Let us turn to Ezekiel, chapter 1, verse 27.
Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His loins and downward, I saw something like fire. And there was a radiance around Him.
Verse 28:
As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Now let us pay attention to this phrase: “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”
Then let us turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 14.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us such a wonderful opportunity. May we be like Mary, sitting once again at Your feet. We always ask You to speak to our hearts through Your Word, and let Your Word really quicken us. May Your words sink into the very depth of our being.
So do speak to us, Lord, while we are waiting before You. Thank You, Lord. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.
“For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.”
This afternoon, by the mercy of the Lord, we would like to do some gleanings from the Gospel of John. However, we will do it in the light of Ezekiel. That means we want to see the Gospel according to John in the light of the book of Ezekiel.
We believe that the One who wrote Ezekiel is exactly the One who wrote the Gospel of John. If we compare the time of Ezekiel with the time of John, we will discover something very interesting. Both Ezekiel and John lived in a time of spiritual declension.
Ezekiel was working among the earthly people of God, and John was working among the heavenly people of God. Ezekiel was a priest. He was supposed to enter into the service when he was thirty years old.
At exactly the age of thirty, we are told that Ezekiel saw the heavens opened to him. Now, what does that mean? As a priest, he knew everything about the temple. He knew very well the outer court, the holy place, and the most holy place.
He was acquainted with the fact that the Shekinah glory of God was glowing in the most holy place, especially between the cherubim above the mercy seat. He knew that very well.
But when he saw the heavens opened, he saw the Shekinah glory of God. He again saw the cherubim. Of course, we know that in the most holy place the throne of God is found in its humble form as a mercy seat. So everything about the most holy place was almost the same.
But now he discovered something. He still found the Shekinah glory of God, but he no longer saw the outer court, the holy place, and the most holy place. All the outward things had gone.
That is the background of this priest, Ezekiel. John, on the other hand, was a fisher of men, because he was called as a fisher of men. On the day of Pentecost, Peter cast the net, and three thousand fish entered into the net. Then he cast another net, and there were five thousand fish.
But we know what happened at the end of the first century. When John was very old, he discovered that the net of the gospel was broken. John was called to mend the net, just as when he was first called by the Lord he was busy mending the net.
So we discover the similarity between these two situations. In the time of Ezekiel, the whole city was broken into pieces. In the time of John, the net of the gospel was broken.
Through Ezekiel, we have the book of Ezekiel. The Lord used this book to encourage His people in captivity. Before the holy city was taken, we find words of judgment from Ezekiel. But right after the city was broken, the tone of Ezekiel changed. Now it is a word of encouragement and a word of grace.
Thank the Lord that, in order to mend the net of the gospel, the Lord used John to give us the last Gospel, the last Revelation, and the last Epistles. John was mending the net through John’s Gospel, John’s Revelation, and John’s Epistles.
Now we try to go to the Lord and see whether it is possible for us to find some parallel between the book of Ezekiel and the writings of John.
The book of Ezekiel has never been quoted directly by the writers of the New Testament. But, as we have mentioned, both Ezekiel and John lived in a time of spiritual declension, and both were given a message. One message was for the earthly people of God, and the other was for the heavenly people of God.
These two messages must be in one accord. Therefore, there must be correspondence and parallel between these two writings.
When we study Ezekiel and Revelation, we discover many similarities. Ezekiel saw the heavens opened, and John, in Revelation 4, also saw a door standing open in heaven. Ezekiel saw the throne of God, and John saw the same thing.
Around the throne, Ezekiel saw a rainbow; Revelation 4 also speaks of a rainbow. Most rainbows on this earth are only an arc. Usually we see only part of a circle. But only when we reach the throne of God do we see a circle of perfection—a rainbow.
In Ezekiel and Revelation, we also see the four living creatures, or living beings, with four faces: the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle.
If we compare these two descriptions, perhaps we can see some light on the Gospel according to John in the light of Ezekiel.
If we compare the first chapter of John and the first chapter of Ezekiel, we discover something very interesting. In Ezekiel chapter 1 we are told of Ezekiel’s vision. Many people have suggested that, because of the special description in that chapter, Ezekiel may have seen something connected with a flying saucer.
Recently, an engineer in NASA who designed spaceships studied Ezekiel chapter 1 very carefully. He came to the conclusion that Ezekiel saw a space station. He wrote a very technical and scientific book about it.
