Ezekiel 1:13

Letters to the Faithful - Ezekiel 1:13

Berean Standard Bible

In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.

King James Bible

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

-----------------------------

To the saints of the Most High God, those sanctified in the truth and sealed with the Spirit of promise, to the scattered flock across every nation and language who are being conformed to the image of Christ Jesus our Lord, grace and peace be multiplied to you. I write to you with urgency and deep reverence, having been stirred by the Holy Spirit to consider the awe-inspiring vision recorded by the prophet Ezekiel. As we meditate on the words of Ezekiel 1:13, may our hearts be kindled, our minds illuminated, and our lives transformed by the holiness and majesty of our God.

The verse declares, “As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire.” These words are not figurative poetry; they are an unveiling of the glory realm. They are not meant to simply impress the imagination, but to awaken the soul to the reality of divine presence, activity, and power. In them, we behold the mystery of God’s throne and the burning nature of His ministers—angelic and human alike.

Ezekiel, a priest turned prophet, found himself by the river Chebar in Babylon, a land of exile and sorrow. Yet even there, the heavens opened. Even in a foreign land, under judgment and in captivity, the Word of the Lord came with force and vision. And what did the prophet see? Not a distant and silent deity, but the living God encircled by flame and glory. He saw creatures who bore the marks of divine appointment—beings whose very appearance reflected the fire of the One who sits upon the throne.

The vision is staggering. The living creatures—later identified as cherubim—move like burning coals, like torches flashing with divine energy. This is not a casual fire. It is not a decorative flame. It is the fire of holiness, of unceasing motion, of heaven’s judgment and heaven’s purity. This fire is not static. It moves, it flashes, it burns, it sanctifies. Lightning bursts forth from it, reminding us that God is not only light but a consuming fire, and His ministers, whether angelic or human, must reflect that burning nature.

The Church in every generation must return to the awe of Ezekiel’s vision. Too often we settle for a tame and domesticated God—an idea of deity who is convenient, manageable, predictable. But our God is the One who dwells in unapproachable light, before whom even the cherubim cover their faces. His presence is not merely peaceful; it is purifying. It is not merely comforting; it is consuming. And those who minister before Him, whether in heavenly courts or earthly temples, must be carriers of this fire.

The living creatures are not at rest; they are in motion. The fire is not flickering; it is flashing. The brightness is not subdued; it is radiant. What a picture of the life of the Spirit! When the Holy Spirit fills a life, He does not merely make us better behaved—He sets us ablaze. He does not bring mere warmth—He brings holy fire. The Spirit is not a passive presence, but a purifying flame that convicts, sanctifies, empowers, and sends.

Beloved, we must ask ourselves: is the fire of God still burning in us? Are we moving with the Spirit’s direction, or have we become stagnant and dull? Are we torches flashing with divine purpose, or embers barely smoldering under a pile of compromise and complacency? The vision of Ezekiel is not only a glimpse into the heavens—it is a call to the people of God on earth. For we are told in Hebrews that God makes His ministers a flame of fire. The question is not whether He desires to do this work in us, but whether we are yielded enough to burn.

The fire Ezekiel saw was not destructive to the holy beings—it was their element. Likewise, to those who are sanctified, the fire of God is not a threat—it is a joy. It is the place where dross is burned away and pure gold remains. It is the furnace where selfish ambition is consumed and holy love is refined. It is the torch that lights our path, the power that fuels our obedience, and the energy that propels the mission of God in the world.

Let this be the practical application for us: do not fear the fire. Seek it. Welcome it. Invite it. Let the Word of God kindle it. Let the Spirit of prayer fan it. Let repentance clear the ash and expose the coals. And above all, be willing to be set ablaze for the purposes of the kingdom. There can be no revival without fire, no witness without flame, no transformation without burning. The lukewarm will be rejected. The indifferent will be bypassed. But those who burn with holy zeal, who tremble at His Word and are moved by His Spirit, will be used in mighty ways to advance His purposes in the earth.

O Church, become once again like the living creatures—vessels of fire, flames in motion, lightning-bearers in a dark world. Let your worship burn. Let your love burn. Let your pursuit of holiness burn. Let your compassion burn. Let your witness flash like lightning, not for personal glory but for the glory of the Lamb who sits upon the throne.

And if you find yourself in a season of exile, like Ezekiel—cut off, discouraged, uncertain—do not despair. For it was in exile that the heavens opened. It was in a foreign land that the fire came. It was in the place of weakness that the glory of God appeared. Do not wait for better circumstances to seek the flame. He is ready to meet you now, to set your heart ablaze, and to commission you anew.

May the God of glory, who appeared to Ezekiel in fire and thunder, reveal Himself to you afresh. May He purify you, ignite you, and send you forth as a minister of flame in a generation desperately in need of light. And may your life, like the vision of the prophet, cause others to fall on their faces and declare that truly, the Lord is among us.

