Above It All, There is a Man On a Throne
3 Reflections
Ezekiel saw the throne above the chaos. In Ezekiel 1, he sees something overwhelming: wind, fire, living creatures, wheels full of eyes. But as awesome as all that was, the vision doesn’t end there. It ends with a throne. Above everything that looked mysterious and terrifying, Ezekiel sees there is someone ruling and reigning.
The glory that Ezekiel saw pointed to the incarnation. Ezekiel is careful with his words. He speaks of “likeness” and “appearance” because he’s a man trying to describe something beyond ordinary human categories. But what he sees is significant for the overall arc of Scripture: on the throne is “a figure with the appearance of a man.” Ezekiel doesn’t have the language of Bethlehem, the cross, or the resurrection, but his vision points us toward the Christ.
Jesus is the fullness of what Ezekiel saw. John tells us no one has seen God at any time, but the Son has made Him known. In other words, when God makes Himself visible, understandable, and knowable, He does so through the Son. The appearance of a man on the throne in Ezekiel becomes the Son of Man standing before the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7. It becomes the Word made flesh in John 1. It becomes Jesus, crucified, risen, and given all authority. It becomes Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, seeing Jesus standing at the right hand of God. It becomes John in Revelation seeing the throne of God and the Lamb.
"Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.” - A.W. Tozer
2 Scriptures
"He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
— Colossians 1:15
“He (Jesus) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”
— Hebrews 1:3
1 Action
Ask yourself:
when was the last time the glory of Christ brought me low?
Ezekiel saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and he fell on his face. We have seen the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ. The right response is not casual observation or analysis.
It’s surrender.
This week, take a moment to worship Jesus in the normal rhythm of your day. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Him in a way that moves you from familiarity back to wonder.
Grace and peace,
NEIL
