According
to the rabbis, there is one chapter in the Bible that is so
dangerous, it is forbidden to be taught to groups of disciples.
It could be taught to no more than one student at a time, and only if
he is a mature student. This chapter is so dangerous, it is
forbidden to be read in the regular synagogue service. It led
some of Israel's most famous rabbis to engage in strange mystical
practices that killed one of them, made another crazy, and led
another to heresy. For hundreds of years, even the name of this
chapter caused knowledgeable Jews to shudder. What chapter is
this? They call it Merkabah:
The Chariot.
The
chariot was a powerful religious symbol for ancient Israel: not
the ordinary chariots used for war, but what the Bible calls
"chariots of fire." The first mention of chariots of
fire is in 2 Kings 2:11. This is the story of Elijah being
caught up into heaven. Although tradition imagines it was the
chariot that carried him away ("Swing low, sweet chariot"),
the Bible says a fiery chariot and its horses separated Elijah from
Elisha, his disciple, while a strong storm-wind snatched Elijah
away. Who was driving the chariot? It doesn't say
very
mysterious.
very
mysterious.
The
next mention of chariots of fire is in 2 Kings 6:17. Elisha,
now a famous prophet in his own right, was trapped in the small town
of Dothan at the edge of Galilee by the army of the Arameans.
They were the enemy of Israel, ruling from Damascusas
the Syrians do today. They had come to Dothan to capture Elisha
because he was constantly defeating their secret war plans by
revealing them to the king of Israel. The sight of the vast
enemy army frightened Elisha's servant. So Elisha calmly prayed
for the servant's spiritual eyes to be opened. When they were,
he saw the mountain on which the city was built covered with horses
and chariots of fire.
The
book of Psalms mentions chariots of fire in a poetic declaration of
God's overwhelming power: "The chariots of God are tens of
thousands thousands of times over. The Lord is with them, as at
Sinai in holiness" (Psa. 68:17).
But
perhaps the strangest mention of a chariot in the Bible is in 1
Chronicles 28:18. This section gives the details of David's
plans for the construction of the Temple, later realized by his son,
Solomon. In the plans for the innermost chamber of the Temple,
along with the ark of the covenant, is a golden chariot (merkabah).
What is a chariot doing in the holiest part of the Temple? A
careful reading of the verse shows that it has something to do with
the two large angels (cherubim)
that Solomon placed in the Holy of Holies, whose wings, from the
wingtips of one to the wingtips of the other, stretched across that
innermost chamber. But why a chariot?
as
the Syrians do today. They had come to Dothan to capture Elisha
because he was constantly defeating their secret war plans by
revealing them to the king of Israel. The sight of the vast
enemy army frightened Elisha's servant. So Elisha calmly prayed
for the servant's spiritual eyes to be opened. When they were,
he saw the mountain on which the city was built covered with horses
and chariots of fire. The
book of Psalms mentions chariots of fire in a poetic declaration of
God's overwhelming power: "The chariots of God are tens of
thousands thousands of times over. The Lord is with them, as at
Sinai in holiness" (Psa. 68:17). But
perhaps the strangest mention of a chariot in the Bible is in 1
Chronicles 28:18. This section gives the details of David's
plans for the construction of the Temple, later realized by his son,
Solomon. In the plans for the innermost chamber of the Temple,
along with the ark of the covenant, is a golden chariot (merkabah).
What is a chariot doing in the holiest part of the Temple? A
careful reading of the verse shows that it has something to do with
the two large angels (cherubim)
that Solomon placed in the Holy of Holies, whose wings, from the
wingtips of one to the wingtips of the other, stretched across that
innermost chamber. But why a chariot?
