The ' wings bent down,' are a symbol of that profound respect in which these heavenly ministers stand before the Lord of the universe. Under the wings there were men's arms, to show that zeal produces application and labour. If God chose to make known to Ezekiel that his providence extends to all things, and that even in this life it often takes up the rod to chastise nations and individuals, he would also show beforehand that he wished not the destruction of the Jewish people, whom he was about to visit in his anger , but only its correction and amendment. This is signified by the 'precious metal,' which the prophet found unmelted in the midst of the fiery cloud . This cloud of fire , urged on by a whirlwind, and involving on all sides the metal, represented the judgments of God which were about to fall upon this rebellious nation , not to destroy , but to humble and purify it.
Nothing is more proper than afflictions to bring men back to their duty .
As fire purifies metals, so the paternal chastisements of God have a tendency to purify the soul and heart , if the man be not entirely incorrigible. The people upon whom God was about to pour the vials of his anger , were not worthy of his lenity. But that great God , who is firm in his promises , remembers the covenant of peace he had made with the patriarchs. This covenant is made sensible to the prophet under the image of a rainbow , which was round about him who appeared upon the throne . Every one knows, that this splendid phenomenon, which seems to join heaven and earth together, was given to Noah and his posterity as a symbol of the covenant which God then made with mankind , and by vhich he declared to them that the earth should undergo a deluge no more.