While the rainbow is often seen as a sign of God's covenant, here it surrounds the overwhelming glory of God, suggesting that even in judgment, God's overarching faithfulness and mercy are present, tempering His wrath. This vision isn't just about God's power; it's a profound reminder that His presence, even in its terrifying majesty, is ultimately about His enduring love and promises.
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has just seen a breathtaking, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, all illuminated by a radiant presence. This verse concludes the description of that overwhelming glory, comparing it to a vibrant rainbow, symbolizing God's covenant amidst judgment. The sheer awe of this manifestation causes Ezekiel to fall prostrate, preparing him to hear the voice that will reveal his prophetic mission.
Ezekiel sees an incredible, overwhelming vision of God's glory. Yet, amidst this terrifying display, a familiar symbol of hope appears.
The vision of God's glory in Ezekiel 1:28 is immense and powerful, described with a "brightness all around." But what stands out is the "appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain." This rainbow, a recurring symbol in Scripture, isn't just about beauty. It's a powerful reminder of God's covenant, a promise that even amidst judgment (the "day of rain"), God remembers His faithfulness and mercy. It speaks to a God whose awesome holiness is tempered by His enduring love and promises.
This highlights a crucial truth: God's glory isn't solely about overwhelming power and judgment. It's also about His steadfast love and the assurance of His promises, even when His judgments are being enacted. The rainbow, a sign of God's covenant not to destroy the earth by flood, is here presented as a sign of His continuing grace amidst even the most severe dispensations.
The sheer glory of God's manifestation is so intense that it has an immediate physical and emotional effect on the prophet.
Ezekiel's reaction to seeing the likeness of the LORD's glory is profound: "I fell on my face." This wasn't a casual gesture. It signifies deep awe, reverence, and a recognition of his own smallness and utter dependence on God. Ancient Near Eastern thought often associated prostration before a divine or royal presence with overwhelming fear and recognition of authority.
This immediate, visceral response underscores the immense holiness and power of God. It's a stark contrast to casual familiarity. Ezekiel isn't just witnessing an event; he's encountering the Divine presence in a way that demands a total surrender of self. It prepares him, through humility and awe, to hear the voice of God speaking and to receive his commission.
Ask a follow-up
Ezekiel sees the "likeness" of God's glory, not the glory itself. What does this distinction teach us about knowing God?
The text carefully states that Ezekiel saw the "appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." This phrasing is crucial. It emphasizes that what the prophet witnessed was a representation, an image, a reflection – not the unmediated, infinite essence of God. God's true glory is beyond human comprehension and capacity to behold in our mortal state.
This concept teaches us humility in our understanding of God. While God does reveal Himself to us, making Himself known through His Word, His Son, and His creation, He remains ultimately transcendent. The vision in Ezekiel is a powerful manifestation, designed to convey truth and impart a commission, but it's filtered through human understanding and sensory experience. It’s a glimpse, a revelation sufficient for His purpose, but not the totality of His being.
Understand the original words
kabod · Hebrew Noun
A term used for the visible weight, significance, majesty, and radiant splendor of God's presence as He reveals Himself to humanity.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the self-existent, covenant-keeping God of Israel, who reveals Himself to His people throughout redemptive history.
Ezekiel's vision occurs during the Babylonian exile, a time of immense national trauma for the Jewish people. The presence of the rainbow, a symbol of God's covenant, within this vision of terrifying judgment, offers a powerful message of hope and God's enduring faithfulness amidst destruction.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports some of the nobility, including Daniel. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including many of the priestly and royal class, as well as the prophet Ezekiel. This group is taken to Babylon.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple, ending the kingdom of Judah and leading to a final, larger deportation of the population.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecies Conclude
The last dated prophecy in Ezekiel is delivered, offering messages of both judgment and future restoration to the exiles in Babylon.
This passage speaks of the rainbow as God's covenant sign, echoing Ezekiel's vision where the rainbow appears as a symbol of God's enduring faithfulness amidst His glory.
Revelation 4:3Similar to Ezekiel's vision, John sees God's glory surrounded by a rainbow, emphasizing the theme of God's majestic presence and His covenant promises.
Isaiah 6:1-5This passage describes Isaiah's overwhelming encounter with God's glory, where he, like Ezekiel, falls in awe and recognizes his own unworthiness before the divine presence.
Exodus 33:20God tells Moses that no one can see His full glory and live, highlighting why Ezekiel saw only the 'likeness' of God's glory, not God Himself in His unapproachable fullness.
Revelation 10:1This vision also features a powerful angelic figure with a rainbow about its head, connecting the themes of divine revelation, covenant, and immense glory.
clarkeEzekiel 1:28: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake."
As the appearance of the bow - Over the canopy on which this glorious personage sat there was a fine rainbow, which, from the description here, had all its colors vivid, distinct, and in perfection - red, orange, ye…
pulpitEzekiel 1:28: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake."
Verse 28. - As the appearance of the bow. The glorious epiphany was completed, as in Revelation 4:3 and Revelation 10:1, by the appearance of the rainbow. The symbol of God's faithfulness, and of the hope that reste…
While the rainbow is often seen as a sign of God's covenant, here it surrounds the overwhelming glory of God, suggesting that even in judgment, God's overarching faithfulness and mercy are present, tempering His wrath. This vision isn't just about God's power; it's a profound reminder that His presence, even in its terrifying majesty, is ultimately about His enduring love and promises.
Ezekiel has just seen a breathtaking, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, all illuminated by a radiant presence. This verse concludes the description of that overwhelming glory, comparing it to a vibrant rainbow, symbolizing God's covenant amidst judgment. The sheer awe of this manifestation causes Ezekiel to fall prostrate, preparing him to hear the voice that will reveal his prophetic mission.
Ezekiel has just seen a breathtaking, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, all illuminated by a radiant presence. This verse concludes the description of that overwhelming glory, comparing it to a vibrant rainbow, symbolizing God's covenant amidst judgment. The sheer awe of this manifestation causes Ezekiel to fall prostrate, preparing him to hear the voice that will reveal his prophetic mission.
"Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I he…" — While the rainbow is often seen as a sign of God's covenant, here it surrounds the overwhelming glory of God, suggesting that even in judgment, God's overarching faithfulness and mercy are present, t…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
