Ezekiel’s Wheels…a Witness to the Bible Wheel

[Rose]

A Vision of the Bible

Ezek.1:15- 21 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

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Ezek.1:22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

Ezek. 10:19 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.

Ezek. 11:1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD'S house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

Ezek. 11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23) And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

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Ezek. 1:24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

Ezek. 3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.

Ezek. 10: 4-5 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory. And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

Ezek. 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Rev. 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Rev. 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

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An interesting way of looking at Ezekiel’s vision of the Wheels is by viewing it as an image of the object within which it resides……the object being "the Bible in the form of the Bible Wheel".

The vision that Ezekiel had was of turning wheels within wheels having on their outer rims 'eyes'…. they were accompanied by Cherubim whose spirits were an integral part of the wheels, so as to be one with the wheels yet still maintaining a separateness from them. The symbolism of Ezekiel’s Wheels has quite an astounding depth when it is compared with the symbolism of the Bible Wheel.

• First there are the Outer Rims of Ezekiel’s Wheels which are full of eyes, these correspond to the Bible Wheel’s outer rim where the Hebrew letters are. The letters on the rim of the Bible Wheel act much like 'eyes' opening our mind like a 'door' through which we view the books on the Spokes. Now to deepen the matrix even more….the Hebrew letter that has the meaning of eye is 'ayin' (Spoke 16) and the letter that means door is 'dalet' (dalet is the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet that governs Spoke 4 where the book of Ezekiel lies)…..these two letters ayin and dalet together spell the word 'witness' in Hebrew. Ezekiel’s Wheels are a Witness to the Book they are contained within 'The Bible'. The book of Ezekiel being on the 4th Spoke contains the highest concentration of the word 'door' in the entire Bible and then of course the rims of the Wheels in Ezekiels vision are full of eyes (ayin, עין)…..this confluence of symbols is truly a Witness (עד) to behold!

• Then there are the Wheels within Wheels, these are described by Ezekiel as being a wheel in the midst of a wheel…..again a perfect symbolic representation of the cycles of the Bible Wheel that are contained one within the other all the while being separate as a cycle though an integral part of the whole wheel.

• The Cherubim who stand beside the wheels and are one with the wheels because their spirits that are in the Wheels are also at the same time separate from the Wheels. As the Wheels move as one with the Cherubim their motion makes the noise of a rushing wind, a sound of many waters, and like the voice of the Almighty; signifying the presence of God’s glory all around them. A very good example of this sound is in Acts, where the giving of the Holy Spirit created the sound of a rushing mighty wind. So once again we see the symbolism of the unity of the Cherubim and their Spirits with the Wheels, representing a perfect image of the three part unity displayed in the Bible Wheel….which is a perfect witness of the Word of God.

So what we have in the vision of wheels given to Ezekiel is an image of the three part unity of God that is contained within an object (the Bible) that is in and of itself an image of the three part unity of God displayed as the Bible Wheel. What a wonder to behold!…..a fractal of the whole, containing an image of the whole, all the while being part of the whole!!! Makes me think of another example in Scripture of a part being an image of the whole:

Gen. 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God Bless, and Happy Easter!

Rose

[Victor]

Hey Rose, that will make an interesting discussion!

An interesting way of looking at Ezekiel’s vision of the Wheels is by viewing it as an image of the object within which it resides……the object being "the Bible in the form of the Bible Wheel".

Exactly correct. Ezekiel's vision of the wheels is, among other things, a symbolic description of Scripture found within Scripture itself. Here's an introduction to the subject.

The vision that Ezekiel had was of turning wheels within wheels having on their outer rims 'eyes'…. they were accompanied by Cherubim whose spirits were an integral part of the wheels, so as to be one with the wheels yet still maintaining a separateness from them. The symbolism of Ezekiel’s Wheels has quite an astounding depth when it is compared with the symbolism of the Bible Wheel.

Well, let's break it in pieces... It is a long commentary.

