Ezekiel
Chapters 1–3 present the call and commission of the prophet. Chapters 4–24 are prophetic messages concerning the judgment and fall of Judah, concluding with the announcement of the destruction of Jerusalem in chap. 24. Chapters 25–32 comprise an interlude of messages of judgment against foreign nations. Ezekiel wanted to declare that the Gentile nations also were accountable to God and would likewise receive judgment. Chapters 33–48 are messages of hope concerning the restoration of Israel and the reestablishment of the temple, sacrificial system, redistribution of the land, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The way Ezekiel is written is very linear, but the concepts are not; the concepts that I believe he’s trying to show us are 4 fold. 1. Ezekiel’s visions explain God’s holiness and transcendence, which we will see today, but it will be throughout the entire book. Ezekiel saw him as the God who is still on his throne, still Lord of creation, transcendent yet caring and interactive with his creation. Next, he points to the sinfulness of humanity, we can see this quite easily in the world around us, but next week (as we go through the temple) you will see the blasphemy towards God’s temple, and His spirit depart. It’s pretty eye opening to see God leave the temple that was built for Him to dwell with His people, and this leads to our next subject, judgement. Ezekiel teaches a concept developed more fully in the New Testament, that judgment is not reserved for the ungodly alone. God’s own people are liable for judgment when they are disobedient (Ezek 6:8–10; 34:17–22; 36:31). They will be held accountable before him for their stewardship of life, talents, and possessions (Rom 14:10–12; 2 Cor 5:10–11). The New Testament teaching on rewards (1 Cor 3:11–15) and chastening (Heb 12:3–11) is based on an understanding of this accountability. Although Jeremiah held forth some hope that judgment for Judah might be averted, Ezekiel clearly believed that the fall of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem were inevitable. Lastly, after Ezekiel’s messages of judgment and individual responsibility for Judah (4:1–24:27) and foreign nations (25:1–32:32), he turned to messages of hope for future restoration in chaps. 33–48. He predicted not only the return from captivity (36:1–15) but also the spiritual renewal (36:16–38) of the people, the reunification of the nation (37:1–28), the rebuilding of the temple (40:1–42:20), the reinstitution of the sacrificial system (43:1–46:24), the reapportionment of the land (47:13–48:29), and the building of a new Jerusalem (48:30–35).
The future hope of restoration was a familiar theme among the prophets in the Old Testament. Many of them presented that hope in terms that refer to the return to the ideal circumstances and characteristics before the fall in the garden of Eden. The most direct reference, however, is found in Ezek 36:35 which we get to see in the last week of our message.
As we will see throughout Ezekiel’s text, judgment in this life is based on God’s desire for all people to share his redeeming grace. After this life all will be judged on whether they submitted to his lordship by faith. That faith was finally revealed in the person of the Messiah, who was the ultimate revelation of God’s redeeming grace to humanity. Now, I want to use that same redeeming grace to redeem our imagination!
No other OT prophet had visions as comparatively unique as Ezekiel other than Daniel. These two books have been the hardest and most eclectic works (other than Revelation). The exciting thing for me is the parallels with all three of these works. We’ve been able to dive into Revelation, but Daniel and Ezekiel have left me scratching my head, until I read a book called Imagination co-authored by Gene Edward Veith Jr and Matthew P. Ristuccia. One a theological pastor and the former a born-again literary professor. I won’t go too much into this book, but it helped me read Ezekiel in a new light. I pray that I’m able to show you God’s grace and glory these next four weeks. But today we talk about how God’s glory is portrayed in these first 3 chapters. Will you bow your heads and pray with me?
I remember asking God almost 2 years ago to be more creative. My sister and mom are artists who can paint and write. Me, I can’t do either. I tried to use my imagination to draw or write, but I’m so black and white. So, when God showed me this book, I was excited. However, it took me 6 months to even open it. When I did, I read it in a week. I was able to see Ezekiel in an entirely new way. I used my imagination to see what Ezekiel saw and did. Will you go with me to Ezekiel 1:4-28.
You can’t read this without exploring your imagination. He uses the word “like” and “appearance as” 16 times in 24 verses. He can’t explain it without his imagination. It is too great to imagine and too great not to imagine. 1:5–14
As the prophet watched the approaching storm, four living creatures emerged. But this was not their only appearance to the prophet. They also are introduced again in 10:5 and 10:20, where they are called “cherubim.” These angelic creatures were divinely appointed guardians of the holiness of God. Their mission was to prevent anything unholy from coming into the presence of a holy God. They were indicators of the presence of Yahweh, the holy God of Israel, in the storm cloud. These spiritual beings who were part angel, part human, and part animal were fitting representatives of the whole created order. Their activity affirmed the relationship of God to his creation as Lord of all things. This idea was vital in helping Ezekiel and the captives in exile and the people in Judah understand that in the midst of the storms of life, God was still on his throne. He was not oblivious to their circumstances. God, the Creator, is imaginative and thoughtful. I mean look at the peacock and the duck-billed platypus! Each creature is creative. So, our creative God created us in His image, but somehow, our creativity has been damaged. Let’s look at why:
In the Old Testament, we are told to never make an image of God so we dare not imagine. Genesis 6:5 says God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Jeremiah cautions us to not “walk in the imagination of hearts” and Paul says that humans in their sinfulness have become “vain in their imaginations” in Romans 1:21. So when Ezekiel writes what He sees of God, how do we not imagine? However, we must be careful not to imagine too far. Let’s take for example this question:
What are you not looking forward to this next week? Or What do you most regret about last week?
You had a flood of imagination right there, you may even still be there! That’s exactly why Paul tells us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to the truth of Christ! Because we can go down a dark road of regret or fear. Do you see why our imagination needs to be redeemed. In the following weeks, I’m going to show you through actions and visions of Ezekiel how God was warning His people. He was warning them because they had eyes but could not see and ears but could not hear. I ask for you this week to read Ezekiel 4 & 5. Please, use your imagination! When we look at Ezekiel, we see he was a street actor. He literally made himself nothing so that the word of God could be portrayed. Read the weird request of God and imagine yourself being told what is told to Ezekiel. Next week, we will get into the judgment of Israel and Judah. But first, I want us to read 3:7-9 and 17-19.
"But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel [are] impudent and hard-hearted. 8 "Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 "Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they [are] a rebellious house." ... 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel was called and even if no one listened, he was to speak. We relate that to the gospel account of Jesus in His hometown. Luke 4:16, he read a scripture in Isaiah and sat down saying “this is fulfilled in me”. 22, 24-30
So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?" ... 24 Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 "But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26 "but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, [in the region] of Sidon, to a woman [who was] a widow. 27 "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian." 28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, cut to the heart, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
When no one listens, do you still proclaim life in Jesus?
Let’s imagine, as we close out, a line at the throne of judgment where you see your name written in the book of life. You look to your left and you see your neighbor, your co-worker, and even your classmate. Their name is not written in the book of life. They turn to you and say, why didn’t you warn me?
Today I have two requests for you, one…read Ezekiel 4 and 5 and two, think of what it will be like to look to your left and see not one person you know because you have warned them all. Everyone you know is written in the book of life. You warned them and your life has been a testimony of Jesus. Imagine what that takes for you….and start this week by doing it!
