A. INTRODUCTION: EZEKIEL 1:1-28
1. Age 30. "In the thirtieth year . . . the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (1:1).
2. Occupations. "Ezekiel the priest" (1:3).
3. Birthday. "Take the sum of the sons of Kohath . . . from thirty years old and upwards" (Num. 4:2,3).
4. Captive. "I was among the captives" (1:1).
5. Taken from home at age 27. "Which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity" (1:2). Taken in 597 B.C. he was called in 593-92 B.C. Five years later the Temple was destroyed 587 B.C.
6. Live on a canal. "I was . . . by the river Chebar (at Tel Abib) and the hand of the Lord was there upon him" (1:3). Called the Grand Canal for transportation between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
7. Received letter from Jeremiah. (Jer. 29) That destroyed their dreams. (1) Settle down. "Build ye houses . . . plant gardens . . . take ye wives" (Jer. 29:5,6). (2) Don’t rebel. "Seek the peace of the city" (Jer. 29:7). (3) 70 years. "After seventy years . . . I will visit you . . . to return you to this place (Jerusalem)" (Jer. 29:10).
B. EZEKIEL ENCOUNTERS GOD
An encounter occurs when (1) God intentionally meets with you, (2) in a time of great personal need, (3) through unexpected circumstances, (4) telling you something about Himself, (5) you learn something about
yourself, (6) preparing you for a specific task, (7) even though you don’t fully understand all the mysterious elements of the encounter.
1. Intentional. At the last minute. God called him on the day he should have been consecrated as a priest.
2. In time of need because dreams were destroyed. God told them they would not return home to Jerusalem (Jer. 29).
3. Unexpected circumstances. A Vision. Ezekiel saw a whirlwind, a fiery cloud, four angles, a wheel within a wheel, loud noises, God sitting on a throne.
4. Learning about yourself. "And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice" (1:28).
5. Learning about God. "I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about . . . this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord" (1:27,28).
6. Prepared for a specific task. A prophet not a priest. "Thou shalt speak my words unto them" (2:7).
7. Mysterious. There was much mystery in the call to Ezekiel.
C. TEN LESSONS FROM ENCOUNTERING GOD
1. After your dreams fail and you don’t know what to do, an encounter with God can come. "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance" (Psalm 43:5).
2. An encounter with God gives new vision for the direction after your life. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Pro. 29:18 KJV).
3. An encounter with God may result in a new task in life. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9 NKJV).
4. God may give you a special message when you encounter Him. "And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ’Thus says the Lord God’" (Ezekiel 3:10,11 NKJV).
5. God can prepare us for an encounter with Him. "Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive-to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon" (Jeremiah 29:1 NKJV).
6. God can use political and cultural conditions to prepare us for an encounter with Him. Culture shock is a complete disequilibrium. "When all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, . . . then ye shall call them to mind . . . and shall return to the Lord thy God . . . that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion on thee" (Deut. 30:1-3 KJV).
7. We don’t understand all we see and experience in an encounter with God. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those that love Him" (I Cor. 2:9 KJV).
8. An encounter with God is private. "When You said, ’Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ’Your face, Lord, I will seek’" (Psalm 27:8 NKJV).
9. When it seems our birth families and our birthplaces have predetermined our lot in life, an encounter with God can change everything. "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thess. 5:24).
10. Just because you cannot understand everything about an encounter with God, doesn’t mean there is no interpretation to the events. "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow" (I Peter 1:10,11 NKJV).
Take Aways
* I can find God after my dreams have failed.
* I can get fresh dreams by encountering God.
* I get a new task from fresh dreams that come through an encounter.
* I may get a personal ministry from God when encountering Him.
* I will be prepared to serve God by an encounter.
* I may understand political and cultural crisis after encountering God.
* I may not understand all my experiences when encountering God.
* I usually encounter God privately.
* I can overcome the conditions of my birth by encountering God.
* I don’t need to understand everything that is happening in an encounter with God.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
To get Dr. Towns home page for books, www.elmertowns.com.