First there are the Outer Rims of Ezekiel’s Wheels which are full of eyes, these correspond to the Bible Wheel’s outer rim where the Hebrew letters are. The letters on the rim of the Bible Wheel act much like 'eyes' opening our mind like a 'door' through which we view the books on the Spokes.

That's a new insight and it seems very good. But we need some more evidence.

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for "and their rings" in Eze 1:18 has the numeric value of 451, the same of Eth-Kol (Everything from Aleph to Tav).



In the description of Solomon's temple in 1 Kings 7:33 the same Hebrew word (gab) is used and the gematria of the word there ("and their naves") is 66. We may be on to something.

Now to deepen the matrix even more….the Hebrew letter that has the meaning of eye is 'ayin' (Spoke 16) and the letter that means door is 'dalet' (dalet is the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet that governs Spoke 4 where the book of Ezekiel lies)…..these two letters ayin and dalet together spell the word 'witness' in Hebrew. Ezekiel’s Wheels are a Witness to the Book they are contained within 'The Bible'. The book of Ezekiel being on the 4th Spoke contains the highest concentration of the word 'door' in the entire Bible and then of course the rims of the Wheels in Ezekiels vision are full of eyes (ayin, עין)…..this confluence of symbols is truly a Witness (עד) to behold!

I think this is a valid insight but is not one that naturally arises from the text. We need some "creativity" to make the word Ed (Witness) appear.

[Victor]

• The Cherubim who stand beside the wheels and are one with the wheels because their spirits that are in the Wheels are also at the same time separate from the Wheels. As the Wheels move as one with the Cherubim their motion makes the noise of a rushing wind, a sound of many waters, and like the voice of the Almighty; signifying the presence of God’s glory all around them. A very good example of this sound is in Acts, where the giving of the Holy Spirit created the sound of a rushing mighty wind. So once again we see the symbolism of the unity of the Cherubim and their Spirits with the Wheels, representing a perfect image of the three part unity displayed in the Bible Wheel….which is a perfect witness of the Word of God.

So what we have in the vision of wheels given to Ezekiel is an image of the three part unity of God that is contained within an object (the Bible) that is in and of itself an image of the three part unity of God displayed as the Bible Wheel.

I totally agree with the basic conclusions. But I don't see how we can derive a "three part unity" from Ezekiel's vision of the wheels. It doesn't say that they were three. It is usually understood that there was one wheel inside a wheel; therefore, two. The association of the Wheels with the Third Person of the Trinity (Rush/Wind/Waters) does not naturally lead to the finding that there was a "three part unity" in the structure, or so it does seem to me.

[Rose]

I totally agree with the basic conclusions. But I don't see how we can derive a "three part unity" from Ezekiel's vision of the wheels. It doesn't say that they were three. It is usually understood that there was one wheel inside a wheel; therefore, two. The association of the Wheels with the Third Person of the Trinity (Rush/Wind/Waters) does not naturally lead to the finding that there was a "three part unity" in the structure, or so it does seem to me.

Hi Victor thanks for the comments

I know it doesn't seem that way at first glance, but when you stop and take a closer look there is great attention paid to pointing out the oneness of the Cherubim with the Wheels.

Ezek. 1:20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Ezek. 10:16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. 17) When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

The "three part unity" comes from the "wheels within wheels", "the Cherubim", and "the spirit of the Cherubim" each being separate, yet working together as one.

Another interesting point to note is that when the wheels are spoken of as an individual unit they are called "Ophanim", but when they are described as the three part unit they are called "Galgal".

Ezek. 10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels (Ophawnim), were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. 13) As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel (Galgal).

God Bless

Rose

[Victor]

Hi Victor thanks for the comments

I know it doesn't seem that way at first glance, but when you stop and take a closer look there is great attention paid to pointing out the oneness of the Cherubim with the Wheels.

The "three part unity" comes from the "wheels within wheels", "the Cherubim", and "the spirit of the Cherubim" each being separate, yet working together as one.

Oh, now I see it! I was thinking of the three parts as being somehow associated to the Wheels themselves. But the three parts that you refer to are: (1) the Cherubim, (2) the Wheels and (3) the Spirit.

Ok now. So what does that three part unity have to do with "the three part unity displayed in the Bible Wheel"? The only thing that at first glance they appear to have in common is that they both exhibit a threefold unity.

Another interesting point to note is that when the wheels are spoken of as an individual unit they are called "Ophanim", but when they are described as the three part unit they are called "Galgal".

God Bless

Rose

I love it.

But according to Eze 10:13, what was called Galgal was the whole set of wheels (ophanim), not the entire threefold complex "Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit".

[Rose]

Oh, now I see it! I was thinking of the three parts as being somehow associated to the Wheels themselves. But the three parts that you refer to are: (1) the Cherubim, (2) the Wheels and (3) the Spirit.

Ok now. So what does that three part unity have to do with "the three part unity displayed in the Bible Wheel"? The only thing that at first glance they appear to have in common is that they both exhibit a threefold unity.


I love it.

Both "the Bible Wheel" and "Ezekiel's Wheels" are images of the Bible, contained in and a part of the Bible, displaying the "three fold unity" of God's Word.

But according to Eze 10:13, what was called Galgal was the whole set of wheels (ophanim), not the entire threefold complex "Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit".

Ezek. 10:12-17 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel (Galgal). And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. When they stood, thesethese lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. stood; and when they were lifted up,

But, that is what "Galgal" appears to be referring to....the threefold, Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit complex. Galgal seems to be used when the threefold complex is being described, so as to reinforce the oneness of the Cherubim with the Wheels. When the individual Wheels are being described they are called "Ophan".

God Bless

Rose

[Victor]

Both "the Bible Wheel" and "Ezekiel's Wheels" are images of the Bible, contained in and a part of the Bible, displaying the "three fold unity" of God's Word.

Correct. But that's because we both agree that Ezekiel's Wheels are an image of the Bible Wheel. And we agree on that because we've found additional evidence that links the two.

If a person is looking for evidence that Ezekiel's Wheels are an image of the Bible Wheel, he won't find it in this "three-part unity" by itself, because the "three-part unity" is the only thing that is being offered to him at this point.

A person could simply object: "Hey, you're showing me this Bible Wheel which has a three-part unity (Cycles 1, 2 and 3) and you have Ezekiel's Wheels that display a three-part unity (Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit). But so what? Does the fact that two objects exhibit a three-part unity mean that one is an image of the other? They might well be, but that's not enough to confirm it."

This is like what you see out there on the web: countless people linking this thing to that other thing in the Bible just because these two things share one common characteristic (like the number 7, for example). Then they go out and say that they've found a pattern.

So in this comparison between these "three-part unities" there could be some internal validating logic that we still have not found. Why one of them is an image of the other except for them being threefold and having "wheels" in common?

Here are the threefold unities side by side:

The Bible Wheel:
(1) Cycle 1
(2) Cycle 2
(3) Cycle 3
They form a Unity, a single Bible Wheel.

Ezekiel's Vision:
(1) Cherubim
(2) Wheels
(3) Spirit
They form a Unity, a single Complex which is God's Chariot.

Is there any clear inner correlation between the two? I can't find any as of yet. Maybe only a very dim correspondence between Cycle 3 and the Spirit because Cycle 3 of the Bible is deeply and distinctively related to the Holy Spirit. Or maybe the Cherubim should be number two and so correlate to the Gospels found on the Second Cycle. But that's it so far.

Ezek. 10:12-17 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel (Galgal). And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. When they stood, thesethese lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. stood; and when they were lifted up,

But, that is what "Galgal" appears to be referring to....the threefold, Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit complex. Galgal seems to be used when the threefold complex is being described, so as to reinforce the oneness of the Cherubim with the Wheels. When the individual Wheels are being described they are called "Ophan".

God Bless

Rose

What it seems to me is the very opposite. "Galgal" may pretty refer to the entire Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit complex, but that is not what the plain and most straightforward reading of the text says. I repeat for emphasis:

Eze 10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

Verse 12 above speaks of the entire whole. Then the following verse clearly singles out the Wheels that are part of the whole and speaks about them and to them:

Eze 10:13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

I don't see how it could be any clearer. The verse mentions the ophanim (wheels) and calls them "o galgal". Therefore, the single "galgal" refers to the set of ophanim (wheels).

