Just before God sent his prophet Ezekiel to reprove the rebellious children of Israel he gave him a vision of wheels. In that vision of wheels the prophet was given the confidence and assurance he needed to serve and speak for God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. (Read verses 15-19).
(Ezekiel 1:15-19) "Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. {16} The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. {17} When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. {18} As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. {19} And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up."
Proposition: This vision of wheels showed Ezekiel the wonder of God's providence and assured him of the certain accomplishment of God's eternal, immutable, sovereign purpose.
There are certain terms which I constantly use when I am preaching the gospel to you. I presume you are all familiar with them. If you are not you should be.
Election is God's sovereign, eternal choice and determination to save some, a great multitude of Adam's fallen race.
(Ephesians 1:4) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
(2 Thessalonians 2:13) "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:"
Predestination is the sovereign, eternal arrangement of all the affairs of the universe to secure the object of his electing love, to secure the everlasting salvation of his adopted sons and daughters – God's Plan!
(Romans 8:29) "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
(Ephesians 1:4-5) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: {5} Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"
(Ephesians 1:11) "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"
Redemption is the ransom of chosen sinners out from under the curse of God's broken law and offended justice by the sacrificial, substitutionary, sin-atoning death of our Lord Jesus. Redemption is the satisfaction of justice by the blood of Christ and the deliverance of God's elect from all possibility of condemnation.
(Galatians 3:13) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"
(Ephesians 1:7) "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"
(1 Peter 1:18-20) "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; {19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: {20} Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"
Regeneration is the new birth, the actual deliverance of chosen, redeemed sinners from spiritual death into spiritual life by the effectual power and irresistible grace of God the Holy Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:1-4) "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: {2} Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. {4} But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,"
(Colossians 2:10-13) "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: {11} In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: {12} Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. {13} And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"
Providence is the glorious, though mysterious, sovereign rule of the universe by God for the salvation of his people and the praise, honor, and glory of his own great name.
(Romans 8:28) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
(Romans 11:36) "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."
(Ephesians 1:11) "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"
Providence is God working out in time what he purposed in eternity. Nothing is more comforting, nothing inspires boldness, and nothing gives peace like a good understanding of and a confident faith in God's providence. That is the subject of Ezekiel's vision of wheels; and that is my subject tonight. Keep your Bibles open on your laps at Ezekiel 1:15-19. I pray that God the Holy Spirit will give me the wisdom, grace, and power to show you what this vision teaches us about God's providence.
I. The first point is the most obvious – GOD'S PROVIDENCE IS COMPARED TO A WHEEL.
Both the Romans and the Greeks, in their ancient writings compared Divine providence to a wheel. But Ezekiel got his doctrine by the direct revelation of God himself. That makes his doctrine authoritative. Divine providence is like a wheel in at least three ways.
A. That part of the wheel that is now on top will soon be on the bottom and the bottom will soon be on the top.
In other words, God brings about drastic, unexpected changes in the lives of men, in the affairs of nations, and in the affairs of this world as it pleases him.
We undergo many changes. All our lives are checkered with change. But the axle upon which the whole machinery of providence turns is always the same. That axle is God's everlasting, covenant love and grace.
(Job 23:13) "But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth."
3. God's love never changes (John 13:1).
4. God's grace never changes (Rom. 11:29).
5. God's faithfulness never changes (2 Tim. 2:13).
(2 Timothy 2:13) "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
C. When a wheel moves real fast, the only thing you can see is the exterior circle.Instead of looking at parts of things, we need to look at the whole course of events in history, in our lives, in the affairs of God's church, and so on. When we look at things as a whole, we see one round circle of symmetry, teaching us that God is wise, and just, and good. Most people like to look at the spokes. I prefer to look at the wheel!
II. IN SOME MYSTERIOUS WAY GOD'S PROVIDENCE IS INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH THE HEAVENLY ANGELS.
(Ezekiel 1:15) "Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces."
The "living creatures" are regarded by almost all the old writers as a reference to the heavenly angels. There is an obvious intimate connection between the living creatures and the wheels Ezekiel saw (vv. 1 9).
I am certain that the angels of God have much more to do with the affairs of our lives than any of us realize.
A. It was an angel of the Lord that put Sennacherib to flight and saved Israel from destruction (2 Kings 19:35-36).
(2 Kings 19:35-36) "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. {36} So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh."
B. The angels of God ministered to and strengthened the Man Christ Jesus by whispering in his ear (Matt. 4:11; Lk. 22:43).
(Matthew 4:11) "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."
(Luke 22:43) "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
They could not strengthen him physically or spiritually. I cannot see how angels could have strengthened the Savior except by whispering encouraging words to him.
C. God's saints have their angels, who watch over them and keep them.
(Matthew 18:10) "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
(Psalms 91:11) "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."
