, by His fiery Spirit, for us all to set forth by our hearts to the throne of His grace, to experience the advance payment of His glory, until the time when we can behold Him face to face. In order to comprehend these things, we shall have to enter into some details of that vision, that constituted six things: The whirlwind, the cloud, the fire, the four Living Creatures, the wheels, the firmament, the likeness of the throne, the One sitting on it, and finally the rainbow. All these carry heavenly secrets concerning the heavenly life, the holy Church, as well as the inner life of the believer, especially the minister of God. And as the prophet is trying in this chapter to describe the indescribable, he often uses the word “the likeness of;” as though the human language, expressions, and the symbols are no more helping him to express what he saw. 1- THEWHIRLWIND, THE CLOUD, AND THE FIRE “Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire” (Ez:1:4). Whenever the glory of the Lord is proclaimed, the following three things mostly . 1 الحب الرعوي، 1965 ، ص 654 8 appear: the rushing wind, the great cloud, and the fire engulfing itself; that were all strongly demonstrated on the day of the Pentecost at the upper room of Zion, when the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples, to establish the Church of the New Testament. “Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:2, 4). The rushing mighty wind that filled the whole house, is a sign of filling the Church with the divine Spirit; The fire engulfing itself through the fiery tongues are those that set the hearts of believers aflame with a persistent divine fire. And the great cloud is the congregation of disciples, who were sanctified to become a cloud of witnesses to the Lord (Heb 12:1). Concerning the rushing wind, we notice that that word ‘ruah’ in Hebrew, is translated as wind, spirit, or soul, according to the text1. The connection between ‘wind’ and ‘spirit’ is not confined to the limit of the word; as the ‘wind’ for the Jews, was not just a natural phenomenon, but mostly carries the sense of divine energy, proclaimed in nature2. In the Old Testament, the divine presence was almost always connected to the rushing wind. “The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind” (Job 38:1). The Lord addressed Moses “from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice (whirlwind)” (Deuteronomy 5:22); and as Elijah stood on the mountain before the Lord, “The Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord” (1 Kings 19:11). That is why the prophet Nahum says: “The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm; and the clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). And the Psalmist says: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him” (Ps 50:3). St. Augustine comments on these words of the Psalmist, saying: [This will, no doubt, create a kind of segregation. It is the segregation that they do not expect, as the nets are broken before they bring them to the shore (Luke 5:6). In the segregation, there would be a discernment between the good and the wicked3.] It is as though the whirlwind has taken another concept in the mind of St. Augustine. As long as we are still in this world, we are as though fishes in a net, with no distinction between the righteous and the wicked. But once it is brought to the shore - namely to the great day of the Lord, the whirlwind will segregate these from those. This segregation or discernment, accompanying the coming of the great day of the Lord, is happening now within the heart. In the day of the Pentecost, as the whirlwind blew, it granted the Church the Spirit of discernment, not to condemn the wicked outside it, but to spiritually judge those inside it; to separate between the wicked, who is holding fast to his wickedness, from the simple and pure souls; Every member will carry inside him as well, the spirit of discernment, that condemns the evil or weakness to which he falls; to walk in the light, and to get away from the darkness. He judges himself, and condemns his inner depths, and his behavior, before getting judged and condemned from outside. As to the book of Ezekiel, the prophet felt the whirlwind coming out of the north 1 J. Hastings: Dict. of the Bible, N.Y.1977, p. 1037. 2 J. Hastings: Dict. of the Bible, N.Y.1977, p. 1037. 3 Augustine: On Ps 50:3. 9 (Ez. 1:4). It is as though the Lord confirms that he (blows) on His people the spirit of discernment, to chasten them for their evil, and to bring them through captivity and suffering into the pure life. The whirlwind came out of the north; as north for the Jews refers to affliction and uncertainty. Whenever the hot north wind blows, plagues would follow and destruction would occur. While the false prophets prophesied smooth things (Is 30:10), saying: “peace, peace!, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11), in order to calm down the fear of the people, and to gain the favor of the leaders, at the expense of the truth; the prophets uttered the plain truth, even if it would hurt. That is what the prophet Ezekiel confirms, when he says that the Lord Himself is coming to chastise, as though in a whirlwind that comes out of the north. The Lord Christ connected between the divine Spirit and the whirlwind, in a new theological concept, by saying: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). He reveals that the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth through Baptism is a secret unseen one; but its activity and action is realized in the believer’s life. It blows as a rushing wind to shake the old foundations of the heart, to set out of it a new sanctuary. The Spirit keeps on blowing inside us, as though it is not coming from outside, but is dwelling within, working on the growth of our new man. We feel it working in us, but we do not comprehend its mysteries. That was how the divine Spirit worked, even in the Old Testament, through chastising by enemies coming from the north, in a secret way, that people could not comprehend, It is the work of God in them after their return to Him. As to the great cloud; from the old days, the divine presence had been connected to clouds. As the people came out into the wilderness, “the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way” (Exod 13:21). The apostle Paul saw in that, a symbol of the work of the Holy Spirit in Baptism (1 Cor 6:2); as it brings us from the servitude, to the freedom of the glory of the children of God. In several occasions, as Moses talked to God, the glory of God appeared in the cloud (Exod 16:10; 19:9). And when Moses set a tabernacle outside the camp to meet with God there, “When Moses entered the tabernacle, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door” (Exod 33:9, 10). When the tabernacle was dedicated, “the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exod 40:34). And when the temple was built to replace the tabernacle of meeting; on the day of its dedication, “The priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 kings 8:11). In the New Testament, as the Lord Christ ascended together with three of His disciples on the mountain of Tabor, and Moses and Elijah appeared talking to Him, “a bright cloud overshadowed them” (Mat 17:5). And in the book of Revelation we read about the second advent of the Lord1: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him” (Rev 1:7). So what do the clouds refer to? a- SS. Cyril the Great, Augustine, and Jerome, believe that the cloud symbolizes the humanity of the Lord Christ that was apparent to us, while His Deity was . 1 للمؤلف :رؤیا یوحنا اللاهوتي، 1979 ، ص 16،17 10 hidden from our sight. His appearance in the last day, with the cloud, implies that the glory of His Deity, on Judgment day, will be hidden from the wicked that they couldn’t enjoy it; while the righteous will enjoy the glories of the incarnated God, and His splendor will be apparent to them. b- Pope Dionysius of Alexandria believes that the cloud refers to the uncountable congregation of angels, that appear surrounding the Lord on the day of His coming. c- St. Augustine believes that the cloud refers to the congregation of preachers; saying: [The Lord Christ, the Word of God, is in the cloud, namely in those preaching the Truth1.] He even believes that every member of the Church represents a cloud, in which the Lord Christ comes; saying: [He comes now in His members, as though in the cloud; or comes in the Church, which is the great cloud2.] d- St. Ambrose believes that the cloud that overshadows the Church is the congregation of prophets, who presented to her the person of the Lord Christ through their prophesies; saying: [Moses and Joshua were two clouds. The saints are also clouds: “Who are those who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their roosts?” (Is 60:8). Isaiah and Ezekiel are two clouds above me: the first revealed to me the holiness of the Trinity through the Cherubim and the Seraphim. All the prophets are clouds, in which the Lord Christ came. In the Song of Solomon, He came as a pure beloved cloud, glittering with the joy of the Groom. He came riding on a swift cloud; incarnated from the Virgin; seen by the prophet coming as a cloud from the east (Is 19:1). He truly called Him a light swift cloud;” with nothing that belongs to the earth to weigh Him down3.] e- In talking about the bright cloud that appeared, as the Lord Christ was transfigured, Origen says: [I dare to say that our