The
answer was discovered a few years ago by an archaeologist, Leen
Ritmeyer, flying at 30,000 feet to Israel from the U.S. He got bored
with the movie, and took out his plans of the ancient Temple Mount in
Jerusalem. He had been studying the large piece of bedrock that
sticks up six feet above floor level under the central dome of the
Dome of the Rock, the gold-domed Muslim shrine that stands in the
middle of the ancient Temple site. Many have speculated that
this rock was once the location of the Holy of Holies. But no
one had ever been able to prove ituntil
now. On the basis of natural rock contours and marks in the
rock, he had already been able to locate the walls of an ancient room
once built there. The measurements of this room were exactly
the same as the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Solomon. But
now, as he looked at a photo of the rock, he noticed a small
depression, exactly in the center of this ancient room. No one
had paid much attention to it before, because of all the other cuts
and marks in the rock. But when he measured it, he was shocked
to find this depression had the same dimensions as the ark of the
covenant! Perhaps this was the very "place" that
Solomon had prepared in which to set the ark (2 Chron. 5:7).
until
now. On the basis of natural rock contours and marks in the
rock, he had already been able to locate the walls of an ancient room
once built there. The measurements of this room were exactly
the same as the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Solomon. But
now, as he looked at a photo of the rock, he noticed a small
depression, exactly in the center of this ancient room. No one
had paid much attention to it before, because of all the other cuts
and marks in the rock. But when he measured it, he was shocked
to find this depression had the same dimensions as the ark of the
covenant! Perhaps this was the very "place" that
Solomon had prepared in which to set the ark (2 Chron. 5:7).
There
was only one problem: the depression was facing the wrong way.
We usually picture the ark with its side facing out , and the two
small golden angels (the cherubim) that are attached to its cover
visible on either side. But the depression was going the other
way: with the narrow end facing out. Now that was really
odd! Why would the narrow end of the ark face outward?
And then it hit him. Of course! That was the way
the ark of the covenant faced when it was carried out before the
people in the time of Moses and Joshua. They would naturally
have put the ark in the Temple facing the same wayto
show God leading the way before his people. In fact, this is
the only way to make sense of the fact that when they first put the
ark in the Temple, the poles used to carry it stuck out from the Holy
of Holies (1 Kings 8:8).
to
show God leading the way before his people. In fact, this is
the only way to make sense of the fact that when they first put the
ark in the Temple, the poles used to carry it stuck out from the Holy
of Holies (1 Kings 8:8).
But
what does all this have to do with a chariot? As we said,
Solomon built two huge angels standing at the sides of the ark of the
covenant. These angels were not beautiful women with wings, as
we usually picture them. Lady angels are a pagan idea picked up
much later by the church. In the Bible, angels appear either as
men or as ferocious beastspart
lion, part bull, etc.strange
and frightening mixtures of different animals. This view was
not unique to ancient Israel, but was shared by all the surrounding
nations. Many, many pieces of ancient art have been discovered
showing this frightening type of cherub. With the ark facing
out, and one of these large animal-like cherubs on either side, it
would look not just like they were standing next to the ark, but that
they were pulling itlike
a chariot! This idea is not strange to the Bible. One of
the oft-repeated descriptions of God is that he sits on the cherubs,
or rides on them (2 Kin. 19:15, Ps. 80:1, Ps. 99:1, 2 Sam. 22:11,
Psa. 18:10). The ark flanked by animal-like cherubs is the
chariot of God mentioned in 1 Chronicles!
part
lion, part bull, etc.strange
and frightening mixtures of different animals. This view was
not unique to ancient Israel, but was shared by all the surrounding
nations. Many, many pieces of ancient art have been discovered
showing this frightening type of cherub. With the ark facing
out, and one of these large animal-like cherubs on either side, it
would look not just like they were standing next to the ark, but that
they were pulling itlike
a chariot! This idea is not strange to the Bible. One of
the oft-repeated descriptions of God is that he sits on the cherubs,
or rides on them (2 Kin. 19:15, Ps. 80:1, Ps. 99:1, 2 Sam. 22:11,
Psa. 18:10). The ark flanked by animal-like cherubs is the
chariot of God mentioned in 1 Chronicles!
