So, this has been a quest over the last 2 months to dive into the Book of Ezekiel and discover the remarkable stories about God and from God these 48 chapters have to offer. It's follows the same general plot line of many other Old Testament books. Chapters 1-32 cover the account of disobedience in Israel, the warnings to them, and then the judgement of God, while 33-48 account the restoration that will be given to some and the setting up of God's kingdom on the temple mount. It's quite interesting, really.
10 lessons that were observed.
1. God often reveals Himself and the magnificence of His glory personally in places of solitude.
God takes the soon-to-be priest into a remarkable, solitary setting beside the Kebar River to display an overwhelming, mysterious, and awe-inspiring revelation of Himself and His creations. It's so incredible that Ezekiel then sits for 7 days --- overwhelmed (3:15). How I long to know what a vision like that would be like...
2. God is creative and strategic in the way He punishes sin.
Most of the book is a monologue from God about His extreme disgust for idolatry (and its many forms) and the intricate versions of punishment for this He has planned for Israel among other nations. God second-handedly emphasizes pursuing and delighting in holiness by contrasting it with the 'pleasures' but destruction sin offers.
3. God is far from the ordinary in the way He asks His servants to accomplish His will.
Ezekiel goes through several phases before God gives him the command to actually speak to the people. The first is the listening, and the second is the learning. While still in is still in this learning phase, God introduces him to some crazy behavioral rituals and acts he must perform for 440 days as symbols to Israel. Read about it in chapters 4-5... crazy stuff.
4. God claims redeeming ownership of those He will save.
Grace is spoken of lightly in this book, but several well-known passages speak strongly for this part of God's character and the claiming of His chosen people. Notice who does what actions in the passage below.
“They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” (11:18-19).
5. God saves yet still doesn't withhold tribulation from even His most devout followers.
In ch. 14 God is in a phase of creating hypothetical punishments for Israel... bloodshed, wild beasts, famine, disease, the conquering sword, etc.. He makes note after each of these that even if Noah, Job, or Daniel were alive, even they would not be able to escape it. "They could save neither their son or their daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness."
6. Men are helpless and hopeless to set themselves apart from sinful nature.
Enough said. Most of the book covers this.
7. The heart of man continuously seeks to love the gifts more than giver.
Read chapter 16. It is a graphic and shocking allegory of the unfaithful bride. This was, for me anyway, the most moving part in the book to comprehend and meditate on. Reflecting on it reminded me of the song Silver Wings by Thrice in which God offers a poetic soliloquy about His acts of love toward His servant. The final lines are,
"And after all of this I am amazed
That I am cursed far more than I am praised."
These lines summarize the story of the rebellious bride and lengths of God's grace and love in Ezekiel 16... definitely worth checking out.
8. The unconditional grace of God is such that He forgives, cares for, and restores His chosen people to their rightful home even though they are continuously sinful and unfaithful. This restoration is ultimately to vindicate God's honor and not for Israel's sake.
9. Extraordinary election as God's servants demands extraordinary commitments to Him for the world to see.
Perhaps the most extreme trial God puts before Ezekiel is when He decides unexpectedly to end the life of Ezekiel's wife (also referred to the delight of his eyes as ch. 24 describes) as a symbol. And to add to this shocking revelation, God then commands Ezekiel to "not lament or weep or shed a tear... do not mourn for the dead." And he DOES it, and carries on his humble lifestyle in faith prophesying to the people. This has to be one of the most testing events in the lives of many of the prophets that calls for extreme faith, dedication, and a surrendering respect for God's will. How I long for this as well. Something like this would definitely take its toll on me...
10. God is emphatic about His sovereignty and omnipotence over any and all situations.
There is probably nothing more emphasized in Ezekiel than the sovereignty of God. I can't tell you how many times this word is used throughout the book when God is explaining the judgements or restoration soon to come upon the nations. God wants the world to know that he holds all of time, matter, and existence within His caring grasp and hopes the world in turn will honor Him for it.
5. God saves yet still doesn't withhold tribulation from even His most devout followers.
In ch. 14 God is in a phase of creating hypothetical punishments for Israel... bloodshed, wild beasts, famine, disease, the conquering sword, etc.. He makes note after each of these that even if Noah, Job, or Daniel were alive, even they would not be able to escape it. "They could save neither their son or their daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness."
6. Men are helpless and hopeless to set themselves apart from sinful nature.
Enough said. Most of the book covers this.
7. The heart of man continuously seeks to love the gifts more than giver.
Read chapter 16. It is a graphic and shocking allegory of the unfaithful bride. This was, for me anyway, the most moving part in the book to comprehend and meditate on. Reflecting on it reminded me of the song Silver Wings by Thrice in which God offers a poetic soliloquy about His acts of love toward His servant. The final lines are,
"And after all of this I am amazed
That I am cursed far more than I am praised."
These lines summarize the story of the rebellious bride and lengths of God's grace and love in Ezekiel 16... definitely worth checking out.
8. The unconditional grace of God is such that He forgives, cares for, and restores His chosen people to their rightful home even though they are continuously sinful and unfaithful. This restoration is ultimately to vindicate God's honor and not for Israel's sake.
9. Extraordinary election as God's servants demands extraordinary commitments to Him for the world to see.
Perhaps the most extreme trial God puts before Ezekiel is when He decides unexpectedly to end the life of Ezekiel's wife (also referred to the delight of his eyes as ch. 24 describes) as a symbol. And to add to this shocking revelation, God then commands Ezekiel to "not lament or weep or shed a tear... do not mourn for the dead." And he DOES it, and carries on his humble lifestyle in faith prophesying to the people. This has to be one of the most testing events in the lives of many of the prophets that calls for extreme faith, dedication, and a surrendering respect for God's will. How I long for this as well. Something like this would definitely take its toll on me...
10. God is emphatic about His sovereignty and omnipotence over any and all situations.
There is probably nothing more emphasized in Ezekiel than the sovereignty of God. I can't tell you how many times this word is used throughout the book when God is explaining the judgements or restoration soon to come upon the nations. God wants the world to know that he holds all of time, matter, and existence within His caring grasp and hopes the world in turn will honor Him for it.
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