Ezekiel 1:28
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)
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The rainbow, often seen as a simple symbol of God's covenant after the flood, here intensely highlights the perfection of God's glory and presence, even amidst the terrifying majesty Ezekiel witnesses. It signifies that God's mercy and faithfulness are an integral part of His very being, arching over even the most awe-inspiring displays of His power.
Ezekiel has just witnessed a terrifying, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, and now the focus shifts to the glorious presence of God Himself seated upon a throne above them. This overwhelming appearance of God's majesty, compared to a vibrant rainbow, causes Ezekiel to collapse in awe and prepare to hear the divine message. The vision, with its elements of both judgment and covenant promise, sets the stage for Ezekiel's prophetic role.
Ezekiel saw something so brilliant, so overwhelming, it could only be described as a likeness of God's glory. It wasn't just light; it was packed with meaning.
The vision culminates in the "likeness of the glory of the LORD." This isn't God in His full, unapproachable essence – no mortal could bear that. Instead, it’s a visible manifestation, a divine radiance that Ezekiel could perceive. Think of it like a powerful spotlight revealing something incredibly significant, but still just a representation.
More Than Just Light
The imagery here, especially the rainbow, is crucial. While a rainbow often reminds us of God's covenant of mercy after the flood (Genesis 9:13), in Ezekiel’s vision, it’s part of the overwhelming splendor of God’s presence. It signals that even amidst His awesome power and the coming judgment He’s about to reveal, His mercy and faithfulness are present, woven into the very fabric of His glory.
When Ezekiel saw this vision, his immediate reaction wasn't cheering or applause. It was something far more profound, a physical response to the divine.
The vision’s climax leads to Ezekiel's immediate, visceral reaction: "I fell on my face." This wasn't just a polite bow; it was a posture of utter prostration, signifying deep awe, reverence, and a humbling awareness of his own smallness before the divine majesty.
Prepared for the Message
This falling down is a common biblical response to theophany (a manifestation of God). It’s a moment of intense fear and worship, a recognition that you are in the presence of the Holy One. It’s in this state of brokenness and surrender that Ezekiel is then able to "hear the voice of one speaking." God often meets us in our lowliest moments, preparing us to receive His word not with intellectual pride, but with a humble, open heart.
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.
This vision occurred during the Babylonian exile, a period of profound national crisis for the Jewish people. The glorious, yet terrifying, vision of God's presence, complete with the rainbow symbol of covenant amidst judgment, offered a glimmer of hope for future restoration even in the midst of utter devastation.
c. 626 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Call to Prophethood
Ezekiel, a priest, receives his prophetic commission by the Chebar River in Babylon, amidst the Judean exile. This vision marks the beginning of his ministry.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports a group of Judean exiles, including young men of royal or noble lineage, to Babylon. Ezekiel and Daniel are believed to be part of this group.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a rebellion in Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including many of the elite, to Babylon. This event deepens the despair of the exiles.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and exiles the remaining population. This catastrophic event fulfills many of the dire warnings Ezekiel would later deliver.
This passage directly links the rainbow to God's covenant after the flood, a symbol of promise and hope that resonates with the rainbow's appearance in Ezekiel's vision of glory.
Revelation 4:3John's vision also features a rainbow surrounding God's throne, drawing a parallel between the divine presence as seen by Ezekiel and the heavenly throne room described in Revelation.
Exodus 33:20This verse states that no one can see God's full glory and live, which provides context for why Ezekiel sees a 'likeness' and falls down in awe, acknowledging the overwhelming nature of divine manifestation.
Isaiah 6:1Isaiah's vision of the Lord high and lifted up in the temple also results in him falling prostrate in recognition of God's holiness and his own unworthiness, mirroring Ezekiel's reaction.
Revelation 1:17The Apostle John's vision of the glorified Christ elicits a similar response of falling at His feet as though dead, highlighting the profound and humbling impact of encountering the divine.
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…
The rainbow, often seen as a simple symbol of God's covenant after the flood, here intensely highlights the perfection of God's glory and presence, even amidst the terrifying majesty Ezekiel witnesses. It signifies that God's mercy and faithfulness are an integral part of His very being, arching over even the most awe-inspiring displays of His power.
Ezekiel has just witnessed a terrifying, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, and now the focus shifts to the glorious presence of God Himself seated upon a throne above them. This overwhelming appearance of God's majesty, compared to a vibrant rainbow, causes Ezekiel to collapse in awe and prepare to hear the divine message. The vision, with its elements of both judgment and covenant promise, sets the stage for Ezekiel's prophetic role.
Ezekiel has just witnessed a terrifying, complex vision of divine beings and wheels, and now the focus shifts to the glorious presence of God Himself seated upon a throne above them. This overwhelming appearance of God's majesty, compared to a vibrant rainbow, causes Ezekiel to collapse in awe and prepare to hear the divine message. The vision, with its elements of both judgment and covenant promise, sets the stage for Ezekiel's prophetic role.
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c. 571 BC
Prophecies Against Egypt
Ezekiel delivers his final prophecies, focusing on Egypt. By this time, Jerusalem has fallen, and the exiles are grappling with the full weight of God's judgment.
"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…" — The rainbow, often seen as a simple symbol of God's covenant after the flood, here intensely highlights the perfection of God's glory and presence, even amidst the terrifying majesty Ezekiel witnes…
