From: jfb@draco.macsch.com (John Baskette)
Subject: Ezekiel Space Ship
Organization: MacNeal-Schwendler Corp.
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 21:37:03 GMT

In article <1992Oct09.154946.13556@watson.ibm.com> jec@pilatus.zurich.ibm.com (Jean Cherbonnier) writes:
>
>Does anybody have some information about this chapter in the
>Old Testament, where Ezekiel describes what sounds like the
>arrival of a space ship on earth, with extra-terrestrial creatures... ?

The chapter in question is Ezekiel 1:4-28.  This vision is a early example 
of apocalyptic writing that is common in the centuries before and 
after Christ.  (Good examples are chapters 2 and 7-12 of Daniel and 
the book of Revelation.)  Apocalyptic literature is often difficult
to interpret because the language is deliberately symbolic and 
figurative.  In some cases, however, the writer will tell the reader
just what is meant by the symbols.  This is the case for Ezekiel's
wheels within wheels vision.  Verse 28 identifies the vision as,
"This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD."

Note that the ancient Hebrews believed that God or at least the 
manifestation of God's glory (the shikinah glory or the Khabod)
was present on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant.  Roughly
speaking the ark was a box containing the tablets of the Law, Aaron's
staff, and a jar of manna.  The mercy seat was the lid of the box.
On top of the lid were two cherubim (angels) facing inward.  The
Khabod dwelt on the lid between the two cherubim.  

Descriptions of the glory of God filling the tabernacle and later the 
temple can be found in Exodus 40 and I Kings 8.  A curious story about
the glory "departing" Israel  (Ichabod - the glory is departed) when
the tabernacle was temporally in the possession of the Philistines is 
found in I Samuel chapters 4-6.

That Ezekiel's vision represents the Khabod is made abundantly clear 
in Chapters 10 and 11 where the same wheels within wheels (again 
identified as being the glory of God) are depicted leaving from 
between the cherubim on the mercy seat, out the east gate of the 
temple court, out of the city of Jerusalem to the peak of a mountain 
just to the east of the city.  (This mountain is likely the mount of 
Olives mentioned in the New Testament.)

Note that Ezekiel is a prophet who resides in Babylon at the start of 
the Babylonian captivity.  Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar had invaded
the kingdom of Judah, took into captivity many of it's citizens, and had
placed Zedekiah as a vassal king over what was left.  Eleven years later
Nebuchadnezzar invaded again and this time destroyed Jerusalem.  Ezekiel
explains how the city and temple could have been destroyed if God was 
present in the temple. (i.e. God left.)
 
Is it reasonable to think that Ezekiel's vision, regardless of what use
Ezekiel made of it, was in fact a sighting of an ancient flying saucer? 
There are several reasons for rejecting this idea.  First, there are
elements in the vision that do not resemble flying saucers. We have a 
throne, four creatures with the feet of calf's (cattle mutilation?) and 
the heads of a man, an ox, an eagle, and a lion.  Second, the elements 
that could be taken to resemble a flying saucer (mobility, fire, light) 
are more likely derived from descriptions of the pillar of fire and 
cloud from the Torah.  Third, the author does not claim to have seen 
this object with his eyes.  The visions of Chapters 10 and 11 make it 
clear that Ezekiel was in Babylon when he saw a vision of Jerusalem 
with the glory departing the city.  The visions are internal, not the 
result of observing physical phenomena.  Fourth, the historical context 
and genre of the writing are well known and the intended interpretation 
and application are clear.  There is no justification for wrenching the 
text from it's literary and historic context to make it fit modern
concepts about flying saucers.

John
Xref: sparky sci.skeptic:17604 rec.org.mensa:7199