Savior, likewise, is the bright cloud that overshadows the Gospel, the Law, and the prophets, they were granted the gift of comprehension, those who beheld His light in the Gospel, the Law and the prophets4.] As to the raging fire, it was said that the Lord Himself is a consuming fire (Heb. 1:9), and that His ministers are likewise “flames of fire” (Ps 104:4). So, the appearance of the divine chariot through a raging fire, proclaims the presence of God, the Fire that burns the thorns that strangle the soul; yet grants it at the same time, an inner enlightenment to become like lightening, with “brightness all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.” St. Cyril of Jerusalem spoke of the fiery Holy Spirit that comes to the human soul through Baptism, saying: [Why marvel?! Take a veal example that, although poor and common, yet is suitable for the simple ones. If fire passes through a piece of iron to melt it completely; so, whoever is cold will become aflame, and whoever is black will turn bright. If fire, which is just a form of matter, penetrates iron - which is also a form of matter - and act in it without hindrance; So why marvel, that the Holy Spirit penetrates the inner depths of the soul?!5] And St. John Chrysostom says: [As the power of fire, when applied to gold ore, mixed with dust, turns it into pure gold; So also, and even more so, the Holy Spirit works in Baptism within those whom He cleanses, turning them from mud, into what is more 1 On Ps. 60:2. 2 Ad Hesych. 45. 3 PL 15 ; 1814. 4 Sunday Sermons of the Great Frs, vol 2 ,1964, p. 42. 5 Cat. Lect. 17,14. 11 pure than gold. When the Holy Spirit dwells like fire in our souls, He burns, at first, the image of the earthly, to give that of the heavenly; to become like a splendid coin, emerging bright out of the melting furnaces1.] St. Augustine comments on the words of the Psalmist: “A fire goes before Him” (Ps 97:3), saying: [Does this frighten you? Let us change; then we shall not be afraid! The straw may fear the fire, but what can the fire do to gold?!2] And he also comments on the phrase: “For You, O God, have proved us; You have refined us as silver is refined” (Ps 66:10), saying: [You did not consume us like straw, but refined us like silver. Your fire did not turn us into ashes, but cleansed us from defilements3.] 2- THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES We have already dealt in our interpretation of the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation4 with those heavenly beings, and said that they are the ranks of the Cherubim and the Seraphim; and referred in some detail, to their dignity, their work, their form, and to what they symbolize. But here, we add the following points: a- In the book of Revelation, St. John saw for every creature, just one face; namely, he saw only four faces, for all of the four creatures. The prophet Ezekiel, on the other hand, said that he saw for each of the four Living Creatures, four faces; one on each side. The reason for this controversy, is probably because the first looked at those creatures from one side, while the other looked at them from all sides; having seen the chariot in a condition of movement from all sides. These faces, according to St. John Chrysostom, refer to the intercession of these spiritual beings on behalf of mankind (the likeness of the face of a man); of wild animals (the likeness of the face of a lion); of the beasts of the field (the likeness of the face of an ox); and of the birds of the air (the likeness of the face of an eagle); on account of their closeness to God, more so than all other heavenly spirituals. If we take the interpretation of St. Gregory of Nyssa and that of Origen, we see in the fiery chariot, the soul, sanctified with all its energies, to be worthy of carrying the divine throne. The lion refers to the power of anger; the ox to that of lust; the man to reason; and the eagle to spirituality. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul; inflaming our energies by His fire, not to destroy, but to sanctify them, and to integrate them together into what is like a fiery chariot that carries God in it! And if we take the interpretations of St. Victorianus5 and that of St. Irenaeus, we we see in those faces a reference to the four gospels that bring the soul to salvation, to enjoy the kingdom, not as something outside it, but rather within it; to become a sanctuary to the Lord. Taking the interpretation of St. Jerome, we see that the mystery of carrying God - the consuming Fire - lies in our enjoyment of divine salvation through the incarnation (the likeness of the face of a man); the crucifixion (the ox); the resurrection (the lion); and the ascension (the eagle). By this mystery, that of the incarnate Lord, who was crucified, risen from the dead, and ascended to heaven, the soul sets forth as a fiery . 