Christian Churches of God
No. 108
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s
Vision
(Edition 3.0 19950421-19990703-20071114-20080310)
Ezekiel’s Vision has been explained as being spacecraft with wheels and wings and other
fanciful objects. The Bible clearly identifies them as Cherubim. What does the vision mean?
What lessons are there to be drawn from the vision? Here we see the significance.
Christian Churches of God
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AUSTRALIA
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(Copyright  1995, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2008 Wade Cox)
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The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
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The Meaning of Ezekiel's Vision
Ezekiel 1:1-28 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth
month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among
the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were
opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day
of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of
King Jehoi'achin), 3 the word of the LORD came to
Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the
Chalde'ans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the
LORD was upon him there. 4 As I looked, behold, a
stormy wind came out of the north, and a great
cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire
flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the
fire, as it were gleaming bronze. 5 And from the
midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures.
And this was their appearance: they had the form of
men, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had
four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles
of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot; and
they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their
wings on their four sides they had human hands. And
the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their
wings touched one another; they went every one
straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As
for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a
man in front; the four had the face of a lion on the
right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left
side, and the four had the face of an eagle at the
back. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were
spread out above; each creature had two wings, each
of which touched the wing of another, while two
covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight
forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went,
without turning as they went. 13 In the midst of the
living creatures there was something that looked like
burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro
among the living creatures; and the fire was bright,
and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the
living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of
lightning. 15 Now as I looked at the living creatures,
I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living
creatures, one for each of the four of them. 16 As for
the appearance of the wheels and their construction:
their appearance was like the gleaming of a
chrysolite; and the four had the same likeness, their
construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17
When they went, they went in any of their four
directions without turning as they went. 18 The four
wheels had rims and they had spokes; and their rims
were full of eyes round about. 19 And when the
living creatures went, the wheels went beside them;
and when the living creatures rose from the earth,
the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go,
they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for
the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21
When those went, these went; and when those stood,
these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the
wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the
living creatures was in the wheels. 22 Over the heads
of the living creatures there was the likeness of a
firmament, shining like crystal, spread out above
their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings
were stretched out straight, one toward another; and
each creature had two wings covering its body. 24
And when they went, I heard the sound of their
wings like the sound of many waters, like the
thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the
sound of a host; when they stood still, they let down
their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above
the firmament over their heads; when they stood
still, they let down their wings. 26 And above the
firmament over their heads there was the likeness of
a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated
above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it
were of a human form. 27 And upward from what had
the appearance of his loins I saw as it were gleaming
bronze, like the appearance of fire enclosed round
about; and downward from what had the appearance
of his loins I saw as it were the appearance of fire,
and there was brightness round about him. 28 Like
the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the
day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness
round about. Such was the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw
it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one
speaking. (RSV)
On the Fifth day of the Fourth month called
Tammuz (approx. July) of 594 BCE, the fifth
year of Jehoiachin’s captivity in the Thirtieth
year of the Sacred Calendar, the prophet
Ezekiel was given a vision on the banks of the
river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1ff.). He was with the
other captives of the tribe of Judah who had
been brought there in the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
He was given the vision by the river Chebar
and sent to another river of similar name,
which was a tributary of the Euphrates system.
The prophets Ezekiel and Daniel were of the
same period. Nevertheless, God dealt with and
through them separately.
Ezekiel was to be given a vision of the four
Cherubim who cover the Throne of God, and
by symbols he was shown the entire Plan of
Salvation and the role of the nation of Israel
(which includes the Gentile elect) in that plan
as the priesthood of the world.
However, the first important fact that can be
deduced from this vision is that of the fixing of
the Jubilee years and the Sabbath years. This
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
makes possible the restoration of the land
Sabbaths at the time of the end; for restoration
is essential to the continued prosperity of our
people. The restoration of the entire system of
God's government is only possible from a
restoration of the Jubilees. The calculation of
the Jubilee is simply established by this
statement of Ezekiel: it gives us a verifiable
historical date together with the statement of
which year of the Sacred Calendar this was, i.e.
the Thirtieth.
The fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity is
established in the following manner. We know
that Jerusalem fell and that Jehoiachin was
taken prisoner on the second day of Adar, or
15/16 March, in the year 597 BCE (according
to Encyclopedia Judaica). As Adar is the last
month of the year (and this year was WeAdar
or Adar 2: see note at end of paper), his second
year began one month later in Nisan or April
597 BCE, at the beginning of the Sacred Year.
The fifth year was therefore 594 BCE, which
establishes the Thirtieth year of the Sacred
Calendar at 594 BCE. The Jubilee years
therefore fell on the years 574 BCE and 524
BCE in that century and so on to 1 CE, and the
conversion to the current eras placed the first
Jubilee year of the current era at 27.
Christ began his ministry at the Passover of 28
CE at the end of the Jubilee year. He was
baptised 50 days prior to that date and
performed his first miracle of the water into
wine before time (Jn. 2:4) at the end of the
Jubilee year, some days before the Passover,
while he was still in Galilee after the 40-day
fast (Mat. 4:2). This was before he went down
to Capernaeum for the few days before the
Passover (Jn. 2:12) (cf. the paper Reading the
Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250)).
The next Jubilee year was 77 CE. The dates of
the years prior to this Jubilee are of great
significance. The three Sabbaths prior to the 77
CE Jubilee were 62 CE, 69 CE and 76 CE.
The year 62 CE marked the end of the 62
weeks of years of Daniel 9:25, the elimination
of the tithes to the physical Temple, and the
death of the second anointed one. From the
period 62 CE to 70 CE the physical Temple
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was destroyed and the tithe system was
transferred to the spiritual Temple of the
Church in the wilderness (cf. the papers Tithing
(No. 161); The Law of God (No. L1) and the
Law series (Nos. 252-263)). The first anointed
one at the end of the first seven weeks of years
was Nehemiah. This year was the thirty-second
year of Artaxerxes II (Arsakes) in 372 BCE,
when Nehemiah returned (Neh. 13:10-18) and
cleansed the Temple and the Sabbaths.
The second anointed one was James, brother of
Jesus Christ and elder and bishop of Jerusalem,
who was stoned in 62 CE. From 63 CE, the last
week of years began with Nero's persecutions
and the martyrdom of Paul and Peter, and the
beginning of the troubles which became the
Jewish War. 69 CE was the Sabbath year prior
to the end of the 40 years given to Judah as the
sign of Jonah from Christ's ministry. Judah was
given a year-for-a-day on the basis of the
period allowed to Nineveh for repentance
following Jonah's ministry.
Christ prophesied to Judah for three years
(Jonah prophesied for three days) and Judah
was allowed 40 years to Nineveh’s 40 days.
Nineveh repented; Judah did not. The last
seven-year period of the Jubilee cycle from
Christ's ministry saw the destruction of the
Temple in 70 CE, which ended the 70 weeks of
years from the Decree of Darius in 421 BCE,
and the removal of spiritual authority from
Jerusalem to the Church of the seven eras.
By 73 CE the Masada had fallen and Judah was
taken captive, so that by the Sabbath of 76 CE
and the Jubilee of 77 CE the process was
complete to the extent that the treble-harvest
year of 75 CE was not impaired and thereby
allowed the keeping of the 76 CE and 77 CE
Sabbaths. In other words, the Eternal
accomplished the destruction of Judah within
the system He had laid down so that the
faithful could still keep His ordinances and
prepare from 74 CE to keep the Sabbath and
Jubilee periods, which are an integral part of
the Sabbaths and are kept continuously. Judah
was sent into captivity because the spirit of the
Law was profaned. Land Sabbaths were being
profaned and the Jubilee system became lost to
the extent that Jews were selling land on the
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Seventh year of individual ownership to third
parties and reclaiming the land the following
year; and so on with business sold or leased
during the Feasts etc. This practice mocks God.
The keeping of the land Sabbaths is critical to
the nation’s continued prosperity. The
punishment for not keeping the Law and land
Sabbaths and the Jubilee period is national
captivity (Lev. 26:33-35).