-------------------------------

Almighty and Everlasting God, the Holy One who inhabits eternity, the Lord of glory who sits enthroned above the cherubim, the One whose voice shakes the heavens and whose presence sets all creation trembling—we come before You today in reverence and holy fear. You are the God who reveals Yourself in fire, who manifests Your glory not in silence but in storm, not in stillness alone but in brightness, flashing light, and radiant flame. You are not a god of stone or shadow, but the Living God whose throne is established in righteousness, whose ministers are flames of fire, and whose Word comes to us like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces. We lift up our hearts to You, beholding with trembling awe the vision granted to Your servant Ezekiel, as it is written in Your holy Word: “As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire.”

O Lord our God, how great and awesome are Your ways. You have not hidden Yourself from Your people, but in Your mercy, You have unveiled glimpses of Your majesty that we might know You—not as a distant concept, but as a living and active Presence, burning with holiness and flashing with glory. In this vision, You have shown us that those who serve around Your throne are not dull or dim, but full of light, of fire, of motion and power. They are not still statues, but burning beings, aflame with Your Spirit, reflecting the brightness of Your throne and the purity of Your nature. What a terrifying and glorious reality: that in Your courts, nothing remains lifeless, and in Your presence, nothing remains lukewarm.

O God, we are humbled when we look upon such visions. We see the fire and we are reminded of our own coldness. We see the lightning and are convicted by our complacency. We see the movement, the energy, the divine purpose pulsing through these living creatures, and we recognize how easily we become stagnant, how slowly we move in response to Your voice, how dim our spiritual affections have become. Forgive us, O Lord. Forgive us for growing comfortable with a faith that is cool, predictable, and self-satisfied. Forgive us for calling ourselves Your servants while lacking the holy fire that marks those who truly dwell near Your throne. Forgive us for being content with a flicker of devotion when You desire us to burn brightly with zeal and love.

Father, we do not merely desire knowledge of this vision—we long to be transformed by it. We do not merely want to admire the flame—we want to carry it. So we ask You now, in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, to ignite within us a holy fire. Baptize us afresh with the flame of heaven, the fire that purifies, empowers, awakens, and sends. Cause our lives to reflect the brightness of Your presence. Let Your fire consume everything in us that is not of You—every idol, every compromise, every fear, every self-centered pursuit. Burn away the dross, and let pure gold remain. Let our hearts become altars upon which Your fire falls, and may we never allow that flame to go out.

Make us like those living creatures—alive, burning, obedient, always attentive to the movement of Your Spirit. Let our worship be not empty ritual but living fire. Let our prayers be not cold recitations but incense kindled by the Spirit. Let our witness not be a dim echo, but a flash of lightning that pierces the darkness with the truth of Your gospel. Let Your glory be revealed in and through us, not because of our worthiness, but because of Your mercy and Your purpose in the earth.

Lord, we remember that You are the God who once led Israel through the wilderness with a pillar of fire by night. You are the same God who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and spoke from within the flame. You are the same God who answered Elijah with fire from heaven, and who filled the upper room with tongues of fire at Pentecost. You are not the God of the ashes, but the God of the fire. We ask You, do it again in our day. Set Your Church ablaze. Let the fire of Your Spirit fall upon pulpits, prayer meetings, homes, and hidden places of devotion. Let the flame of first love be rekindled. Let the Church not be known for form or fashion, but for the undeniable presence of the Living God in her midst.

And let this fire not be limited to a moment or an event, but become a way of life. Teach us how to steward the flame. Teach us to walk in step with Your Spirit, to listen for Your prompting, to move as the living creatures moved—led by the wind of Your will, covered in the brightness of Your glory. Let Your fire be our teacher, our purifier, our power. Let our lives become a sign to the world that You are still the God who speaks in fire and lightning.

Father, we pray not only for ourselves but for the whole Body of Christ in every nation. Awaken Your people from apathy. Call forth ministers of flame. Raise up prophets who tremble at Your Word and intercessors who know the burning burden of the Spirit. Let the fire of revival sweep across cities and nations. Let the brightness of Your glory be seen once more—not through entertainment, but through the undeniable movement of Your Spirit. Let the lightning of Your truth break through the clouds of confusion and darkness. Let the name of Jesus be exalted and His cross be lifted high.

And in all this, Lord, keep us lowly. For the fire is Yours, not ours. The brightness is Yours. The glory is Yours. Let us never touch what is holy with unclean hands. Let us never boast in what You alone accomplish. Keep us broken and dependent, always aware that apart from You we are nothing. Let Your fire not destroy us, but refine us. Let it not puff us up, but purify us. Let us decrease, that Christ may increase.

We thank You, O Lord, for revealing Yourself in fire, for calling us to burn for You, and for empowering us by Your Spirit to be ministers of flame in a dark and dying world. Let the vision of Ezekiel be more than a memory; let it be a mirror. Make us burning ones. Make us bright with Your glory. Make us move with Your purpose. And when all is said and done, may we, like those living creatures, fall before Your throne in ceaseless adoration, crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, our risen King and returning Lord,

Amen.