The four living beings themselves darted about in Ezekiel"s vision like bolts of lightning. Perhaps this presages the prophet"s message of God"s burning judgment on Judah. [1][source]
"These spiritual beings who were part angel, part human, and part animal were fitting representatives of the whole created order. Their activity affirmed the relationship of God to his creation as Lord of all things. This idea was vital in helping Ezekiel and the captives in exile and the people in Judah understand that in the midst of the storms of life, God was still on his throne. He was not oblivious to their circumstances." [2][source]
Context Summary
Ezekiel 1:1-21 - A Vision Of God's Majesty
A dark storm-cloud approaches the prophet, from which an incessant blaze of lightning scintillated. As it drew near, the forms of four living creatures became visible, combining, under various figures, intelligence, strength, patience, and soaring aspiration. The wheels were evidently symbolical of the cycles of divine providence, which cooperate with the ministers of the divine will. The slab of blue expanse supported a human semblance, suggestive of that great after-event-God manifest in the flesh. The whole conception impresses us with the reality, order, majesty, and humanness, of the Eternal God. Those holy beings surely represent the intelligent company of innumerable angels and servants, while the wheels represent the material creation. All these are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. Angels and nature minister to us, if we are in union with God. All things serve the servants of the Most High. [source]
Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 1
1The time of Ezekiel's prophecy at Chebar 4His vision of four cherubim; 15of the four wheels; 26and of the glory of God
What do the individual words in Ezekiel 1:14 mean?
And the living creaturesran backand forthlike in appearancea [flash] of lightning