JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

January 1988

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your question concerning the strange sights described in the first and tenth chapters of the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel was among the Jewish captives by the river Chebar in Babylon. There he was given "visions of God" (Ezek. 1:1).

Ezekiel saw a great whirlwind (verse 4) in the midst of which were four angelic creatures (verse 5) carrying a platform which looked like glass or crystal (verse 22). On that expanse of beautiful, crystalline material (which was probably gold so fine it was transparent, Rev. 21:21) was a throne! (verse 26).

Ezekiel saw God seated on the throne. He described God's glory this way: "I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about .... This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord" (Ezekiel 1:26-28; also see Revelation 1:13-16). These verses clearly reveal that what Ezekiel saw was the throne of God.

What about the cherubim and the wheels under the throne? Their function is to transport God wherever He wishes to go (Ezek. 1:24-25). The Bible shows elsewhere that God does not always remain in His heaven, but has at times come down to the earth (Ps. 18:10; Ezek. 10:1-22). When He comes in all His glory, He comes sitting on His throne, and the angelic creatures under the throne carry Him about at lightning speed (Ezek. 1:13).

We hope you will let us know whenever we may assist you further with your study of the Bible. It is our pleasure to serve you.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT