Call to renewed vision and commitment
Text Ezekiel 1:1-3:15 Time 23 04 06 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church
I want us to look this morning at the opening section of the Prophecy of Ezekiel. Ezekiel is one of the Major Prophets of the Bible, along with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. These four books are the longest prophets. The other 12 shorter books that close the OT are known as the Minor Prophets. Now Ezekiel, like Daniel, wrote while he and the people of God were exiled in Babylon. You remember how Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied that if the people continued to rebel against God then they would be sent from the Promised Land as a punishment. And that is exactly what happened. They refused to repent and so God sent the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who carried many of them off to his own nation. Among these exiles were Daniel and this man Ezekiel. Here at the beginning of his book he tells us how God commissioned him to be a prophet. I want to say four things in the light of what we find in 1:1-3:15.
1. Do you long to serve God but feel frustrated?
Ezekiel’s book begins some five years into the exile. You notice how he says (1:2) it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin. He begins, however, by saying that this was In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. What is this thirtieth year? Probably the thirtieth year of his life. We know very little about Ezekiel but we do know that he was a priest. See 3 Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi. So not only was he an exile but at just the point where normally he would be expecting to embark on a priestly life it was not possible for him to do so because he was living far, far from the Temple in Jerusalem, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. It’s like someone wanting to go to university but there’s no finance. I remember my dad talking about woodwork lessons in the war – there was no wood to use! You can imagine how frustrated and discouraged this man must have felt then. He was longing to serve God but it was not to be.
I want us to look this morning at the opening section of the Prophecy of Ezekiel. Ezekiel is one of the Major Prophets of the Bible, along with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. These four books are the longest prophets. The other 12 shorter books that close the OT are known as the Minor Prophets. Now Ezekiel, like Daniel, wrote while he and the people of God were exiled in Babylon. You remember how Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied that if the people continued to rebel against God then they would be sent from the Promised Land as a punishment. And that is exactly what happened. They refused to repent and so God sent the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who carried many of them off to his own nation. Among these exiles were Daniel and this man Ezekiel. Here at the beginning of his book he tells us how God commissioned him to be a prophet. I want to say four things in the light of what we find in 1:1-3:15.
1. Do you long to serve God but feel frustrated?
Ezekiel’s book begins some five years into the exile. You notice how he says (1:2) it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin. He begins, however, by saying that this was In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. What is this thirtieth year? Probably the thirtieth year of his life. We know very little about Ezekiel but we do know that he was a priest. See 3 Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi. So not only was he an exile but at just the point where normally he would be expecting to embark on a priestly life it was not possible for him to do so because he was living far, far from the Temple in Jerusalem, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. It’s like someone wanting to go to university but there’s no finance. I remember my dad talking about woodwork lessons in the war – there was no wood to use! You can imagine how frustrated and discouraged this man must have felt then. He was longing to serve God but it was not to be.
Perhaps you can sympathise with him. Perhaps you too have a desire to serve God and yet things don’t seem to work out. There are many frustrations.
So what is the answer? Now Ezekiel was chosen by God to be his prophet there in Babylon. He would not be a priest (one representing men before God This way [with your back to the people]) but he was a prophet (one representing God before men This way [facing the people]). It all began with what we read here of how (1:1) the heavens were opened and Ezekiel saw visions of God (1:3) the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel and … the hand of the LORD was upon him. Now none of us will know exactly what Ezekiel knew – for one thing we now have what Ezekiel wrote and the other prophets and indeed the New Testament revelation. However, our real need is very similar to his – we need a vision of God and to hear his Word and to know his strong hand upon us. This we can know as we study what happened to Ezekiel here.
2. God is there - see your need for heaven to open that you may see it
So what is the answer? Now Ezekiel was chosen by God to be his prophet there in Babylon. He would not be a priest (one representing men before God This way [with your back to the people]) but he was a prophet (one representing God before men This way [facing the people]). It all began with what we read here of how (1:1) the heavens were opened and Ezekiel saw visions of God (1:3) the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel and … the hand of the LORD was upon him. Now none of us will know exactly what Ezekiel knew – for one thing we now have what Ezekiel wrote and the other prophets and indeed the New Testament revelation. However, our real need is very similar to his – we need a vision of God and to hear his Word and to know his strong hand upon us. This we can know as we study what happened to Ezekiel here.
