Ezekiel 1 First Encounter
Ezekiel has his first encounter with God. He was a priest already, but God gives him an unexpected encounter!
Ezekiel was of the priestly line of Aaron. We are not given his lineage. We have to take that aspect on faith. Ezekiel was also an exile. He was taken with the first group who went to Babylonian exile. And he has been there five years before God shows him his mission in life.
Ezekiel is a daunting book to me. The imagery alone is awe inspiring. Words alone cannot convey what Ezekiel’s eyes beheld. One way we know this is this use of the words “like” and “likeness”. He is grasping for words to convey to the people things too wonderful for his own eyes. I didn’t see what he saw, but I am grasping for too. I don’t want to words simply copy his words, but neither do I want to depart from them. I asked God to show me a glimpse of what Ezekiel saw so that I can share it too.
Ezekiel’s words are authored by the Spirit of God and they paint a picture in the mind’s eye. Let’s join him as he encounters his first vision from the Lord. Holy Spirit, lead this journey and help me to share the wonder and glory of it. Show me what You would have me take from God’s word today for my own life.
♥ ♦ ♥
Ezekiel is one of the many who were carried into exile with King Jehoiachin. For five years he has been living and working beside his fellow exiles in the land of the Babylonians. Life is oppressive, but it could be so much worse!
Nebuchadnezzar has allowed the people, who wanted to, to continue serving their God. Ezekiel has vowed to serve the Lord to his dying day, and he serves as a priest among his people. He serves not only by actions but by lineage also. He was a Levite by birth, therefore one who was ordained by God to stand between the Lord and the people. To bring the people back to the Lord.
Ezekiel is among the people one fine day along the Chebar Canal. It is an ordinary day, like any other. He has done no extraordinary acts to set himself apart, other than being wholly faithful to the Lord and His Laws. He has observed the Law of the Lord, even in this foreign land.
Ezekiel is talking with a group of people. Their topic of discussion is the Lord’s purpose for bringing them here.
“You KNOW we are here because of the people’s rebellion against the Lord.”
“I didn’t rebel, so why was I included” asks one man.
“Because, as a nation, we have walked away from the Lord. Our own neighbors, and maybe some sitting here as well, have gone after other gods. Our people have EARNED this punishment” Ezekiel tells the group.
Many heads bow in shame, while a few others are raised in pride.
“Not me” replies one man with his head held high. “Me either” parrots another.
“Brothers; we have ALL failed at some point. Even I have stumbled in my walk; in following the Lord’s commandments. I am no more holy than any other man. We are part of a people that the Lord has called. A people who has had chance after chance to honor Him. And have failed Him time and time again. We are here for a reason and a season. He warned us of the consequences of sin, yet we, as a nation, have chosen the ‘easy things’ over His ways. We will be HERE as long as it takes to right this wrong in our hearts.”
Shoulders fall around the group and the pride drains from them like water down a drain. They recognize the truth in Ezekiel’s words. The discussion continues on, but Ezekiel is no longer following it. His eyes are drawn to the sky in the north. A cloud is moving across the sky in an unusual manner. It is as if it is moving directly towards him; seeking him out among the people.
This cloud is unlike ANY he has ever seen before. It has the look of an ominous storm cloud. The darkness and ‘weight’ of it touch his spirit. Surrounding the cloud is a brightness that moves with it as if creating a boundary between it and the rest of the sky. Within the cloud, flashes of lighting erupt and move across its expanse without leaving the confines of it. Not a rumble of thunder is heard though. As it approaches, the center of the cloud glows with an even brighter light that that surrounding it. It’s center gleams like polished metal reflecting the rays of the sun into the eyes of the observer.
Ezekiel watches as from this gleaming center emerge four living beings. As the beings emerge, Ezekiel sees something that roughly resembles a human form. They have arms, legs, and a torso. But that is where the similarities end. Atop the torso is a head with four faces on it. They each have a human’s face on their front, a lion’s face on their right, and ox’s face on their left, and an eagle’s face on the rear. They also have four wings. With two of their wings, they cover themselves, and with the other wings they move through the sky. Not like the flapping of a bird’s wings, but spread constantly as an eagle’s when he soars on the wind. The tips of their wings touch one another’s, creating and enclosed space. The beings had straight legs that ended in feet shaped like the hooves of a calf. On their arms were human hands. And they had a brightness like burning coals of fire. Within their bodies of burning coals, smaller fires appeared to move about, igniting here and there and flowing along their surface. Wherever the fires emerged, lightning issues forth from them.
Each of the creatures faces the directions on the compass; north, south, east, and west. And when they move, there is no turning, as all move in unison to the new direction from the positions in the ring that they occupy. North never varies, neither does south, east or west. They remain true to their bearings, as if anchored by an unseen hand. The Spirit of the Lord moves them wherever He wills. These movements are quick as lightning and strike wherever He sees the need to send them.
As Ezekiel looks closer, he sees a wheel within a wheel at the foot of each of the beings. These wheels spin while anchored invisibly to their own being; as the spirit of the being resides within its own wheel. Wherever the being moves, the wheel moves. When the beings rise above the earth, the wheels rise with them. When they descend and touch the earth, the wheels move with them here too. The wheels appear to be made of gleaming beryl gemstones. Ezekiel also notices that each of the outer wheels is covered with what appear to be eyes. The wheel move as the Spirit moves the being tethered to it.
Above the heads of the beings was an awe-inspiring platform that appeared to be made of the purest crystal. It filled the expanse between the four beings and their outstretched wings. It stood anchored in place above their heads. As they fly towards Ezekiel, he hears the sound of their wings. While not moving, the being’s wings create a sound that touches the very marrow of Ezekiel’s bones. It is the sound of rushing water, the sound of an army on the move, the sound of the Almighty Himself. It is breathtaking in its harmony. When they stood still in front of Ezekiel, the beings let down their wings and the voice of God is heard as His representative takes a seat on a throne-like space that is now in the middle of the platform.
The likeness of a throne is sculpted of pure sapphire of the deepest blue. On that structure sits one in the likeness of a man; having arms, legs, torso, and head. From what appeared to be this Representative’s waist and upward, the body appears to be made of polished metal that reflects the fire that emanated from the waist down of His body. All around His form is a brightness that rivaled the sun but it radiated the colors of the rainbow; carrying every hue of its colors.
This vision of the glory of God so overwhelms Ezekiel that he falls face down on the ground face first. As Ezekiel lies prostrate on the ground, the voice of God speaks directly to him.
Those around Ezekiel fall silent one by one as they notice his fixation with the sky. They look in the direction he is focused on, but see nothing. In their spirits they sense that something special is transpiring, so they do not even attempt to touch him. When Ezekiel falls on his face, they take hold of one another in fear. “This must be the hand of God” the bravest of them whispers. They neither see nor hear the glorious wonders that have Ezekiel in their grasp.
(to be continued)
This is just the beginning of Ezekiel’s encounters with the Lord. He did exactly what is expected; he falls on his face before the awe of the Lord. Exactly as I would do in his place. God is FAR from finished with Ezekiel. He has a job for him to do. We will see what that entails tomorrow.
I wonder what it was like watching this unfold; from Ezekiel’s point of view and of those with him. Did Ezekiel physically fall on his face before the Lord, or was it done in the spirit? What happens with his body during this time. He isn’t in his bed sleeping, but on the banks of the canal with other people. Did they try and rouse him? Did they recognize what was happening? Did God bring him bodily to a place apart from other people?
I was sitting here wondering what to take from today’s lesson. I wasn’t even thinking about this previous question being part of that lesson. But in my spirit I heard, “It doesn’t matter what it looks like to those around you when you are called to serve Me. Serve ME regardless of what others say about you or to you.”
Father God, You know how awkward I have felt over the years; including prayers said directly to You in my stories. I have wondered what others think of this portion of our time together. I have come to value this time as much, if not more than the stories themselves. Lately, I have been including words, prayers, directed to You in the beginning of each story too. Those spoken before beginning our story time. The very words I have said time and time again. I struggled with including them at first, wondering what others would think.
THANK YOU for giving me the courage to follow WHEREVER You lead me. For the courage to be uncomfortable while still not surrendering to that uncomfortable feeling. Thank You for loving me even when I temper some of my words, so as not to drive those searching for You away. Let Your love show in ALL I do Father God. Let me bring others to a place where they ‘wonder’ too. To inspire them to dig deeper, to walk in the stories, and to embrace a personal relationship with You; the Author of it all.