From 2Chronicles 36:20-21, we know that the
purpose of the prophecy spoken of by
Jeremiah, where Judah was taken into captivity
and Jerusalem and the land of Judah lay
desolate for 70 years, was for the land to
reclaim or enjoy its Sabbaths – because Judah
had not kept the Sabbaths and the Law properly
for some 70 weeks of years previously: i.e.
from the construction of Solomon’s Temple,
which was the period of Israel's history
signified by the second Cherub of Ezekiel's
vision. It should also be noted that the nation
that was used to destroy Judah was itself
destroyed after the period and Judah was reestablished.
However, after the next period, i.e. after the
construction of the second Temple, the 70
weeks of years and after the Law had been reestablished by Nehemiah, the third Cherub of
Ezekiel's vision was to proceed for the allotted
period and, after Judah’s pollution of the Law
and rejection of Christ, the nation was sent into
captivity; and it was not to be restored until the
latter days. The fruits of it were given to
another people, i.e. the fourth Cherub or the
period of the seven Churches which from
Ecclesiastes 6:6 appears to be stated to last
2,000 years, and to be dispersed and
persecuted. This Church was protected by
dispersal (Rev. 12:15-16).
Revelation 12:15-16 The serpent poured water like
a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep
her away with the flood. 16 But the earth came to the
help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth
and swallowed the river which the dragon had
poured from his mouth. (RSV)
In other words, there was safety only in
dispersion and flight. This period of flight will
continue until, as Christ said:
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
Matthew 10:23 When they persecute you in one
town flee to the next for truly I say to you, you will
not have gone through all the towns of Israel before
the Son of man comes.
Conditions are building up for another
persecution with the conduct and suppression
of sects. Israel is, however, dealt with also as a
nation.
The land Sabbaths are still mandatory on the
nation. After the restoration of the nation Israel
from the 1800s, as the British Commonwealth
and the United States of America, these years
became an accumulating debt, as is the period
of Judah's re-establishment in Israel from the
Sabbath of 1948. The period of the covenant
re-establishment was 200 years over four
Jubilee periods from the Jubilee of 1777/8 to
the Jubilee of 1977/8, and on to 2027/8. The
last Jubilee was 1977, and 1976 was the
preceding Sabbath. The years of 1975 and 1978
were noted as excellent years, 1978 actually
being a year of a 100-year flood. The following
Sabbath in 1984 was preceded by a very good
year, and succeeded by an excellent year. It is
worth noting that the Sacred Year beginning at
the end of March 1983 ended a prolonged
drought of some years in Australia. Rainfall
records of the author showed beyond doubt that
the Sabbaths and the optimum harvest years are
living facts.
Failure to obey the Law and, in particular, the
Sabbaths and Jubilees brought Judah (and
Israel) into condemnation. The sign of Jonah
was given to Judah on a year-for-a-day in
relation to Nineveh. For Nineveh's 40 days,
Judah was given 40 years but, as Judah was
given 40 years, the world had been given 40
Jubilees to repent and to establish the Sabbath
system. This has not been done and so, in this
40th Jubilee, the world system will be torn
down.
It should be obvious to a farm economist that
the cost/benefits of farming in Jubilee or
Sabbath years in dry land conditions produces a
marginal utility. The dormant Sabbath seasons
reduce yields, making the relative returns to
overheads much less. The depletion of the soil
requires increased fertiliser costs not only for
that year but also for the subsequent six years.
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
The crops remove nutrients that the fertilisers
do not replace, reducing the long-term
productivity and life-sustaining qualities of the
crop. Soil erosion and other costs increase the
farm and public sector overheads and so on.
The short-term gains have long-term costs,
which the nation and ecology cannot afford.
The Lord's Sabbaths have to be kept by the
nations. God's people are an example. The
punishment for not doing so is captivity.
Australia is losing its capacity to produce its
own food. 70% is produced overseas and that
rate is increasing. Food that is produced here is
also taken overseas with no direct benefit to the
nation. The system is wrong and has to be
stopped. We are an example and should give
direction on this matter.
