Ezekiel, one of the major prophets in the Hebrew Bible, provides some of the most vivid and symbolic descriptions of God—particularly in his visions. The most iconic and detailed description appears in Ezekiel Chapter 1, where he recounts a vision of God's glory:

1. The Vision of the Chariot (Ezekiel 1:4–28)

Ezekiel sees a stormy wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with fire flashing continuously and a bright light around it. Within the fire, he sees four living creatures, later identified as cherubim:

Each creature had four faces (human, lion, ox, and eagle) and four wings.

Their appearance was “like burning coals of fire,” and they moved “like flashes of lightning.”

Beside each creature was a wheel within a wheel, which moved in any direction without turning.

Over the heads of the creatures was an expanse like sparkling crystal.

Above the expanse was a throne, and on the throne was the appearance of a human figure.

Ezekiel says:

> “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” (Ezekiel 1:28, ESV)

He doesn’t claim to have seen God directly but uses the phrase “the appearance of the likeness”, showing reverence and the mystery surrounding the divine presence.

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2. Themes in Ezekiel’s Description

God as transcendent and holy: The vision communicates that God is far beyond human understanding.

Mobility and omnipresence: The wheels and the spirit moving in every direction suggest God is not confined to the Temple in Jerusalem, a crucial message for exiles in Babylon.

Majesty and awe: The bright fire, precious stones, thunderous sound, and brilliant light convey overwhelming glory and power.

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Ezekiel’s descriptions influenced later Jewish mysticism (Merkabah mysticism) and Christian imagery of God’s throne in Revelation 4. It’s one of the Bible’s most mysterious and powerful portrayals of divine glory.

When God interacts with Ezekiel, the encounters are intense, overwhelming, and deeply symbolic—transforming Ezekiel from a priest into a prophet charged with a monumental task. These interactions unfold across multiple chapters and follow a pattern of divine encounter, commissioning, instruction, and symbolic action. Here's a breakdown:

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1. Divine Encounter and Ezekiel’s Reaction (Ezekiel 1:28–2:2)

After witnessing the vision of God’s glory:

> “When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” (Ezekiel 1:28, ESV)

Ezekiel falls prostrate, overwhelmed by the sheer majesty of the vision. This is a common response in the Bible when humans are confronted with the divine.

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2. God Commissions Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2–3)

God speaks directly to Ezekiel, calling him “son of man”—a term used nearly 100 times in the book, emphasizing his humanity compared to God's glory.

God tells him:

> “I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels... whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 2:3–5)

Ezekiel is warned that his mission will be difficult, and he’s told not to fear them, even though they are obstinate.

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3. The Scroll and the Taste of the Message (Ezekiel 3:1–3)

God gives Ezekiel a scroll filled with words of lament, mourning, and woe and commands him to eat it:

> “Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.” (Ezekiel 3:3)

This symbolizes internalizing God's message—even when it's bitter for the people, it must be fully digested by the prophet.

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4. God's Glory and Prophetic Empowerment (Ezekiel 3:12–15)

The Spirit lifts Ezekiel up, and he hears the thunderous sound of the Lord’s glory. He is transported and sits among the exiles in Tel Abib, overwhelmed and silent for seven days.

> “I came to the exiles... and I sat where they sat... overwhelmed among them seven days.” (Ezekiel 3:15)

This silence reflects the weight of the divine message and the shock of his new role.

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5. Becoming a Watchman (Ezekiel 3:16–21)

After the seven days, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel, responsible for warning people:

> “If you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way... his blood I will require at your hand.” (Ezekiel 3:18)

This moment defines Ezekiel's prophetic responsibility—to warn, regardless of the people’s response.

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Summary

When God interacts with Ezekiel, the result is:

A profound encounter with divine glory

A difficult mission to confront rebellion and idolatry

A burden of responsibility to speak truth despite resistance

A transformation into a living message—often through symbolic acts, visions, and even personal suffering

These divine interactions make Ezekiel one of the most intense, symbolic, and apocalyptic prophets in the Bible.