So
now you are ready for the chapter on the Chariotthe
dangerous chapter I warned you about earlier. It can be found
in Ezekiel chapter 1. This is the first vision of Ezekiel, who
was among the exiles in Babylon, 1,000 miles from home. One
day, when he was outdoors by the river Chebar, he saw a "storm-wind"
approaching (like the one that snatched Elijah away). The
Hebrew words also carry the meaning "Spirit-storm":
for this was clearly a storm of the Spirit. In the storm he
sees four terrifying cherubim, the same number surrounding the ark of
the covenant in the Temple.* And beside each was a spinning
wheel (vs. 15)the
wheels of the Chariot of God.**
the
dangerous chapter I warned you about earlier. It can be found
in Ezekiel chapter 1. This is the first vision of Ezekiel, who
was among the exiles in Babylon, 1,000 miles from home. One
day, when he was outdoors by the river Chebar, he saw a "storm-wind"
approaching (like the one that snatched Elijah away). The
Hebrew words also carry the meaning "Spirit-storm":
for this was clearly a storm of the Spirit. In the storm he
sees four terrifying cherubim, the same number surrounding the ark of
the covenant in the Temple.* And beside each was a spinning
wheel (vs. 15)the
wheels of the Chariot of God.**
Above
the heads of the cherubs was something like a glass ceiling (vs.
22). And above that was something like a throne made of
precious stone (vs. 26). This detail should not be overlooked.
Throughout the Bible, stone is associated with divinity: "My
God, my rock, in whom I will trust." Over and over again
the Bible identifies God the Father as the one seated on the throne,
the invisible ruler of everything. But who is this figure that
looks like a human being on the throne, with legs like glowing metal
and a radiance all around him? (vs.26,27)
The
appearance of this luminous being is clearly the purpose and the
climax of the vision. When Ezekiel sees him, he falls to his
face, humbling himself in an attitude of worship (vs. 28). But
the figure on the throne commands him to rise. No sooner are
these words spoken than the Holy Spirit enters Ezekiel and sets him
on his feet (2:2). The mysterious man then begins to speak to
the prophet in the name and with the authority of God: "I
am sending you," he sayswithout,
like the angels, claiming to speak for another"and
you will say to them, `This is what the Lord God says'" (2:4).
Who is this that dares to speak with the authority of God? It could
not be God the Father himself, for the idea of the Father appearing
in any particular form was unthinkable. God is Spirit, the
Bible says, and so cannot be confined to any one time or place.
So who is this? This is where it started to get dangerous for
those rabbis.
The
identity of this mysterious being is given in 1:28, though often
obscured in translation. The original Hebrew says: "He
is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God."
Does that sound familiar? It's the source of Hebrews 1:3, which says,
"And he is the radiance of (God's) glory and the exact
representation of his nature." Hebrews identifies this
radiant one as Jesus, the Messiah. By alluding or hinting to
Ezekiel, Hebrews interprets Ezekiel's prophecy for us: Jesus is
the one sitting on the throne who speaks as God and who is God.
This is what made this chapter dangerous to those early
rabbisbecause
it is so clearly fulfilled in Jesus. The rabbi who became a
"heretic" most likely realized that this was Jesus on the
throne. Do you know anyone today that has trouble accepting the
tri-unity of God? Tell them about the one sitting in the
Chariot of God, who speaks as God, and is God!
In
Ezekiel 1:27, it says this human figure appeared like glowing metal.
This is a detail that should not be overlooked. A radiant man
with legs like glowing metal also appears in Daniel 10:6, and again
in Revelation 1:15. Who is it? The same personJesus!,
not as he appeared on earth in the humility of his humanity, but as
he appears in heaven, filled with the power and the majesty of
God. He
is the
appearance of the glory of God! This is how he appeared to his
disciples on the Mt. of Transfiguration: not as an ordinary
man, but in the fiery power of God. His face was radiant as the
sun, his garments white as light (Matt. 17:2). He
is the
appearance of the glory of God. No wonder Ezekiel fell down in
worship!