D. The angels of God are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of eternal salvation (Heb. 1:14).
(Hebrews 1:14) "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
There is an intimate connection between God's angels and his providence. The two always work together (John 5:4). "An angel moved the water!"
III. GOD'S PROVIDENCE IS UNIVERSAL.Look at verse 15 again. Providence is represented as "one wheel upon the earth," but that one wheel has "four faces", a face for every quarter of the globe, North, South, East, and West.
(Ezekiel 1:15) "Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces."
Can you grasp this, my brother, my sister: God's eye is fixed upon you. His hand is holding you. His presence is with you completely, at all times, in all circumstances! God watches over us with all the fulness of omnipotence and omniscient wisdom, as completely as if no one else existed. His name is Jehovah-shammah – The Lord is there!
(Ezekiel 1:16) "The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel."
And their work was all one work. There were four wheels with four faces in one wheel, with one likeness. That simply means that providence is one piece of machinery. Sometimes providential experiences seem to contradict one another; but they never do.
You and I see parts and pieces. Only God sees the whole thing now. It is ours simply to trust him. Don't ask why?
"Their work was like unto the color beryl" (v. 16). Beryl is a gemstone that is sea-green in its color. Dr. Gill tells us that this word "beryl" is sometimes used for the sea. Certainly providence may be compared to the ocean…
No man can manage the ocean. Greedy man has carved out the earth, fenced in a portion for himself, and staked out landmarks upon it, saying, "This is mine!" There are no landmarks in the sea, no fences, no chains. The sea is impetuous. It follows the will of no man. So it is with God's providence.
VI. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IS INTRICATE.Ezekiel said it had the appearance of "a wheel in the middle of a wheel." I take that to mean it is detailed and so thoroughly meshed in all its details that all the affairs of time in the universe are one great work of providence.
A. The work of providence is the salvation of God's elect for the glory of his great name. Our salvation and God's glory are the same thing!
B. Like the blessing of Jacob upon Joseph's sons, all the blessings of God upon his children in this world are cross handed blessings. We say "Bless this way." God says, "I know how to bless."
VII. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD ALWAYS MOVES IN A STRAIGHT PATH (v. 17).
(Ezekiel 1:17) "When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went."
It turns not to the right hand nor to the left. That simply means – The purpose of God never changes. God is immutable! Some people talk about God changing his mind, changing his purpose, or changing even in his mercy, love, and grace. Think about that nonsense for a minute.
A. If he changed, he would have to change either for better or for worse. Either way, he is not God!
B. If he could change, nothing is safe. If God can change or be changed, he cannot be trusted!
VIII. DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS UTTERLY AMAZING (v. 18).(Ezekiel 1:18) "As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four."
Ezekiel saw it as a thing "so high" that it was "dreadful", and "full of eyes." A. God sovereignly works his will in everything that happens. B. Men and devils do, in a sense, do exactly what they want to do; yet they do exactly what God has from eternity purposed shall be done."I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes, that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens, that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as surely as the stars in their courses, - that the creeping of an aphid over a rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence, and the fall of the sere leaves from the poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche. He who believes in God must believe this truth. There is no standing point between this and atheism. There is no half-way between an almighty God who worketh all things according to the good pleasure of his own will and no God at all. A god who cannot do as he pleases, a god whose will is frustrated, is not a God and cannot be a God; I do not believe in such a god as that" – C. H. Spurgeon.
IX. DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS FULL OF WISDOM – "Full of eyes" (v. 18).(Ezekiel 1:18) "As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four."
Here is the difference between a stone faced stoic who believes in blind fate and a living child of God who adores his Father's good providence. The fatalist says, "Whatever is must be." The Christian says, "Whatever God has ordained, must be." There is as much difference between fate and providence as there is between a blind man and one who has two good eyes. Fate is blind and without purpose. Providence is full of eyes, governed by the all wise God to accomplish his good purpose of grace. God does nothing without a wise purpose.
X. Once more ALL THE WORK OF PROVIDENCE IS GOD'S WORK.Everything that comes to pass is God's doing. "All things are of God!" I cannot expound verses 20-28; but this is what those last verses of this chapter teach us – Everything in the universe is directed and brought to pass…
A. By God's Spirit (v. 20).(Ezekiel 1:20) "Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels."
B. By God's decree (v. 24).(Ezekiel 1:24) "And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings."
C. By God's throne (v. 26).(Ezekiel 1:26) "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it."
D. By God's Son (v. 26; John 17:2).(Ezekiel 1:26) "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it."
(John 17:2) "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."
E. According to God's covenant (v. 28 – "The bow").(Ezekiel 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."
F. For God's glory (v. 28 – "The glory of the Lord" ). (Ezekiel 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." Application:Before such a great and glorious Lord God, there is only one thing for us to do – "When I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one that spake." And this is what he says – "Be not afraid!"
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