2. God is there - see your need for heaven to open that you may see it
So let’s begin with this amazing vision. In 1:4 Ezekiel says I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north - an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The centre of the fire looked like glowing metal. So, while Ezekiel is thinking of Jerusalem to his west, unexpectedly out of the north comes this vision of God. It is marked by smoke and fire and bright light.
In this fire he sees first four living creatures – seraphim or some other heavenly creatures. Their basic form is human but they have four faces (like men, lions, oxen and eagles) and four wings (two to fly with, two to cover themselves) as well as human hands and their legs gleaming like burnished bronze, though straight, ended in hooves not feet. They are fiery creatures with fire all around them and look like lightning. Their outstretched wings touch each others and make an incredible noise like rushing waters a or an army in tumult. Beneath the creatures are identical intersecting wheels that sparkle like jewels. Like the creatures they are multi-directional. They can go in any direction without turning (up, down, forward, back) just as the spirit moves them. 1:21 the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. These massive wheels have eyes in their rims all around.
He then goes on to describe the awesome sparkling expanse above the creatures and the sapphire throne he sees with one sitting on it. This one again has a human form but is like glowing metal filled with fire and his body ends in fire. He is surrounded by brilliant light, like a rainbow. This is not God as such but what Ezekiel calls (1:28) the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. Not the LORD or the glory of the LORD but the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When Ezekiel saw it he fell (not backwards as has been popular among some in recent years) but face down.
Now we could spend a lot of time dissecting the details of this vision but I think it is wisest for us to look at it in more general terms and seek to learn what it is telling us about God and his character.
1. You need to see that God is glorious and great
In this fire he sees first four living creatures – seraphim or some other heavenly creatures. Their basic form is human but they have four faces (like men, lions, oxen and eagles) and four wings (two to fly with, two to cover themselves) as well as human hands and their legs gleaming like burnished bronze, though straight, ended in hooves not feet. They are fiery creatures with fire all around them and look like lightning. Their outstretched wings touch each others and make an incredible noise like rushing waters a or an army in tumult. Beneath the creatures are identical intersecting wheels that sparkle like jewels. Like the creatures they are multi-directional. They can go in any direction without turning (up, down, forward, back) just as the spirit moves them. 1:21 the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. These massive wheels have eyes in their rims all around.
He then goes on to describe the awesome sparkling expanse above the creatures and the sapphire throne he sees with one sitting on it. This one again has a human form but is like glowing metal filled with fire and his body ends in fire. He is surrounded by brilliant light, like a rainbow. This is not God as such but what Ezekiel calls (1:28) the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. Not the LORD or the glory of the LORD but the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When Ezekiel saw it he fell (not backwards as has been popular among some in recent years) but face down.
Now we could spend a lot of time dissecting the details of this vision but I think it is wisest for us to look at it in more general terms and seek to learn what it is telling us about God and his character.
1. You need to see that God is glorious and great
Clearly this vision is designed to get over to us something of the greatness and glory of God. He is a wonderful and outstanding God whose greatness and glory cannot be fathomed. Think of the clouds and the fire. Think of these four amazing creatures – like bold lions and swift eagles and strong oxen and yet with human faces. It all speaks of a God who is worthy of all glory, who truly is a great and a marvellous God. In 1:27 Ezekiel says of the one on the throne I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
Are you remembering that God is glorious and great?
2. You need to see that God is majestic and magnificent
2. You need to see that God is majestic and magnificent
(1:22) Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. Above this there is a sapphire throne. It all speaks of the majesty and magnificence of God. There is something stately and splendid about God. When royalty try to impress upon us their grandeur and splendour they use various devices. They echo the sort of things we find here. In God’s case he is innately awesome and amazing. In 1:25 we read that there came a voice from above the expanse over the heads of the living creatures. How did they react? They stood with lowered wings. There was no noise. All the time they used two wings to cover themselves in his presence.
