Ezekiel Speaks Today

Ezekiel Speaks Today!

Sunday, August 28, 2022

I have received what I believe to be the Word of the Lord for this morning so turn in your Bibles to the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 3. Let us hear, truly hear, what God is saying to the church in this hour.

The Prophet Ezekiel had several spiritual visions in which the God of Heaven revealed his majesty and power in ways that no other prophet had seen. Even though many of the Old Testament prophets have seen spiritual visions of God’s awesome power and heard his voice speak to them personally the visions may have interconnected, or had the same purpose, but they were never exactly alike.

When Ezekiel was 30 years old he reached the age where he would enter into his place in the priesthood of Israel according to the Laws given to Moses. Ezekiel was about to receive his call to duty into God’s service and he would be given the task of being a prophet to the rebellious nation of Israel while they were in Babylon in captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar.

In the opening verses of his prophecy we see that Ezekiel was among his own countrymen who were now being forced to dwell in the land of the Chaldees, by the river of Chebar. Israel had been under Babylonian rule for about 12 years at this time according to the historian, Jerome. While Ezekiel sat and contemplated the condition of his people the heavens opened and he began to have a new vision of the very Throne of God.

I think it would be good for us just to take the time to read parts of the vision that Ezekiel saw because what he saw is the Glory of God upon his throne. I believe that if we ever truly catch the vision of God in his glory and power that we will never be the same.

Ezekiel 1:4-28

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire folding in upon itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

I don’t know how many of you watch science fiction movies, but if you’ve ever watched the movie Independence Day, where aliens supposed invade the earth, and you see the scene where the giant spacecraft comes out of a huge cloud of boiling fire, then you know where they got the description of that cloud from. Of course we cannot duplicate the true appearance of it all.

Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

As for the likeness of their faces, (each had four faces) they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.