August 28 - Ezekiel 1-3
Ezekiel was in a unique position to minister to God's people, since he was in one of the groups taken into exile in Babylon. As he found himself there by the Chebar river, God gave him a vision of four creatures, which sound like angels. Each angel has a wheel within a wheel that is beside him, and they resemble the four living creatures in the book of Revelation. However, I do not think we are to speculate on these creatures and the wheels, but we are to realize that they are there to call attention to God. (1:26-28) Ezekiel was privileged to see a vision of God above His throne. He did not see a body, because God, the Father, does not have a physical body. He saw the glory or the presence of God, because God is a person, even though He does not have a body.
This was God's grand appearance to Ezekiel, because He was calling him to be a prophet to the people in the exile. (2:3) This would be a hard calling because the people were very rebellious, and they did not listen to God, so they would not listen to him. However, Ezekiel was not to fear them, but to deliver God's message anyway. I believe this is a summary of what God wants for all of us as believers in the New covenant. He wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him, so we can behold His glory. He wants us to listen to the Holy Spirit, whom He has placed within us, and He wants us to deliver His Word, even though we are not all prophets. We can all speak a word of testimony or instruction to those around us. This is true even though we live in a rebellious world that will not listen to us.
There is a lot of symbolism in this book and a lot of visions. God may not deal with you and I in this way today, but the meaning comes through to us clearly. In chapter 3 Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll with the lamentations on it. I don't think that was the whole book of the Bible we just read, but it could have been. It was definitely the Word of God. As He ate it, it was sweet. I believe anytime we eat God's Word, or digest it, so to speak, it will be a satisfying meal. However, it is not just for us to eat, but to deliver to others. Therefore, we see God commissioning Ezekiel as a watchman for the people of God in exile. He was to warn the unrighteous and the righteous about their sin. If he did, he was held guiltless. If not, their blood was required at his hands. I believe that means that in the Judgment time, we will see that our inaction contributed to the sin and even to the lostness of others, and it will cause us great grief in the presence of God, before we enter heaven for eternity. We must take our role as a child of God seriously. He is our Father, and if He tells us, to warn others, we must do it. We must not expect that others will do it. There are some people only you can influence. However, we must wait on the Lord and only speak what He wants us to speak, too. It is not our words, but His.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 4-6.
This was God's grand appearance to Ezekiel, because He was calling him to be a prophet to the people in the exile. (2:3) This would be a hard calling because the people were very rebellious, and they did not listen to God, so they would not listen to him. However, Ezekiel was not to fear them, but to deliver God's message anyway. I believe this is a summary of what God wants for all of us as believers in the New covenant. He wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him, so we can behold His glory. He wants us to listen to the Holy Spirit, whom He has placed within us, and He wants us to deliver His Word, even though we are not all prophets. We can all speak a word of testimony or instruction to those around us. This is true even though we live in a rebellious world that will not listen to us.
There is a lot of symbolism in this book and a lot of visions. God may not deal with you and I in this way today, but the meaning comes through to us clearly. In chapter 3 Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll with the lamentations on it. I don't think that was the whole book of the Bible we just read, but it could have been. It was definitely the Word of God. As He ate it, it was sweet. I believe anytime we eat God's Word, or digest it, so to speak, it will be a satisfying meal. However, it is not just for us to eat, but to deliver to others. Therefore, we see God commissioning Ezekiel as a watchman for the people of God in exile. He was to warn the unrighteous and the righteous about their sin. If he did, he was held guiltless. If not, their blood was required at his hands. I believe that means that in the Judgment time, we will see that our inaction contributed to the sin and even to the lostness of others, and it will cause us great grief in the presence of God, before we enter heaven for eternity. We must take our role as a child of God seriously. He is our Father, and if He tells us, to warn others, we must do it. We must not expect that others will do it. There are some people only you can influence. However, we must wait on the Lord and only speak what He wants us to speak, too. It is not our words, but His.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 4-6.