Elijah’s experience with God is very different from Ezekiel’s. Instead of a grand, fiery vision with wheels and cherubim, Elijah encounters God in a deeply personal, intimate, and quiet way. This happens during one of the most dramatic moments in Elijah’s life, in 1 Kings 19, after he flees into the wilderness, afraid and exhausted.

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The Context: Elijah’s Crisis (1 Kings 19:1–9)

Elijah has just performed a massive miracle on Mount Carmel, calling down fire from heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). But when Queen Jezebel threatens to kill him, he flees into the wilderness, depressed and suicidal:

> “It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life...” (1 Kings 19:4)

God responds not with judgment, but with care—sending an angel to give Elijah food and rest. Then Elijah travels 40 days to Mount Horeb (another name for Mount Sinai), the same place where Moses encountered God.

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The Revelation of God (1 Kings 19:11–13)

Here is where Elijah experiences God in a totally unexpected way:

> “And behold, the Lord passed by,

and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord,

but the Lord was not in the wind.

And after the wind an earthquake,

but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake a fire,

but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire a still small voice [or "a gentle whisper"].”

Then Elijah wraps his face in his cloak—a sign of reverence and awe—and steps out to listen.

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Meaning of Elijah’s Experience

God is not always in the dramatic. Unlike Ezekiel’s visions or Moses’ thunder on Sinai, Elijah meets God in silence.

God meets Elijah where he is—in vulnerability, fear, and burnout.

The “still small voice” (Hebrew: qol demamah daqqah) suggests God's presence is often found in the quiet, subtle, and internal.

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Summary of Elijah’s Description of God

Elijah doesn’t describe God in visual terms as Ezekiel or Isaiah do. His experience is auditory and emotional, highlighting:

God’s gentleness after trauma

God’s presence in quiet strength

A personal relationship, not just cosmic majesty.

This account is deeply spiritual and has echoed through centuries of theology, mysticism, and personal faith journeys. It tells us that God is not just the fire and the storm—but also the whisper in the silence.

Elijah never gives a verbal description of God's appearance—unlike prophets like Ezekiel or Isaiah. Instead, his experience reveals God’s character and presence through actions, silence, and intimacy, not visual form.

Here’s what we can say about Elijah’s "description" of God, based on his personal encounter in 1 Kings 19:11–13:

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1. God is not in the dramatic forces of nature

Elijah witnesses a series of powerful events:

A mighty wind that shatters mountains

A great earthquake

A consuming fire

> “But the Lord was not in the wind... not in the earthquake... not in the fire.”

This reveals that God’s presence is not always found in displays of power, which is surprising given how Elijah just called down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18). It's a shift from spectacle to subtlety.

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2. God is in the “still small voice” (or “gentle whisper”)

After the fire, Elijah hears:

> “a still small voice” (Hebrew: qol demamah daqqah, literally “a voice of thin silence” or “gentle whisper”).

At this, Elijah wraps his face in his cloak—a sign of awe and recognition—and steps out of the cave to meet God.

This is Elijah’s “description” of God:

Not visible. Not thunderous. But present in a whisper.

God is portrayed as:

Tender and close, not just mighty and distant

Attentive to human weakness (Elijah is emotionally broken)

Speaking in silence, rather than force

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3. God is personal, restorative, and relational

In this encounter, God:

Listens to Elijah’s despair

Reassures him that he is not alone

Commissions him anew for a prophetic task

Affirms the hidden work of righteousness (“7,000 in Israel have not bowed to Baal”)

Elijah’s experience teaches that God does not need to show Himself visually to be deeply real and transformative.

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Summary: Elijah’s Description of God

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In Elijah’s story, God is not just the fire-bringer of Mount Carmel—He is also the whisper in the cave. That’s a profound insight about divine presence: sometimes the truest power is quiet.