The book of Yechezkel (Ezekiel)

Ezekiel commences with out of this world encounter by the prophet himself.

Orthodox Jewish Rabbis admit that the topic in this chapter is far removed from human comprehension. That they are not equipped even to attempt a glimpse at their inner meaning.

Unlike Christian church founders and preachers who claim they are very well able to see its context.

“The Account Of The Chariot”

It happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], on the fifth of the month, as I was among the exile by the River Chebar; the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
1:1
the word of Hashem came to Ezekiel son of Buzi, the Kohen, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the River Chebar; and the hand of Hashem came upon him there.
1:3
I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of great waters, like the sound of Shaddai, as they moved, the sound of commotion, like the sound of a camp; when they would halt, they would release their wings.
:24
Like the appearance of a bow that would be in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brilliance all around. That was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Hashem! When I saw, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
:28

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year in the fourth [month] on the fifth day of the month, as I was in the midst of the exile by the river Chebar-the heavens opened up, and I saw visions of God.
2 “On the fifth of the month”-that is the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile.
3 The word of the Lord was [revealed] to Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, and the hand of the Lord came upon him there.
4 And I saw, and behold, a tempest was coming from the north, a huge cloud and a flaming fire with a brightness around it; and from its midst, it was like the color of the chashmal from the midst of the fire.
5 And from its midst was the likeness of four living beings, and this is their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 And [each] one had four faces, and [each] one had four wings.
7 And their legs were a straight leg, and the soles of their feet were like a round foot, and they sparkled like the color of burnished copper.
8 And human hands were beneath their wings on their four sides, and their faces and their wings were [the same] to all four of them.
9 Their wings joined one to the other; they did not turn when they walked; each one would go toward the direction of his face.
10 And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man, and the face of a lion was on their right, to the four of them, and the face of an ox to their left, to the four of them, and the face of an eagle [was] to the four of them.
11 And so were their faces. And their wings were extended upward; each one had two wings joined to each other, and two covering their bodies.
12 Now each one would go toward the direction of his face; wherever would be the will to go, they would go; they did not turn as they walked.
13 And the likeness of the living beings; their appearance was like fiery coals, burning like the appearance of firebrands; it was going among the living beings; and there was a brightness to the fire and from the fire came forth lightning.
14 And the living beings would run and return, like the appearance of the sparks.
15 And I saw the living beings, and behold, one wheel [was] on the ground beside the living beings for its four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the appearance of crystal, and the four of them had one likeness, and their appearance and their workings were as a wheel would be within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went toward their four sides; they did not turn when they went.
18 And they had backs, and they were very high, and they were dreadful, and their eyebrows were full of eyes round about-[so it was] to the four of them.
19 And when the living beings would go, the wheels would go beside them; and when the living beings would lift themselves off the ground, the wheels would lift themselves.
20 Wherever there was the will to go, they would go; there was the will to go, and the wheels would lift themselves correspondingly to them, for the will of the living being was in the wheels.
21 When they [the living beings] would go, they [the wheels] would go, and when they would stand, they would stand, and when they would lift themselves up from the ground, the wheels would lift themselves correspondingly to them, for the will of the living being was in the wheels.
22 And there was a likeness over the heads of the living beings, of an expanse like the color of the severe frost extended over their heads above.
23 And beneath the expanse, their wings were straight, one [pointed] toward the other; this one had two that covered, to here, and that one had two that covered, to here, their bodies.
24 And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters like the voice of the Almighty-when they went; the sound of stirring, like the sound of a camp; when they would stand, they would let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads; when they stood still, they would let down their wings.
26 And above the expanse that was over their heads, like the appearance of a sapphire stone, was the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne, was a likeness like the appearance of a man upon it above.
27 And I saw like the color of chashmal like the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and above; and from the appearance of his loins and below, I saw [a thing] like the appearance of fire, and there was a brightness round about it.
28 Like the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness round about; that was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and when I saw, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.