JM
Puritan Board Doctor
But the key for the interpretation of the Wheels, as the Cherubim, is to be taken from John’s vision in the fourth chapter of the Revelation; for as the Cherubim, or living creatures, in Ezekiel’s visions, are the same with John’s four beasts, or living creatures; so the Wheels here are the same with the four and twenty elders there, which are the representatives of gospel-churches; described by their number, in allusion to the four and twenty courses of the priests, in the time of David; by their character, as elders, in distinction from the church of the Old Testament, and its members; who were as children in their non-age, under the elements of this world; whereas gospel-churches, and their members, are young men and fathers, grown men in knowledge and understanding; by their seats, and thrones on which they sat, expressive of their power and authority of judging and determining things relative to their own affairs within themselves; as who shall be received among them, retained by them, or excluded from them: What have I to do, says the apostle, to judge them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?(1 Cor. 5:12) They are also described by their raiment, clothed in white linen; that fine linen, clean, and white, which is the righteousness of the saints, and that is the righteousness of Christ; and by having on their heads crowns of gold, signifying they are made kings and priests unto God by Jesus Christ. And now that these and the wheels signify the same, may be concluded partly by their situation; the same situation the elders have in John’s vision, the wheels have in Ezekiel’s; in John’s vision there was a throne, and one on it, the Lord Jesus Christ; next to this throne were the four living creatures, or ministers of the word; who receive their commission, power, and authority, gifts, grace, light and knowledge, from Christ; on the throne; next to them are the elders, or gospel-churches, to whom they communicate what they receive from Christ; see Rev. 4:2, 4 and v. 6, and 7:11. So in the visions of Ezekiel, there was a throne, and nearest to the throne were the Cherubim; and by the Cherubim were the wheels, see Ezek. 1:15, 26 and 10:1, 2, 6, 9, and partly by their dependence on one another, and their order of operation: in John’s vision the four living creatures move first, and give the lead in divine worship. Rev. 4:9, 10 and v. 14. So in Ezekiel’s visions, as the Cherubim, or living creatures moved, so the wheels did; when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; and when the living creatures were lift up from the earth, the wheels where lift up, Ezek. 1:19. And again, when those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when these lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them, ver. 21; see also chap. 10:16-19. In this light, in this view of things, I shall consider the wheels, and shew the agreement between them and the gospel-churches; and my business will be to observe their name, their number, their situation, their form, figure, and appearance, and their motion.
50. The Doctrine of the Wheels in the Visions of Ezekiel.
