Scripture

“Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’”

Observation,

The Lord tells Ezekiel to eat the scroll with the words on both sides So he eats it, finding that it tastes sweet.

The Lord says to Ezekiel that he is not sending him to a foreign people whose language he does not understand. Those people would listen to the Lord’s message. The people of Israel will not listen to Ezekiel because they are stubborn.

The Lord tells Ezekiel that he is to take the Lord’s words deep into his heart to speak them with conviction.

The Lord then takes Ezekiel to the colony of exiles at Tel Abib. After seven days the Lord commissions him to be a watchman. If he fails to deliver the Lord’s message to the people, he will be accountable for this. But if he warns righteous people to repent of their sins, he will not be responsible.

Ezekiel is to go to his house where the Lord says he is to remain. He will not be able to go out or to speak until the Lord gives him a word.

Application,

Ezekiel is told by the Lord to let the Lord’s words sink deep into his heart. This is an exhortation for all christians, but especially for those in ministry.

Too often, we are content to have a surface level knowledge of God’s word. Some may even have a wide knowledge of the word. How often I have listened to preachers who know a lot about God’s word, but it isn’t in their hearts.

The Lord wants all of us to read the scriptures, to learn them, meditate on them, and to let them go deep into our hearts.

You can’t do that with a five minute devotional that lets you tick the box. We must learn to eat the word and let it go deep.

Listen

Lord, it is such a privilege to have your word so available. Is there more you want to say to me today?

It delights me when my people go deep in my word. The story of Mary Jones and countless others is true. She was not able to read at all, but she could read the Bible. This is because I taught her. She had the faith to hear my Spirit, and I showed her the words and what they meant.

True disciples are hungry for my presence and for my word. For the person who truly loves me, it never gets stale as you yourself know.

Scripture

“You must give them my messages whether they listen or not, but they will not listen for they are completely rebellious.”

Observation

The Spirit of the Lord comes into Ezekiel and tells him that he is being sent to the nation of Israel, which is rebelling against the Lord,

They are a stubborn and rebellious people, but the Lord is sending Ezekiel to them. He is to proclaim, “This is the word of the sovereign Lord” Whether they listen or not, Ezekiel must speak.

He is not to be afraid or dismayed, even when the threats and emotional reactions surround him. He must give the message, even though they will not respond,

Ezekiel looks and sees a hand coming towards him. The hand holds a scroll which the Lord unrolls. Both sides of the scroll are covered in funeral songs, words of sorrow and pronouncements of doom,

Application

What a call Ezekiel received from the Lord! Go and speak even though the people will not listen.

Many pastors and evangelists suffer the same experience. You preach the gospel day in and day out. The word seems ineffective for 90% of the people, but this one man or one woman responds and it makes it all seem worthwhile,

Christians are to be obedient to the call of God and not be anxious about the response of people. We plant the seeds of God’s word, but God is responsible to make the seeds grow.

Listen

Lord, what do you want to say to me about this passage?

Keith, I describe my people is being rebellious. This is true of all people. Adam’s sin has corrupted all of humanity,

Yet every person bears my image. For some, the image shines through the rebellious nature and those people hear my voice and return to me,

Do not become discouraged by the rebellious nature of people. Walk closely to me and look to my ways.

Scripture

All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I felt face-down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.

Observation

Ezekiel is with the exiles in Babylon when the heavens open and he sees visions of God.

Ezekiel first sees a great storm coming from the north, driving a cloud that flashes with lightning. In the centre of the cloud there are four living creatures. Ezekiel describes them in great detail; they are like nothing seen on earth.

There is a surface like the sky above the living creatures, glittering with crystals. Above this surface is a great throne on which a figure like a man is seated. From the waist up he looks like golden amber, and from the waist down he looks like a burning flame. All around him is a glowing halo. This is the glory of the Lord and Ezekiel falls to the ground.

Application

Ezekiel was one of the Jewish leaders who was taken to captivity in Babylon. He was a priest by birth and a prophet by the gifting and calling of the Holy Spirit,

The storm coming from the North represents enemies coming against Israel. The heavenly creatures that are embedded in the storm suggest that God is in the middle of the turmoil and destruction. The problems afflicting the nation of Judah are God’s judgment.

Ezekiel sees a representation of God who glows like gold. There is a throne from which God speaks.

Even when we are going through terrible situations, God can be found. In Isaiah 55, we are told, “Seek the Lord while he can be found; call on him while he is near.”

God is holy and glorious, but he is also accessible to anyone who sincerely seeks him.

Listen

Lord, I find Ezekiel’s vision strange in some ways. How much of what he sees is real?

Keith, because something is symbolic or representative does not mean that they are not real. There are many spiritual beings in heaven that seem strange to the human eye because they live in a different dimension to the three-dimensional space you are used to.

In time you will see many things that seem impossible or fantastic. In the heavenly realm things are different to what you are used to,

Remember that Paul talks about having a heavenly body. You will be equipped with a heavenly body with heavenly senses. In the meantime just focus on the life that I have called you to live now in this place at this time.

Scripture

It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed.

Observation

The time will come, says the Lord, when He will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar and plant it on Israel’s highest mountain. It will grow tall and strong, and birds will shelter in it.

All the trees will know that it is the Lord who pulls trees down and makes trees grow, who kills one tree and raises another to life.

Application

This parable is about the church, the Kingdom of God. It started off as a cutting (or perhaps a mustard seed), is planted on top of Israel’s mountain and becomes a mighty tree that even shelters the birds of the air.

God’s kingdom is huge with members in every nation, It is God who is establishing it and causing it to grow. It exists by the grace of God and for His glory.

And whenever any part of that church steps away from God’s grace, He will strike it down.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for bringing me into the tree of your kingdom. Amen.

Scripture

“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,” declares the Sovereign Lord.

Observation
The Lord will remove the false shepherds who have fed themselves on His sheep. The Lord Himself will be their shepherd. He will gather the sheep from all around the world and bring them back to Israel. He will give them rich pasture and search for the lost.

The Lord will judge His own sheep. The sheep who have pushed themselves forward to get the best feed will be judged. The Lord will rescue the flock, but He will also judge them.

Application
God declares that He is the true shepherd for His people, a metaphor that Jesus also uses. The Lord promises to rescue the sheep from the rulers who have oppressed them and to care for them Himself.

The rescue comes at a price- God will now judge those who push themselves past others to get the best stuff, and those who drive away by force those who are weaker.

Followers of Jesus cannot be self-centred or self-promoting. We must not pursue our own interests at the expense of other people.

Selfishness is an entirely natural human trait. And God promises that it will bring His judgement. The good news is that He also has the capacity to change our heart’s from self to Him and thence to others.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive my selfish ways. Open my eyes so that I can see my sin and give me grace to repent. Amen.

Scripture

“I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes the Lord has spoken.”

Observation

The Spirit of the Lord takes Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones. The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones commanding them to come together.

So the bones are gathered together, and flesh, sinews and skin cover the bones. But there is no life in them.

The Lord then tells Ezekiel to call out to the wind to come and fill the bodies. The bodies stand up, alive like a great army.

The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel and to promise that the Lord will bring them back from exile and He will put His Spirit in them.

Application

There is nothing more dead than dry bones. But God can turn death into life when we trust Him.

The people of Israel were in exile and had abandoned all hope of returning home. But God said, “You will go home.”

Whatever hopes or dreams we have that seem to be as dead as dry bones can be brought to life by the Holy Spirit.

The only condition is that we trust God to do it His way.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, come and bring life to the dry bones of my lost dreams. Come and bring life where there is no life. Amen.