Hello Ezekiel.

We meet Ezekiel. A priest turned prophet, he was one of the thousands in the first wave of exiles from Judah to Babylon. His ministry overlaps Jeremiah's, but they prophesied in much different locations and times. While Jeremiah prophesied to the people still living in Judah, Ezekiel was a prophet to the exiles. Ezekiel saw a "vision of God" in chapter 1. Like Isaiah, this was his call to ministry. And also like Isaiah, I think God knew he would need that vision to give him the faith to act on all God would ask him to do.

As we read Chapter 1 of Ezekiel, we see a confusing, beautiful, awe-inspiring description of four living creatures and finally God himself. These descriptions seem very confusing to us, and it helps to keep in mind that Ezekiel is having to use earthly terms and objects to try and describe things that are very much not of this world. We have no real reference point for so much of what Ezekiel is trying to describe. People have debated and debated over what each symbol means, and the bottom line is that we simply have some general idea but nothing nailed down. The description very closely matches John's description of the throne room of God in Revelation- and there are also some similarities to the vision Isaiah saw and even the vision Moses had on Mount Sinai. The consistency of scripture just amazes me! What I take from this is the amazing power and brilliance of God. You can't come face to face with the God of the universe like that and not walk away changed. Ezekiel certainly was!

As we start chapter 2, we see that God gives Ezekiel his Spirit, and commissions him to prophesy to the exiles. When I read stories in the Old Testament of people God places his Spirit in, I am reminded that we as New Testament believers all have that same Spirit. It's easy to look at Ezekiel's ministry and think "there's no way I could do anything like that." And, truth be told, as we get to later chapters and read all God asked him to do, his was not a calling I would have wanted. But, the same Spirit that gave him such power and enabled him to live out the calling God placed on his life lives in us as well. We are just as equipped as Ezekiel was. THAT is amazing!

Even still, in verses 6-10, God tells Ezekiel "do not be afraid" three times in a row. God had just told Ezekiel that many people weren't going to listen to his message. This makes me think about what most often holds me back from doing what I know God would want me to. Specifically, sharing God's message of salvation to someone who needs it. Fear of rejection or ridicule tops the list. Fear of failure is not far behind. Jump ahead to Chapter 3 with me. God lays it out for Ezekiel...he was going to be held accountable for his role as "watchman for the house of Israel." A watchman's job was to stand on the city wall and warn the people of approaching danger. Ezekiel was a spiritual watchman, warning the people of the approaching judgement. If they listened- good. If not- it would go badly for them. Either way, if Ezekiel failed in his job to warn them, he would be held responsible. He wasn't responsible for their decision to listen or not- but he was responsible for giving them the message God had for them. This was a wake up call to me. When God has called me to do something, whether it's a specific task, sharing my faith, speaking the truth to someone...I am held responsible for my decision to obey or not. If I don't obey, and things go badly for that person...I am responsible. There are no excuses. It isn't about losing a friendship or even ridicule, it's about someone's eternal life. Man.

Ezekiel left the presence of God in "bitterness and in the anger of my spirit with the strong hand of the Lord upon me." I'm kind of feeling the same way after penning those last few sentences! He had eaten the scroll as God had commanded and it "tasted as sweet as honey" in his mouth. The scroll he ate contained the judgement that was waiting for the nation of Israel. God's word is sweet to us, isn't it?! But often the realization of the cost of our sins or the sins of others can leave a heavy weight on us. Ezekiel sat among the exiles in Tel Abib for seven days overwhelmed with all God had told him. Seven days was the customary period of mourning for the dead. Ezekiel was mourning for those spiritually dead. I'm asking myself when the last time I was seriously burdened over the sin of the world, or mourned over the spiritual state of people I know. I'm just going to say that my answer isn't really what I would hope it would be. The sweetness of God's word comes from the hope it offers and the revelation of who God is- there is hope for those of us who listen and obey. The bitterness comes from the knowledge of all that people lose when they don't.

God commands Ezekiel to "get up and go." I'm going to just go ahead and tell you that my general reaction to most of chapter four was "whaaattt???" Lay on his side 390 days and then on his other side 40? Eat very small portions of food that you cook over manure? He couldn't go out among the people. His tongue would be stuck to the roof of his mouth unless God specifically gave him something to say. (This was the one piece of this whole deal that I can appreciate the benefits of...could save you from a lot, that's all I'm saying.) All of this God was using to visually portray to the Israelites the fate of Jerusalem. Sometimes we need a picture, right? The bottom line? Sin and it's consequences are ugly, dirty, and confining. Quite the opposite of the glittering jewels Satan tries to entice us with.

So the questions sits in front of all of us, what are we going to do with the Spirit we have been given? Are we going to obey or not? The decision is as cut and dry as that.

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.

Joshua 24:15

And, in case you're wondering if you've got what it takes, remember this:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,

but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Whatever God is calling you to do, I'm betting that you can get it done with some power, love and self-discipline! Ask God to give you plenty of it and then get up and GO!