Bible Reading Reflection from Ezekiel 1-5

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS), a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝔼𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕝 𝟙:𝟚𝟠

"As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking."

Which verse anyone would choose to reflect upon for a WhatsApp post than v28 in this chapter? 🙂 The line "I fell on my face" is not hard to understand. It's the obvious thing. I can't even look at the sun, I have to cover my eyes. When I am ashamed, I can't look up, my face is downward. When I see someone much smarter and better than me, I praise him like anything. I admired him. That's why we even have the words idol, model, and hero-worship.

And when Ezekiel saw the glory of God, why won't he? In fact, he should be dropped dead, not just fainted, but God protected him. And now, there are some people who claimed to have deep experience with God but didn't exhibit such obvious expression. They have to be liars.

And BTW, whoever has seen the glory of God changes drastically. Some see the greater glory of God than others such as Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, John, James, Paul, etc.

I have seen the glory of God in the Scripture and in Jesus Christ, and it's that glory (revealed by God, not achieved by my efforts) that has fixed my attention on Him for my present and eternal life. Or else, I would never be even typing these things!

Like Moses, we need to see the greater glory of God.

 

𝔼𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕝 𝟚:𝟝-𝟞

"As for them, whether they listen or not--for they are a rebellious ℍ𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖--𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕂𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝔸 ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕥 ℍ𝕒𝕤 𝔹𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝔸𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞. And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕕 at their presence, for they are a rebellious house."

Ezekiel was commissioned a task that no normal man in his right mind would want. But God wants His people to be different, not normal.

If the people would remain disobedient and rebellious, what's the hope of the ministry? The answer is himself, Ezekiel.

He must be different from them (commanded in v8). He must work in his sanctification. His ministry was thus his life itself. And people will know that he had been different, that there had been at least one godly man when all others were compromising. After all, you can choose to be different even in the worst scenario. After all, even dried bones can live.

So, Ezekiel was commanded to be not dismayed by the sins of people. Jeremiah, too was given that commandment btw. How tempting to get discouraged looking at the sins of others! How tempting to think, "Everyone, even the mature Christian leaders seem to be doing it and there's no retribution, maybe there's no point of persevering, maybe I can do like them"

Be different. Be not dismayed. They will know a godly man lived among them. Will they be saved by this knowledge? This chapter didn't answer that so far.

Fellow pastors, maybe, your greatest ministry is yourself not your flock.

Evangelist, maybe your greatest ministry is yourself, not those heathens. In fact, you cannot bring a soul to the kingdom, only God can. But you can work on your sanctification because the Spirit already lives in you.

So, God's ministers can actually live in peace even if there are no fruits on the vines, the fig trees do not blossom, and there be no herd in the stall, we can take joy in the Salvation of our Master!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕝 𝟛:𝟟

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me."

We pastors are watchmen. We watch over the souls of the flock to give an account to God. Pastors must not be intimidated. We must speak up.

Pastors must be listened to. Christian, listen to us! Or go join the herd of goats outside the camp where there is gnashing of teeth!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕝 𝟜:𝟝

"For I assign to you a number of days, 390 days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment. So long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel."

We assign the difficult job to those we trust, or else, careless people will just create more trouble. God asks difficult things from those He loves. Look at Ezekiel! What life is this? He told Jeremiah to not get married. He asked Jesus to dwell among sinners and die for them. He took away the children and wife of William Carey. He took away the children of Jonathan Edwards. On and on.

If you are suffering when you have set your heart to follow after God, be not discouraged. God asks His men to set a lesson, an example for others.

Jesus was, Ezekiel was. Peter was, Paul was. Paul even asked Timothy to join him in death! Carey and Edward were. We remember them these people till today!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕝 𝟝:𝟙

"As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword; take and use it as a barber's razor on your head and beard. Then take scales for weighing and divide the hair."

Ezekiel is a mad man. A crazy prophet. Perhaps the most eccentric prophet of the Bible. But God told him to do so. Perhaps God too is a crazy God. Well, His people made Him crazy, angry, grievous.

Ezekiel is a life lesson to Israelites. If he is crazy, at least it's only his action; the crazy ones are actually the people who think he is crazy because Ezekiel is demonstrating what is happening and is about to happen to them.

In fact, all sinners are crazy. "Sinners didn't think straight," said a pastor from Pune (Chris Williams). Sinners are wayward, missing the mark, always crazy people.

Ezekiel was acting crazy, but when we disobey, we are crazy for real, not just acting.