Land has been continually degraded. In ancient
times one could ride a horse along the coast of
North Africa and not see clear sunlight because
of the ability to travel though continuous
forests there.
In these Last Days the captivity is millennial,
under Jesus Christ. The Messiah "takes
captivity captive" to restore the systematic
damage incurred over 6,000 years. By 2027 all
lands will be restored to their national groups.
This reorganisation will have to be in place for
the pre-Sabbath and Jubilee harvest
requirements of 2025 (cf. The Law of God (No.
L1) and the papers on the Law series (Nos. 252263)).
Significance of the form of the
Cherubim
To understand the sequence of events in this
last Jubilee, it is necessary first to explain the
meaning of the four Cherubim or Cherubs of
Ezekiel. Ezekiel's vision came out of the north
and this orientation is important to the
relevance of the form. The Temple of God is
on the sides of the north (Ps. 48:2 KJV).
Psalm 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the
whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north,
the city of the great King. (KJV)
Traditionally, the sides of the north was the
direction of the Throne of God (Isa. 14:13).
Page 5
Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the
stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: (KJV)
Lucifer chose to ascend and be like the Most
High.
The cloud and fire is similar to that of the
Exodus where the Spirit of the Lord led and
established Israel to be a separate and holy
people. The fire was the colour of amber or
bronze, which was derived from the body of
the Spirit. Fire enfolding itself symbolised the
containment of the Spirit within bounds and
order. The enfolding symbolised the Law of
God from which the Cherubim were regulated,
even as the Spirit itself was regulated and
enfolded because the Law emanated from the
very nature of God of which we partake (2Pet.
1:4).
The enfolding of the fire also signified that the
time sequence of the four Cherubim was
enfolded to enable their appearance together.
The throne above the Cherubim symbolised the
Throne of God from which their judge, The
Elohim and El, reigns. He hovers above the
Cheribum in protection of them, and as the
centre of the Tabernacle. The Throne is the
“mercy seat” and was placed within the
physical Tabernacle itself, symbolising the
ultimate spiritual creation of the eternal
spiritual Temple. Yahovah speaks for Yahovah
of Hosts in this structure. They stand at the east
gate and the glory of the Lord is above them
(Ezek. 10:18-19).
Ezekiel 10:18-19 Then the glory of the LORD
departed from off the threshold of the house, and
stood over the cherubims. 19 And the cherubims
lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth
in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also
were beside them, and every one stood at the door of
the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of
the God of Israel was over them above. (KJV)
In Numbers 9 we see that the keeping of the
Passover is the statute that identifies the holy
people and the sojourners in their midst. From
Exodus 13:6-9, we find that the Passover (and
the Feast of Unleavened Bread) is the seal of
God as a sign on our hand and as a memorial or
sign between our eyes (i.e. on our forehead).
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This is the sign or mark of the Lord, which
identifies the holy people "so that the law of
the Lord may be in your mouth" (Ex. 13:9
RSV). In other words, the seal of God is in our
minds and hearts signified by the mark or
frontlet between our eyes, and the mark on our
hands signifies that our actions are in
accordance with our words. The keeping of the
Passover and Unleavened Bread, with the
weekly Sabbath, is the specific identification of
the congregation of the Lord. The keeping of
the other Sabbaths of Leviticus 23 follows on
automatically from the Passover seal.
Atonement itself also becomes a sign of the
Lord’s people (cf. the paper The Role of the
Fourth Commandment in the Historical
Sabbath-keeping Churches of God (No. 170)).
The Mark of the Beast is derived also from this
concept with its own law and feasts. These
were extant from the time of the Exodus as
Easter and Sunday worship, and the festivals of
25 December follow from this satanic feast and
seal or mark (cf. the papers The Origins of
Christmas and Easter (No. 235); God’s
Calendar (No. 156); The Quartodeciman
Disputes (No. 277); and Mark of the Beast (No.
25)).