But, of course, brothers and sisters, we want to ask the Holy Spirit to tell us what Ezekiel really saw in the first chapter. We need the Word of God to interpret the Word of God and to give us the correct understanding of Ezekiel chapter 1.
There is one phrase that is very important:
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
We are not told merely of the glory of the Lord; we are told of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. The word likeness appears nine times in this chapter.
Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord, but actually what he saw was the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Or, to put it more carefully, it was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
But when we come to John chapter 1, we are told, “We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father.” John also saw Someone, but this time he said, “We beheld His glory.”
Why? Because the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory. When we read Ezekiel chapter 1 and John chapter 1, we discover that both beginnings speak of the glory of God.
In Ezekiel, we are told of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. In John, we are told of the glory of the Lord. Why? Because everything in the Old Testament is a shadow, but when we come to the New Testament, we have the substance.
The glory of God is one of the most difficult terms for us to explain in the Bible. But we thank the Lord: “In Thy light shall we see light.” If we compare these two descriptions, then, by the mercy of the Lord, we may receive some glimpse of the glory of God.
There are four major prophets: Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Daniel tells us of the kingdom of God. Isaiah tells us of the salvation of the Lord. Jeremiah tells us of the judgment of the Lord. Ezekiel tells us of the glory of the Lord.
How do we understand the glory of the Lord in the book of Ezekiel? We need light from the Gospel according to John. John tells us the substance of the glory of the Lord. That is why John tells us, “We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father.”
If we compare John chapter 1 and Ezekiel chapter 1, we discover parallels that shed light on the glory of the Lord.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In Ezekiel chapter 1, the central scene of the vision—the center of the glory of God—is the throne of God. Someone was sitting on the throne. That is the center of the glory of God.
According to Daniel, the One sitting on the throne is described as “the Ancient of Days.” He is the One from the very beginning, even before the creation of the universe.
In Ezekiel chapter 1, we are told:
On that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.
All serious students of the Bible agree that this Man is none other than our Lord Jesus. He speaks of the incarnate Word who is sitting on that throne.
It is very true that:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. Here we find creation and creatures.
In Ezekiel chapter 1, we also see creatures—but ideal creatures, creatures according to the will of God and according to God’s original design. These creatures are in the immediate presence of the throne.
This speaks of the original design in the heart of God concerning creation. From these living creatures, we may understand God’s purpose for His creation.
There are four living creatures, and we find the face of a man, the face of an ox, the face of an eagle, and the face of a lion. According to Jewish rabbis, man is exalted among creatures, the eagle among birds, the ox among domestic animals, and the lion among wild beasts.
Here we find ideal creatures in the presence of the throne, in the presence of God.
Then John tells us:
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The One sitting on the throne is the fountain of life, the fountainhead of life. That is why we are told, “In Him was life.” When these ideal creatures are in the immediate presence of the One who is life, they cannot help but have life. That is why they are called living ones.
Actually, in the original language, you do not have the word creatures. They are the living ones. They draw life from, and reflect the life of, the One sitting on the throne.
We are also told that in the midst of the four living beings there was something like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire.
These living creatures under the open heaven were reflecting what was happening around the throne. This is what we see in John chapter 1 and Ezekiel chapter 1.
We are told that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.
The throne of God in Revelation is different from the throne of God in Ezekiel. In Ezekiel, there are four wheels beside the four living creatures. The wings of the creatures carry the throne from heaven to earth, and the wheels move the throne from one place to another.
This means that the throne in Ezekiel is not like the fixed throne in the book of Daniel or Revelation. It is not merely a throne fixed in heaven. Of course, our Lord is in heaven, and His throne is fixed in heaven. But we should not forget that Ezekiel was on the bank of the river Chebar, in captivity, far from his home in the strange land of Babylon.
He was supposed to serve God in the holy temple as a priest. But because of the unfaithfulness and sin of the people of Israel, God allowed them to be taken captive into Babylon.
While Ezekiel was on the bank of the river Chebar, he saw the heavens opened. He saw the throne descending from heaven, and it came near to him. He could look upon it closely.
This vision was very important to Ezekiel. The Lord wanted to show him that the throne was not merely in heaven. It could descend from heaven, and it could be carried from one place to another through the wheels.
