emerald

April 8, 2017

The four wheels (Ezek 10:9-10:13)

“I looked.

There were four wheels

Beside the cherubim.

One beside each cherub.

The appearance of the wheels

Was like gleaming beryl.

As for their appearance,

The four looked alike.

They were something

Like a wheel

Within a wheel.

When they moved,

They moved

In any

Of the four directions

Without veering

As they moved.

But in whatever direction,

The front wheel faced,

The others followed

Without veering

As they moved.

Their entire body,

Their rims,

Their spokes,

Their wings,

The wheels

Were full

Of eyes all around.

The wheels

Of the four of them

Were called,

In my hearing.

‘The wheelwork.’”

This seems to be a description just like in chapter 1 of this work. Ezekiel explained that he saw four wheels beside the cherubim, but they were not lying on the earth as in chapter 1. These wheels appeared like gleaming beryl, some kind of emerald or aquamarine crystals. All the four wheels looked the same, as they seemed to be like wheels within wheels. They could move in any direction without veering away as they moved. They had awesome rims with eyes or spokes, as if they were an all seeing God. However, here they are given a specific name the ‘wheelwork.’

March 26, 2017

A description of the four wheels (Ezek 1:15-1:18)

“As I looked

At the living creatures,

I saw a wheel

On the earth

Beside the living creatures.

There was

One wheel for each

Of the four of them.

The appearance

Of the wheels was

Like the gleaming

Of beryl.

The four wheels

Had the same likeness.

Their construction

Was like a wheel

Within a wheel.

When they moved,

They moved in any

Of the four directions,

Without veering

As they moved.

Their rims

Were tall.

Their rims

Were awesome.

The rims

Of all four wheels

Were full

Of eyes all around.”

Ezekiel explained that he saw four wheels laying on the earth for each of the four living creatures. The appearance of these wheels was like gleaming beryl, some kind of emerald or aquamarine crystal. All of the four wheels looked the same, as they seemed to be like wheels within wheels. They could move in any direction without veering away as they moved. They had tall awesome rims. They had eyes or spokes, as if they were an all seeing creatures.

April 1, 2015

The seven day feast of King Artaxerxes (Esth 1:5-1:8)

“At the end of the festivity, the king gave a drinking party for the people of the various nations who lived in the capital city of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the garden courtyard of the royal king’s palace. The courtyard was adorned with white cotton curtains and blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were placed on a mosaic floor of emerald, mother-of-pearl, and marble. There were coverings of gauze, embroidered in various colors, with roses arranged around them. The cups were of gold and silver. A miniature cup made of ruby was on display, worth thirty thousand talents. There was abundant sweet wine, such as the king himself drank. The drinking was not according to a restrained fixed rule. The king wanted it this way. Thus he commanded his stewards to comply with his pleasure and that of his guests, as each one desired.

The first gathering was more official. This week long festival seems a little less organized. The participants seem to be local Susa folk who worked in the capitol. Persian kings supposedly gave great feasts. The setting is a beautiful outdoor royal courtyard that is adorned with white, blue, and purple linen cloths tied to marble pillars with silver rings. They had gold and silver couches on a mosaic marble floor, with roses all around. This would indicate a late spring, early summer time frame. They drank from gold and silver drinking cups. He had a miniature cup of ruby worth millions of USA dollars. Everyone got to drink the king’s wine as much as they wanted. The king had given the orders to his wine stewards. This seems like a very happy sumptuous gathering.