Ezekiel saw the wheel

Sometimes I wonder why God decided that a particular phrase or verse was something that needed to be included in His written Word.  The past two blogs have been about such things:  Why did we need to know who, when and where Ezekiel was when he saw the vision of God's majesty? 

But the description of the vision itself does not seem so puzzling.  This is somehow what I guess I should expect out of an Eternal God: A storm, fire, flashing lightning, glowing metal as in a fire.  But amazingly, these were just the living being-announcers who, in turn, were the God Almighty-announcers.  That is, when Ezekiel needed to see the Lord God Almighty, before he could even catch a glimpse of Him, he needed to see the precursors (fire, light, burning metal, storm) of the precursors (the four living creatures).

Then came the four living creatures themselves.  Their description has fascinated people for thousands of years.  The first thing that Ezekiel noticed is that they were different from the fire, storm, lightning, etc. in that they appeared to be alive, that is they were living beings and had a human form.  What can I learn from this?  God does not approach us primarily through forces, but primarily through life.  When God approached Ezekiel, He was not in the fire and lightning and storm, He followed the four living creatures.  Somehow that reminds me of Elijah's encounter with God on Mount Horeb (Sinai).  God was not in the wind, earthquake and fire, even though each of them preceded His appearing.  He revealed Himself as the still small voice in the gentle blowing.  God is alive!  He is not the expression of the powers of nature, although these always reflect Him.  He expresses Himself in life, so in this passage, Ezekiel sees the four living creatures before he sees the Almighty God Himself.  Thus the Lord of Life is indeed Who He is.  He is the Lord of all creation, but the core of His nature is LIFE!

Lord, I long to worship You!  My praise is so weak, my worship so puerile.  Help me to fall in worship at Your feet.  Help me to know a little of Your amazing You-ness.  I cannot do this in myself.  I need a fresh glimpse of You!  Help me to understand a little of the significance of You as the Lord of Life!

Ezekial 1b

Time and place.  Why the emphasis in these first three verses on the Chebar River and the 5th day of the 4th month in the 30th year (v1) and the 5th day of the month in the 5th year of Jehiochin's reign?   In trying to investigate this, I see that the Chebar River is important throughout the book.  Yet we do not even know what the 30th year refers to or for sure where the Chebar R was located.  So why did our God prompt Ezekiel to record this so specifically?

Perhaps the reason is that our God enters our time and space at specific times and places.  If God  is going to reveal Himself, He does not come in some nebulous, airy emptiness.  He comes to His people in the reality in which we live.  The reality for Ezekiel's people was captivity in Babylon.  Doubtless, each day they counted the days since they had been taken captive.  Each day they mentally measured the distance from home in Israel. I think of a prisoner of war in severe isolation making marks on the wall each day to remember exactly what day the people back home are keeping and thinking about what life must be like for the people he or she loves.  So, for example, the prisoner realizes that Christmas Day has come and pictures the presents under the tree, the manger scene, the food and lights, and all the beauty and trappings of the special day.  Surely, in a similar way, the Jewish people in Babylon thought that God was not in Babylon.  That the light and beauty of His Presence could not penetrate there in their place and their time. 

But God not only showed up in Babylon, He showed up by the River Chebar, where they were sent by the Babylonians to live at Telabib (chapter 3).  He showed up in the place of their captivity in the time of their despair.  And He did not just show up.  He showed up in a splendor and glory and majesty and power that perhaps had not been seen since their ancient ancestors had fled from Him in terror on Mount Sinai or certainly since His Shekinah glory had descended on the temple in Jerusalem nearly 400 years earlier. 

Lord, God, I need You to show up in my time and my place.  I need Your revelation.  Speak to me through Your Word as I listen and long to learn.  Help me to see absolutely everything You are wanting to reveal to me about Yourself as I study this book.

Ezekiel 1

Today I am going to commit myself to a careful study of Ezekiel.  What can I learn?  What does the Lord know that I need to know?

Who was the author?  Ezekiel the priest the son of Buzi.  Why did God decide that this man's heredity mattered? I think that the reason might be the timing of his prophesy.  Ezekiel prophesied during the exile to Babylon.  I can only imagine the isolation and desolation of a conquered people in captivity, but undoubtedly this was a time when the people felt unable to understand what was happening to their beloved nation and wanted to find answers. 

What kinds of answers did they think they needed?  They must have had several major questions:  Why are we here?  Has God abandoned us?  What does the future hold? 

But what does God answer?  At least initially He does not address their burning questions because He knows it is not their burning need.  Their burning need is to know Him.  So what He does is to give Ezekiel a vision of His majesty, power, beauty, and perhaps most strikingly, His difference. 

Oh, Lord, I am here.  I long to be in China even though the life is much easier here.  But You have sent me back to my own country, the USA.  I have wondered what purpose You might have in my illnesses and weakness and our inability to stay in China and perhaps this book of Ezekiel has Your answer for me.  Help me to see You - to see Your majesty, Your power, Your beauty and Your glorious difference.