Therefore, we may call it the chariot throne, or the mobile throne. It could move from one place to another, and it could move from heaven to earth.
While Ezekiel was in captivity, he may have thought that heaven was far from him, far above him, as if God had forsaken His people. But through this mobile throne, Ezekiel saw an open heaven. Heaven was not far from him. The presence of God was near.
This was the only comfort for people like Ezekiel and his fellow captives. This was the vision of Ezekiel.
We know that this throne came from the north. As a priest, Ezekiel knew that the Shekinah glory of God dwelt in the temple. If the glory of God came to him from Jerusalem, it would seem that it should come from the west, crossing the desert. But it was not so.
Some Bible scholars suggest that this gave great comfort to Ezekiel. When Ezekiel and his people were captured, they first went north through Damascus, and then south into the land of Babylon. They did not cross the desert directly.
Now Ezekiel saw the throne of God coming from the north. This suggests that while they were being taken far from home, without their knowing, the throne of God was following them all the way.
If the glory of God had always remained fixed in the temple, Ezekiel would never have received such comfort. He would have thought that the glory of God was far, far from him. But without his knowing, God comforted him. The throne of God had followed him all the way.
Especially in a time of spiritual declension, this is our only comfort. Outwardly, everything may be torn down: no more outer court, no more holy place, no more most holy place. But the reality of the temple is still there.
Ezekiel saw the Shekinah glory of the Lord. This was the mobile throne, the chariot throne.
But when we come to the Gospel according to John, we are told that the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. What does that mean? Christ, the Son of God, became man. He became like the tabernacle of the Old Testament.
When you see the tabernacle in the Old Testament, you immediately think of the Shekinah glory of God in the most holy place. John immediately recognized that this glory was in the Person of our Lord Jesus. Because the Word became flesh, he said, “We beheld His glory.”
No longer merely the likeness of the glory of God; no longer merely the appearance of the likeness of God. John could say, “We beheld His glory.”
If we compare these two pictures, we discover that our Lord is the embodiment, or substance, of the chariot throne. He is the One who brings heaven to earth.
Before that, heaven was far from us. The heaven over our heads was like bronze. We had a closed heaven. According to the Old Testament order, no one could enter the most holy place. If they entered, they would die.
But thank the Lord: one day the Word became flesh. When we see Him traveling from Galilee to Judea, to Jerusalem, and back to Galilee, we discover that wherever He went, He brought the throne of God with Him.
Before He became our Savior, He first became our Friend. He comforted many people. Our Lord is the chariot throne; He is the mobile throne. He brings heaven near to us and gives us an open heaven.
Wherever He goes, the throne of God is with Him. Wherever He goes, we find life: the face of the ox, the serving life; the face of the lion, the kingly life; the face of man, the manly life; and the face of the eagle, the transcendent life.
Whenever we are in contact with our Lord, we say, “The life is in Him.” He is indeed the fountainhead of life. More than that, the life was the light of men. Wherever He goes, He brings light with Him.
If we read John chapter 1 in the light of Ezekiel, then we discover that our Lord is indeed the chariot throne of God. When we see this throne, we discover the glory of God. That is why John said, “We beheld His glory.”
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Let us come to John chapter 3, verse 16.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Why do we have eternal life? Because, as verse 14 tells us:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
He died for us on the cross. Whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Then let us read John chapter 4, verse 14.
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
Since we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior, we have eternal life. According to the word of the Lord, the water He gives us becomes in us a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
After we are saved, we have a well of water within us. A well means that we must go deeper and deeper. Then we touch the source of life, the living water. In the depth of our being, in the inmost part of our being, we discover a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
In John chapter 1, we are told that life is in Him. But because of what He has done for us on the cross, and because we have received Him as our Savior, this life is also in us as a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
Let us come to John chapter 7, verse 37.
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.
He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.
This is a very important verse. The last day, the great day of the feast, was the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus stood and cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.”
According to Brother T. Austin-Sparks, there is a beautiful background here. On the last great day, the priest brought a great vessel of water and poured it out at the top of the steps of the temple in Jerusalem, so that it flowed down in great volume.
It was like a river of living water flowing out from the house of God, from the temple. While this river was flowing, the Lord stood and cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.”
Then He continued:
He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.
It is like water flowing out of the temple of God. Since we are the temple of God, according to 1 Corinthians 3:16, the Lord says that from our innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.
