- [Narrator] The most
mysterious angels in the Bible. The Ophanim. In the Old Testament angels
are referenced 108 times. The Book of Genesis recounts
instances of angels intervening in the lives of Abraham and Jacob. In the Book of Exodus, Moses also encountered angels during the wilderness wandering. In total, the word angels or angel appears in the Book of the Law and
Moses' writings 32 times. The angels of God are introduced to us in the scriptures as the hosts of heaven. Angels are real beings. They are not mythical figures or opinions. They are spiritual personalities that have a physical impact. Just like the demonic world, the angelic world is also hidden. We might not be able to touch them, yet angels touch people. You cannot handle them,
yet they can destroy kings. This brings us to the most
mysterious angels in the Bible. The Ophanim. What are the Ophanim? The term Ophanim in ancient
Hebrew refers to wheels. The singular is Ophan. Of course, wheels are cited several times in the Old Testament and the Ophanim can refer to normal wheels on a cart or a chariot, but of particular interest are the wheels on the throne of God, mentioned in Ezekiel's vision. Who was Ezekiel? Who was this prophet that saw this vision? Prophet Ezekiel. The name Ezekiel means El, God is strong or God strengthens, or may El, God, strengthen. This prophet live during one of the most difficult
times of Judah's history, namely the Babylonian exile, and this may indicate
the reason for his name. During Nebuchadnezzar's
conquest in 597 BC, he was one of the 10,000
prisoners captured from Jerusalem and most likely he prophesized in Babylon to the exiles in settlements of Tel Abib on the River Khabur. The ministry of Ezekiel
was absolutely necessary for the exiles. For those who believed and
gave heed to his words, there was life but for the others, certain judgment. Ezekiel's ministry showed that
God was still communicating with them, even during
times of harsh judgment. Even though they would be
punished, they were not abandoned. Jeremiah preached God's
message in Jerusalem while another voice preached
it to the exiles in Babylon so they would be informed
about God's plans. Both voices were equally strong. Ezekiel sees the Ophanim. Ezekiel has been in exile
when God appeared to him. God used this encounter to
start Ezekiel's ministry as a prophet by showing
him an astounding vision. It is hard to define the Ophanim depicted in Ezekiel's vision without considering the
entirety of the revelation. God chooses to open the heavens in front of Ezekiel's temporal eyes. The description of Ezekiel's
inaugural vision is one of the most difficult
passages to translate in the whole Old Testament. Ezekiel first tells where he
was when he saw the vision. Ezekiel 1:1-4. "Now it came about in the 13th year on the fifth day of the fourth month while I was by the River
Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened
and I saw visions of God. On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of
King Jehoiachin's exile, the word of the Lord came
expressly to Ezekiel, the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar. And there the hand of
the Lord came upon him. As I looked, behold, a high
wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire
flashing intermittently and a bright light around it. And in its midst, something like gleaming metal
in the midst of a fire." He tried to put into words something that couldn't be explained clearly. He used similes to describe it, comparing it to other things in order to give an idea
of what it was like. We read the phrase, "Something like gleaming metal
in the midst of the fire." Ezekiel notices a foreboding
dark cloud of lightning and fire approaching from the north. Within the cloud there
are four lighted beings that shine brightly. Although the beings have
the appearance of humans, they are not human in any way. Each possesses four different faces, one human face, one
lion face, one ox face, and one eagle face. The prophet doesn't record
these creatures by name in Ezekiel 1 where the
recounting of his vision begins. But by chapter 10, they're
identified as cherubim. Ezekiel 1:5-7. "And within it, there were figures
resembling four living beings and this was their appearance. They had human form. Each of them had four
faces and four wings. Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof and they sparkled like polished bronze." What Ezekiel saw was real, but he had to describe
it with familiar terms. Before witnessing the Ophanim, Ezekiel saw creatures
that later identified these creatures as cherubim. The cherubim are a group of
celestial beings created by God. They are the first of
the angelic hierarchy to appear in the Bible, immediately following Adam
and Eve's fall from grace. We don't know Adam's
reaction to witnessing those glorious cherubim for the
first time in human history. Perhaps awe, fright, and
wonder will come to mind. In Exodus 25, Moses was given specific
and detailed instructions on how to make several
articles of furniture that would be used in the tabernacle. The Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat where God promised to meet
and commune with Moses were the first to be detailed. What did God want to go over
or on top of the mercy seat? He chose representations
of the cherubim in gold. What an awesome sight that must have been. The cherubim, associated with
the very presence of God. And here Ezekiel sees the
cherubim in the presence of God. They constantly glorify God. Though artists have painted cherubim, the plural of cherub, as chubby little
