“Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.”
My Notes
What Does Ezekiel 11:22 Mean?
The glory's departure continues: "the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above." The departure procession — cherubim, wheels, and glory — moves together as a coordinated exit. The entire divine transport system lifts off the temple in preparation for the final departure from Jerusalem.
The lifting of wings signals the departure's mechanics: the cherubim are the glory's vehicle. When they lift their wings, the departure is in motion. The wheels (ofannim — the mysterious rotating structures from Ezekiel 1) move beside them, confirming the departure is directional, not just vertical. The glory is going somewhere — out of the temple, out of Jerusalem, to the Mount of Olives (11:23).
The phrase "the glory of the God of Israel was over them above" means the glory rides above the cherubim: the divine presence is carried by the angelic transport. The glory doesn't walk out. It's carried — elevated above the cherubim's wings, riding the departure procession like a king on a chariot. The exit has royal dignity even as it represents devastating judgment.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does the coordinated departure (cherubim, wheels, glory all leaving together) teach about the comprehensiveness of divine withdrawal?
- 2.How does the departure route (temple → east gate → Mount of Olives) become the return route in Christ?
- 3.What does the glory departing with royal dignity (not fleeing) teach about the character of divine judgment?
- 4.Is the glory still in your sacred space — or have you noticed the wings lifting?
Devotional
Wings up. Wheels turning. Glory riding above. The departure procession lifts off the temple — the entire divine transport system coordinating to carry God's visible presence out of the building he once filled with fire.
The cherubim lifting wings is the mechanical signal: the departure is in motion. The engines are running. The vehicle that carries the glory has been activated. The wings don't just flap — they lift, creating the altitude needed for the departure. The glory that descended to fill the temple now ascends to leave it.
The wheels moving beside the cherubim means the departure has direction: it's not just vertical (lifting) but horizontal (traveling). The glory is going somewhere specific — through the east gate (10:19), to the Mount of Olives (11:23). The wheels ensure the departure follows a route. The route will be the return route centuries later when Jesus enters from the same mountain.
The glory riding above — elevated, carried, transported with dignity — means the departure isn't a rout. God isn't fleeing his own temple. He's leaving it. With the full procession. With the angelic attendants. With the wheeled conveyance. The exit has the ceremony of a king departing a palace: deliberate, stately, devastating to those left behind.
The coordinated departure (cherubim + wheels + glory, all moving together) means every element of divine presence leaves simultaneously. Nothing stays behind. The cherubim that guarded the mercy seat leave. The wheels that transported the throne leave. The glory that filled the space leaves. The temple becomes what it was before God moved in: an impressive building with no occupant.
The departure that Ezekiel watches is the departure every community should dread: the day the glory lifts off, the wings go up, the wheels turn, and the presence that defined the space travels away. The building remains. The glory doesn't.
Is the glory still present in your sacred space — or have the wings already lifted?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Then did the cherubim lift up their wings,.... In order to remove, as in Eze 10:19;
and the wheels beside them; which…
Here is, 1. The departure of God's presence from the city and temple. When the message was committed to the prophet, and…