Ezekiel 10

Passage overview

Daniel 10 is one of the prophetic books of the Old Testament, and it contains the remarkable visions experienced by Daniel and God’s messages through His angel. This chapter begins with a scene in which Daniel receives a special revelation from God while fasting and praying for an extended period, highlighting his encounter with an angel, spiritual warfare, and God’s work in history.

1verseThen I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2verseHe spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” He went in as I watched.

3verseNow the cherubim stood on the right side of the house when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

4verseThe LORD’s glory mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory.

5verseThe sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.

6verseIt came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside a wheel.

7verseThe cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.

8verseThe form of a man’s hand appeared here in the cherubim under their wings.

9verseI looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub. The appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.

10verseAs for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.

11verseWhen they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it. They didn’t turn as they went.

12verseTheir whole body, including their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.

13verseAs for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”.

14verseEvery one of them had four faces. The first face was the face of the cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third face was the face of a lion. The fourth was the face of an eagle.

15verseThe cherubim mounted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.

16verseWhen the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn’t turn from beside them.

17verseWhen they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

18verseThe LORD’s glory went out from over the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim.

19verseThe cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

20verseThis is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.

21verseEvery one had four faces, and every one four wings. The likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

22verseAs for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves. They each went straight forward.

Structure and Flow

  • Verses 1-3: Daniel’s fasting and sorrow – Daniel comes before God through prayer and fasting for three weeks (21 days).
  • Verses 4-9: The appearance of a figure in the vision – Daniel witnesses the manifestation of a “particularly magnificent being” (an angel) by the Tigris River. Those who were with him fearfully run away, and Daniel is overwhelmed by fear.
  • Verses 10-14: The angel’s encouragement and explanation – The angel raises Daniel and reveals that his request was answered from the beginning, then explains the spiritual warfare in heaven (a confrontation with the spirits of the kingdom of Persia).
  • Verses 15-21: Daniel’s weakness and spiritual strength – Daniel’s strength fades, but the angel empowers him again, leading him to be prepared for the unfolding revelation (chapters 11–12).

Key Meaning and Message

  • Perseverance in prayer and endurance: Daniel’s earnest prayer is answered in God’s time, showing that there is a battle in the unseen spiritual world in the meantime.
  • The reality of the spiritual world: Through the expressions “an angel” and “the prince of the kingdom of Persia,” it describes an unseen reality that exists between God’s kingdom and the powers of the world.
  • Encouragement that meets us in weakness: Daniel experiences human fear and weakness, but the chapter ends with God’s angel pouring strength and courage into him.

Points to Reflect On

  • While we pray and wait, do we believe that God is working in unseen places?
  • Do we have the experience of asking for and receiving God’s encouragement and strength even in the weakness and fear of life?
  • Can we trust the fact that God’s response comes not in my way, but according to God’s timetable and methods?

Apply It to Me

  • Through steady prayer and fasting, and with endurance, we should develop an attitude of entrusting the big and small problems of life to God and waiting for Him.
  • Being mindful of the reality of the spiritual world, we should give our weakness to God as it is, and seek His encouragement and help.

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