Fri.’s Devo - God Sends Ezekiel

Read: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 26:24-26
Ezekiel begins “In the thirtieth year”. Thirty years before this Josiah was king and found the copy of the law and reformation began. Also, Ezekiel was born that year. A priest officially becomes a priest at the age of 30 so this is his year of priesthood. God was going to build a sanctuary for the captives and Ezekiel was going to be their priest to the prophets.
It was the 5th day of the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity which was also one month after Jeremiah (29) had prophesied to them to give up their lofty notions of returning to Jerusalem so quickly.
Ezekiel had a vision of the throne room in heaven. He saw the four living creatures and the throne with God in his glory. God spoke to Ezekiel and told him he was sending him to the children of Israel who were still rebellious and hard hearted. Whether they listened to Ezekiel or not, they would know that there had been a prophet among them. He encouraged Ezekiel not to be afraid of their harsh words or their rejection, but to speak what he told him to speak. Then he gave Ezekiel a scroll and told him to eat it. It was full of lamentations, mourning and woe which tasted like honey.
Then, the spirit took him up and away. He awoke and went to the captives at Tel-abib and sat for a week, wasted by what he had experienced.
In Hebrews, Jesus is called an Apostle. In the Greek “Apostle” means an ambassador of the Gospel who has miraculous powers. He is also the chief of priests. His faithfulness is compared to Moses’ faithfulness. Jesus was found more worthy of glory than Moses because Jesus was the creator and fulfillment of the law and Moses was just the giver of the law.
Hebrews begs the people not to be like the children of Israel who hardened their hearts and refused to believe which kept them from entering their rest. The “rest” that he was referring to is an abode. It is a state of being in peace here in the land of the living and also in the land of the dead. It has to do with abiding in the presence of the Lord in life and living in heaven after life. Our biggest enemy is unbelief.
Lord, help us to have faith in all that you have said and written to us. May we eat your words and may they be like honey to our mouths.