Are you remembering that there is something majestic and magnificent about God in and of himself?
3. You need to see that God is omnipresent and omniscient
3. You need to see that God is omnipresent and omniscient
As I have said, we mustn’t get tied up in detail but what about these wheels? Well, wheels speak of motion and movement, of mobility. As with the reference to the creatures flying with wings no doubt their function is to convey the idea of God’s omnipresence – that is the fact that he is everywhere. He is ubiquitous. We cannot go from his presence. In 1:18 we are told that Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. This brings in the idea of watching. God is both omnipresent and omniscient, ever-present and all-knowing. Nothing is hidden from him. He both lives in every place and knows everything.
Are you remembering that God is in every place at every time and knows every single thing you do?
4. You need to see that God is omnipotent and gracious
4. You need to see that God is omnipotent and gracious
1:26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. The throne, of course, speaks of power, of God’s rule. He is the omnipotent one, the all powerful, the Almighty. The very description of him stresses that. And yet Ezekiel is not afraid to describe him as having a human form. This points not simply to the coming incarnation when Jesus would come to us but of his compassion and grace. In 1:28 he says that the radiance around this appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD was Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. The rainbow, of course, first appeared following the flood and is a symbol of god’s mercy and grace. And so in the midst of all this smoke and fire and lightning there is this clear reminder that God is gracious. It is there too in 1:24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
Remember that he’s the all powerful one yet is full of grace and compassion. We see this most clearly in Christ the Saviour of the World.
5. You need to see that God is worthy of worship
5. You need to see that God is worthy of worship
Don’t miss Ezekiel’s understandable reaction either (1:28) When I saw it, I fell face down. As creatures when we see things we react. If Arsenal score – we cheer or boo. If we get bad news we put our hands to our faces. Here Ezekiel simply falls on his face.
Now we are not seeing Ezekiel’s vision today but we are reading about it and the truths it is conveying are as true now as they were then. There ought to be a reaction from us. The only suitable sort of one is worship.
3. He is not silent - see your need for God’s Word to come to you that you may know it
3. He is not silent - see your need for God’s Word to come to you that you may know it
So much for the vision then. Now this was not just a vision. God is not only there but he is not silent. He speaks. Indeed this is the climax of the first chapter This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking. We must not only bow down in awe before God but we must also listen to his voice. Here again he is speaking specifically to Ezekiel at that time then. However, as we consider what is said we will see that it is also very relevant to us in our time now. First of all (2:1) he says to Ezekiel Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you. Ezekiel tells us (2:2) As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. We must bow down and worship God yes but when he speaks to us he speaks to us, as it were, man to man. Prayer (kneeling) and Bible reading (sat). So let’s consider God’s Word here. We want to say four things about it.
1. It teaches your duty to speak to others of the Lord
1. It teaches your duty to speak to others of the Lord
This is the fundamental thing. 2:3, 4 He said: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign LORD says. 3:4 Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. Ezekiel is to go as God’s prophet to God’s people and tell them God’s Word. Now our task is different in that if we are New Testament Christians we are to go to all people beginning with those nearest us but it is still what the Sovereign LORD says that we must declare. Some are called to be preachers or evangelists but we are all called to share the Word of God, the word of this glorious and wonderful omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent God of grace.
Are you remembering that?
2. It teaches your duty to speak fearlessly to others of the Lord regardless of resistance
2. It teaches your duty to speak fearlessly to others of the Lord regardless of resistance
This is to happen even though the Israelites are rebellious and obstinate and stubborn. 2:6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.
I think fear is often a big factor in our failure to speak out about Jesus. We must not give in to fear, however, we must boldly speak out in Jesus’s name.
