rainbow in a cloud: This image mixes the idea of judgment with a hint of mercy. The storm clouds were ready to bring judgment on God's sinful people, but a rainbow, the sign of hope God established after the flood (Genesis 9:12–17), would also appear.
Although the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people to Babylon would be a severe disaster where many would die, God would remember his promise to keep a remnant alive. Judgment would not be God's final word.
When Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord, he fell face down on the ground as though dead. This was a common human response when people experienced God’s glory (compare Leviticus 9:23–24; Numbers 22:31; 1 Kings 18:38–39; 1 Chronicles 21:16; 2 Chronicles 7:1–3; Matthew 17:5–6).