Tues.’s Devo - God’s Commission

Read: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; Provers 26:24-25 Ezekiel was taken to Babylon with King Jehoiachin with the first wave of exiles. His prophecies began five years later. Ezekiel’s name means “God will Prevail” or “God will Strengthen”. He prophesied where Jeremiah left off. Ezekiel’s father was a priest making him one also. He was 30 years old when he began giving God’s messages and prophesied for 22 years. The people wanted to return to their land but Ezekiel explained that they must first return to their God. Where Jeremiah spoke against Babylon and its fall, Ezekiel spoke to God’s people only. Ezekiel saw wonderful scenes from heaven of extraordinary creatures and beings like Daniel would see and tell us about. Today, we read about his calling to speak for the Lord and his first vision of the four living creatures. It began with a storm coming from the north. Could this be synonymous with the Persians who would come from the north and conquer Babylon one day? Only, this wasn’t Persians he saw coming in a cloud, but four creatures who were like humans with extra heads and wings riding on giant wheels with a smaller wheel inside. The four beasts represented many things. They stood for the kingdoms of the earth: Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Da 7:1-28). The Fathers identified them with the four Gospels: Matthew the lion, Mark the ox, Luke the man, John the eagle. Two of these creatures were said to have guarded the gates to Eden and two cherubim stood over the ark in the temple. These same creatures were carved on the columns of Solomon’s Temple, but to see them come to life had to be an awesome sight. They were aflame with something like electricity flowing back and forth among them. The spirit of the beings was in the wheels that were covered with eyes and determined the direction the beings moved. Above them was the crystal floor of heaven and a voice came from the throne that sat on the crystal floor. God in all his glory was seated on the throne. Ezekiel fell on his face when he saw Him. The voice told him to stand and listen to what he had to say. He commissioned him to speak to the rebellious nation of Israel. Ezekiel was given a scroll that was covered on both sides with the words he was to say. It was filled with funeral songs, words of sorrow and pronouncements of doom. He was to eat the scroll so it would be inside him. He was warned that they wouldn’t listen to his words but he was to give them anyway. They would be a testimony against them. When he returned to his senses he was so overwhelmed, he sat in silence for seven days. Hebrews tells us that Jesus was also God’s messenger and his High Priest. Jesus was faithful to the house of Israel just like Moses was but was worthy of so much more honor than Moses. Moses was a servant of God but Jesus was his son. Jesus was the builder of the house and we are the house. He warned them not to be like the children of Israel who saw God’s hand move in signs and wonders and still rebelled. They had seen Jesus move in signs and wonders also, so he didn’t want them to make the same mistake. He wanted them to enter into the rest that he had prepared for the followers of Moses, only they chose not to enter. Lord, there remains a rest for your people and we pray that we would find it in you. You are the only source of peace. You are our refuge and hope. We praise and honor your today.