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Ezekiel, part 6, The Expanse

Ezekiel 1:22 says,

²² Now over the heads of the living beings was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.

The Hebrew word translated “expanse” is raqiaʿ, the same word used in Genesis 1:6–8, where God establishes the expanse between the waters above and below. The KJV renders this as the “firmament” separating the waters above from the waters below. It conveys something spread out or extended. In Ezekiel’s vision, it appears as a magnificent overhead surface beneath the throne.

The waters above are the source of rain, especially the former and latter rains (Joel 2:23), which, again, also represent outpourings of the Spirit resulting in fruitfulness in the earth.

This arrangement establishes an order: the throne is above the expanse, and the living creatures and wheels are below it. The creatures exercise their functions under the authority of the One enthroned above them. Their extraordinary power remains subject to God.

Crystal Under Lapis Lazuli

The Hebrew word translated “crystal” is qeraḥ, ordinarily meaning “ice.” Ezekiel describes something resembling the dazzling, awe-inspiring brilliance of ice or crystal. His repeated expression “something like” reminds us that he is describing a vision by comparison, rather than identifying its material precisely.

A related scene appears in Exodus 24:10, where the elders of Israel see beneath God’s feet something resembling a sapphire pavement.

¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire [sappir], as clear as the sky itself.

Here the sapphire pavement is described “as clear as the sky itself.” The deep blue of sappir therefore fits the appearance of the blue heavens on a clear day, while the comparison explicitly emphasizes the sky’s clarity or purity.

In Ezekiel 1:26, sappir describes the throne itself. Ezekiel sees above the expanse “something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli [sappir] in appearance.” Here the NASB renders sappir as “lapis lazuli,” whereas in Exodus 24:10 it is rendered as sapphire.

Here is lapis lazuli:

In Exodus 24:10, however, sappir describes the “pavement” beneath God’s feet. That passage does not explicitly mention a throne. Ezekiel sees a blue “throne” and describes the expanse beneath it as gleaming like crystal or ice. He does not explicitly call that expanse blue. The vision distinguishes between the crystal expanse beneath the throne (verse 22) and the lapis lazuli throne above the expanse (verse 26). Yet it appears that Ezekiel’s vision includes more details than what is recorded in Exodus 24:10.

Revelation 4:6 likewise describes a sea of glass like crystal before the throne—probably to be identified with the laver, or “molten sea” (1 Kings 7:23 KJV) in Solomon’s temple. These passages share the imagery of a brilliant surface associated with God’s heavenly court.

The Sound of Wings

In the governmental interpretation we have been developing, the expanse marks the distinction between God’s sovereign throne and those who administer His purposes beneath it. The creatures and wheels move together by the Spirit, but their authority originates above them.

Ezekiel 1:24, 25 make that relationship especially clear:

²⁴ I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went [or flowed], like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. ²⁵ And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

When a voice comes from above the expanse, the creatures stand still and lower their wings (Ezekiel 1:24–25). Those who carry out God’s government must also become still and alert to hear His voice. Their activity is governed by His presence and His word.

While the creatures move, their wings produce an overwhelming sound, compared to abundant waters, the voice of the Almighty, and an army camp (verse 24). When they stand still, they lower their wings. The contrast suggests that the sound of their activity subsides as attention turns to the voice above.

As a spiritual application, even God-directed service must yield to hearing God. His servants cannot assume that their previous instructions authorize perpetual movement in the same direction. They must remain attentive to the One who directs them. This agrees with Habakkuk 2:20: “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”

Verse 21 has already shown that the wheels stand still whenever the creatures stand still. Dropping their wings makes that rest visible. Their readiness to stop is as complete as their readiness to move. This is particularly relevant to Kingdom administration. Authority under God includes restraint: knowing when to speak, when to act, and when to wait. The creatures display no independent momentum that carries them beyond His direction.

The wings contribute to their extraordinary movement and majestic appearance. Lowering them can therefore suggest reverence and submission. They possess great authority but stand beneath a greater power—God’s sovereignty.

We should distinguish the image from its application: Ezekiel explicitly describes their posture, but does not say that lowering the wings means surrendering their authority. The sound, stillness, and voice together support the interpretation of attentive submission.

