“As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such 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.” (v.28)
Ezekiel was a priest among the Jewish exiles in Babylon and had visions of the Lord (see Ezekiel 1,8,10-11). He described God’s presence as, “the appearance of fire with brightness all around,” “the color of amber,” and like “a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.” Ezekiel’s reaction was to fall on his face before Him and to listen to His instructions (vv.27-28). For God was about to call him to go to the children of Israel and be God's voice unto them.
The apostle John also saw a vision of God’s presence. He may have been Jesus’ closest friend here on earth. At the Last Supper, prior to the crucifixion, we read that John was “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” (John 13:23). Yet when John saw a vision of the Son of God in all His glory and power, he had the same reaction Ezekiel had, and “fell at His feet as dead” (Revelation 1:10-17).
We cannot comprehend how brilliant and awesome the Lord’s glory is, so we can’t be sure of how we’ll respond when one day we’re in His presence. Will we dance or be still? Will we stand in awe or fall to our knees? Will we sing or not be able to speak at all? Bart Millard got it right when in 2001 he wrote the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”
The Truth: "And He who sat on the throne was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald." (Revelation 4:3)
Ezekiel was a priest among the Jewish exiles in Babylon and had visions of the Lord (see Ezekiel 1,8,10-11). He described God’s presence as, “the appearance of fire with brightness all around,” “the color of amber,” and like “a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.” Ezekiel’s reaction was to fall on his face before Him and to listen to His instructions (vv.27-28). For God was about to call him to go to the children of Israel and be God's voice unto them.
The apostle John also saw a vision of God’s presence. He may have been Jesus’ closest friend here on earth. At the Last Supper, prior to the crucifixion, we read that John was “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” (John 13:23). Yet when John saw a vision of the Son of God in all His glory and power, he had the same reaction Ezekiel had, and “fell at His feet as dead” (Revelation 1:10-17).
We cannot comprehend how brilliant and awesome the Lord’s glory is, so we can’t be sure of how we’ll respond when one day we’re in His presence. Will we dance or be still? Will we stand in awe or fall to our knees? Will we sing or not be able to speak at all? Bart Millard got it right when in 2001 he wrote the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”
The Truth: "And He who sat on the throne was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald." (Revelation 4:3)
