Read: Ezekiel 1-4
Ezekiel was one of the priests that was carried captive to Chaldea under the reign of Jehoiachin. All his prophecies appear to have been delivered in that country, at some place north of Babylon. His name means “God stregnthens” and he was sent to comfort those in captivity. His mission is to warn Judea of the terrible things that would happen because of their departing from Him. It is also to tell them of the great and wonderful things God has prepared in the last days when Jesus reigns.
Ezekiel has a dramatic encounter with the Lord. He comes to him in a whirlwind as a ball of fire. Out of the midst of the fire emerges this four-faced creature with wings and feet. It had wheels with eyes all around it. This creature was the embodiment of God himself. The faces of the ox, lion, man and eagle were the characteristics of God. The eyes on the wheel were the all-seeing eyes of God.
The spirit of the Lord had to stand Ezekiel up on his feet and give him strength to stand. He calls his people a rebellious people so many times I lost count. He is sending Ezekiel to be his voice to a people that he is warning him ahead of time will probably not listen. He encourages Ezekiel not to look at their faces or listen to their words because they will not embrace him or his words. As a picture of this, God told Ezekiel to lock himself in his house and tie himself up. God would make him mute for a while until God is ready to speak, then he would loose his tongue.
He was also told to draw the city of Jerusalem on a tile and construct what has happened to Jerusalem so far on it. He was suppose to lie with his back to the tile on his left side 390 days to stand for 390 years to signify how long the house of Israel would be punished. He had to measure his food and have it there with him so he could stay on his side. This was to signify that their food would be measured and not enough for the time they were under judgment. I don’t know how Ezekiel could lie there for over a year except the spirit of God gave him the power to do it.
Lord, give us a holy backbone to stand against the rebellion of our day.
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