And brightness as of glowing amber, round Of human likeness seem'd they, clad with wings Of Cherubim, like burning coals of fire Òr lamps that flash'd as lightnings to and fro; Wheel within wheel of beryl, and instinct The firmament of crystal, terrible In its transparent brightness stretch'd. They rose, And lo, the rushing of their wings appear'd The roll of mighty waters, or the shout Of countless multitudes: until, the voice Of God above them sounding eminent, Straightway they stood and droop'd their awful wings. And far above the firmament behold The likeness of a sapphire throne: and there, The likeness of a man; human He was In every lineament, yet likest God, Clad with the glory of amber and of fire: See Ezek. i. and x. Pure light amid the impenetrable dark, The arch of mercy on the clouds of wrath, And with its zone of soften'd rainbow hues, Gold, emerald,1 and vermilion, spann'd the throne. His hand was on thee, prophet, in that hour: His voice revived thee, or thy soul had sunk Arm'd, thou canst front the lowering looks of man, The powers of hell discomfit, and athwart The troublous ocean-floods of time look forth Firm as the rooted rocks. Such hidden springs Of strength the vision of the Almighty gives. So he who bow'd before the burning bush Quail'd not in Pharaoh's presence. He who led The hosts of Israel forth victoriously, First stood before their Captain and his own 1 "In sight like unto an emerald.". Rev. iv. 3. And worshipp'd.1 But the time would fail to tell Of warriors, and the goodly fellowship Of prophets, and apostles, who beheld In vision or in blest society Jehovah's glory, ere they turn'd to flight Storm'd the proud ramparts of a rebel world, Nor needless was the strength of heaven: for bleak And bitter were the wintry storms that swept Thy destined path, Ezekiel: unto grief No stranger thou. Softly thy childhood smiled A mother's tears of joy upon thy cheeks Had fallen, brief as dewdrops, which the Spring Sips from the waking flowers; and through thy soul A father's benediction had diffused Its life-long balm and soon the priesthood claim'd 1 "As Captain of the host of the Lord am I now come." -Josh. v. 14. In Salem's courts thy white-robed ministries. Had drain'a the last of heaven's long suffering, And vengeance might not slumber more. With fiercest bolts of ruin and of wreck.1 Little they dream'd in their delirious mirth The might that slumber'd in those shatter'd chords. 1 Ezekiel apparently began his prophecy about five years after the second captivity. Thy spirit was bruised, not broken: time has lost Thy early home is drench'd with tears and blood, Thy mansion in the heavens. What if the dews And summer rivulets of life, its fresh And first affections, have been wither'd up Unseen the springs of heavenly love gush forth, And make low music in the ear of God. His hand was on thee, and His Spirit breathed With adamantine forehead to confront Faces of adamant and hearts of stone:1 Seven days a voiceless witness, communing 1 Ezek. iii. 8, 9. 2 I... remained there astonished seven days. . . and it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me." Ch. iii. 15, 16. This has been thought to allude to the Sabbath. |