The pillar of cloud and fire encompasses the
Host of the holy people, firstly from Exodus
14:19, and in Numbers 9:15 we find that the
cloud covered the Tabernacle on the day that it
was set up. The Tabernacle of the Lord was
covered continually as cloud by day and fire by
night, as a sign that the Spirit of the Lord dwelt
over the Tent of Testimony and was with the
Host of the holy people because they had been
chosen as the priesthood. When the cloud and
fire were taken up then the Tabernacle was
taken up and moved (Num. 9:21-23).
The Living Creatures represent the four stages
of the history of the priesthood and Israel. The
first stage was the Tabernacle of the wilderness
and the Judges. The second stage or Cherub
was as the first Temple from Solomon to the
captivity. The third stage was from the reestablishment after the return from captivity to
the destruction in 70 CE, and the fourth stage
was as the era of the seven Churches until the
return of the Messiah (cf. the papers The Ark of
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
the Covenant (No. 196); and Pentecost at Sinai
(No. 115)).
Each stage is as a Covering Cherub that
protects the Throne of God, and by human
hands (under the wings) accomplishes His
purpose on Earth. The Living Creatures have
been described elsewhere in the Bible, but the
symbolism of the form has a much deeper
meaning than that of a created oddity with four
different faces. In Revelation 4:6-8 we see the
same faces, but separate as four Living
Creatures, each with one of the faces but with
six wings.
Revelation 4:6-8 And before the throne there was a
sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the
throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts
full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast
was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and
the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth
beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts
had each of them six wings about him; and they were
full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which
was, and is, and is to come. (KJV)
The significance of the four faces can be
deduced from the placement and battle
standards of Israel from its original system of
encampment. The ‘order of march’ of Israel
first took effect from the 20th of the Second
month of Ziv, in the second year of the Exodus,
and as derived from Numbers 10 and other
sections was as follows.
The advance guard was comprised of Judah,
Issachar and Zebulun, who marched under the
battle standard of Judah, which was a lion. The
Tabernacle under its guard followed the
advance guard. The third group was comprised
of Reuben and the supporting tribes of Simeon
and Gad who marched under the battle
standard of Reuben, which was a man.
The fourth group and last segment of the main
body was preceded by the Holy Artefacts of the
Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was always set up
before their arrival at the new encampment.
This fourth group was comprised of Ephraim
together with the half-tribe of Manasseh and
the tribe of Benjamin. These marched under the
standard of Ephraim, which was a bull, but it
was also later sometimes depicted as a unicorn.
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
The rear guard was comprised of Dan followed
by Asher and then Napthali. This marched
behind the battle standard of Dan, which was
an eagle (although the serpent or a poisonous
reptile is also symbolic of this tribe – they were
the ‘sting in the tail’). The party of the Ark of
the Covenant preceded the Host as a clearing
party.
When the Host made camp the Levites
encamped around the Tabernacle and the tribes
encamped outside them, according to their
divisions. From Numbers 2 we establish that:
in the east was Judah and then Issachar and
Zebulun; in the south was Reuben and next to
him Simeon and then Gad; in the west was
Ephraim, next Manasseh and then Benjamin; in
the north was Dan and then Asher and then
Napthali.
This encampment organisation never varied,
and it is for this reason that Ezekiel saw the
vision coming from the north with the face of a
man in front (Ezek. 1:10), i.e. Reuben in the
south. The face of a lion on the right side was
Judah in the east. The face of an ox on the left
was Ephraim in the west, and the face of an
eagle at the back was Dan in the north looking
forward to the direction from which they had
come.
The orientation of the nation around the
Tabernacle did not vary, and for this reason
Ezekiel states that they each went straight
forward without turning. "As each went
straight forward wherever the Spirit would go
they went without turning as they went" (Ezek.
1:12).
This orientation also reflects the celestial
system around the Throne of God, which we
see in Revelation 4:1 to 5:14. There are twentyfour Elders or priests allocated to twelve
systems, represented by the tribes within four
administrative divisions.
In the midst of the Host were the Tabernacle
and the Spirit of God "like burning coals of
fire, like torches moving to and fro among the
living creatures". The burning coals are as
purification of the Host in the way that Isaiah
Page 7
was cleansed by the burning coal, and this was
also symbolic of the sacrifice and later Spirit
from Pentecost.
