Read the passage HERE.
What we read in the first part of the book of Ezekiel is amazing. It sounds kind of like a scary movie or some type of crazy science fiction story from a famous novel. Regardless of how strange the events are, this actually happened. It's because God is involved. God is above and beyond all that we could ever imagine or think. However, Ezekiel had a front row seat to the glory of God and the cherubim that uphold his mighty throne.
Ezekiel, who had just turned 30 years of age (1:1), was considered a priest among the Jewish people, spent a number of years in exile in the years following Jeremiah's prophecies. Even though Jeremiah and Ezekiah were living at the same time, Jeremiah was a prophet who was allowed to stay with the remnant of the poorest of Jews left in Jerusalem. But Ezekiel, as a young man in his twenties, was carried away into Babylon along with the leaders of Israel and King Jehoiachin.
Like Jeremiah, God called Ezekiel to the ministry. While Jeremiah served as a prophet, Ezekiel served as a "priest", probably due to the fact that he was born from the tribe of Levi - the ancestral line within the nation of Israel who were to automatically serve as priests by the time they turned age 30.
As a priest, his job was to minister to the Jewish exiles who were enslaved throughout the territories surrounding the city of Babylon. Just as Jeremiah prophetic message was one of destruction and impending doom to Israel and Judah, Ezekiel's message is much of the same. And like Jeremiah, Ezekiel was instructed by God to also give hope to Israel and to have them begin to think about the future rebuilding of Jerusalem - to restore what they've lost due to sinful living.
In fact, while the book of Ezekiel pronounces judgment on both Israel and the surrounding nations, it also provides a vision of the future millennial kingdom. Not only does the book present a striking picture of the resurrection and restoration of God’s people (Ezekiel 37), it also offers a picture of the reconstructed temple in Jerusalem, complete with the return of God’s glory to His dwelling place (40:1–48:35). The latter section of Ezekiel’s prophecy looks forward to the people’s worship after Christ’s return in the end times, when He will rule Israel and the nations from His throne in Jerusalem during His thousand year reign.
As we begin our study in chapter 1, Ezekiel describes how he saw "visions of God" down by the Kebar River (1:1). This is where some people who read chapter 1 think Ezekiel may have encountered aliens from another planet. It was no alien. It was God. In fact, Ezekiel was granted the rare opportunity to see a small fraction of the glory of God on His throne and the cherubim who are beneath His throne. He witnessed it as unbelievable splendor. Lightning flashed about the throne, and under the throne were the cherubim who carry the throne of God and are under the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit.
Ezekiel was very fortunate! He was able to get a short glimpse of the glory of God. I'm sure Jeremiah would have loved to have been given the same privilege. And, even though God used Jeremiah and loved Jeremiah just as much as Ezekiel, Jeremiah wasn't given the same privilege. Only God knows the reason why.
God gives to each of us exactly what we need in order to fulfill the mission He's called us to. Sometimes jealousy arises in men within the ministry who aren't given special privileges, visions, dreams, or insights as given to others. And it's important to remember that God has a reason for everything. Perhaps Ezekiel needed more of a glimpse of God's glory than did Jeremiah in order for him to fulfill his tough mission. No one knows but God! That's why the apostle Paul warns - "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us..." - 2 Cor.10:12-13
Notice The Cherubim
It's interesting to note that "cherubim" are first mentioned in Genesis 3:24 where they were to guard the garden of Eden preventing Adam and Eve from re-entering back in after they had sinned against God. It's also interesting to note that in Ezekiel 28:12-15 it states that Satan himself was originally a cherubim, until pride was found in his heart and he was kicked out of heaven.
It's amazing how Ezekiel describes these heavenly, living beings - each looking human like a man but having unusual characteristics. Let's take a look at these unusual features: each cherubim (and there were four of them) had four faces - one looking like a man, and the three others like the face of lion (on the right side), the face of an ox (on the left side), and the face of an eagle (in the back of the head). They also had 2 pair of wings whereas the purpose of one pair was to be outstretched in praise to God and to touch the adjacent cherubim. The other pair of wings were used to cover their bodies. Under their wings were hands, And when they moved they moved liked lightning following the Spirit of God.
So...you might be asking, "What do the four faces of the cherubim represent?" To some bible scholars, it seems that the four faces of the cherubim represent the four domains of God's rule. The lion represents wild animals; man represents humanity; the ox represents domestic animals, and the eagle represents birds that fly. To other bible scholars the human face represents intelligence and will, the lion face represents dominance and power, the ox represents patient service and faithfulness, while the eagle might represent the all seeing power of God overseeing the world. Whatever they represent, it's important for us to be cautious about getting carried away reading meaning into symbols that aren't fully explained to us within the word of God.
Of the many unique characteristics of these cherubim, perhaps the most fascinating are the wheels underneath them. The wheels were full of eyes and the spirit of the cherubim were within in it were a separate set of wheels - wheels within a wheel.
How marvelous Ezekiel describes God's glory on His throne as he notices it as being blue sapphire in color. It must have been a marvelous sight! To Ezekiel, nothing was more beautiful than the glorious presence of God shining in amazing splendor. Listen to how he describes what he saw of God's glory:
"Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground..." - Ezekiel 1:26-28
Again, we could ascribe a variety of meanings to each of these characteristics, however in the end I believe it's best to understand that all of these things culminate to one bottom line understanding, and that is that God is all-powerful, all-seeing, and all-knowing!
As Ezekiel looks upon the glory of God, did you notice Ezekiel's immediate reaction? He fell on his face before God!
All men will one day fall before the glory of God! It's the natural by-product of seeing Him in all of His glory! The Bible tells us Philippians 2:10-11 - "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." It doesn't matter how great, famous, or wealthy you are...you will one day fall on both knees before God. We all will! And we will openly confess without hesitation and with full confidence that He is God, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, is the Son of God. In fact, the Bible also tells us that it will be Jesus on the Throne of judgment, so regardless of who you think He is now, you are destined to pronounce Him as Lord on day! I'd do it today before it's too late!
In chapter 2, God gives a very similar message to Ezekiel as He did to Jeremiah. God is calling Ezekiel to preach and minister to a nation of people who don't want to hear God's message. Knowing that Ezekiel will face humiliation, attack, and retaliation, God encourages Ezekiel with this reminder in 2:5 - "And whether they listen or not - for remember, they are rebels - at least they will know they have had a prophet among them." God wants to give His people every opportunity to repent of their sin. God will NOT give up on His people no matter how bad things get.
In chapter 3, in spite of the difficult calling God places on Ezekiel's life, we see God encouraging Ezekiel. He's reminded him that He has been preparing him for this task. Notice what God says in 3:8-9 - "But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. 9 I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.”
Yes, these are the same hard-hearted people that wouldn't listen to Jeremiah, and God told Ezekiel that they wouldn't listen to him either. In fact, God commands him to preach to the people and says, "Do this whether they listen to you or not." (2:10)
However, just like Jeremiah, Ezekiel is commanded by God to do some crazy things! First, God took Ezekiel to the village of Tel-abib and for seven days he sat by the river being "overwhelmed." With no ability to do anything, Ezekiel must have wondered what God was up to.
Have you ever wondered why God brough crazy things into your life where you see very little meaning or purpose? I know I have! However, God always has an excellent purpose regardless of our ability to understand or see what He's up to.
Another crazy thing was when God commanded Ezekiel to shut himself up within his own home. And while doing so, God causes his tongue to stick to the top of his mouth! In other words, he can't speak. It would be easy to ask the question, if God called him to preach to the people then, "Why would God shut him up in his house without the ability to speak at all?" And, it's a good question.
God's reason is beyond our full understanding, but it's primarily because God is so angry with His people. God had determined that Ezekiel was His representative and that while He would provide the message, He would also provide the timing. He kept Ezekiel from being able to do anything to help his nation without God's message coming to him at the perfect time.
Remember...God's ways are not our ways! He knows what He's doing. We often don't!
Please understand....no matter what God calls us to do, He has secretly and perhaps even unknowingly prepared us for the task! Ezekiel was uniquely shaped and molded by God for this mission - much like the Navy Seals are prepared for a certain mission.
When God called me, a shy kid, at the age of 15 to preach for Him, it was the very last thing on my list that I wanted to do. But, I surrendered to His call. Little did I know that God had gifted me with the ability to speak! But not only that - He gave me an anointing so powerful that I was invited all over the United States to speak by my early twenties with enormous crowds of people getting saved and getting right with God. No one was more surprised than me.
Later, he called me to start a church. Ok...now that truly was the last thing on my list I ever wanted to do. No one felt more unqualified than me! However, I started the church out of the basement of my tiny home. The church grew quickly and we were buying up property left and right. Today, under the leadership of Phil Hopper (whom I pastored), the church has grown to over 5,000 in attendance on Sunday morning!
God knows what He's doing! The question is...will you let Him accomplish what He wants to accomplish in and through your life? Whatever He calls you to will be bigger than you and your abilities - that way He gets ALL the glory!!
Think about it!
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