How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. (NRSV 2:1-2)
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. (KJV 2:1-2)
"Spake"—we love it. The power of God not only knocks Ezekiel over, but also picks him back up. By this point, Ezekiel doesn't even seem to be operating under his own power. He's on a totally different wavelength. At least he now realizes that the wheels and the cherubs and the flames were the path to this encounter with God.
Quote #5
I looked, and there was a figure that looked like a human being; below what appeared to be its loins it was fire, and above the loins it was like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming amber. It stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, to the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. And the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I had seen in the valley. (NRSV 8:2-4)
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. (KJV 8:2-4)
At this point, even Ezekiel's geographic reality changes as he's whisked away from where he is and plunked down in front of the Temple in Jerusalem, his former home. The purpose of this mystical journey is probably getting clearer to Ezekiel. He's meant to be shown something in the holy Temple. Maybe it's all starting to make some kind of sense to him.
Quote #6
And there, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters; and the earth shone with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. (NRSV 43:2-5)
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. (KJV 43:2-5)
Just as he had seen God departing the Temple, Ezekiel sees God re-entering it, in the future. His vision goes from abandonment to restoration and renewal. He's been given a glimpse of two entirely versions of reality. After living with visions of destruction and wrath, what must it have been like for him to experience this dramatic change of direction?