angelic-looking creatures, the Bible describes them as
attending the throne of God and executing his will. Ezekiel 1:8-10. "Under their wings on their
four sides were human hands. As for the faces and
wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another, their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. As for the form of their faces, each had a human face. All four had the face
of a lion on the right, and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle." Ezekiel noticed that each living creature had four faces. One human, possibly
representing intelligence, one lion, representing strength, one ox, representing servitude, and one eagle, representing loftiness. They had wings and the willingness to go wherever the spirit went. The Lord wanted Ezekiel to
understand that he is everywhere. Ezekiel may have been
in a land of captivity, but he was not alone. God was with him. As believers in God, we can find comfort in the fact that he is always with
us no matter where we are or what challenges we are facing. The idea that God is present everywhere gives us peace of mind knowing
that he is always with us. Ezekiel 1:11-14. "Such were their faces, their wings were spread out above. Each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies. And each went straightforward. Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go without
turning as they went. In the midst of the living beings, there was something that looked
like burning coals of fire, like torches moving
among the living beings. The fire was bright and lightning was flashing from the fire, and the living beings ran back and forth like bolts of lightning." The chariot. After seeing the cherubim, Ezekiel saw the wheels,
like the chariot wheels. The best object for
imagining what Ezekiel saw is a gyroscope. Ezekiel was describing something that could move in any direction
without needing to turn. Keep in mind that Ezekiel was
describing the indescribable. Ezekiel 1:15-21. "Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the ground beside the living beings for
each of the four of them. The appearance of the
wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling topaz and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. As for their rims, they were high and awesome and
the rims of all four of them were covered with eyes all around. Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them and whenever the living
beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction, and the wheels rose just as they did for the spirit of the living
beings was in the wheels. Whenever those went, they went. And whenever those stopped, they stopped. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose just as they did, for the spirits of the living
being was in the wheels." Ezekiel continued to describe
the constant interaction between the wheels and the cherubim. Wherever the cherubim
went, the wheels went. He reported that the
spirit of God manifested in all this was happening. Ezekiel was also seeing God's omniscience. The multiple eyes he saw represented God's complete awareness. He sees and knows everything. This great book begins with a vision. Ezekiel receives a revelation from God of four angelic figures. In this vision, God calls the prophet to be his spokesman and watchman to the Hebrew exiles. This vision is first of four in the book. Ezekiel describes this first
vision in vivid detail. Like all effective leaders, he
spoke as clearly as possible. A pastor once said, "If
it's fuzzy in the pulpit, it's foggy in the pew." Ezekiel provided vision
by way of analogies, then applied those visions. He communicated a picture,
then shared his point. Divine visions always help a leader and the people move in
the right direction. A divine vision also seems
to include these components. The spirit of the living
creatures was in the wheels so that the creatures moved in whatever direction the wheels moved. It was indeed an awesome sight. The huge wheels, the living creatures, the unfolding fire, and the eyes in the rims of the wheels. What an arresting picture
of the providence of God, always at work, intricately designing, never wrong and never late. What Ezekiel saw or described
in this passage is difficult to visualize in its entirety. It's presumably an image
of a magnificent chariot with four wheels that's
bringing the throne of God. The scene gives the impression
of continuous motion and activity, not only on the part of the living beings themselves, but also on the part of God's throne. The sense seems to be that the wheels and their workings could
move in any direction, but there was no sense
of chaos or disorder in their movements. A popular Bible commenter
stated about this, "Like a ball bearing, they could move in any direction without any steering mechanism." Ezekiel 1:22-28. "Now over the heads of the living beings, there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. Under the expanse, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other. Each one also had two
wings covering its body on one side and on the other. And I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of abundant
waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of a crowd like
the sound of an army camp. Whenever they stopped, they let down their wings and a voice came from above the expanse
that was over their heads. Whenever they stood still,
they let down their wings. Now above the expanse
that was over their heads, there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance, and on that which
