Lamentations 1

Chap. I. Ver. 1—14. Ezekiel’s prophetic call, and introductory vision.—It is difficult to conceive any thing more magnificent or sublime, than the scene now before us. It hath been considered as the chariot of the Deity; and the living creatures, or cherubim figures, as the agents employed to convey it through the universe. Two objects here particularly demand our attention, the vehicle itself, and the animals attached to it. The former we consider as emblematic of the immense machine of Providence (so to speak;) and the latter of the various agency by which that Providence is administered. The introduction to this scene may remind us of the first cherubim exhibition recorded in the Bible. When God drove

Chap. I. Ver. 1. In the thirtieth year.—That is, of the prophet’s life, as it is generally understood: but Calmet thinks these years must rather be dated from the revival of religion, and the covenant made with God in the time of king Josiah. ——The river of Chebar.—The station here referred to, is supposed to have been about 200 miles north of Babylon. See (Lamentations 3:16).—[Chebar, called now Khabour, is a river of Mesopotamia, which, taking its rise in the Masian mountains, falls into the Euphrates near Carchemish, or Circesium, now Karkisia, about 35° 20’ N. lat. and 40° 25’ E. lon.]—Bagster. Ver. 2. The fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, was also the fifth of Zedekiah’s reign, who immediately succeeded him, (2 Kings 24:17); and as the city and temple were destroyed in the 11th year of Zedekiah, (2 Kings 25:2), the prophet, of course, had this vision six years before that event took place. Ver. 3. The hand of the Lord was there upon him.—That is, he was under prophetic influence. See (1 Kings 18:46).; (2 Kings 3:15), &c. Ver. 5. Four living creatures.—Chap. x. 20, the prophet says he knew them to be the cherubim; but gives no farther information. The Author is perfectly aware of the different systems of interpretation advanced on this subject, and particularly that of the ingenious Hutchinson, who supposed them intended Year 5 of Jehoiachin’s captivity.—B. C. 595. VIII, to XIX. - + - 6 — Ditto. XX. to XXII. - - 7— Ditto.

6:0) Fe 9 — Ditto, when the siege began. ye he Ma Tec} ‘The te Cry an ie Cae Beis Cher tas oh tae: eg) Deny XXV. to XXVIII - After the destruction of Jerusalem. X XIX. to ver. 16. Between 10 and 12 of Jehoiachin’s captivity. XXX. ver. 20 to 26. f Ss. After the destruction of Jerusalem. XL, to XLVI. < + - Year 25 of Jehoiachin’s captivity. 27 — Ditto, XXX. ver. 1—19. X XIX. 17, to the end, an i ¥ 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, i Re.4.6,&c. on the right side: and they four had the face j c.10.8,&c. of an ox on the left side; they four also had k a straight the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were ™ stretched upward; two wings of every © Ge.

lo. té, °up and down among the living creatures; Adam without the boundaries of Paradise, he placed there Cherubim and a flaming sword: that is, a terrific revolving flame, in which the Deity is supposed to have resided. (See (Genesis 3:24). with our ppd.) Here we have ‘a whirlwind from the north, a great cloud, a fire infolding itself,” surrounded with a glory, and out of the centre of all this splendour, comes forth the stupendous figures there exhibited. (Compare also (1 Kings 19:12).) With respect to the living creatures, there can be no doubt that they were the seraphim which Isaiah saw when he received his prophetic mission. ((Isaiah 6:2), &c.) From the readiness also with which Ezekiel knew them to be the Cherubim, to represent the several offices and relations of the persons of the Trinity.

But to this he has two most decided objections: 1. The Jews were utterly forbidden to make any representations of the Deity. See (Exodus 20:4).; (Deuteronomy 4:12, 16), &c. 2. These living creatures are represented as worshipping the great Being he supposes them to represent. (Isaiah 6:3).; (Revelation 5:8, 14).—These living creatures were probably hieroglyphical representations of the holy angels, the attendants on “the King of Glory,” and the ministers of his providence. They were four, apparently to denote that they were employed in the four quarters of the world; and they had the likeness of a man, to signify that they were intelligent and rational creatures. — Bagster.

Ver. 6. Every one four wings.—The seraphim in Isaiah had each six wings and so the living creatures in (Revelation 4:8)._ But in both places it may be recollected they are described as in the act of worship. Compare (Isaiah 6:2). Ver. 7. Straight feet.—See margin. This description supposes the body of each covered by its two lower wings, and terminating in one straight and round foot, like a calf’s. See Parkhurst. Ver. 11. Stretched upward.—That is, the upper pair of wings belonging to each figure being spread open, were, as the margin saith, ‘“ divided,” or opened ‘above’ and joined to or touched those of [the] other figure, as well as the similitude of description, there is as little doubt that they strongly resembled the Mosaic emblems in the temple. Divines, however, are much divided as to the class of intelligences they are intended to represent.

The strength and courage of the lion, the patient laboriousness of the ox, and the soaring eye of the eagle, are all proverbial, and “the human face divine” seems the proper emblem of philanthropy. That these attributes are applicable to angels will hardly be denied, or that these angels are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation. (See Heb. 1.14.) That they are also ministers of justice is no less evident from the sacred scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments: but our limits will not admit of amplification. Ver. 15—28. The vision of the immense wheels and the celestial throne.—The whole vision being now before us, we shall offer a few remarks on its general import, considering it designed to represent, as already hinted, the doctrine of divine agency and a universal providence.

1. We are called upon to admire the immensity and magnificence of God’s providence. These wheels (like Jacob’s ladder) reached from earth to heaven, extending to all the works and ways of God. The magnitude and the splendour of their appearance, gave them also a high degree of sublimity: they were dreadful to behold.—2. Here was a display of infinite wisdom and intelligence. Not only had one of these living creatures the eyes of an eagle, commanding the whole horizon, but the wheels themselves were full of eyes. All the plans of the Almighty are full of intelligence, and all his agents are under divine guidance.—3. We see the absolute irresistibility of God’s providence. The wheels went straight forward, and no impediments could make them change their course.—4.

We may remark the unity and harmony of divine providence. Not only was there a perfect consistency between all the parts of this machine, but they were animated with the same spirit.—The spirit which directed these mysterious animals was also in the wheels.—5. We should notice the intricate complication of this machinery, which was, as it were, “a wheel within a wheel: that is, as Archbishop Newcome and others explain it, consisting of rings crossing within each other, as in an armillary sphere, whereby they could move with equal ease and celerity in any direction.—6. The divine operation which guided them—they had ‘the hands of a man under their wings on the four sides’”— “The hand unseen, Which moves and guides the vast machine.”

Above all this mysterious and sublime machinery we have a crystal firmament, and above that firmament a sapphire throne—and on that throne the appearance of a man in glory, who could be no other than the Son of God, in an anticipated human form, surrounded with a radiant flame, and with a brilliant rainbow, as he appeared to the apostle John in the book of Revelations. ((Revelation 4:2-3). x. 1.) Chap. II. Ver. 1—10. Ezekiel receives his commission, with the roll of prophecies he was to deliver.—The Prophet, having been availed with the glorious vision in the preceding chapter, is here strengthened and comforted: and then com-