In John chapter 1, we are told that in Him was life. In John chapter 4, there is a well of water springing up unto eternal life. Now, in John chapter 7, from our innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.
Those who saw water flowing from the temple would immediately have been reminded of Ezekiel chapter 47.
The whole book of Ezekiel speaks of the glory of God. In Ezekiel chapter 10, an angel scattered coals of fire over the city of Jerusalem. Historically, Jerusalem would be burned, but here we find God’s interpretation.
The glory of God measures everything in the house of God. The coals of fire refine and cleanse the city and the temple of God. This is why, in John chapter 2, our Lord entered the temple and cleansed it.
From Ezekiel chapter 10, we discover that the glory of God began to depart from the temple. The glory withdrew from the temple, ascended to the center of the city, dwelt on the Mount of Olives, and from there went back to heaven.
From that time, God was called the God of heaven, no longer the Lord of heaven and earth, because He had withdrawn His presence and His glory.
But in Ezekiel chapter 43, we discover that one day, according to Ezekiel’s prophecy, the glory of God will return. There will be a temple ready, and the glory of God will return to the house of God. We know that temple is the millennial temple.
However, when we read the Gospel according to John, we cannot help but see the spiritual temple, not merely the temporal temple. The Lord said:
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
The Jewish people wondered how that could be possible, since the temple had taken forty-six years to build. But the Bible tells us that our Lord was speaking of Himself as the temple.
Therefore, the glory of God returns in the Person of our Lord. He is the spiritual temple of God, the real temple, the true temple of God. When the Word became flesh and came to this earth, the glory of God indeed returned to His temple.
Now let us come back to Ezekiel chapter 47.
Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house was toward the east.
When the man went forth eastward with the line in His hand, He measured a thousand cubits, and He caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. Again He measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again He measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the loins. Afterward He measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.
At the beginning, the water came out from under the threshold of the house toward the east. It was not yet a river; it was like a well of living water, a well of water springing up within us.
But this well of water eventually becomes a river of living water. The man who went out toward the east refers to our Lord. With a line in His hand, He measured a thousand cubits.
What is that line in His hand? Since the theme of Ezekiel is the glory of God, we believe that it is the glory of God which measures everything in the house of God.
When we are measured by the glory of God, we discover that we fall short of the glory. This is the work of the cross. It causes us to know how inadequate we are and how much we need the operation of the cross through the Holy Spirit.
Whenever the Lord measures us with His glory, the water gets deeper and deeper. This is the deepening work of the cross through the Holy Spirit. After every thousand cubits, the river becomes deeper.
Finally, it becomes a river that cannot be passed through. It is like what our Lord said: “From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”
Here we find not merely life, but the fullness of life. Not merely a well of water within us—wonderful as that is—but through the working of the cross, the Lord measures us with His glory, and gradually we are deepened.
Then from the innermost being flows a river of living water.
Let us read Ezekiel chapter 47, verses 7 and 8.
Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
Then said he unto me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea: into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed.
This sea refers to the Dead Sea. The density of salt is so great that people can float upon it, but there are no fish there and no life there. It is one of the lowest places in the world. Water flows into it but never flows out.
But when this river of life reaches the Dead Sea, the waters become fresh. Every living creature that swarms wherever the river goes will live. There will be very many fish, because everything will live where the river goes.
This is the fullness of life. Even when the river reaches the Dead Sea, the waters become fresh.
This whole world is like the Dead Sea—without life. But from our innermost being flows forth the river of living water. These living waters reach the world, and then there will be many fish.
Let us read Ezekiel chapter 47, verse 10.
And it shall come to pass, that fishers shall stand by it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
Now let us come back to the Gospel according to John. From John chapter 7, where the river of living water flows from within, we continue until we reach John chapter 21.
In John chapter 21, there are seven fishermen on the Sea of Tiberias. The greatest Fisher of men, our Lord, is standing on the shore. These seven disciples labored all night and caught nothing.
But with one word from the Lord, they caught one hundred and fifty-three fish. This is what happened in the last chapter of the Gospel according to John.
When the Lord called Peter and John, He said, “I will make you fishers of men.” What is the meaning of the one hundred and fifty-three fish?