As we know that the ophanim (wheels) are tightly integrated to the Cherubim and are united to them by the same Spirit, we can poetically extend the Galgal denomination to the entire complex, but that's not what the primary and plainest reading of Eze 10:13 says. Only a metonymic reading would make this association, which is fine.

[Rose]

Correct. But that's because we both agree that Ezekiel's Wheels are an image of the Bible Wheel. And we agree on that because we've found additional evidence that links the two.

What I'm saying is that both Ezekiel's Wheels, and the Bible Wheel are images of the Bible....not that Ezekiel's Wheels are an image of the Bible Wheel.

If a person is looking for evidence that Ezekiel's Wheels are an image of the Bible Wheel, he won't find it in this "three-part unity" by itself, because the "three-part unity" is the only thing that is being offered to him at this point.

A person could simply object: "Hey, you're showing me this Bible Wheel which has a three-part unity (Cycles 1, 2 and 3) and you have Ezekiel's Wheels that display a three-part unity (Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit). But so what? Does the fact that two objects exhibit a three-part unity mean that one is an image of the other? They might well be, but that's not enough to confirm it."

This is like what you see out there on the web: countless people linking this thing to that other thing in the Bible just because these two things share one common characteristic (like the number 7, for example). Then they go out and say that they've found a pattern.

So in this comparison between these "three-part unities" there could be some internal validating logic that we still have not found. Why one of them is an image of the other except for them being threefold and having "wheels" in common?

Here are the threefold unities side by side:

The Bible Wheel:
(1) Cycle 1
(2) Cycle 2
(3) Cycle 3
They form a Unity, a single Bible Wheel.

Ezekiel's Vision:
(1) Cherubim
(2) Wheels
(3) Spirit
They form a Unity, a single Complex which is God's Chariot.

Is there any clear inner correlation between the two? I can't find any as of yet. Maybe only a very dim correspondence between Cycle 3 and the Spirit because Cycle 3 of the Bible is deeply and distinctively related to the Holy Spirit. Or maybe the Cherubim should be number two and so correlate to the Gospels found on the Second Cycle. But that's it so far.

This study of Ezekiel's Wheels is not one for those who do not understand the complexities of the design of the Bible. There is much going on here that is only brought to light when the entire picture of God's Word is viewed.

Once again, I see this vision of Ezekiel as a "witness" to the threefold unity of God, which the "Bible Wheel" also happens to display, and both are contained in the Bible which is God's Word.

What it seems to me is the very opposite. "Galgal" may pretty refer to the entire Cherubim-Wheels-Spirit complex, but that is not what the plain and most straightforward reading of the text says. I repeat for emphasis:

Eze 10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

Verse 12 above speaks of the entire whole. Then the following verse clearly singles out the Wheels that are part of the whole and speaks about them and to them:

Eze 10:13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

I don't see how it could be any clearer. The verse mentions the ophanim (wheels) and calls them "o galgal". Therefore, the single "galgal" refers to the set of ophanim (wheels).

As we know that the ophanim (wheels) are tightly integrated to the Cherubim and are united to them by the same Spirit, we can poetically extend the Galgal denomination to the entire complex, but that's not what the primary and plainest reading of Eze 10:13 says. Only a metonymic reading would make this association, which is fine.

To me it seems just the opposite, throughout the whole vision of Ezekiel the parts are decribed so that the whole may be understood as a unit. Never are the wheels "Ophan" described in action alone, but always as part of the whole, and it seems the wheels "Ophanim" are only called "Galgal" when they are part of the whole complex.

God Bless

Rose

[gilgal]

I wonder why the different terms: Ophanim and Gilgal.

Gilgal numerical sum is 66 by the way, as the number of books in the bible.

[gilgal]

If I'm not mistaken the cherubs were heading south with the man's face in front. Luke's gospel went south to Egypt right? John went north to Ephesus, Mark to west Rome and Matthew Judea east.