The Wheel

Ezekiel had a revelation of God as a wheel within a wheel as recorded in Ezekiel one.  He states:

15Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them. 16The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. 17Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. 18As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. 19Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. 21Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

The Four Living creatures around the throne operated as four separate wheels within one wheel.  They worked together rising in and around the earth and where sparkling like gemstones.  This was further explained in Ezekiel chapter 10:

9I looked, and each of the four cherubim had a wheel beside him, and the wheels sparkled like beryl. 10All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it. 11The cherubim could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. They went straight in the direction they faced, never turning aside. 12Both the cherubim and the wheels were covered with eyes. The cherubim had eyes all over their bodies, including their hands, their backs, and their wings. 13I heard someone refer to the wheels as “the whirling wheels.” 14Each of the four cherubim had four faces: the first was the face of an ox,^b the second was a human face, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.

15Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the same living beings I had seen beside the Kebar River. 16When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved with them. When they lifted their wings to fly, the wheels stayed beside them. 17When the cherubim stopped, the wheels stopped. When they flew upward, the wheels rose up, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

John also saw these four creatures in His vision in Revelation 4:

6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”…

It is clear there are four cherubim encircling the throne that are assigned to bring constant praise to God.  Their faces may represent their function as control over wild, land, human, and flying animals or could indicate the nature of God as revealed through Jesus.  Perry Stone indicates that the Lion represents Christ as the King of Kings in Matthew; the Calf represents Christ as the Sacrifice and Servant of God in Mark; the Human represents Christ as the Son of Man in Luke; and the Eagle represents Christ as the Sovereign Son of God in John.  We can see the characteristics of God in these beings.  We can note that He is Supreme ruler in all;  Sacrificial servant to all; A Human High Priest for all; and a Sovereign Deity over all.  These attributes work together; God is all of these things at the same time and they are not separate.  Therefore God can both defer and demand.  He can both submit and demand subjugation. He can both oblige and overturn obligations.  The wings on the angels indicate movement and the eyes covering the beings on every side indicate all-surpassing knowledge with nothing hidden.  We can be sure that God knows all, sees all and is everywhere at the same time.  This is a cause for extreme respect for God and also carefulness to live as holy before Him.  It is also a reason of complete trust and rest in His timing, His provision, and His decisions.  It is thirdly an inspiration for deep gratitude and worship to the Almighty as Paul shows in Romans 11 when he says: 36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

We find from the text that these beings move together within a wheel and around a throne where God is.  The earth is only a picture of heaven's reality.  The form of the earth is also a circle.  It has no beginning or ending.  There is a cycle of seasons as the earth revolves around the sun.  The sun is a picture of the heavenly light which is God Himself.  He is like a sphere with no beginning or end and all things revolve around Him.  That which is void of God is sucked into absolute nothingness and darkness, as the earth was before creation.  One of the more poetic descriptions of creation is found in Job 26:

7“He stretches out the north over empty space
            And hangs the earth on nothing.

      8“He wraps up the waters in His clouds,
            And the cloud does not burst under them.      9“He obscures the face of the full moon
            And spreads His cloud over it.      10“He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters
            At the boundary of light and darkness.      11“The pillars of heaven tremble
            And are amazed at His rebuke.      12“He quieted the sea with His power,
            And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.      13“By His breath the heavens are cleared;
            His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.      14“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
            And how faint a word we hear of Him!
            But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

God is the Highest Light and Energy source.  All things consist, move and function because of, around, and in relation to Him.  With Him is Life and Meaning and Purpose.  He sets time and the planets into organized, expanding motion.  All the wheels that turn in the magnificent display we call the universe are moving to the beat, the rhythm, and the sound of The Word and within the One Greater Wheel of His Throne.  An understanding of the Wheel of God puts things into proper perspective when a year changes, a government changes or a change of life occurs.  When focused on an earthly interruption, there can be chaos, sadness or uncertainty but viewing a turn of events in the light of God's unchanging nature and eternal constancy brings only hope, assurance and faith as we anticipate one day being with Him and entering into that sphere of eternal bliss and safety.   Until that final day,  we can comfort ourselves in God's presence among us through the living witness Jesus left us of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit teaches us who God is and ushers us into fellowship with God in a closer, more intimate way day by day.  The Holy Spirit provides all we need including comfort, counsel and courage.  As we come to the close of one year and the beginning of another year, let us believe God for a New Year of His best.  In light of who God is, let us move forward in Him with His faith and His freedom and His presence manifest in the midst of us.  Let us continually cultivate a clearer vision of who He is and who we are because of Him so we can fulfil His purpose and know Him more fully.  Let us enter into greater glory and so reflect His greater glory.

­The New Year

Like a chapter starting in a scroll,

Hand ticking on a clock,

Mileage advancement in a car,

Marker on a woodland trail--

So comes another year.

Like the spin of a tire going round,

Roll of a wave approaching shore,

Twist of a kaleidoscope view,

Circuit of a subway on its course--

So comes another year.

The circle of the earth around the sun

Goes once again to where it’s come

But this time variant in scope

The possibilities, people, places yet unknown;

Secrets kept by God outside of time

Creator, Maker, Friend of mine;

The Light around whom all things move

Wheel within a Wheel, who makes things new;

Outside of whom is only dark and death

I cleave to Him, Beginning and the End.