One passage that’s often referenced, and almost always out of context, within the UFO genre is Ezekiel’s wheels (Ezekiekl 1:4, 13-19), and it’s important to have a proper understanding of this unusual passage.  Initially, these “wheels within wheels” (1:16) do indeed sound like an ancient UFO report. UFO enthusiasts regularly cite Ezekiel’s “wheels” as an attempt to verify their claims of extraterrestrial interventions in the course of human history. However, a closer examination of the text clearly demonstrates that Ezekiel is communicating a vision from God, “In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles at the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision” (Ezekiel 1:1 NET). Thus, this is a vision, not an extraterrestrial visitation. There are a number of basic biblical interpretation (hermeneutic) rules that are violated when it’s assumed that the “wheels” of Ezekiel are spaceships. First, we must read the passage within the entirety of its context, and second, we must attempt to interpret what the biblical author is trying to communicate to his intended audience. With this in mind, we see that this passage is the inaugural of several visions.

For starters, events seen in visions are not necessarily literal but often symbolic and/or metaphorical. Zechariah saw a vision of a flying scroll (Zechariah 5:1–4) and a woman in a basket (Zechariah 1:5–8). When John is given a vision of the “Four Horsemen” (Revelation 6:1–8) and a “beast with ten horns and seven heads” (Revelation 13:1–9), it doesn’t necessitate that there will actually be physical horsemen galloping across the earth or an actual monster rising out of the Mediterranean Sea. Rather, a vision is typically given in the form of a vivid metaphor for communicating a spiritual truth or forthcoming event (prophecy).

There’s a little more background to this that’s necessary for a proper understanding of the “wheels”.  Stay with me and please read on.

In Ezekiel 11:23, we read that this “throne chariot” moved out of Solomon’s Temple, seemingly reluctantly, pausing on the Mount of Olives before completely leaving the city. Unlike the unconditional covenants that had been made with Noah, Abraham, and eventually David, the Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant. Upon being led out of Egypt, it becomes apparent that the Hebrews still have a lot of Egypt in them, but God seeks to dwell among them.  However, His holiness is a consuming fire and somewhat like a spiritual nuclear reactor; prior to the Messiah (Jesus), humans could only get so close to God’s presence. Nonetheless, God made a conditional covenant with them so that they could safely dwell within His presence. Like Adam and Eve (and you and I), their purpose was to reflect God’s love and compassion to all of humanity. Since God’s reputation, to a small degree, hinged upon the Hebrews accurately reflecting Him, a conditional (Mosaic) covenant was made, i.e., if the Hebrews would follow these precepts, God would provide additional blessings to them, fight their battles, and dwell among them. Similar to a marriage, at Mount Sinai, they exchange vows and agree to the terms, effectively saying “I do,” but the Hebrews don’t.

It’s a short honeymoon. As early as Exodus 32, they’ve created an idol (golden calf) and worshiped it, violating two of the clauses, i.e., “thou shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3 KJV) and “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them…” (Exodus 20:4–5 ESV). Somewhat like marriage counselors, prophets are sent who, using marriage vernacular, regularly encourage and exhort them to return. God will often use covenantal marriage vernacular in doing so:

• “But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:20 NIV, emphasis mine).
• “They are unfaithful to the Lord; they give birth to illegitimate children.” (Hosea 5:7 NIV, emphasis mine).
• But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant… (Hosea 6:7 ESV, emphasis mine).
• “…Return, faithless Israel,” declares the Lord, “I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful” (Jeremiah 3:12 NIV, emphasis mine).
• “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart…” (Joel 2:12 NIV, emphasis mine).

But they don’t return. So, after countless warnings for not keeping the conditional Mosaic Covenant, Israel finally experienced the repercussions of being unfaithful, resulting in the diaspora of the Northern tribes and an exile to Babylon for the Southern tribes aka Judah. However, even during their darkest hours with the Babylonians literally at the gates, through Jeremiah, God says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). This hope is in a new unconditional covenant provided by the Messiah, Jesus, that will be written on their hearts (cf. Jeremiah 31:31–33; Ezekiel 36:24–27). But, at the moment, the Hebrews are on their way to exile. They’ve hung their harps in the willow trees (Psalm 137:2), meaning they have no song in their hearts. And it’s during this time that Ezekiel has the vision of the wheels. Therefore, in this case, the creatures and the wheels are most likely representations of angels (cf. Isaiah 6:2), who are presented as God’s attendants delivering a message for the exiles from God through Ezekiel.  Since the Kebar River (the location of the vision) was south of Babylon and a place of prayer for the Jewish exiles, this vision would have been most appropriate to remind them that wherever they went, God went—even to Babylon. In Ezekiel 10, the prophet is given a vision of God’s glory departing the temple, but later in Chapter 43, he receives an encouraging vision that the glory of the Lord would one day return. So, all of that to say, it’s a vision of encouragement showing that wherever the Hebrews go, even Babylon, that God will go with them