1 المؤلف: الحب الإلهي ، ص 847 2 On Ps. 50. 3 On Ps. 66;10. .66- 4 المؤلف: رؤیا یوحنا اللاهوتي، 1979 ، ص 62 5 Bishop of Pateu, was martyred on 304. 12 chariot, to carry, by the Holy Spirit, the divine life inside it. Finally, if these four creatures represent the holy Church, that carries the divine life inside her; these four are the ‘Bishops,’ the ‘Priests,’ the ‘deacons,’ and the congregation. These are the main pillars working together on the account of the Lord Christ. Disturbance in any of them, would let the Church lose its balance, and does harm to its mission. If one pillar loses its strength or its cooperation with the other pillars, the whole building would crumble down. The Church is not centered on a Bishop, a Priest, a deacon, or a member of the congregation; but it is an integral and interacting life. b- Each creature appears with four wings, while, in the book of Revelation, each has six wings. This difference probably refers to what Ezekiel called a ‘firmament’ above the heads of the Living Creatures; It is as though each one of these Living Creatures, raises two of his wings over his head in the form of a firmament, in order to shade his eyes before the splendor of God’s glory. By this action, these two wings are not apparent; but only the other four are. As such will be the soul, especially that of a God’s minister, who enjoys the life of fellowship with God; it will become like a cherub with six wings, covering itself with two, flies towards God with two, and covers its eyes with the other two before the splendor of God’s greatness! The prophet Ezekiel noticed that the wings of the cherub are connected to one another. Thus if the cherubim represent the highest of the heavenly ranks, their holy and fiery life, would not be qualified to carry the divine throne, except by their union with one another [v.9]. That is what made St. Macarius the Great say, that man’s salvation lies in the life of others; He can’t enjoy salvation, isolated from his fellow men, but through being a member together with them, in the one body to the one Head. c- “Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze” (Ez. 1:7). The straight legs represent the straightness of the spiritual man, whose soles are like burnished bronze; that flatten the thorns, and sparkle like the heavenly splendor, without getting spoiled by the dirt of the world. The true believer fearlessly treads on the world, heading toward heaven without getting distracted by the affairs of the world. d- “They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides” (Ez. 1:8). The spiritual man lives flying in the heavens, as though by the wings of the Spirit; with his hands always ready to work on the account of the kingdom of God, to serve all men. The presence of hands under the wings probably means that the heavenliness worship God and minister to mankind; they have the spirit of worship and ministry together! e- “Their wings touched one another” (Ez. 1:9); namely, all worship together with the spirit of love, harmony, and unity. f- The prophet looked at these Living Creatures, to see their faces on all sides, as though with no back; capable of moving in all directions without turning aside (Ez. 1:9). It is fitting for the bearer of the divine throne, having entered into the perfection of glory, to have no back, but to be all-faces, and all eyes, always beholding God with no hindrance. That is why when the people transgressed against God, He admonished them, saying: “They have turned their back to Me, and not their faces” (Jer 2:27), an expression that He often used on the tongue of the prophet Jeremiah (7:24; 18:17; 32:33). It is as though the prophet Ezekiel came to use the words of Jeremiah in another form. Instead of rebuking the people for turning their back and not their face to God, he is exhorting them to become like those heavenly creatures, who have no back altogether, 13 but their whole life, in the Lord, is all faces and encounters. The prophet describes their movement, saying: “They went wherever the Spirit wanted to go” (Ez. 1:12). The Holy Spirit is leading the divine procession; leading both the heavenliness and the earthliness in Truth. He repeats the word “go,” to confirm the importance of our commitment to go according to the plan of the Holy Spirit, and under His leadership, with no diversion to the right or to the left. g- The prophet saw those Living Creatures always on the move in a harmonious way; appearing like burning coals on fire; like torches, that flash with lightening (Ez. 1:13). This is a living portrait of God’s work in us, making us always on the move toward Him, by