Each of these had four wings and two of these
wings touched one another, performing the role
of defensive perimeter of the encampment and
symbolising unity and physical protection of
the nation and the Tabernacle. The two wings
covering the bodies symbolised the spiritual
protection of the individual perfected as a
servant of God.
The four Cherubim are depicted as having a
wheel upon the Earth, one for each, and the
construction was as it were a wheel within a
wheel. The rims and spokes and the eyes of the
wheels are the functions of the holy people
essential to the continued Plan of Salvation,
progressing with each wheel closer to the
presence of the Lord. The spokes symbolise the
unity of the Spirit to the centre Tabernacle or
Throne of God, and the rim symbolises unity of
the Hosts. It should be remembered that the
seven Churches, represented by the fourth
Cherub, are in fact the spiritual building blocks
of the Temple of God. It is for this reason that
Ezekiel states twice that the Spirit of the Living
Creatures is in the wheels. The Holy Spirit was
the means by which the Host has to accomplish
this state.
This spiritual redemption of the Host was
symbolised by the loaves at Pentecost. After
the Passover had expiated sin and the Feast of
Unleavened Bread had served as a symbol of a
sinless purification (as a body guarded by the
wings of the Cherub), then a new leaven was
placed into the two loaves at Pentecost,
symbolising the new leaven of sincerity and
truth – leaven of the Holy Spirit. The two
loaves symbolised the duality of salvation to
Israel and Judah, to Israelite and Gentile, under
the Messiah of Aaron and of Israel.
This salvation was depicted by Zechariah as the
two olive trees standing on the right and left of
the lamp stand (of the seven eras of the last
Cherub) – the Messiah of Aaron at the
beginning, and the Messiah of Israel at the end
pouring out the Spirit of the Eternal onto the
Earth through the two golden pipes. The
Page 8
duality of this symbol is also in the repetition
of the accompanying prophets.
The four Cherubim or stages of the holy people
have twenty-four facets symbolised by the
twenty-four Elders at Revelation 4:9. These
twenty-four are the symbols of the twenty-four
divisions of the ministering priesthood detailed
at 1Chronicles 24:1-6, and in the order as
detailed from verses 7-18.
The allocation or order of the priesthood is on a
basis of two per tribe. There are also two
elohim allotted per tribe or division. We can
deduce that this is reflected also by the
numbering of the Judges and the Apostles on
the basis of one per tribe, being twelve in each
type.
In addition to the twenty-four divisions of the
Temple, i.e. of the second and third Cherubim,
there were also twenty-four Judges; twelve
Judges holding office under the first
Tabernacle or Cherub as the period of Judges
and twelve Apostles appointed as judges for
the restoration of the Millennium, thus
providing the symbolic twenty-four Elders of
the twenty-four divisions who cast their crowns
before the Lord of Hosts, as their periods of
office were combined under the Lord. At this
time the four Cherubim or Creatures obtain six
wings, gaining the last two wings of spiritual
immortality with the Lord of Hosts. This status
is equated with that of the Seraphim or the
higher ranks of the angels. Thus, the elect have
elohim or theoi status conferred upon them.
Zechariah 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend
the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble
among them at that day shall be as David; and the
house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the
LORD before them. (KJV)
Thus, the feeble shall be as David and the
house of David shall be as Elohim as the Angel
of Yahovah before them. This text establishes a
phased sequence. The Angel of Yahovah was
the Elohim of Israel, from Psalm 45:6-7. This
Elohim was Christ from Hebrews 1:8-9. The
House of David or the elect will become
elohim as Christ himself was and is. They will
strengthen the feeble of the restoration of the
Messiah at the end of days (cf. the papers The
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
Elect as Elohim (No. 1); The Angel of YHVH
(No. 24); and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ
(No. 243)).
The last period of the Host shows the four
Living Creatures around the Throne of God,
but the order of the Host for this fifth period
has been changed. The placement of the tribes
involving the movements of Judah, Reuben,
Ephraim and Dan is a subject in its own right.
