Cztery istoty żyjące (Ez 1,4-14)

Abstract

Ezekiel’s inaugural vision (Ez 1,4-28) is a vital part of the whole book. At the beginning the prophet refers to God’s transcendence. The nation, then in a desperate situation after losing Jerusalem and, most importantly, the shrine, had to leant a new life out of the promised land. It might seem that it was God’s justice and rejection of Israel for ever. Ezekiel became the man of the moment whose mission was to convince the nation that Jahveh was still with them. God had not rejected his people but He had rejected their way of life. Israel was just too eager to adore foreign gods and kings and that led to a catastrophic result. The prophet knew that the nation would have to discover a new God’s truth and to experience His redeeming presence. God’s majesty, power and glory were to purify hearts of the people so that they would never long for the foreign elements. Ezekiel uses a rich symbollic language to introduce the reader to the air of the mystery of Jahveh, who allows to sense His presence and efectiveness of interventions. However, Ezekiel does not begin his story with the description of God Himself, but at the beginning he refers to the four creatures (Ez 1,4-14) which mediate in contact with God. The introductory manifest became the startpoint of Ezekiel’s mission to renew Israel. The renewal was not to be Israel’s come-back to a glorious past but to become a new creation.