resembled a throne high up was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the
appearance of his waist and upward something like gleaming metal that looked like fire
all around within it. And from the appearance
of his waist and downward, I saw something like fire and there was a radiance around him. Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of
the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness, of the glory of the Lord, and when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking." Finally, Ezekiel saw the chamber in heaven and tried to describe the sights and the sounds of the creature. Then he noticed a throne occupied by someone with the appearance of a man. Ezekiel observed that the entity seated on the throne resembled a human, but was more akin to flames
than physical matter. Just imagine the glory and
the splendor that there was. Next, Ezekiel saw a rainbow
around the throne of God. God gave Noah the rainbow
of promise after the flood. John saw the rainbow before the storm. Ezekiel witnessed a
rainbow amid the storm, which symbolized God's covenant
promise and divine power. The message conveyed is about
the magnificent power of God. He was comforting Ezekiel by assuring him that he is in control and there is nothing
beyond his capabilities. What does God's omnipotence mean to us? No problem or difficulty
that we are going through is beyond God's power
to do something about. We may not be able to
handle it, but God can. We do not have to wonder
why Ezekiel fell down. He was exposed to the glory of God, the outward manifestation
of his divine presence. When someone experiences the magnificence and grandeur of the Lord, the only natural response
is to bow down in reverence. During the challenging
times of Ezekiel's ministry, God reminded him of a
vision to reassure him that he was still in control
from his throne in heaven. Despite being far from Jerusalem, he knew that God was with him. Similarly, believers today may feel like they're in exile in this age. In today's world, there is a rise in wickedness
and immoral behavior. Even people who attend church may refuse to accept the teachings of the Bible. However, we can take comfort in Ezekiel's description
of God's magnificence. We may not see the wheel like he did, but we know God is with
us no matter where we are or what we are going through. He knows everything
and he can do anything. More than that, he has given us his Holy
Spirit to be our helper. We should keep these truths in mind and remain steadfast in our faith in him during these challenging times until the day we are called
to join him in heaven. It can be challenging to visualize what Ezekiel saw or
expressed in this passage. The description of full of eyes was how John described
the cherubim themselves. Revelation 4:6, New
American Standard Bible. "And before the throne, there was something like a
sea of glass, like crystal, and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full
of eyes in front and behind." The sense is of excellent
knowledge and intelligence. The four wheels and their workings moved in step with the four
cherubim as they rotated. They were linked together in such a way that Ezekiel was able to write, "The spirits of the living
creatures was in the wheels." Ophanim were also mentioned
similarly in Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel was meant to understand that God's chariot or chariot
throne was on the move. The image seems bizarre
to the modern reader, but one must remember that
this is a visionary experience. The surrealistic features
may overwhelm realism. In the passages, the throne
of God is set on wheels, Ophanim, and then pushed by four angels. There are wheels inside
of wheels at cross angles with the effect that the throne can move in any direction without having to turn. The Ophanim has been a point
of fascination for many, and later, Jewish
apocalyptic writers gave them a life of their own. The wheels were eventually recognized as a separate type of
angel known as the Ophanim. Why do some refer to
the Ophanim as angels? There's not a single
mention of the Ophanim in the scriptures being angelic creatures, but apocryphal Jewish writers branded them as a class of angel and list them in their
hierarchy of angels, along with the seraphim and cherubim, because the Ophanim's
unique life likeness, their supernatural power, and their close proximity to God's throne, not to mention the multitude of eyes. Whether or not the Ophanim
are actually angelic beings or merely a divinely-powered mechanism of multidimensional
transport doesn't matter. What does matter is the Ophanim's function in displaying God's glory to Ezekiel and every other believer who
would one day read his account and gain a renewed
vision of God's kingship. What do the Ophanim reveal about God? Both in appearance and operation, the Ophanim that appear
in Ezekiel's vision demonstrates God's absolute
dominion over the entire cosmos. The omnidirectional
wheels themselves serve as a constant reminder to us that the God we serve is omnipresent, meaning that he can be in
all places at all times. As the spirit of God guides the cherubim, the same spirit indwells the Ophanim, and the eyes that cover
the wheels and the cherubim are symbolic of God's omniscience. He's all seeing, all knowing. Why is it important for Christians to know about the supernatural realm? Ephesians 6:11-12, New
American Standard Bible. "Put on the full armor of God so that you'll be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." In Ephesians 6:12, we're told that our struggle
is not against flesh. God desires believers to be
