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C. A. CARDS-WILSON, M.A., ON 



originated, so it has been stated, in the gigantic figures of winged 

 bulls which Ezekiel might quite possibly have seen at Nineveh. 

 Three hundred miles to the south-east was Babylon, the seat of 

 the grfeat power which five years previously had captured 

 Jerusalem from whence Ezekiel, with the other exiles, had been 

 transported to the colony on the banks of the Khabur. Ezekiel 

 •was at the time probably thirty years of age, and being a priest 

 he would ■ therefore have had occasion to take his part in the 

 Temple services before the exile. 



The Vision took place in the fourth month. According to 

 pre-exilic usage the year began with October, and the fourth 

 month would consequently be January. It seems more probable 

 to suppose that Ezekiel would use this system of reckoning 

 than that be would adopt the Babylonian custom which made 

 the year begin with April, and this probability seems to be 

 borne out by the allusion to " a stormy wind out of the north," 

 a statement which appears to indicate that the season was that 

 of winter. 



Coming now to the actual description of the Vision, Ezekiel 

 tells us that he saw " a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and 

 a brightness round about it." There were "four living creatures" 

 which " sparkled like the colour of burnished brass." " In the 

 midst of the living creatures was an appearance like burning 

 coals of fire, like the appearance of torches." In close connection 

 with the living creatures were two wheels, " as it were a wheel 

 in the midst of a wheel," and these were so placed that " there 

 was one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures for each 

 of the four faces thereof." The " work " of these wheels was 



like upon the colour of a beryl," while their " rings " or felloes 

 were " high and dreadful." In addition to these, " over the head 

 of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like 

 the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads 

 above," and " above the firmament that was over their heads was 

 the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone, 

 ;and there was brightness round about it. As the appearance of 

 the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the 

 .appearance of the brightness round about." 



The main features of the Vision seem to have been six, 

 namely, the " living creatures," the " burning coals of fire," the 



wheel in the midst of a wheel," the " firmament," the 

 " brightness," like a rainbow, and the " throne as the appearance 

 of a sapphire." The whole account seems to suggest that 

 Ezekiel is describing something that was actually before him 

 and seen with his eyes. This idea is strengthened by the way 



