1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
The Lord is riding on cherubims and above their heads Ezekiel sees a big chair made out of sapphire.
2 And He spoke unto the man clothed with linen, and said, "Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city." And he went in in my sight.
God told the angel/man who had placed the mark of protection on the righteous in the city to now take hot coals from underneath the cherubims and scatter them over Jerusalem.
3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
The cherubims are standing on the south side of the Temple (the Jews evidently call the south the right side, most likely because the main entrance was on the west.) The cloud is the Glory of God.
4 Then the Glory of the Lord went 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.
Imagine how beautiful God is! His Glory just shines!
5 And the sound of the cherubims wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks.
Interesting that Ezekiel compares the sound of the Cherubims wings to the voice of God, as if he was so familiar with God’s voice he expects everyone to now know what the cherubims wings sound like.
6 And it came to pass, that when He had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, "Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims;" then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
Remember, wheel is Jewish shorthand for chariot.
7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
A cherub gives the man a coal.
8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
Remember from chapter one that each cherub had four wings (two to fly with and two to cover their bodies with) and hands with their wings.
9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the color of a beryl stone.
Beryl stone was probably sea green.
10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
Likely a hub inside the main wheel with spokes going from the inner wheel (hub) to the outer wheel, since this was the common structure of a chariot wheel at this time.
The chariots represent God’s true people. They are the vehicle He uses to accomplish His will.
11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
With the four cherub facing four different directions and a chariot for each cherub, there were two chariots per direction. Thus they didn’t need to turn when they changed directions. There were always a couple of chariots going the right way.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
God sees everything.
Eyes represent wisdom and knowledge. God makes sure His people receive lots of wisdom and He lets us know what is going on.
13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, "O wheel."
“Never was there a more unfortunate and unmeaning translation.” – Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible.
I have to agree!
This would better have been interpreted, “Whirl, Wheels! or Roll On!”
First of all, though there are four chariots, they are referred to as a single chariot. God may have many assemblies of believers, but there is only one Church which moves at His command.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel is again describing God and His wisdom, kingship, diligence, and majesty.
15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
God’s true people are always in His will, following His direction.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
The spirit of God is in His Church, no matter what age it is (the Age of Law, or the Age of Grace).
18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one 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.
Ezekiel sees a representation of God move from the Temple to the cherubims. God is fixing to leave the Temple in Jerusalem.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.