the holy fiery Spirit; like burning fire; and enlightens us that we become like bright torches filled with His splendor. h- Their movement produced noise like that of many waters; like the noise of an army. Such is the work of God in our life, turning the souls into a mighty army, undefeatable by the devil and his hosts. That is why St. Cyril of Jerusalem says to the Catechumens: [Everyone of you comes and presents himself before the Lord, in the presence of uncountable hosts of angels. The Holy Spirit puts a sign on your souls, to assign you as soldiers in the army of the great King1.] And Fr. Theodore of Mesopotamia says: [Now you are chosen for the kingdom of God; and are recognized as soldiers in the army of the King of heaven2.] I- In the tenth chapter, the prophet Ezekiel called the Living Creature ‘a cherub.’ It is amazing how the cherub is closely connected to our salvation. He appeared in the first book of the Bible, holding a flaming sword to guard the way to Paradise, to block man’s way to the tree of life; as the fallen nature of man is not capable of reaching the source of life. He also appeared in the last book of the holy Bible, together with the twenty-four Presbyters, singing the praise of the Lamb, the praise of our salvation (Rev 5:9); as man gained the right of entering heaven itself; when his nature became glorified in Christ Jesus the true Lamb. In between the beginning of the Holy Bible and its end, two cherubs also appear over the ark of testimony in the tabernacle and the Temple, as a sign of God’s presence; through which God used to talk to His prophet Moses. The presence of two cherubs over the ark of testimony, that represents God’s throne; refers to the fact that God, who dwells in the midst of His people, talks to them, and deals with them through mercy and love. The presence of two of them, refers to the role of the heavenliness; praying for our sake, and ministering to those who will inherit salvation (Heb 1:14). The figure of the cherub drawn on the tabernacle and the veil, were close to that of a winged man; a proclamation of how close, the human nature is to the divine presence. Man was familiar with the cherub; he was known by the nations, especially the Chaldeans, although they added to it forms of their own; the way the rest of the nations did to all the facts of faith, that they orally received by tradition, then tainted them by their own diverted thoughts. Thus, when we see the cherub, we remember our human nature, that enjoyed salvation, through its union with God in our Lord Jesus Christ, by His Holy Spirit. His four faces refer to the sanctification of our new nature with all its aspects: the mental (face of man), the spiritual (eagle), work (ox), and authority (lion). 1 P G 33 ; 428. 2 Theodore of Mopseustia ; Cat. Hom., 13:17. 14 j- St. Clement of Alexandria followed the lead of the Jew Philo, saying that the word “cherub” means “knowledge,” namely, that through spiritual knowledge, our life becomes a chariot that carries God inside it. This is also said by St. Jerome1, who saw in the cherub a symbol of the store of knowledge that works in our nature, to lift it up and set forth with it among the heavenly hosts. It works in our nature, that has the upper hand over lusts like a lion, soars up high like an eagle, works and strives like an ox, and reasons like man. We get this same knowledge from the four gospels; as said by the same saint: [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are the quartet team of God; the true cherubs, or the store of knowledge; whose bodies are filled with eyes, and glitters like lightening... Their legs are straight and high; their backs are winged; ready to fly in all directions. Each of them is touching and holding the other, like wheels inside wheels, rolling forward, and going according to the will of the Holy Spirit2.] k- “The Living Creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightening” (Ez. 1:14); probably referring by this to the ministry of the heavenliness, who are sent to us, but would soon rush back to where the divine throne is, to enjoy beholding God. So is also the true believer, whose heart and mind are aflame with longing toward his Savior, from time to time he would rush back with all his feelings, like lightening, to enjoy beholding Him, proclaiming together with the apostle:...” I have the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil 1:23). 3- THEWHEELS “Now as I looked at the Living Creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their works was like the color of Beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their works was, as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went toward anyone of four directions. They did not turn aside as they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the Living Creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the Living Creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels lifted up. Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the Spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the Living Creatures was in the wheels” (Ez. 1:15-20). a- What are these wheels that are on the earth, that carry inside it the spirit of the Living Creatures; that move in harmony with them; yet, at the same time, they are so high, awesome and full of eyes; their appearance is like the color of beryl; a wheel in the middle of a wheel? St. Jerome answers, saying: [The two wheels are the two Testaments, the Old and the New: The old moves in the New, and the New moves in the Old3.] He proves his view by quoting what came in the tenth chapter (according to the Septuagint version): “Those wheels were called, in my hearing, ‘Gelgel’” (Ez. 10:13 LXX). The word “Gilgel” here is not the word “Gilgal,” that means “rolling” (Deut 11:30) or a circle. The first is formed of two words “Gel” and “Gel,” which means “a proclamation4.” It is as though, the voice that the prophet Ezekiel heard coming out of the wheels is ‘the proclamation of the New Testament and the proclamation of the Old Testament.’ The two Testaments melded together to proclaim the secret of salvation for humanity by the Lord 1 Epist. 53 :9. 2 On Ps. , hom 10. 3 On Ps. , hom 25. 4 On the Holy Spirit 3:21. 15 Christ, the center of the Holy Bible. Concerning this, St. Ambrose says: [The prophet saw a wheel moving within a wheel. This vision, no doubt, does not refer to something carnal, but to the grace of the two Testaments. The wheel within a wheel, is life under the Law, and life through grace, as within the Church grace included the Law1.] And St. John Chrysostom says: [The two Testaments are connected together and melded to each other2.] The Old Testament reveals the mysteries of the New Testament, and clarifies them through symbols and prophecies; and the New Testament reveals the mysteries of the old Testament, that were hidden behind shadows. He saw the wheels on the earth, but their rims were high and awesome; as though the word of God was presented in the two Testaments in our human language, to comprehend and to live, while we are on earth. Yet they are, at the same time, high and awesome, they lift the soul up to the heavenliness, and help us enter into the mysteries that are filled with awe. And as said by St. John Chrysostom: [It is not possible for him who was granted the activity of the word of God, to remain in this present lowness; but would rather acquire two wings to set forth to the exalted places, to discover the limitless light of goodness.] b- The wheels are connected to the earth; as the fiery chariot is connected to us, humans; to carry us up from the dirt of this world, to the heavenly fiery life. That is the chariot of God, whose way is said to be in the sanctuary, as well as in the sea (Ps 77); God of both heaven and earth together; glorified by all. c- The connection of the wheels to the earth confirms that God is the Controller and Maker of history; who works in all ages. The wheel of his love and care keeps rolling incessantly, even if man does not comprehend their mysteries and wisdom. d- The appearance of the wheels is like the color of beryl - a kind of stone known for its great hardness, and for its light green color. It is the tenth stone on the breastplate of the High Priest (Exod 28:20); with which he enters into the sanctuaries of God. It is as though, God grants the soul both hardness and strength to confront all the wars of the devil; the light green color refers to the fruits it presents in man’s life; turning his heart into joyful Paradise. Its presence on the breast of the High Priest, reveals the work of the word in us, inscribing our names on the breast of the Lord Christ, Bishop of our souls, who is in His Father’s bosom interceding for us with His blood, to bring us to the bosom of His Father. Finally, this stone is one of the stones that adorn the foundations of the walls of the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:20). It is as though the word of God is the adornment of the bride, who forever enjoys the entrance into the chambers of the Groom. Thus, the word of God is the high-priced precious stone that should be acquired by the priest, the monk, and members of the congregation, as the source of conquest, victory, and union with the Lord Christ, and of the entrance into the heavenly life. That is why, when Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov wrote his book “The Arena3,” introducing a program for monastic life in connection with Church Fathers, he started it by drawing the attention of monks to the Holy Bible and the biblical commandments; saying that the old saintly monk fathers called the monastic life, as that which live according to the commandments of the gospel. St. John of the Ladder identifies the monk as someone who is guided only by God’s commandments and His word, all the time, everywhere, and 1 In Matt, hom., 47:4. 