8 August 2022
Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendour all round. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.
From Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28, NRSV
In today’s reading, we hear the prophet Ezekiel trying to capture in words the awesome majesty of God. Ezekiel draws on rich and splendid imagery to describe a vision he witnessed on the bank of the River Chebar whilst he was in exile in Babylon. He speaks of flashes of lightning, a noise like a storm, angelic beings carrying the throne of God through the sky, precious jewels, fire and a rainbow. This graphic description of the scene surrounding God actually obscured Ezekiel’s view of the one seated on the throne. He could only presume that such splendour indicated the glory of the Lord and his instinctive response was to prostrate himself before this vision.
- What impact do you suppose Ezekiel’s description of his vision had on his fellow exiles?
- When have you been aware of the glory of God?
You might like to think about how you could describe the glory of God to those who have not experienced this.
