The Juggernaut of God (Ezekiel 1:4-28).
‘And I looked, and behold a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire enfolding itself (or ‘flashing continually'), and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst of it as the colour of amber out of the midst of the fire.'
He describes the scene in terms of a great storm, with the stormy wind, the great cloud and the constantly flashing lightning. But there was an added extra for there was something in the midst of this storm that was like the colour of brightly shining metal (amber), which later he describes as being part of the vision of God (see Ezekiel 1:27). Storm terminology is regularly used to depict theophanies elsewhere (Job 38:1; Job 40:6; Psalms 18:9-15; Psalms 18:29; Zechariah 9:14 and compare Acts 2:1-4).
‘Behold a stormy wind came out of the north.' The idea of winds associated with the living creatures (Ezekiel 1:5) reminds us of 2 Samuel 22:11; Psalms 18:10, ‘He rode upon a cherub and did fly, yes, He flew swiftly on the wings of the wind', and this, in context, amidst fire and clouds and darkness. The thought includes speed of movement around the world with no restriction, and active, invisible power. The fact that it came ‘from the north' indicates that Ezekiel was not so lost in the vision that he was not aware of his whereabouts, although Isaiah 14:13 suggests that ‘the far north' was seen as the direction in which lay the gathering of the heavenly hosts of Yahweh in ‘the mount of the congregation', in the heavens, above the stars of God.
‘A great cloud.' Manifestations of God to His people were regularly described as accompanied by cloud associated with fire (Exodus 19:9; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 24:15-18; Exodus 40:34-38). The idea behind it is that God cannot be seen in His full glory by man. Man cannot see God and live. Therefore God in His mercy approaches in veiled form.
‘A fire enfolding itself, and brightness round about it.' This reminds us of the flame of a sword (lightning?) that prevented access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24), and the many times God is revealed in fire (e.g. Genesis 15:17; Exodus 3:2; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17). It revealed that God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29 compare Deuteronomy 4:24), dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16).
‘And out of the midst of it as the colour of amber out of the midst of the fire.' By ‘amber' is indicated the appearance of some kind of brilliantly shining metal. It is used in Ezekiel 1:27 to indicate the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh.