Scripture

“But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognise how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for idols.”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the mountains.

The Lord is going to bring war to the mountains and destroy all the pagan shrines there. All of the altars, idols and places of worship will be destroyed, and all the worshippers of the idols will be killed.

He will let a few of his people escape the destruction, and they will be exiled amongst the nations. In exile, they will remember the Lord and repent of their idol worship. They will know that He alone is the Lord.

Application

It seems strange that the Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the mountains, but this is where the shrines and altars to the false gods were located. Not even the rugged wilderness will escape God’s punishment for the sin and rebellion of his people.

Amongst all of the prophecy of destruction and mass killing, there is a ray of hope. The Lord does not hurt His covenant people to extract revenge. He is looking for repentance and turning back of His people from their sin.

The Lord is saying, “I will spare some of my people and send them into exile. While they are there, they will turn back to me.” The Lord’s punishment is intended to open our eyes and get us back on track.

God’s love for us is so strong that he will go to extreme lengths to pull us back. The most extreme of these is in becoming flesh and letting human sin nail him to the cross. The death of Jesus Christ pays for our sins, reconciles us to the Father and transforms our hearts.

Listen

Lord, that phrase “among the nations” is repeated here. What does it mean?

Keith, I provided the sanctuary of a nation for my covenant people. They were to live for me, be separate to the nations, and show my light to the world. Sadly too many of them were like the nations. And so I sent them to live among the nations that they seemed to love.

To be among the nations was to be away from my sanctuary. It also revealed to them just what the nations were really like.

Scripture

“Because of your detestable idols, I will punish you like I have never punished anyone before or ever will again.”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to take a sharp sword and use it as a razor to shave his head and his beard. He is to use a scale to divide the hair into three parts. The first third he is to put on his model of Jerusalem under siege where he will burn it. Another third he is to scatter across hismap and then chop into pieces with his sword. The last portion is to be scattered into the wind.

The first portion represents people who will be killed by famine in the siege. A third of the people will die by the sword, and a third will be scattered and sent into exile.

The Lord says this is because the people have worshipped vile images in the temple. The Lord’s anger will rage against his own people, and they will know that the Lord is angry with them.

Application

The Lord was angry with the people because they abandoned his covenant with them to worship idols, just like the nations around them.

A nation that is formed by God, protected and nurtured by Him will experience disaster when the people abandon God for other idols. This happened to Israel in the past and it is happening to the USA, the UK and Australia now. Politicians and bureaucrats try to juggle multiple economic, social and political issues, but they ignore the real solution — turn back to the Lord. The Lord will not reject a humble and contrite spirit,

As Christians, we need to repent of the idols we hold dear and turn to God with total devotion.

Listen

Lord, what would you say to me regarding idols in the church?

Keith it is true that satan constantly seeks to distract and corrupt the church with false gods.

The drive to be relevant to the community, to be acceptable by the world is the worst. Those ministers and denominations that proclaim a gospel that welcomes sexual perversion are no ministers and no denominations of mine. They are an abomination.

Wealth is an idol for many churches. To get the gospel preached into the world is a noble goal, but it can become an excuse for getting and accumulating wealth.

Your treasures are to be gathered in heaven not on earth.

Scripture

“I am requiring you to bear Israel’s sins for 390 days, one day for each year of their sin. After that, turn over and lie on your right side for 40 days, one day for each year of Judah’s sins.”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to take a large clay brick and draw a map of Jerusalem on it. He is to lay out a model of an invading army.

Next, Ezekiel is to lie on his left side for 390 days. This will represent him bearing the sins of Israel over 390 years. He is to move to his right side for 40 days to bear the sins of Judah for 40 years.

Prior to this, he is to get some grains and produce bread to sustain him over this time. The amounts stated are siege rations, that is, just enough to sustain life.

The Lord tells Ezekiel he is to cook this bread over a fire of human dung. Ezekiel protests that this would make him defiled and he has never done anything to defile himself. The Lord relents and allows him to cook using cow dung.

The Lord says that a siege is coming and food and water will be severely rationed.

Application

These actions by Ezekiel are described as prophetic sign acts. They are a visual depiction of what God is about to do.

Ministry and christian life are not intended to make us comfortable, much less wealthy. The gospel must define us and constrain our behaviour. There are things we must do and places we must go at the Lord’s command. There will be things we are not permitted and places we must not go because the Lord requires it. Christianity is living for our Lord and not living our best life for ourselves.

Listen

Lord, Ezekiel had a very unusual ministry. What can I learn from him?

Keith, Ezekiel, like the other great disciples of history, was totally surrendered to my purposes. His life was mine, so it was not a burden for him to perform this visual message over that time scale.

People sing songs that say “All for Jesus,” but rarely understand what that actually means for them. Following in my ways must be more than a nice song, more than a theory. Every follower must take up their cross every day and surrender every ambition back to me.

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.