Verse 13. - And I heard, etc. There is no verb in the Hebrew, but it may be supplied from ver. 12. We lose in the English the kissing, or touching, poetry of the original, "each its sister." The attitude as of wings raised for flight, and the sound of both the wings and wheels, implied the departure of the glorious vision, presumably to the region from which it came.
3:12-21 This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this was to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear him out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins and miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed him a watchman to the house of Israel. If we warn the wicked, we are not chargeable with their ruin. Though such passages refer to the national covenant made with Israel, they are equally to be applied to the final state of all men under every dispensation. We are not only to encourage and comfort those who appear to be righteous, but they are to be warned, for many have grown high-minded and secure, have fallen, and even died in their sins. Surely then the hearers of the gospel should desire warnings, and even reproofs.
I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures,.... Which they clapped, when they uttered the preceding words; See Gill on Ezekiel 1:24;
that touched one another; or "kissed, a woman her sister" (r); denoting their affection and agreement in the doxology or ascription of glory to God; see Ezekiel 1:9;
and the noise of the wheels over against them: the living creatures; for the wheels were by the living creatures, and went over against them, as they went, Ezekiel 1:15; ministers and churches join together in this doxology:
and a noise of a great rushing; which is repeated for the confirmation of the thing, and to express the greatness of the noise made by the living creatures and wheels, like that of thunder or an earthquake; it is said to be like the noise of great waters, Ezekiel 1:24.
(r) "attingentium more osculantium, vira ad sororem suam", Vatablus; "osculantium", Polanus, Starckius. So Ben Melech.
that touched one another; or "kissed, a woman her sister" (r); denoting their affection and agreement in the doxology or ascription of glory to God; see Ezekiel 1:9;
and the noise of the wheels over against them: the living creatures; for the wheels were by the living creatures, and went over against them, as they went, Ezekiel 1:15; ministers and churches join together in this doxology:
and a noise of a great rushing; which is repeated for the confirmation of the thing, and to express the greatness of the noise made by the living creatures and wheels, like that of thunder or an earthquake; it is said to be like the noise of great waters, Ezekiel 1:24.
(r) "attingentium more osculantium, vira ad sororem suam", Vatablus; "osculantium", Polanus, Starckius. So Ben Melech.