As we are coming to the end of one year and the beginning of the next, it is probably safe to assume many of us have visions dancing in our heads. Perhaps they’re not visions of sugar-plums (as in the story “The Night before Christmas”). In fact, maybe we envision eating fewer sugar-plums in the new year, exercising more, and weighing less. Maybe, we think, this is the year we’ll finally tackle that home improvement project, write more frequently, or finally stop procrastinating (well, perhaps we could put that last one off until a later time). Regardless of how successful we are at keeping our new year’s resolutions, there is something nice about a cycle where one year continually ends and another begins. It gives us a chance to re-evaluate ourselves and our goals. It gives us a chance to look and see if we’re really prioritizing things that should have priority or allowing lesser-important things to dominate our lives.
And it’s an opportunity for us as a church as well to remind ourselves of our greatest priority. After all, there is at least one task that no one in the world except the church is trying to fulfill. That is, there is one thing that if the church of Jesus Christ did not devote itself to doing, no one else would do it. Caring for the poor, for example, is a great thing, but even if the church stopped doing this, someone else would be found doing it. And that can be said of a number of other tasks. But the one thing no one else would do if the church of Jesus Christ didn’t do it is the task we know as the Great Commission.
In Matthew 28:18-20, we read, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” That is our main priority as a church. It is a call that falls on all of us collectively, and it’s a call that’s overwhelming. To be charged with a task that lasts till the end of the age, is as broad as all the nations of the earth, and is as all-encompassing as teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded can be crippling. That’s no doubt why churches historically have been side-tracked into making their priority lesser things.
However overwhelming the task, however, I think we can find ourselves encouraged, challenged, and comforted in this task by turning our attention to what may seem like an unlikely place – the book of Ezekiel. Over the next couple of months, we’re going to be working our way through the book of Ezekiel. And the book of Ezekiel is an odd book at first glance. There are visions that are best described as “strange.” Ezekiel goes through odd things like lying on his side for a period of days or preaching to bones in a valley. To read it feels like reading a complicated text which is hard to discern.
However, there are a couple of things that should make it easier for us to follow. One of them is simply a bit of background information. At the turn of the century in about 600 BC, Babylon was the world power, and Judah was supposed to be loyal to them, paying tribute to them. The problem was, Judah’s kind, Jehoiakim, was an evil and foolish king, and he rebelled against Babylon. Therefore, Babylon seized the city about 598, and Jehoiakim died. After Jehoiakim’s death, his son, Jehoiachin became king and surrendered to the Babylonians in 597 BC.
At this time, Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon’s king) took all the officials of Jerusalem, all the mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen, and all the smiths to Babylon so that none remained but the poorest people of the land. And he took these into captivity to Babylon in 597 BC. Now, among this group of exiles, taken into Babylon was one who had been trained to serve as a priest among the people named Ezekiel. This is the prophet for whom the book we are about to study is named.
Now, this taking of exiles in 597 didn’t mark the destruction of Jerusalem. That actually wouldn’t happen for another eleven years. You see, after taking Jehoiachin to Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar set up Zedekiah as king in Jerusalem, and he ultimately rebelled as well, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Therefore, when we turn to Ezekiel, we find a man who is exiled from his home country, living in Babylon during the years before and after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586. Ezekiel was actually a contemporary of Jeremiah. In fact, it may be easy to think of these prophets as doing much the same thing simply in different places. Jeremiah was back in Judah, telling the people not to rebel against Babylon, lest they be destroyed – a word which they disobeyed. And Ezekiel is in Babylon, with many exiles from Judah, telling them that judgment is coming. That’s the background to Ezekiel, and it may help us to understand the book a little better.
One other detail that can help us is a simple outline of the book. The book can easily be divided into three sections. In the first section (chs. 1-24), Ezekiel is called to be a prophet for God among the exiles, and he delivers a series of messages about coming judgment. Then, something happens in chapter 24. The chapter opens with these words: “In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day” (24:12). Ezekiel gets news from God that Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem. And from this point, Ezekiel begins to prophesy judgment against the other nations. This goes from chapters 25-32. The idea seems to be, now that Jerusalem is coming to an end and the judgment is falling upon them, the other nations need to realize that they’re not escaping the judgment of God.
