Sat.’s Devo - Ezekiel

Read: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 26:24-26 Ezekiel was 30 when he was taken into exile with the king, Jehoiakim. Ezekiel is believed to be a priest from the tribe of Levi. He began prophesying during the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s reign. He was a very charismatic prophet. He prophesied to a demoralized remnant of God’s people pointing out their personal responsibility. But, with it he brought the hope of a new nation built on grace. *** He opens his book with a vision he saw of a great storm coming from the north. Four living beings came out of a cloud that appeared human, but they had four faces and four wings. Their legs had feet that looked like calves hooves. They had hands under their wings. Their four faces were of a man, a lion on the right side, an ox on the left and an eagle in the back. Their out-stretched wings touched one another and another pair of wings covered their body. They moved according to the spirit, darting around like flashes of lightning. When they landed on the ground, wheels came down like a plane and the wheels had other wheels perpendicular to them that allowed the creatures to go in any direction. The wheels were covered in eyes. The spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. There was a crystal surface above them which spoke. Above this surface was a blue throne with a man seated on the throne. He was glowing in glory with all the colors. He told Ezekiel to stand because he wanted to speak to him. *** God told Ezekiel he was sending him to speak to the rebellious nation of Israel. They would not receive his message but he must still speak it. He was given a scroll with funeral songs and words of sorrow and doom written on it. Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll, let it become a part of him, then regurgitate it to the people. God had made Ezekiel as hard as the people so he could endure their rejection. *** When the vision left, Ezekiel was overwhelmed and couldn’t speak for seven days. *** In Hebrew’s, God told the writer to meditate on the life of Jesus. He was faithful like Moses, but was worthy of more praise than him. Moses was compared to the building where Jesus was compared to the builder. Jesus was God’s builder. What Moses did was to illustrate what God would reveal later. We are the house that they were building. It is our job to stay humble and faithful till the end. We are not to be like the children of Israel who were rebellious and refused to obey the Lord. We have a chance to get it right and enter into his rest. *** Lord, may we remain faithful to you and your plan on the earth. May we enter into your rest as temples of your glory. May your kingdom come to earth like it did in Ezekiel’s vision.