Did Ezekiel see a UFO?

Did Ezekiel see a UFO?
Extract from Alien Intrusion: UFOs and the Evolution Connection
One of the most infamous claims about UFOs appearing in the Bible is the ‘sighting’ by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 1:1–28. Erich von Däniken is just one of many leading writers who claim that the prophet Ezekiel saw a spaceship.

In the case of the mighty prophet Ezekiel, he was given an amazing experience, and a picture of something that no other person had seen. The text clearly describes the events that took place, and Ezekiel says his vision was imparted to him by God (1:1, 3).

A prophet is a specially chosen person. He is a spokesman for God, and God communicates with his chosen person in such a style that the prophet knows for sure he is hearing only from God. ‘Knowing the voice of God’ is one of the reasons that the biblical prophets were always 100% accurate, unlike modern ‘prophets,’ whether in the Christian church or outside of it. Ezekiel had a similar problem with a proliferation of false prophets in his day. Chapter 13 records that he was told to prophesy against the false prophets of his day. People did not always like God’s true prophets because they often spoke directly and personally about people’s lives, particularly in the area of revealing and condemning their sin. Often the hearers would reject God’s warnings via his prophet because they wanted to continue in their own way.

In Ezekiel’s case, God used dramatic imagery to get his message across. For example, in chapter 37, Ezekiel was given a vision of a valley of dry bones. Step by step, sinew and flesh attached to these bones until they came to life as a vast army. Was it meant to be taken literally? Not in this case, because God told Ezekiel that the story was ‘symbolic’ of Israel’s restoration to their homeland (they were in exile at the time).

The so-called UFO that Ezekiel saw was no different. No one saw it except Ezekiel. He describes wheels, wings, and living creatures that looked like burning coals and moved like flashes of lightning. Above this strange contraption were a throne and a figure that looked like a man with a brilliant light surrounding him. But right at the very beginning of the passage (vs. 1) and at the end (vs. 28), Ezekiel unmistakably pronounces that it is a vision of God. In verse 17, the ‘vehicle’ is described as going in all directions at the same time, which a real vehicle cannot do. This description is a reference to the fact that God is everywhere at the same time (omnipresent) and that he is not constrained to our understanding. The vision of a man was probably that of the preincarnate Christ.

Many UFO believers claim they place great store in the biblical texts but only when it suits their purposes to do so. It is incredible how often people take a passage of Scripture completely out of context to prove a pet theory. Masquerading angels have also falsely concocted a pseudo-philosophy to closely parallel the texts for their own evil aims. The Bible has become ‘fair game’ for those with their own agenda. I recall an investigator at a UFO meeting glowingly using the passage in Ezekiel to say that ‘even the Bible mentions UFOs.’ When I challenged his comment, pointing out that nowhere does Ezekiel use the term ‘ship’, ‘craft’ or any other word to describe a vehicle of any sort, and when I made the more important point that the text clearly describes the thing as a vision from God, he replied, ‘Yeah, but it’s still a UFO.’

I didn’t say what he wanted to hear. He had already made his mind up and brought his outside ideas to the Bible. He wanted to believe that it is a UFO, despite the intent of the author and the actual words written. This misreading of the Bible is sadly common in UFOlogy.

[link to creation.com]

Last Edited by Neesie on 05/16/2010 11:19 AM