2 In Ioan ,hom 1,6. 3 Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov: The Arena, An offering to Contemporary Monasticism, Madras, 1970, chapter 1. 16 in every situation1. The monks who were under St. Pachomius the Great, were committed to learn the Gospel by heart; so that the statutes of the incarnate God, would be always like a permanently opened book in the memory of the monk, seen by the eyes of the soul, and printed on it to be accomplished easily, and without failure2. The blessed elder Seraphim of Sarov says: [We should so train ourselves that the mind as it were swims in the law of the Lord by which we must guided and govern and rule our life3.] e- “Their rims are full of eyes; all around the four of them” (Ez. 1:18). The spiritual person carries the spirit of discernment and wisdom, full of eyes. These rims are high and awesome (Ez. 1:18); the spiritual man is characterized by spiritual exaltness; to be counted in the eyes of heaven, as exalted and dignified. He is so high, that the devil is not capable of getting him; and awesome; because the Spirit of the Lord in him, is greater than all the energies of the devil. 4- THE FIRMAMENT “The likeness of the firmament above the head of the Living Creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads” (Ez. 1:22). He saw above the heads of those living heavenly creation, the likeness of the firmament of heaven. Thus, as the believer offers all his energies: physical, mental, psychological, and spiritual, as tools of righteousness, sanctified to God; his life would turn into the likeness of a heavenly firmament that overshadows his inner heart. Concerning this, St. John Saba says: [Heaven will be inside you if you are pure; and you will behold the angels in it, radiant with joy. The kingdom of the pure in soul, is inside his heart. The sun shining in it is the light of the Holy Spirit, its air is the breeze of the comforting Holy Spirit; and his fellow dwellers are the spiritual attributes of the pure; their life, joy, and rejoicing are Christ, the Light of the Father4. The appearance of the firmament like an awesome, stretched out crystal, refers to the nature of crystal, that reflects as a mirror what is before it, inside it. So, the appearance of God, carried above the firmament, is reflected inside the believer; In other words, the soul, having become a heaven and a sanctuary to the Lord, became like crystal that carries His image, and reflects His features in it. This vision reminds us of what St. John saw: “Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal” (Rev 4:6). Bishop Victorianus5 believes that this sea refers to Baptism; whoever wishes to encounter Him who sits on the throne, has to wade into that sea, to have the grace of God penetrate his soul, to be prepared for the kingdom. As to being like crystal; it is fitting for those who are to be baptized, to be strong and steadfast. As the rays of the Sun of Righteousness who sits on the throne reflects on the sea of crystal, the colors of rainbow appear clear on the Living Creatures. In other words, the talents and the various gifts of God, would appear in the life of believers. 5- THE THRONE AND THE ONE SITTING ON IT “And above the firmament over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the 1 Ladder 1:4. 2 Cf. Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov: The Arena, An offering to Contemporary Monasticism, Madras, 1970, chapter 3. 3 Ibid. . 4 المؤلف: الحب الإلهي ، 1967 ، ص 770 . 5 5 المؤلف: رؤیا یوحنا اللاهوتي ، اصحاح 4 17 appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around” (Ez. 1:26, 27). As the believer’s life turned into a heavenly firmament, on which various colors are reflected through the likeness of crystal; In it will appear the throne of God, and the Word of the incarnate God sitting as a King on the heart. He appears like a man, yet at the same time as bright amber; from His waist upward as fire; and from His waist downward full of brightness. Thus God appears to us as fire that burns up all evil in us; and by the splendor that He pours into our inner depths, our inner insight is opened and is filled with glory. He approaches to reconcile us; to consume in us the works of the old man, and to fill us with the splendor of the new man. St. Gregory the Theologian saw the mystery of divine incarnation proclaimed through this vision; saying that that chariot carrying God is St. Mary the virgin, who was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, to become glorified and filled with virtues1. 