The
vision of the Chariot explains how the heavenly, timeless God, whom
we cannot see (Ex. 33:20), is able to reveal himself to us:
through his two "arms" (Isa. 51:5)the
Son of God and the rushing storm-wind of the Spirit. They are
sent from God, yet they are God himself. As Jesus said, "He
who has seen me has seen the Father." So many think of God
as restricted to heaven, cut off from life on earth. But the
message of the Bible is that God gets around: and he's coming
in our direction. His storm-wind is approaching. His
lightning bolts are crashing forth. His chariot wheels are
grinding near. And when he arrives, what will happen?
Will it drive you crazy, or even kill you, like those rabbis of old?
Or will you, like Ezekiel, bow down before the radiant man, receive
his instruction, and be filled with his
Spirit? So come Lord Jesus.______________________________
The
appearance of this luminous being is clearly the purpose and the
climax of the vision. When Ezekiel sees him, he falls to his
face, humbling himself in an attitude of worship (vs. 28). But
the figure on the throne commands him to rise. No sooner are
these words spoken than the Holy Spirit enters Ezekiel and sets him
on his feet (2:2). The mysterious man then begins to speak to
the prophet in the name and with the authority of God: "I
am sending you," he sayswithout,
like the angels, claiming to speak for another"and
you will say to them, `This is what the Lord God says'" (2:4).
Who is this that dares to speak with the authority of God? It could
not be God the Father himself, for the idea of the Father appearing
in any particular form was unthinkable. God is Spirit, the
Bible says, and so cannot be confined to any one time or place.
So who is this? This is where it started to get dangerous for
those rabbis.The
identity of this mysterious being is given in 1:28, though often
obscured in translation. The original Hebrew says: "He
is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God."
Does that sound familiar? It's the source of Hebrews 1:3, which says,
"And he is the radiance of (God's) glory and the exact
representation of his nature." Hebrews identifies this
radiant one as Jesus, the Messiah. By alluding or hinting to
Ezekiel, Hebrews interprets Ezekiel's prophecy for us: Jesus is
the one sitting on the throne who speaks as God and who is God.
This is what made this chapter dangerous to those early
rabbisbecause
it is so clearly fulfilled in Jesus. The rabbi who became a
"heretic" most likely realized that this was Jesus on the
throne. Do you know anyone today that has trouble accepting the
tri-unity of God? Tell them about the one sitting in the
Chariot of God, who speaks as God, and is God! In
Ezekiel 1:27, it says this human figure appeared like glowing metal.
This is a detail that should not be overlooked. A radiant man
with legs like glowing metal also appears in Daniel 10:6, and again
in Revelation 1:15. Who is it? The same personJesus!,
not as he appeared on earth in the humility of his humanity, but as
he appears in heaven, filled with the power and the majesty of
God. He
is the
appearance of the glory of God! This is how he appeared to his
disciples on the Mt. of Transfiguration: not as an ordinary
man, but in the fiery power of God. His face was radiant as the
sun, his garments white as light (Matt. 17:2). He
is the
appearance of the glory of God. No wonder Ezekiel fell down in
worship!The
vision of the Chariot explains how the heavenly, timeless God, whom
we cannot see (Ex. 33:20), is able to reveal himself to us:
through his two "arms" (Isa. 51:5)the
Son of God and the rushing storm-wind of the Spirit. They are
sent from God, yet they are God himself. As Jesus said, "He
who has seen me has seen the Father." So many think of God
as restricted to heaven, cut off from life on earth. But the
message of the Bible is that God gets around: and he's coming
in our direction. His storm-wind is approaching. His
lightning bolts are crashing forth. His chariot wheels are
grinding near. And when he arrives, what will happen?
Will it drive you crazy, or even kill you, like those rabbis of old?
Or will you, like Ezekiel, bow down before the radiant man, receive
his instruction, and be filled with his
Spirit? So come Lord Jesus.______________________________
I love that image. Would I be able to use it?
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