3. It teaches your duty to speak to others of the Lord by being filled with God’s sweet Word
3. It teaches your duty to speak to others of the Lord by being filled with God’s sweet Word
In 2:9-3:3 Ezekiel is made to act out a little parable. First he sees a hand stretched out to him. In it was a scroll, he says which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. This stands for the unpalatable message we take out. 3:1 And he said to me, Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel. Ezekiel is, as it were, to feed on the Word and then share it. So he eats the scroll and finds it tastes as sweet as honey in his mouth. It is not unpleasant to him at all. This is one of the wonders of Scripture. It seems so unpalatable in many ways - telling us of sin and judgement and the wrath of God. The point is put plainly in 3:10 And he said to me, Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.
Are you taking in the sweet Word of God? You need to do it daily not only for your own soul but also in order to speak to others.
4. It teaches your duty to speak persistently to others of the Lord regardless of response
4. It teaches your duty to speak persistently to others of the Lord regardless of response
We often object to speaking about the Lord by saying ‘But no-one will listen to me’. Listen to 2:5 And whether they listen or fail to listen - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. No excuses at the judgement. 2:7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 2:8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you. We are in danger of being rebels ourselves if we will not take in God’s Word and speak out in Jesus’s name.
What God says to Ezekiel in 3:5, 6 applies to us too You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, … not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. That is encouraging – no language training, acclimatisation, etc, for most of us. But then he says Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. There’s the rub. And isn’t this what we so often find? They won’t listen. Nevertheless we must speak – an aroma of life to some, death’s stench to others.
3:8, 9 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. Think of a hard stone. Do you know that expression - nose to the grindstone.
What God says to Ezekiel in 3:5, 6 applies to us too You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, … not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. That is encouraging – no language training, acclimatisation, etc, for most of us. But then he says Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. There’s the rub. And isn’t this what we so often find? They won’t listen. Nevertheless we must speak – an aroma of life to some, death’s stench to others.
3:8, 9 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. Think of a hard stone. Do you know that expression - nose to the grindstone.
Note - we must not confuse persistence with hardness. We need to press on in this work of witness or evangelism, telling people about the Lord Jesus and about our wonderful God.
As God spoke to Ezekiel so long ago in Babylon so he speaks to you who are believers today and he says Go now to your countrymen (in exile) and speak to them. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign LORD says, whether they listen or fail to listen. Are you tempted to give up speaking or may be you have. Begin again. Go to it. There are plenty of opportunities. Formal – eg tract giving, beach missions, other special efforts such as services at old people's homes, etc. Informal. Persevere in it.
4. His hand is on his servants – be prepared for this and its possible effects
4. His hand is on his servants – be prepared for this and its possible effects
So Ezekiel had a glorious vision and I trust you’ve caught something of it today. It ended gloriously too (3:12, 13) Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound - May the glory of the LORD be praised in his dwelling-place! - the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. But that’s not the end of the story quite. We read finally in 3:14, 15 how the Spirit then lifted Ezekiel up and took him away. He says and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days - overwhelmed. This highlights two possible reactions that we need to be forewarned about.
1. You may know inward battles
1. You may know inward battles
It was a glorious vision and when Ezekiel ate the scroll it tasted as sweet as honey. However, he is strangely filled with bitterness and anger. Why? Presumably it is a reaction to the rebelliousness of Israel and the prospect of speaking to people who he has already been warned won’t listen. There is some anger and bitterness then but with the strong hand of the LORD upon him he has to go.
We need a new vision of God and we need to hear his commission to go into all the world to preach the good news but it will not mean the end of all conflict and inward battles. Many things will anger us but if God’s strong hand is on us we can be strong too.
2. You may be overwhelmed
2. You may be overwhelmed
The other perhaps less surprising thing here is that the whole experience overwhelmed Ezekiel and for seven days he was able to do nothing. Sometimes when God draws near it is like that. Good reactions are difficult to gauge. One may hear this sermon and go out and evangelise madly for a few days. Another may be slow to do anything, overwhelmed by it all but may then begin the real work of a life-time.
So let’s not be too quick to such into things. Let’s think it through. That can be an excuse I know but we must not fail to have a glorious and high vision of Almighty God. Indeed daily we need to remind ourselves of the sorts of things we find here.