Finally, in 33:21, news comes that Jerusalem has finally been destroyed. We read in 33:21, “In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and said, ‘The city has been struck down.’” Therefore, once that judgment came, Ezekiel was able to turn the content of his message from coming judgment to a message largely of hope for coming restoration. Thus, the outline for the book is 1-24 – messages of judgment against Judah, 25-32 – messages of judgment against the nation, and 33-48 – messages of hope of coming restoration.
With that in mind, then, we look this morning at chapters 1-3, which consist of the call of Ezekiel to be a prophet to the exiles in Babylon. And, as I noted before, it reminds us of some things that will both challenge and comfort us in the task that lies before us as a church – the Great Commission. First, we see:
The book begins with Ezekiel seeing a vision of God. He notes in chapter 1 that this happened in the thirtieth year, by which he probably meant the thirtieth year of his own life. So, when Ezekiel was thirty, the Lord called him to be a prophet. But God preceded the calling with a magnificent vision of himself.
Now, before we get to describing this vision, we should note that these kinds of images are not to be re-created. That is, the Lord never intended us to draw this vision out to see what he looks like. This is filled with images that hardly make sense, things that seem impossible. And much of the description is in the form of simile or metaphor. It is like this or that, Ezekiel tells us.
But what did Ezekiel see? First, there was flashing lighting and fire, which we often see in Scripture when the Lord appears (think of Sinai, for example). It is to inspire awe and fear. Then, came the likeness of four creatures. And the four creatures looked like humans in a sense, but they had wings and heads that had faces on all sides. On one side was the face of an ox, on another an eagle, on another a lion, and on another a human.
Now, these images can signify different realities, but they are undoubtedly images of royalty and power. The ox is used to signify strength, the lion that of royalty, the eagle both majesty and care (as the eagle is referenced as bearing up the young on its wings, for example), and the man as all of these and more (perhaps signaling intelligence). The Lord is showing himself to be great in power, might, intelligence, care, and royalty. He is king. But this is actually just describing the throne on which the Lord was sitting. It’s as if this was a scene of God’s mobile throne appearing in Babylon for Ezekiel to see.
Then, we find out that the throne moves without needing to turn. It simply moves in the direction of one of the faces. And when it moves, these winged creatures all move together. It’s as if to suggest that God is never pulled in multiple directions, but able to move wherever he wants. God’s presence is not limited by the temple. Nor is he simply the God of Israel, but the God who reigns over the whole world and is present here with Ezekiel.
Then, we see wheels, which were gleaming as well. And the wheels were “tall and awesome” Ezekiel says, with eyes all around the rims, no doubt suggesting that the Lord sees all and knows all. He is the omniscient God. And again, these wheels move wherever they need to move with no resistance.
And on top of these wheels and four-faced wing creatures was an expanse, like crystal, and a constant sound like an army. The idea here is of an overwhelming, all-encompassing sound. This is perhaps like the sound you hear with an incredibly like crack of thunder. It feels like there is no area the sound does not reach. It is pervasive. It is all-consuming.
And above the expanse was something like a sapphire throne with the likeness of a human on the throne, with gleaming metal and fire all around. There was brightness and fire. It was glorious and majestic. Thus was the vision of the glory of God.
Well, actually, Ezekiel says, “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (1:28). The Lord and even his throne are beyond description, as the Lord is so glorious and awesome. And Ezekiel fell down, overwhelmed, as the Lord began to speak to him.
Now, what are we to make of this? Well, for one, we can definitely see the glory of the Lord. Our God is not like us. Perhaps when we set ourselves out to judge the Lord’s actions or make judgments on his word, we forget that he is this God. He is so glorious that he cannot be described. Instead of simply saying there was a human on the throne, Ezekiel says, “And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around” (1:27). It’s as if Ezekiel is saying that words and images cannot express this. He is reaching for things it may be like. This is the majestic God, showing himself to his prophet.
But more than that perhaps, this is the majestic God showing himself to his prophet while his prophet is an exile in Babylon. You see, this sent a message loud and clear that Jerusalem wasn’t falling because God was unable to compete with the Babylonians. This God in Ezekiel 1 is not threatened by all the armies of the universe. This also sent the message that God wasn’t limited to the temple. The temple was 700 miles away, but here was God with his people in exile.
Sometimes we go through periods in our lives when we feel especially close to God, don’t we? Perhaps there was a time when you were younger, the weight of the world wasn’t pressing on you, and you felt such intimacy with the Lord. Perhaps there was a time when you felt that you were in a much more fruitful place in ministry, and in those times you felt close to the Lord. Maybe it was a time when your marriage was in better shape and life was simpler or maybe a time when everything seemed difficult, but you felt the Lord was close to you. Whatever the occasion, God appearing to Ezekiel when he was in exile in Babylon sends a message loud and clear that God’s presence with his people is not limited by where we are or what circumstances we’re walking through.
