Ezekiel 10 reminds me of many married couples that I have observed over the years. Physical distance so often represents emotional distance. I have seen husband and wife sitting in church together; then one, two, or three kids come along and sit between them. As the years pass and the children move on, and there is nothing but empty seats between them. In today’s chapter, we see The Glory of God, slowly moving toward the exit of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is clear to me that God does not rush out and slam the door, but moves slowly and lingers, perhaps with the hope that the people will notice His presence. As the chapter begins, the Glory of God and His throne are in the inner room. “I saw the likeness of a throne… over the heads of the cherubim“. “The man clothed in linen” from the previous chapter is instructed to “Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city“. Fire has two meanings in scripture. It is used for purifying, and it is used for destroying. Just an observation about embers in a fire, if you remove one away from the heat, it will die out. Dead embers are tossed into the ash heap.
Next we see the Glory of God, “standing on the south side of the temple“. No one noticed. “Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple“.Another pause at the doorway. Remember, physical distance follows emotional distance. Friend, is it time to reach out through the distance? A tender touch might be the spark that rekindles. The chapter continues, “the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord… the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court“. God is not sneaking out; He is making a racket, perhaps even waiting for one voice to ask Him to stay.
As the chapter concludes, the Glory of God moves out before the destruction of Jerusalem is set in motion. The man in Linen is instructed to “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim“. He “took it and went out“. The magnificence of the Cherubim is described by Ezekiel in great detail. How could anyone fail to notice the beauty and amazing qualities? One feature is described that caught my attention, “Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes“. I believe God is watching for any hint of a hurting heart moving toward Him. With no one calling out, or making any effort, “the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple“. Is it sadder that God’s presence departed, or that no one noticed? Even after leaving the building, God waits one last time. It does not say how long, but all eyes were looking for any hint of affection. “They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them“. Luke chapter 19 describes Jesus looking over the same city before He entered to lay down His life. He wept over it saying “If you… had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now it is hidden from your eyes…because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you“. Did you know God wept over you too? Is He distant? He still waits. Maybe today you can ask Him to come back into your home?