Ezekiel 1:20, commentary and pictures

The living creatures and their wheels move together wherever the spirit is to go, lifted up together because the spirit of the living creature is in the wheels. What looks to finite eyes like intricate, confusing machinery is held in perfect order by a hand of infinite wisdom, with every wheel in its right place working in harmony with every other part. The One enthroned above the cherubim guides the affairs of earth, so the complicated course of the world and the strife and tumult of nations remain under His control. He directs events by the vigilant ministry of heavenly beings and overrules the plans of evil rulers and of Satan to bring good to His faithful ones. Therefore every workman must depend on the Holy Spirit to guide the work, leaving power and management to God rather than to self, and stand faithfully at his post of duty to act when providence calls.

The Wheels Described

Wherever the spirit was to go, the living creatures went and the wheels went with them, lifted up together over against them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. The wheel within a wheel with the living creatures connected to them appears to the finite eye intricate and unexplainable, like a mass of confusion, puzzling in form and hard to explain. To human sight it looks like only complete entanglement from intricate machinery, yet every wheel has many faces showing the combined machinery of heaven and earth in ordered working.

Amid the wheels is revealed a hand of infinite wisdom at work among the machinery, directing every wheel by God and placing every part in response to that hand. Out of the confusion that hand brings perfect order, with every wheel in its right place and in its true order working in perfect harmony with every other part and with every part of the grand center. Every part moves in complete harmony, each doing its specified work, yet with individual freedom of action.

The living wheels are beneath the cloudy chariot that carries the redeemed upward toward the New Jerusalem. As the chariot rolls upward they rise alongside the living creatures and move with them in living, coordinated movement under one directing spirit. Rising as it rolls upward they cry Holy, joined by the wings on each side of the chariot crying Holy. With them the retinue of angels cries Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, while the redeemed shout Alleluia.

The living creatures and the wheels move wherever the spirit directs them, and the swift movement of the light among the creatures shows how quickly the work will reach completion. Even when events seem tangled and complicated, the work can be kept in perfect order. By that same power the plans of wicked people who plot against His people are frustrated.

God Governs Events

The One enthroned above the cherubim guides the affairs of the earth, so that the whole world and its complicated course remain under His control. Even the strife and tumult of the nations are held under that divine control. Heaven is closely connected with events on earth, for He rules over coming events and the destiny of nations as well as the concerns of His church.

He guides the wheel within a wheel by the wakeful vigilance of heavenly beings and their unceasing ministry in connection with people on earth. Myriads of glorified beings stand ready at His word to fulfil His will. His hand is beneath the wheels, working through men and through the harmonious laws of nature, which conform with all His working, and He girds each actor in the work even when he does not know Him. For the great day of His preparation He even causes means of rapid traveling to be invented.

By the power with which He governs the world He overrules the power and policy of evil rulers and brings good to His faithful ones. He counteracts Satan's plans by movements those who know not God cannot comprehend, and He frustrates the plans of wicked people who plot against His people. He is acquainted with every man, and eternal justice is at work in the world by a powerful influence not under man's control, though man fancies he is directing matters. Even when events seem tangled and complicated He can keep His work in perfect order.

Trust God in Work

Ezekiel 1:20 holds a deep and important lesson for every one of God's workmen and is to be studied with humility and earnest prayer. What looks like confusion to the finite eye is in fact governed by a hand of infinite wisdom revealed amid the wheels, bringing perfect order out of confusion so that every wheel works in its right place in perfect harmony with every other part of the machinery. In His providence God directs His work and coordinates its agencies and is preparing a way for it to be done by human agents, who are only instruments in His hands, so no one is able to manage these things that belong to the great I AM. The wheels and living creatures move together wherever the Spirit directs, for the spirit of the living creature is in the wheels, and their intricate, puzzling forms show that intricate and unexplainable wheel within a wheel with living creatures connected to it is guided by the wakeful vigilance of heavenly beings and their unceasing ministry in connection with people on earth. Different work and employment enlists the energies of God's heavenly messengers, with God girding each actor in the work even when he does not know Him.

Those handling God's interests must depend on the Holy Spirit to guide them as faithful shepherds and stewards and must trust His care rather than rely on themselves. God is to be their instructor, with power and control and management left to the great I AM, magnifying the Lord God alone and giving no glory to human agencies. Human workers must not seek after too much power and try to control the work by their own power themselves, nor leave the mighty Worker out of their methods and plans, but must trust Him with everything in regard to the advancement of the work. Heaven is closely connected with events on earth, with God ruling over coming events, the destiny of nations, and the concerns of His church, so His servants can trust His care rather than rely on themselves. Every man must stand at his post of duty and act his part faithfully for this time, acting at once when providences demand it without waiting for human voice and dictation.

The living and true God with His hand beneath the wheels is a necessity everywhere to bring perfect order from confusion. The machinery of earth and heaven has many faces to every wheel, and it takes many faces to every wheel to see that hand beneath the wheels working through men and through harmonious laws of nature that conform with all His working to fulfil His will and accomplish His great work. That confusion comes when men leave Christ and explain creation and providence by their own science.