Some Bible students tell us that if we calculate the persons whom our Lord contacted while He was on earth, as recorded in the four Gospels, there were exactly one hundred and fifty-three. According to one calculation, this number represents the people with whom our Lord had contact.
Others point out that Elisha received a double portion from Elijah. Elijah performed eight miracles, and Elisha performed sixteen miracles. According to one calculation, our Lord contacted one hundred and fifty-three people, and Paul, having received a double portion, contacted twice as many.
But why were there one hundred and fifty-three fish? Because our Lord died for us on the cross and was resurrected. Because of His finished work on the cross and because of His resurrection, people can become fishers of men.
Why can the river of living water turn the waters of death into sweet water? Why does everything live wherever the river goes? It is because of what happened on the cross and because our Lord has been resurrected.
Death and resurrection are the secret of the one hundred and fifty-three fish.
It is very interesting. I do not want to speak too much about mathematics, but one hundred and fifty-three is a triangular number.
Suppose you take six fish. You can arrange them in a triangle: one plus two plus three. Ten is also a triangular number: one plus two plus three plus four.
If you continue in this way, one plus two plus three plus four, until seventeen, you have one hundred and fifty-three. That is why it is called a triangular number.
Every side of this triangle has seventeen fish. Thus, seventeen has something to do with one hundred and fifty-three.
Our Lord died on the cross on the fourteenth day of the Jewish calendar, at Passover. He was resurrected on the third day. Thus, fourteen plus three gives us seventeen. Seventeen in the Bible speaks of death and resurrection.
The Israelites celebrated Passover on the fourteenth day, spent three days in the wilderness, and crossed the Red Sea on the seventeenth day. The ark of Noah rested on Mount Ararat on the seventeenth day. Noah’s ark passed through the waters of death and came onto resurrection ground.
Joseph was betrayed when he was seventeen years old. Later, his father saw his son in glory after seventeen years. When we put these two pictures together, they tell us the story of death and resurrection.
God even gives us illustrations in His creation. There is an insect called the cicada. It makes much noise, especially as the sunlight becomes brighter. Its sound becomes louder according to the light it receives.
The cicada lives only a short time above ground, but its nymph remains underground for many years. Then, after seventeen years, it emerges again. Does that not remind us that seventeen speaks of death and resurrection?
This is not an accident. When the Lord tells us of one hundred and fifty-three fish, it must mean something. Why can we win many people to Christ? It is not because of our laboring or because of what we have done. It is because of what He has done on the cross.
Because He has been lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. That is the story of the one hundred and fifty-three fish.
Let us return to Ezekiel chapter 47, verse 10:
Fishers shall stand by it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
The water comes from the temple toward the Dead Sea. Along the shore there are two springs: one called En-gedi and another called En-eglaim. In Hebrew, En means “spring.”
From one spring to another, there will be a place for the spreading of nets. The fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the great sea—very many.
It is interesting that Hebrew letters have numerical values. If you add the values of the letters in En-gedi, the numerical value is seventeen. The numerical value of En-eglaim is one hundred and fifty-three.
From seventeen to one hundred and fifty-three, there will be a place for the spreading of nets. The fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the great sea, very many.
Here we have the harvest of fish, and this brings us back to the last chapter of the Gospel according to John.
What is the lesson we have learned from this study?
In Him is life. Because of His finished work on the cross, and because we believe in Him, we receive life. The life within us is like a well of water.
But through the working of the cross, this life is deepened. Then, from the innermost part of our being, flows forth the river of living waters.
Eventually, we become fishers of men. We win many people to Christ. This is what we discover at the end of the Gospel according to John and in Ezekiel chapter 47.
This tells us of the fullness of life. The river of living water tells us of the fullness of life, and the glory of God itself tells us of the fullness of life.
May we learn these lessons as we meditate on the Gospel according to John and on Ezekiel. I believe the Holy Spirit will teach us many more beautiful lessons.
These are the things in my heart that I would like to share with you. Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we ask You to bless these words. If this is Your will, and if You think that this word is usable, we ask You to use this word to teach us, to speak to our hearts, and to transform our lives.
May Your Word be so living and so vivid. May this Word impress us, that we may know how to live a life according to Your will. May we also learn how to enter into the fullness of this wonderful life.
Dear Lord, we thank You for such an opportunity that we may be together. We thank You again for gathering us together here, and we thank You for this Word.
In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.