Lessons From Ezekiel – Lesson 1
Why did God send Ezekiel?
Eze 2:5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
God did not send Ezekiel for big results. He did not send him for a huge revival.
God sent Ezekiel for several reasons. 1) So that they would know that there was a prophet among them. Man has a free will and some will hear and most will forbear. God wanted all to know that God cared enough about them to send a prophet to them.
God sent Ezekiel to those already in captivity in Babylon. So even though they were already in chastisement of being in captivity, God still wanted them to know that He cared and still wanted a relationship with them.
God still wanted them to hear His word and give them the opportunity to turn to Him.
We learn something about the heart of our Lord in this. Sometimes His people’s rebellion gets so great that He must chastise. That is correct and just. However, being under chastisement does not stop His love and care.
It also shows us the Lord’s heart to have all people hear His precious word. God wants all to hear it and be given a chance even when most or even all will refuse to hear.
This is something that we have seen in the Word of God over and over and over again. Which is why the primary thing for us is to get His Word out to people all over the United States from Queens NY, which we mailed yesterday to a ghost town in Kansas. And also all around the world.
Before getting going thru the book of Ezekiel I felt it was important to first understand the reason God is sending Ezekiel and in an unusual way. God wanted absolutely zero doubt that there was a prophet from God among them.
Now we are going to get started in Chapter 1.
Eze 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
What we are about to read is a vision. Now visions can be tricky. They can be symbolic. Like some of the visions recorded in Daniel. Daniel sees an image, the head was gold, the breast and arms silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet part of iron and part of clay.
In Dan 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
This vision in the book of Daniel was a dream. The Bible clearly says that and then an interpretation is given. What Daniel records was symbolic. It was a teaching tool that God used. There is not a literal image walking around with feet part of iron and part of clay.
The interpretation given makes it even clearer that the vision was symbolic where things stand for other things. The head and the breast and the legs all represent kingdoms of the earth.
Other visions are not symbolic where things stand for and represent something else. In some visions what is seen is real. In these types of visions God is giving the person a glimpse of places or people or things that are real. They really exist somewhere in a real tangible form.
For Example John got to see real golden streets that we will one day walk on. That was a vision of real tangible streets.
If you remember way back in Joseph’s day got sent a vision of fat well favored kine (a type of cow) and then lean and ill favored kine and they ate the fat cows and yet were still lean.
Gen 41:18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
Gen 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
Gen 41:20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
Gen 41:21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured
Gen 41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
Gen 41:27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
Gen 41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Gen 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
Gen 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
Gen 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
On a side note it was shown twice because it is established by God. For something to be established you need two witnesses.
Anyway the ill favored cows were just symbolizing 7 years of famine. It was a vision. They were not real cows you could go and touch. And lean cows do not eat fat cows and if they did they would not still be lean. It was a symbolic vision used as a teaching tool.
Some visions are glimpses of real tangible things, places, or people that exist. And some are object lessons. Visual teaching aids.
How can you know a difference? One sure way is if the Bible then gives an interpretation then you know it was a symbolic vision. If the Bible says this meant this and that means something else.
If there is no interpretation that it a good sign that it is not a symbolic teaching vision. And if you have a second witness somewhere else in the Bible then you know it is not a symbolic vision but God giving someone a glimpse of something real and tangible.
It is also possible that a vision can be mixed. Where most of it is real and tangible but there might be a thing or two in it that are symbolic.
So before we read Ezekiel’s first vision we are going to read a little in Rev. chapter 4 for context.
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Rev 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Rev 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
John sees the throne of God in Heaven. He actually sees it. And there is a rainbow about the throne. A real rainbow. And John saw the real throne. And He saw the Lord sitting on the throne.
Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
So John sees the throne of Heaven. And he sees four beasts that were full of eyes.
These are some kind of Angelic beings. And not the ones that fell. They are giving glory and honor and thanks to God.