aware of the world beyond what our temporal eyes can see so that we, in the Lord's mighty power, can be prepared to take on whatever scheme the enemy has in store. Extremism is prevalent in today's society. On the one end of the scale, there are believers who
downplay the supernatural parts of their faith and insist on maintaining
a naturalistic worldview, which is characterized
by an exclusive reliance on the truths of doctrinal
teachings for day-to-day living. On the opposite end of the
spectrum are those people who are so preoccupied
with the spiritual realm because of the allure it holds for them that they are of little help on earth. We must first ensure
that our eyes are open to the reality of the situation. When a servant was terrified
by the surrounding enemy in 2 Kings 6:16, the
prophet tells the young man, "Don't be afraid. The world in which we live
cannot be considered our home. There is a world that we cannot see, yet it is rife with conflict
over our own souls." When we make the decision
to investigate the Bible and seek God's perspective
on the supernatural, we move one step closer
to the establishment of God's kingdom. Ezekiel clearly led out a vision, and God consistently provided
him with unusual visions that drove him to speak in unusual ways. From hands and scrolls
descending from heaven, to four abominations
committed in the temple, to vines, eagles, lions,
dry bones, and fires, Ezekiel trafficked in strange
but memorable pictures. These pictures often arrived
with a divine interpretation and instructions on how he was to communicate God's word to the people. Ezekiel closely followed the
leadership axiom on vision. See it clearly, show it
creatively, and say it constantly. Despite the response of the people, Ezekiel remained steadfast
in his convictions and core values. We read the phrase, Son of Man. This phrase is used for
Ezekiel roughly 90 times and emphasizes that he
is merely a messenger of the divine sovereign of the universe, who has planned all the events
that were to take place, which could not be hindered
from being accomplished. Ezekiel was a skilled
communicator who encouraged people to listen to him and engage
with important topics. He was known for his creativity, often incorporating visual aids and dramatic performances
to convey his message. He quickly obeyed the Lord's instructions, even when many of the symbolic
actions God called him to enact looked different or embarrassing. His dynamic ministry won the respect, attention, and admiration
of Judah's elders. Despite Ezekiel's efforts to cast a vision for his generation, they
listened but refused to act on his words, which left him disappointed. He took great pains to share his message, but unfortunately no one acted upon it. According to God, Ezekiel was a watchman who was summoned to alert the people of potential danger if they didn't repent. Similar to a watchman who
spots an approaching army, he advises the people
to prepare themselves or face destruction. God describes himself to Ezekiel as the one who supplies the right words. God is the director of this great drama that Ezekiel acts out. He is the writer of the script Ezekiel is to read to the people, and he is the author
who closes the curtain when the play ends. A finale in the form of the
invading Babylonian army, when it is too late for the people to discover the play is no mere act. The purpose of angels. Firstly, angels make the
word of God come to pass. The angels are the
performance hosts of God. Angels follow the word of God
to ensure that it produces. In the Bible, the phrase, "The Lord of hosts will
perform it," is used often, anytime an outstanding prophecy is given which cannot be humanly explained. The angels of God have
the performing license to carry out anything that
comes out of God's mouth. Angels are the attack troops
that deal with opponents. They always get the answer and
victorious after every act. Also, they do the pleasure of God. Psalms 103:20-21. "Bless the Lord, you his
angels who excel in strength, who do his word. Heeding the voice of his word, bless the Lord all you his hosts. You ministers of his who do his pleasure." Angels are committed to
obeying God's command, so you can send them to carry out whatever God has commanded concerning you. The word says, "Tell those
who do what is right, that thing will go well with them. They will enjoy the results of the good things they've done." Isaiah 3:10. Aside from the Ophanim, the angels are of different ranks. In a general sense, probably the largest group of angels is what we might call the regular angels. Most of the time when angels
are mentioned in the Bible, it is these otherwise unidentified angels who are being referred to. To speak of ordinary angels
seems a contradiction in terms, however, for how could these
extraordinary created beings be considered just something routine? Yet, in one sense, this
designation is proper when we contrast them with
the several unique classes or orders of angels
that the Bible mentions. Cherubim. The cherubim are the
first of the angelic order to appear in the scriptures. They appear right after Adam
and Eve's fall from grace. Seraphim, a different group of angels specifically recognized are the seraphim. The seraphim in the Hebrew
language means burning ones. Isaiah 6 tells us of the seraphim. Michael, another angelic rank, archangel, the position held by only one angel in the scriptural record. The word arch means chief, so this angel is the most
prominent of all the holy angels. The archangel's name is Michael. The meaning of Michael
