Ezekiel 1:4

“And I looked, &c.] Being under the influence of the Spirit and power of God: and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north; which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar and his army coming from Babylon, which lay north of Judea: (see <240114>Jeremiah 1:14); but it seems to me to be, with what follows, only an apparatus to the following vision: and is designed to awaken the mind of the prophet, and to fix his attention to what should proceed from hence, and be seen by him; just as the Lord speared in and answered Job out of, the whirlwind, (<183801>Job 38:1); a great cloud; as is usual when there is much thunder and lightning; though some understand this also of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, which came…”

“whirlwind--emblematic of God's judgments (Jer 23:19; Jer 25:32). out of the north--that is, from Chaldea, whose hostile forces would invade Judea from a northerly direction. The prophet conceives himself in the temple. fire infolding itself--laying hold on whatever surrounds it, drawing it to itself, and devouring it. Literally, "catching itself," that is, kindling itself [FAIRBAIRN]. The same Hebrew occurs in Exo 9:24, as to the "fire mingled with the hail." brightness . . . about it--that is, about the "cloud." out of the midst thereof--that is, out of the midst of the "fire." colour of amber--rather, "the glancing brightness (literally, 'the eye', and so the glancing appearance) of…”

“Out of the north - From this quarter the Assyrian conquerors came upon the holy land. The vision, though seen in Chaldaea, had reference to Jerusalem, and the seer is to contemplate judgment as it is coming upon the holy land. Others consider the words expressive of the special seat of the power of Yahweh. The high mountain range of Lebanon that closed in the holy land on the north naturally connected to the inhabitants of that country the northern region with the idea of height reaching to heaven, from which such a vision as this might be supposed to come. Infolding itself - Forming a circle of light - flames moving round and round and following each other in rapid succession, to be as it…”

“Looked - I very diligently surveyed the things that were represented to me in the vision. Whirlwind - This denotes the indignation and judgments of God; a quick, impetuous and irresistible vengeance. North - From Babylon, which lay northward from Judea; and the prophet, tho' now in Babylon, speaks of the Jews, as if they were in Jerusalem. A fire - An orb or wheel of fire: God being his own cause, his own rule, and his own end. Brightness - Yet round about it was not smoak and darkness, but a clear light. The midst - Of the fire. Ezekiel 1:5”

“1:4-28 The language of this opening vision is that of theophany, a physical manifestation of God (see study note on Deut 1:33). It was difficult for Ezekiel to describe what he saw, as is evident from his frequent use of “looked like,” “something like,” and “seemed.” The overall effect is nonetheless clear and menacing; verbs of motion are combined with symbols of judgment to warn that God’s judgment will inevitably fall upon rebellious Jerusalem. 1:4 I saw a great storm: This language speaks of theophany (see study note on 1:4-28) as God appears in judgment. That this fiery presence is coming from the north, the direction from which Israel’s enemies had traditionally come, compounds the…”

“a whirlwind: Isa 21:1; Jer 1:13, Jer 1:14, Jer 4:6, Jer 6:1, Jer 23:19, Jer 25:9, Jer 25:32; Hab 1:8, Hab 1:9 a great: Eze 10:2-4; Exo 19:16-18, Exo 24:16, Exo 24:17; Deu 4:11, Deu 4:12; Ch2 5:13, Ch2 5:14, Ch2 6:1, Ch2 7:1-3; Psa 18:11-13, Psa 50:3, Psa 97:2, Psa 97:3, Psa 104:3, Psa 104:4; Isa 19:1; Nah 1:3-6; Hab 3:3-5; Heb 12:29 infolding itself: Heb. catching itself colour: Eze 1:27, Eze 8:2, Eze 10:8, Eze 10:9; Rev 1:15 Ezekiel 1:5”

“Description of the theophany seen by the spirit of the prophet. - Eze 1:4. And I saw, and, lo, a tempestuous wind came from the north, a great cloud, and a fire rolled together like a ball, and the brightness of light round about it, and out of its midst, as the appearance of glowing metal from the midst of the fire. - The description begins with a general outline of the phenomenon, as the same presented itself to the spiritual eye of the prophet on its approach from the north. A tempestuous wind brings hither from the north a great cloud, the centre of which appears as a lump of fire, which throws around the cloud the brightness of light, and presents in its midst the appearance of glowing…”