June 23, 2011
CAN YOU RELATE?
Ezekiel 1
Troy Patterson
Central Truth
This world is not our home.
Key Verse | Ezekiel 1:1
Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (Ezekiel 1:1)
Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel in Babylon
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 1 1:1 Or from God 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
The Glory of the LORD
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 2 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit 3 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21 would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. 4 1:15 Hebrew of their faces 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions 5 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures 6 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21 was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; 7 1:26 Or lapis lazuli and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 8 1:27 Or it 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Dive Deeper | Ezekiel 1
OK, when I first read this passage, I had no idea what I would write. I had no idea who Buzi is or where the River Chebar is, and I was bewildered about the "four living beings" that looked like humans, but had four faces, four wings, and bronze calf hooves for feet. You might be thinking the same.
But then I asked myself, "Can you relate?"
Ezekiel 1:1 tells us that Ezekiel and the Jews are in exile. I have never been in exile, but I have experienced trials in my life in which I have felt far from God, downtrodden like a foreigner and forgotten by God. I wanted deliverance from my circumstances and prayed to God to rescue me. Deliverance by God eventually came in God's timing. I thought God didn't care, but looking back now I see that He had my best interest in mind. His plan was better than mine. He wanted me to grow through the experience and learn that He is in control and loves me and is crazy for me.
I looked up exile in the dictionary and one definition is "enforced absence from one's country." Then I realized I am in exile. For the believer in Christ, this world is not our home. Philippians 3:20 says, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." We should live our life with a focus not on the temporal things of this world, but on eternal things. But honestly, I don't always live the way I should if this world is not my home.
At the end of Chapter 1, Ezekiel falls on his face as he sees God's glory. This should be our daily response to keep perspective on who God is. Since Christ died for our sins, we don't have to wait on God to give us a vision to reveal Himself to us. We have the opportunity daily to enter God's presence through prayer.
Discussion Questions
1. Knowing that our citizenship is in heaven through Christ Jesus, how should we live differently here on earth?
2. Have you ever felt like you have been forgotten by God? What was your response? What should your response be?
3. When was the last time you spent time in prayer on your knees?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
LAMENTATIONS 3 – EZEKIEL 2 (JUNE 20-24)
Read Lamentations 3:19-33.
What do you learn about God's love in verse 22? What do you learn about His mercy for each day in verse 23?
In verse 27 you see the word yoke. Do you know what a yoke is? Look up on the Internet a picture of an ox in a yoke and talk about what the yoke does for the animal. If the animal tries to go its own way, what does the yoke do?
Why is it important for us to submit or to live under the yoke of God's guidance? From what you learned in verses 22 and 23, why can you trust God's yoke?
ACTIVITY: Let's simulate what it is like to be led by a yoke. Set up an obstacle course in your house or backyard. Have each person get a jacket from his closet. The first person to go through the obstacle course should put his jacket on backwards without his arms in the sleeves. Then blindfold him. Now have another member of the family guide him through the obstacle course without talking. She will take the sleeves behind the "walker" and will use them to guide him through. As you are doing it, talk about God as our guide and how we need to be paying attention to Him to recognize His efforts to guide us along the right paths.