Nor does “dropping” mean that their wings fall off. They lower or let them hang down when at rest, much like a bird that folds its wings when it is at rest on a perch. The main thrust of Ezekiel’s vision is to portray the order of divine government; hence, it is important to know that both God and man have thrones, but that the thrones set up for the overcomers are subordinate to the throne of God Himself. Man’s exercise of authority must reflect the divine will according to His commands (laws), rather than as an authorization to implement the will of man.

God’s Image and Mankind’s Calling

Ezekiel 1:26 says,

²⁶ 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.

The last half of Ezekiel 1:26 describes the One seated upon the throne. The human appearance is the remarkable feature. Above the living creatures, the wheels, and the crystal-like expanse, Ezekiel sees the divine Ruler manifested in a form resembling a man. Verse 28 identifies the whole revelation as “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” Thus, the enthroned figure belongs to the manifestation of God’s glory.

Ezekiel’s language remains careful: “a figure with the appearance of a man.” He describes the visible form of the revelation without claiming that God’s essential nature is a human body. The human form recalls Genesis 1:26–28, where God creates mankind in His image and entrusts humanity with dominion over the earth. Ezekiel’s vision offers a fitting theological connection: the throne displays the divine government that humanity was created to represent.

Human rulers fulfill that calling only as they express God’s character and exercise authority under Him. Adam was called to rule, but due to his sin, that calling was fulfilled in “the last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45). By extension, it is also fulfilled in “the body of Christ.” In the vision, the creatures and wheels respond to the Spirit; likewise, earthly government should respond to the will of the One enthroned above it.

Its Fulfillment in Christ

From a Christian perspective, the human-looking figure anticipates the fullest revelation of God in Jesus Christ. John 1:14 declares that the Word became flesh and that His glory was manifested in the earth. Hebrews 1:3 describes the Son as the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.

Ezekiel sees divine glory expressed through a human likeness; in Christ, God’s glory is revealed through the One who truly became man. This also corresponds to Daniel 7:13, 14, where One “like a Son of Man” receives dominion and a kingdom. The scenes differ—Daniel distinguishes the Son of Man from the Ancient of Days—but both bring human imagery into the revelation of heavenly rule.

The throne’s occupant shows that mankind’s destiny is bound to God’s purpose for government. Jesus, the last Adam, fulfills the human calling that the first Adam failed to carry out faithfully. Those conformed to Christ’s image are prepared to share His rule under His authority (Romans 8:29; Revelation 3:21; 20:6).

The immediate meaning is that Ezekiel sees the Lord’s glory manifested in human likeness upon the supreme throne. Its fuller Christian significance is that divine sovereignty finds its perfect human expression in Jesus Christ, who reveals the Father and governs according to His will.

Ezekiel 1:27, 28 concludes,

²⁷ Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. ²⁸ As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so 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.

Ezekiel 1:27, 28 brings the vision to its climax. The figure upon the throne radiates fire and brightness, yet the surrounding rainbow places this awesome glory within the setting of God’s covenant (Genesis 9:12, 13). The Hebrew term translated “glowing metal” is ḥashmal, the same term used in verse 4. Its precise material meaning is uncertain. Here, Ezekiel emphasizes its fiery brilliance rather than identifying an ordinary substance.

Above the figure’s waist, Ezekiel sees this glowing appearance; below it, he sees something resembling fire. Brightness surrounds the whole figure. The fire encountered earlier among the creatures is now seen in association with the One enthroned above them. His servants operate within the glory that proceeds from His presence.

The Rainbow Covenant

Verse 28 compares the surrounding radiance to a rainbow. The Hebrew word for rainbow is qesheth, meaning bow, the same word used in Genesis 9:13–16. There, God places His bow in the cloud as the sign of His covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature.

That connection is particularly fitting in a vision containing living creatures. The throne governs the creation with which God has made His covenant. The rainbow suggests the scope of the New covenant promise to restore all things and put them under the feet of Christ. His judgments do not mean that He has forgotten His promises or that He is unable to save the world.

For the exiles, this was a powerful assurance. They were living under judgment, far from Jerusalem, but the God who appeared to Ezekiel remained faithful. Later promises of cleansing, a new heart, and the gift of His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25–27) will reveal how He intends to restore His people.

John sees a related scene in Revelation 4:3, where a rainbow surrounds the throne. Both visions associate divine sovereignty with covenant imagery.

Ezekiel’s Response

Ezekiel carefully concludes: “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” He then falls on his face and hears a voice speaking. The vision leads to humility and then to his commission. Before Ezekiel speaks for God, he must bow before Him and hear Him.