Ezekiel 1:5–25

Read the passage.

From the great, bright storm cloud that Ezekiel sees, the first thing to appear are four heavenly beings known as the “four living creatures”. Both Isaiah and John saw these beings, or something very like them, though the details differ a bit. Ezekiel tells us they have a generally humanoid appearance, but with four faces: one on each side of the head. They also have a multitude of wings of which two are used to cover themselves and two stretch out to touch the wings of their neighbor.

The four living creatures sparkle and shine with fire and lightning, and each of their four faces was of a different kind of earthly creature. It could be that they each symbolize a different kind of creature: humans, wild animals, domesticated animals, and birds. But there doesn’t seem to be any other connection between these creatures and the things that dwell on earth, so I would call that interpretation tenous, at best. Instead, we can say that they are able to see in all directions at once, which explain why they don’t have a need to turn in the direction they are moving: they are already facing that direction to begin with.

Your glory is so great it cannot be contained, and even Your entourage reflects it in their bodies.