Ezekiel 1:1-28
AIM: God reveals his glory when we least expect it
Ezekiel is a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel. He and his people were captured and being sent to unknown place, it was in this time that God revealed his glory and then spoke to him. Not only do we get to travel with Ezekiel to see this vision but we get to put ourselves there and take applications from what he witnessed. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would bring these scriptures to life for you and that you would be changed in his power for his glory. Let's look at how God reveals his glory when we least expect it.
A) Ezekiel sees the heavens open and visions of and from God
(1-3) July 31, 593 BC Ezekiel (priest, son of Buzi) beside Kebar River in Babylon - heavens opened visions of/from God (5th year of Jehoiachin's captivity)
Application: God often meets us in the midst of seemingly dire situations. How is God showing himself to me today? When will you take a minute to write down what God is showing you?
B) Vision of a great storm with four living creatures, awesome, fast and perfectly synchronized.
(4) Great storm from north, before it a huge cloud/lightening/brilliant, fire in cloud like gleaming metal
(5-7) center of cloud came four living creatures, looked human except w/four faces, four wings, straight legs feet like calf hooves, sparkled like burnished bronze (verse 13: like bright coals of fire, lightning "seemed"/torches between them verse)
(8-9) each wing had human hand under wing - four face, four wings with each wing touching the one next to him, moving "straight forward in any direction without turning around"
(10) Each had human face in front, lion on right, ox on the left, eagle on the back
(11) Each had two pairs of wings, touching the others, then covering itself
(12) went in whatever direction the spirit chose, moved forward any direction without turning (verse 14 darted to and fro like flashes of lightning)
Application: How is my walk with God right now? Am I moving forward in whatever direction his Spirit chooses, without turning from his instruction? Am I in close community of other born again believers in a way that we a touching each-other and moving with the spirit?
C) Vision of four wheels within wheels, rims with eyes, spiritually synchronized with living creatures.
(15) Four wheels touching ground besides them, one wheel belonging to each
D) Vision above them a throne and bright shining man, surrounded by rainbow as the likeness of the glory of God
(22-23) above them, surface of sky glittering like crystal (glassy sea?), wings of each creature stretch out straight toward each other, others covering their body
(24) sound of wings in flight like roaring water, voice of almighty
(25) standing wings lowered voice spoke from beyond crystal surface above them
(26) Above expanse was like a throne, sapphire, seated above that likeness of human
(27-28) from waist up like gleaming amber, flickering fire around him- waist down burning flame, shining splendor, like a rainbow around him
(28b) this is what the likeness of the glory of the Lord looked like, fell on face and heard voice speaking to me
Application: When was the last time God showed me himself that I was brought to my knees in worship, fear and adoration? The reaction of all the prophets who came into God's presents was face down fear, while God comforted them afterwards that was the initial reaction. If I'm not having that reaction, why not?
AIM: God reveals his glory when we least expect it
Ezekiel is a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel. He and his people were captured and being sent to unknown place, it was in this time that God revealed his glory and then spoke to him. Not only do we get to travel with Ezekiel to see this vision but we get to put ourselves there and take applications from what he witnessed. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would bring these scriptures to life for you and that you would be changed in his power for his glory. Let's look at how God reveals his glory when we least expect it.
A) Ezekiel sees the heavens open and visions of and from God
(1-3) July 31, 593 BC Ezekiel (priest, son of Buzi) beside Kebar River in Babylon - heavens opened visions of/from God (5th year of Jehoiachin's captivity)
Application: God often meets us in the midst of seemingly dire situations. How is God showing himself to me today? When will you take a minute to write down what God is showing you?
B) Vision of a great storm with four living creatures, awesome, fast and perfectly synchronized.
(4) Great storm from north, before it a huge cloud/lightening/brilliant, fire in cloud like gleaming metal
(5-7) center of cloud came four living creatures, looked human except w/four faces, four wings, straight legs feet like calf hooves, sparkled like burnished bronze (verse 13: like bright coals of fire, lightning "seemed"/torches between them verse)
(8-9) each wing had human hand under wing - four face, four wings with each wing touching the one next to him, moving "straight forward in any direction without turning around"
(10) Each had human face in front, lion on right, ox on the left, eagle on the back
(11) Each had two pairs of wings, touching the others, then covering itself
(12) went in whatever direction the spirit chose, moved forward any direction without turning (verse 14 darted to and fro like flashes of lightning)
Application: How is my walk with God right now? Am I moving forward in whatever direction his Spirit chooses, without turning from his instruction? Am I in close community of other born again believers in a way that we a touching each-other and moving with the spirit?
C) Vision of four wheels within wheels, rims with eyes, spiritually synchronized with living creatures.
(15) Four wheels touching ground besides them, one wheel belonging to each
- (16-17) Sparkled, gleaming beryl, looked alike, second wheel crosswise within it, could move in any of four directions with turning as they moved
- (18) rims of the four wheels tall and frightening (awesome), covered with eyes all around
- (19) When they moved, wheels moved with them - flew upward wheels up too.
- (20-21) spirit (of life) of living beings was in the wheels, wherever the spirit went living creatures and wheels went
D) Vision above them a throne and bright shining man, surrounded by rainbow as the likeness of the glory of God
(22-23) above them, surface of sky glittering like crystal (glassy sea?), wings of each creature stretch out straight toward each other, others covering their body
(24) sound of wings in flight like roaring water, voice of almighty
(25) standing wings lowered voice spoke from beyond crystal surface above them
(26) Above expanse was like a throne, sapphire, seated above that likeness of human
(27-28) from waist up like gleaming amber, flickering fire around him- waist down burning flame, shining splendor, like a rainbow around him
(28b) this is what the likeness of the glory of the Lord looked like, fell on face and heard voice speaking to me
Application: When was the last time God showed me himself that I was brought to my knees in worship, fear and adoration? The reaction of all the prophets who came into God's presents was face down fear, while God comforted them afterwards that was the initial reaction. If I'm not having that reaction, why not?