is, who is like God. Whenever you hear that name,
you're hearing a question. Who is like God? Gabriel. Another angel whose name is
clearly given in scripture, besides Lucifer, is Gabriel. Gabriel means mighty one of God. Gabriel lives up to his name, for he does indeed do powerful things. Gabriel serves God more as a messenger. In several instances
in the Book of Daniel, Gabriel appears to give major revelations concerning coming events, particularly relating to God's kingdom. What are the relevance of angels? The next question is, are
angels still relevant? Do we need them today as Christians filled with
the Holy Ghost anointing? A glimpse at the lives of
the distinguished individuals in the Bible reveals that they all experienced
angelic fellowship. There is almost no person of
distinction in the scriptures who did not have physical real
proof of angelic fellowship. God has said, "I the Lord do not change, so you the descendants of
Jacob are not destroyed." Malachi 3:6. It follows that what he did yesterday, he's also doing today. There is a lot attached
for this time we live in. Angels are an indispensable and essential part of God's
package for the redeemed. The anointing cannot replace
the services of angels. Jesus Christ was born of the Holy Ghost and he had the Holy Ghost anointing, and yet he required
the services of angels. It is great to think that
Jesus believed in angels and he enjoyed their ministry, even as the son of the Most High God. Even the Lord Jesus Christ
required the assistance of angels even before his birth. An angel announced his arrival, when danger appeared because
of the news of his birth and the angel spoke to Joseph to move to Egypt with the baby Jesus, that the scripture may be fulfilled. Although angels are important
ministering spirits, we may limit their ministry in our lives. The first is spiritual blindness. When it comes to God's issues, you must believe it before
you can experience it. Whatever is written in
the word must be seen before it can be possessed. Angels, who are the hosts of
heaven, are all around us. Don't let the devil mislead you about the presence of angels. Just as the demonic world is invisible, the angelic world is also invisible. We must know that angels belong to a uniquely different
dimension of creation that we can hardly understand. In this realm, the
constraints are different from those God has placed on ours. God has given angels higher knowledge and mobility than humans. The word of God lets us know that angels, like men, were also created by God. This implies at one
time no angels existed, as seen in Colossians 1:16. "God's angels indeed are
among God's invisible things, for he created all things and for him." Hebrews 1:14 calls them
ministering spirits. "Are not all angels ministering spirits, sent to serve those who
will inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14. The empire of angels is
as vast as God's creation. If you believe in the Bible, you will believe in their ministry. They cover both the Old and New Testament, being mentioned directly or
indirectly nearly 300 times. Biblical scholars believe that angels can be numbered
potentially in the millions because Hebrews 12:22 speaks of an innumerable company of angels. As to their number, David described 20,000
coursing through the sky ways of the stars. Even with his limited vision, he impressively notes, "The chariots of God are
twice 10,000 thousands." We can be sure that angels,
including the Ophanim, never draw attention to themselves, but ascribe God's glory and press his message upon the hearers as the delivering and sustaining
word of the highest order. As glorious as the angelical
heavenly beings are, they become dim beside the
indescribable glory resident in our heavenly Lamb, the Lord of Glory, to whom every power in heaven and on here on earth bow in holy worship and excited adoration. What were the wheels in Ezekiel 1? Ezekiel had a vision that portrayed God's divine
nature through powerful imagery of movement and action. God appeared on a throne
that resembled a chariot, and his glory being both
supreme and present everywhere in the universe. As such, the whole revelation by God in this vision to Ezekiel, the cherubim, the chariot,
the spirit, and the wheels, emphasize their unity and coordination. Although the vision was terrifying, it portrays the magnificence and splendor of God who appeared before Ezekiel and the Israelites during
the Babylonian captivity. It reminded them of his holiness and power as the Lord of All Creation. The message was clear, though his people were in exile and their nation was
about to be destroyed, God was still on the throne and able to handle every situation. Today's lesson is that God, through his marvelous providence, is constantly working
out his own unseen plan in the affairs of all nations. His plan is intricately designed, always accurate, and never delayed. Romans 8:28, New American Standard Bible. "And we know that God causes
all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to his purpose." There are several major
themes in the Book of Ezekiel. God's sovereignty, God controls history. No matter what happens, his
plans will not be thwarted. Even the waywardness of his chosen nation will not spoil his plans, which he will ultimately
bring to fruition. The idea as expressed in Ezekiel 1 with the vision of God pictured as ruling over all creation is repeated several times
throughout the book. However, this vision is the
first of four in the book. Ezekiel saw other visions in this book. To watch the vision of the
Valley of Dry Bones, click here.