The Lord is with us. That’s one message that the incarnation sends us. It’s why Jesus was called “Emmanuel” – God is with us. And he’s with you right now. Maybe your circumstances have changed, but don’t think that intimacy with the Lord is more difficult. Seek him today, and you’ll find him.
The vision also sent the message that the one who was about to tell Ezekiel what to do must be obeyed. Ezekiel’s commission was coming from God Almighty. I mean, do you think you’d be afraid of what man might do if that God was on your side?
But before we answer too quickly, we are in a similar place as Ezekiel, aren’t we? The one who gave the Great Commission was no less than God the Son. The one who told us to make disciples of all the nations is the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth. The one who told us to baptize is the one who is with us, whether we are in this place or that. You see, the overwhelming sense that this God must be obeyed and that this God would be with him that Ezekiel must have felt must be felt by us as well.
Why spend your life preaching the gospel to a people on the other side of the world? Because this God has told us to make disciples of all the nations? Why think that this task is worthwhile? Because this God is with us. The God who knows all, sees all, is everywhere, and has all power has commanded us as exiles to be about a task, and he is with us. We see here in Ezekiel 1 a vision of our great God, who is present with us. Second, we see:
Now, I want to look at this in two parts. First, let’s look at the call to speak God’s Word. When the Lord begins speaking to Ezekiel, he commands Ezekiel to speak, but he leaves no doubt what Ezekiel is to say. First, we read in 2:4, “You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’” Then again in 2:7, “And you shall speak my words to them.”
Ultimately, the Lord pictures this by making Ezekiel eat a scroll (in a vision perhaps) that the Lord gives him (2:8), and Ezekiel notes that this scroll had writing on the front and the back (2:10). This seems to suggest that there was no room on the scroll for Ezekiel to add anything. The message was completely that of the Lord. Ezekiel was to speak what God wanted him to speak, even though the words were of lamentation and mourning and woe.
Finally, we have one other image of the Lord making Ezekiel speak God’s Word alone. In 3:26, the Lord tells Ezekiel that he’ll make his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth, so that he’ll be mute, unable to speak. Ezekiel will only be able to speak when the Lord opens his mouth to speak words of judgment. And this is going to go on for seven years!
For seven years Ezekiel will be able to have no superficial conversations. He won’t talk to people in the marketplace about the nice crop, pitiful weather, or how their children are. He’ll be like a mute man. And any time he opens his mouth, it’ll only be because the Lord is opening his mouth to speak the message the Lord gives him, and that’ll be a message of judgment. And again, this is going to go on for seven years until Jerusalem is destroyed in 586 BC. Ezekiel was to speak God’s Word alone.
And, Ezekiel was to be fearless and faithful. Multiple times the Lord tells Ezekiel not to be afraid of the people. For example, we read in 2:6 – And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions.” And again, in 3:9 – Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”
Now, this isn’t like me saying to my kids, don’t be afraid of things that aren’t fearful. This isn’t the Lord saying, “There’s nothing to be scared of” like we might say to our children when they think there’s a monster in the closet. God actually tells him that their words toward him will be like walking through briers and sitting on scorpions. But he commands him, “Don’t be afraid.”
And he tells him simply to be faithful, whatever the outcome. For example:
2:5 – And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.
2:7 – And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.
3:11 – And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.
3:27 – When I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
Then, in 3:16-21, the Lord tells him that he is like a watchman. He is to warn the people of coming danger. If they listen or fail to listen, his job is to warn them. The only way he can fail is if he refuses to open his mouth.
And it’s on that note that this command is particularly applicable to us, isn’t it? We too have been charged to speak God’s Word. We’ve been charged to preach the gospel and tell individuals to obey all that Christ has commanded. We’ve not been charged to teach them to like things that we like or have the preferences we have. We’ve been charged to tell them to obey Christ.
And we’ve been commanded to fear God more than man, being more afraid of disobeying God than what is to be feared from man. We’ve been charged to be faithful in gospel proclamation, whatever the response. The only way we can fail is if we refuse to speak.