6- THE RAINBOW Wherever the divine throne appears, we see a rainbow around it (Rev 4:3); as the glory of God is not only might and greatness, but also love without limits. The rainbow is the sign of love that was presented by God when he made a covenant with Noah after the great flood (Gen 9). God keeps on loving mankind through His covenant with us. This rainbow has many colors, proclaiming God’s various graces and gifts to us. As a bow, it refers to the bow that was used in wars; as though God defends us by His bow; but with no arrows; as He does not like blood-shedding; By Him we conquer sin and trample upon the devil.Origen2 believes that the presence of the four faces together (the lion, eagle, ox, and man), is a reference to the return of the holy Living Creatures to their former domesticated nature. If in the Messianic era, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the lion shall graze where the calf does (Isaiah 11:6); this perfect harmony will be realized in the ultimate advent of Christ; when all will be one in Him, will enjoy union and peace together in Him; as we will be in heaven itself together with all the heavenly creation. Finally we would like to mention what Father Novation, of the third century, said concerning that vision. He saw in the fiery chariot a symbol of God’s care for mankind He who condescends on behalf of man3. He believes that the fiery chariot is the universe with all its stars, with their regular movements. He said that God controls the universe using the angels, symbolized by the Living Creatures. The wheels are the movement of seasons and days; the legs are the movement of time; the eyes in the wheels are God’s care from which nothing is hidden; the fire refers to the vital power that revives the world, or to the heat, without which the world would stand still; As to the two girdles that control the living creature, these are the natural law4. 1 Four Homilies, 2. 2 In Hom 11:3. 3 De Trinit. 3. 4 Jean Daniélou ; The Origins of Latin Christianity, 1977, p. 242. 18 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 1 SHOW ME YOUR HEAVENS I long to behold Your heavens! You revealed Your heavenly chariot to Your prophet Ezekiel; And You opened a gate in heaven to Your disciple John! I long to behold Your heavens! I want to know where I shall settle down, O my soul’s beloved! Amid the bitterness of captivity, You revealed Your chariot to You prophet; So he realized that You are the Maker and Controller of history! Reveal Your mysteries to me; to be sure that I am carried on Your arms! Ezekiel saw You in the midst of the whirlwind, the cloud, and the fire. Let Your Holy Spirit blow on my soul; so that I may smell a heavenly breathe. Lift me up as though on a cloud, to protect me from the serpent. Let Your Holy Spirit inflame my heart with the fire of Your love! Your chariot is greatly amazing; a cherubim chariot; Having faces like those of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Count me as a chariot and a throne, to dwell inside me! Sanctify everything in me: The feelings of my heart, as a man of God; The strength of my soul as a daring lion; My offerings and gifts as an ox, a burnt offering for You; My thoughts and meditations, to fly like an eagle in the heavenliness! Grant me six wings together with the cherubim. Grant me humility and hope, as two wings to cover my legs, as though from sin! Grant me insight and love as two wings; so as to behold the splendor of Your glory! Grant me Your proclamations and grace as two wings, by which to fly up to Your bosom! Grant me eyes within and without together with the Living Creatures. Grant me heavenly wisdom to live on the earth as well as in the heavenliness! Show me Your heavens, to yearn to depart to You! Let me behold the light of Your face, to become myself light! Grant me eyes on every side; for my whole being to become a face; And never to have a back! To move in every direction; yet never give You a back but a face! How amazing are those two wheels in Your fiery chariot! Moving incessantly by the Spirit! How amazing are the two Testaments: the Old and the New! By Your Holy Spirit I enjoy their mysteries, to move always toward heaven! Their rims are so high from earth to heaven! 19 Let Your Word lift me up in the two Testaments, so as not to stay any longer in the dust! How beautiful are You who sits on the throne! How amazing is the rainbow around You! Show me Yourself... I long to enjoy You! Grant me a strong faith in Your precious promises and Your eternal covenant!
Welcome