When we think of angelic beings we think of them looking like men. For example Gabriel who came and talked to Mary. Or we think of the angels that were sitting by the tomb after Jesus arose or the angels who told the Christians to quit just standing around after Jesus ascended.
When we think of Angels that is what comes to mind. But God also created other types of angels. And the ones mentioned here are strange to us. Odd looking. They do not look like the shape of a man. Instead they are described as beasts.
There is no symbolism here. They do not represent something else. There is no interpretation given here. John is seeing real angelic creatures that God made.
Now we are ready to read Ezekiel’s 1st vision. It is going to be a little wild. I wanted to have what John saw fresh in our minds before we read what Ezekiel sees.
Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5 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.
Eze 1:6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Eze 1:7 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 colour of burnished brass.
Eze 1:8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Eze 1:9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their 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.
Eze 1:11 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.
Eze 1:12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Eze 1:13 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.
Eze 1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Eze 1:15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
Eze 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour 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.
Eze 1:17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
Eze 1:18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
Eze 1:19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
Eze 1:20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Eze 1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Eze 1:22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
Eze 1:23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
Eze 1:24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
Eze 1:25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
Some people are really thrown with this vision. And they will try to go into a whole lot of symbolism. But this is real. Ezekiel sees real tangible creatures. There is no explanation given like with the lean kine.
And we have what John saw in Revelation. John saw the same type of angelic creatures. A few differences from what Ezekiel saw but the same general type of angelic beings.
So what is this all about? What are these creatures that Ezekiel sees doing exactly.
Eze 1:12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Eze 1:20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went,
We don’t know exactly what their job is. But we do know this.
Where ever the Spirit wants them to go, they go. There is God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and these 3 are one.
So wherever God wants them to go they go. They are obedient to do the job that God wants done. God sends them on some kind of errand and they go.
And notice they don’t get sidetracked. They don’t wonder around. They don’t turn aside from their errand to the left hand or the right hand. They don’t stray. They don’t get off target.
And they are fast about it.
Eze 1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
They ran and returned like a flash of lightning. That is fast. The attitude they have seems to be the Creator, the Lord wants this done so let’s get it done. He is worthy of not having delays and having to wait.
We don’t know what errands these creatures are sent on but we do see an attitude of service with these creatures. And that is something that we can learn from. When our Lord wants us to do something, we should serve Him in like manner as far as
Staying on target, and doing what He wants. Following the leading of the Spirit. And there should be some haste about it. I mean we are serving the Almighty. The one who died for us. We should put some effort into what we do for Him. We should have some excitement to get it done.
This part of what Ezekiel saw also shows that God is involved in what is going on in the earth. These creatures are sent to do things on the earth by the direction of God. This vision with wheels and movement and angelic creatures running by the direction of God is odd to us but it shows action and direction of getting things done.
This would be an important message to those in captivity in Babylon who might see things as out of control or might see things with the view that God does not care and that God is not doing anything.
So this vision is very timely and appropriate for those people in their situation. It is also good for us today. God is active. God is working.
Ezekiel’s vision now takes a turn from these creatures doing errands on the earth to Heaven.
Eze 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Eze 1:27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
John got to see the Lord on the throne, but John was not the first to see it. Isaiah if you remember saw it and here Ezekiel sees it.
Ezekiel says he saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. He is not talking about those creatures. He is talking about seeing the Lord Himself on His throne. And when Ezekiel sees that he falls upon his face.
Ezekiel does not bow when he sees those creatures, but he immediately bows when he sees the Lord. The Lord is worthy. We should learn from Ezekiel’s example.
People should bow before the Lord. Biblical worship is always a bowing, a lowering of yourself before a holy God. It is always a humbling of yourself.
Bowing is a way of showing that the one you are bowing to is greater that yourself.
Most of what is called Christianity today has this completely backwards. They think worship is a lifting of yourself up. A waving of the arms and a good time party.
As true Christians we need to keep the Biblical view that Ezekiel had.
And humbly bow before the Lord with respect and adoration.