So, let us examine ourselves. We would no doubt tell Ezekiel that he should do what God says. In fact, God would not let him do otherwise. Ezekiel would either speak God’s word or not speak at all for seven years. We, on the other hand, have not been made mute. We’ve simply been charged to preach the gospel. So, will we be faithful? The only way we can fail is if we don’t speak?
Finally, we see:
Ezekiel’s response to what God tells him isn’t the stuff of fairy tales. Ezekiel is angry and bitter. We read in 3:12-15, “Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!’ It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me. And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.”
When the text says that Ezekiel went in “bitterness in the heat of his spirit,” most commentators agree that it means Ezekiel was bitter and angry. This fits with him sitting by the canal overwhelmed and quiet for seven days. At the end of seven days, the Lord came to him and spoke to him again. But for seven days, Ezekiel had to sit, bitter, angry, and overwhelmed at this calling.
After all, the prophets weren’t imaginary characters in a story. They were real people. So, how would you respond if the Lord came to you, told you that you were going to be a prophet to speak his word, and what that meant is that you would say nothing at all to anyone unless the Lord opened your mouth, and then it’d be a word of judgment? That’d make you a bit bitter, angry, and overwhelmed, I imagine.
More than a few pastors I know have looked up to the heavens angry and bitter that the Lord called them to work among a certain people and say things that aren’t popular, reaping all the consequences that go along with it. I imagine that every missionary has stopped at some point and felt overwhelmed, battling bitterness and angry at the leading of God on their lives. It’s simply hard for the Lord to call you to walk through the valley of the shadow of death while calling another of your brothers or sisters to walk along the beach.
But the God of Ezekiel 1 isn’t one who consults with us on what we think would be best for us. The God of Ezekiel 1 isn’t one who says that if the culture doesn’t like what we say, then we can adjust our stance on homosexuality, submission, or the need to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to avoid hell. He is a God who reigns. And that means that he reigns over us. He tells us what we must believe, think, say, and do with our lives.
But notice that God also mercifully provides for his overwhelmed prophet. Prior to 3:12, we’ve already seen him allow the message of mourning, lamentation, and woe task sweeter than honey in Ezekiel’s mouth (3:3). In 3:8-9, the Lord says that though he’s sending Ezekiel to a hard people, he’ll make Ezekiel’s head harder than theirs.
Then, in 3:25, he tells Ezekiel that he’s going to place cords on him to keep him in his house and make his tongue to speak to his mouth. Do you see, that’s provision as well? Ezekiel won’t have to worry with the temptation to go socialize among a people who are supposed to hear a message of judgment. God won’t let him leave his house. Ezekiel won’t have to worry about consoling them with his words. God won’t let him talk unless he speaks words of judgment from God. That is, God is going to provide everything Ezekiel needs to fulfill the task he’s calling him to.
Now, let’s consider ourselves. All of us have been called to labor in the task of the Great Commission. Our roles and callings in this may look different. Some of us may be here in Jackson, TN while others of us are in other places. Some of us may be called to make disciples through caring for our elderly parents or handicapped children. Some of us may be called to labor in such ways that we hardly get any luxury items while others seem to have the means to do whatever they desire. Some of us may do it with all kinds of people supporting us while others have few if any.
And maybe today, you’re battling bitterness, anger, and a feeling of being overwhelmed at what the Lord has set before you. Maybe you fully feel as much of an exile as Ezekiel felt on the shores in Babylon. But if you are, know this: 1) the glorious and majestic God of Ezekiel one has charged you to this task, and he is with you, 2) he has charged you to speak his word without fear and faithfulness, and 3) no matter how hard the task is that lay ahead of you, your great and majestic God will graciously equip you along the way. He’s able to give you everything you need to obey him so that others might know the great and glorious God who reigns on his throne.
And finally, know that as you labor as an exile in this world, laboring in obedience to God through circumstances that may feel like they’re going to kill you that there was another who was an exile in this world. God the Son left the glories of heaven to take on flesh in obedience to his Father. He obeyed perfectly, but he suffered terribly along the way. The task to which he was called was one of persecution, abandonment, and agony. It was a task which ended in him drowning in his own blood on a hill outside the city. But God the Father was with him, provided for him, heard him when he prayed, and on the third day vindicated him before all the world by raising him from the dead. And if our faith is in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, then one day we too will be raised from the dead to live forever without pain, without fear, with death, to the glory of our great God. So, let us look to the work of our glorious Lord now and obey him by the power of his grace. Amen.