The location of the tribes in Ezekiel 48:31ff. by
gates also varies the positioning both by gates
and lands (Ezek. 48:1-29).
The allocation of the tribes for the 144,000 is
also related to these concepts. Dan is merged
with Ephraim as the tribe of Joseph, and
Manasseh becomes a tribe in its own right for
this allocation, as does Levi. The allocation is
for the purpose of the new priesthood (Rev.
7:4-8) (see also the paper The City of God (No.
180)).
Revelation 7:4-8 And I heard the number of them
which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred
and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed
twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Napthali were
sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses
were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of
Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe
of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (KJV)
In this allocation Dan is joined to Ephraim as
the composite tribe of Joseph so that Levi can
take its place among the priesthood of
Melchisedek in the Last Days – but Dan
proceeds to take its birthright in the physical
system as Judge of Israel.
The Cherubim are one with Messiah in this
final phase also. This aspect of the millennial
system is dealt with elsewhere.
Note:
The determination of the month of Adar and
(We)Adar in 597 BCE is determined by the
phases of the moon. The Encyclopaedia
Judaica makes note on the captivity and places
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
Page 9
2 Adar on 15/16 March of 597 BCE. The
article ‘Ezekiel’ in Volume 6, page 1082,
footnote 1 states:
Determining the New Moons for 597 shows us
there was a WeAdar in that year.
The year-count in the dates starts from the exile of
King Jehoiachin (1:2; 33:21; 40:1), datable by a
Babylonian chronicle to 2 Adar (mid-March) 597.
However, II Chron. 36:10 has the exile beginning at
"the turn of the year" -- i.e., the next month, Nisan,
the start of Nebuchadnezzar's 8th year (II Kings
24:12). The era of the exile thus began in Nisan
(April) 597, and its years, like Babylonian regnal
years, ran from Nisan to Adar.
The New Moon fell on 12 March at 1500 hours
Jerusalem LMT. The next New Moon fell on
11 April at 0733 hours. The equinox fell on 27
March at 1333 hours Jerusalem LMT.
This is incorrect. The Jews refer to Adar 1 as
Adar and to Adar 2 as and Adar or WeAdar.
They do not use the terms Adar 1 and 2; it is
simply Adar and Adar.
The reference to the turn of the year in
2Chronicles 36:10 refers to the equinox in
March. It does not refer to the month of Nisan.
The Bible reference to the turn of the year for
Tabernacles also means in the period of the
September equinox. The vernal equinox falls
within WeAdar seven times in every nineteenyear cycle. There is thus no conflict whatsoever
between the Babylonian Chronicles and
2Chronicles on the issue of the captivity.
Ezekiel’s reference is to the Thirtieth year.
Such reference is not to any thirtieth year of any
known king or system. The simple statement is
taken as understood in the Old Testament text.
There is also another restoration by Whiston,
which is incorrect, being based on a faulty
structure of the regnal years. Some confusion
occurs from this sometimes.
It is more than 14 full days from the 12 March
597 to 27 March 597 afternoon to afternoon
where we have sixteen days. Thus March
cannot be the New Moon nearest the equinox,
and 11 April at 0733 hours is the New Moon of
Nisan. We thus have a WeAdar and the 2nd of
WeAdar is 14/15 March, even assuming 13
March as the beginning of the month and not
15/16 March as Judaica holds.
The captivity thus occurred at the turn of the
year, i.e. at the time of the equinox, which was
in WeAdar and on 2 WeAdar or 14/15 March
or 15/16 March on Jewish reckoning.
The year is thus calculated from the previous
year’s commencement in April 598 BCE.
April 597 BCE is thus the beginning of the
second year; 596 BCE is the beginning of the
third year; 595 BCE is the beginning of the
fourth year; and 594 BCE is the beginning of
the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity (cf. the
papers Reading the Law with Ezra and
Nehemiah (No. 250); and The Fall of
Jerusalem to Babylon (No. 250B)).

APPENDIX A:
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
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The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision
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The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision