Jesus Christ calls all His disciples to endure difficulties as they follow Him.

This is the first of four lessons on the book of Ezekiel. The man is Ezekiel was a Jewish priest, as was Jeremiah, and he was a younger contemporary of Jeremiah. While Jeremiah ministered in Judah and Jerusalem, Ezekiel was a captive Jew in Babylon, who ministered to his fellow captive Jews in Babylon. Ezekiel‘s ministry in Babylon began after he received a vision of God‘s glory and a challenging call from God to be a prophet to the captive Jews in Babylon. Ezekiel is a book of 48 chapters, but is does not get a lot of attention in the life of the Church. The intention of these lessons on Ezekiel is to introduce, or to re-introduce, Christians to the book of Ezekiel.

GOLDEN TEXT: Eze 2:2  And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

INAUGURAL VISION

A. Ezekiel’s World

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.

Eze 1:2  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

Eze 1:3  The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

…….Ezekiel said the Word of the Lord came to him after being in captivity for more than 5 years. He had been a slave for 5 years! I can see the Lord scanning the multitudes and spotting one, in the midst of bondage and oppression, one man who would stand up be His very mouth piece. This man would have to be able to endure the negativity, the mockery, and backlash from his own people and the rulers. When the Lord needs a vessel, and it’s our turn to answer the call, we must be ready!

B. Vision of God’s Glory

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.

…….The fire infolding itself is thought to be lightning. This whirlwind revealed the presence, power, and glory of God.

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.

…….The word likeness here means mannerisms, shape and model. Though the creature had many different parts, its shape brought together in one was formed like a man standing upright.

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.

……. There sparkling features could be from living in the presence of God and reflecting His glory.

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.

…….Though they were comprised of many different beasts, unlike any other dominant beast, they were able to perform tasks with their hands.

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.

…….Each face represents earthly dominion. While the human is over all animals, the lion is known to be chief of all wild animals, while the oxen are known to be chief of domesticated animals, and eagles are the chief of all birds. These living creatures were symbolic of God’s rulership over all earthly creatures.

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 1:15  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.

…….The image of the two intersecting wheels on each side were the wheels of Gods Chariot Throne. It’s design allowed them to roll in any direction without turning, according to the moving of the Spirit of God. Also, wherever the chariot moved, the four living creatures moved with it. The meaning of this is, God moved on any direction He chooses, at any time He chooses, and nothing can stop Him. God has sovereign power and authority over all creatures in Heaven and on earth, and does whatever He wills. This was intended to be an encouragement to Ezekiel and the captive Jews in Babylon.

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.

…….This firmament was a platform supporting Gods throne. Sitting on the throne was one whose likeness was “as the appearance of man” (vs. 26) covered in an amber-colored fire from head to foot.

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.

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.

…….While Ezekiel never says the man he saw on the throne was God, the implication is this was a vision from God, or the Son of God manifested in His glory. Overwhelmed by what Ezekiel saw, he fell on his face in reverence and humble submission to God.

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.

CALL TO PROPHETIC MINISTRY

A. Called To Speak God’s Word

Eze 2:1  And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

Eze 2:2  And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

…….What an encouraging experience, that when the Lord told him to stand up the Spirit of God did the work! The Spirit of God is our help when we are in the will of the Lord!

Eze 2:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

Eze 2:4  For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

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.

…….Though Israel were rebellious and stubborn, God still wanted to speak to them. God desires to give every person another chance! I dare to say that the people of the church has written people off that God has never given up on! This message is two fold, God desires to give us Christians the power and anointing to minister, and it is very likely going to be for the ones that we least likely think deserves it. We must be ready and willing!

B. Commanded Not To Fear or Rebel

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

…….The Lord told Ezekiel, your ministry will not be comfortable, but don’t be afraid!

Eze 2:7  And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

Eze 2:8  But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

…….The danger of not fulfilling our ministry is the fact that the Lord sees the unwilling and disobedient just as he does the blatant sinner. Though the ministry at times will seem tough, the Lord guarantees to give us His strength to endure!

FOREWARNED OF DIFFICULT MINISTRY

A. Filled With God’s Word

Eze 2:9  And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;

Eze 2:10  And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

…….Keeping in mind this was a vision, Ezekiel eating the scroll was symbolic of being full of Gods words.

Eze 3:1  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.

Eze 3:2  So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

Eze 3:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

…….Even though the words written were full of judgements and condemnation, for Ezekiel it was an experience of obedience to the Lord. The taste of the scroll meant it was something valuable and desirable to Ezekiel. There is such a sweetness in obeying the Lord, no matter where in the physical ministry takes us.

B. Facing a Hardened Audience

Eze 3:4  And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

Eze 3:5  For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;

Eze 3:6  Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.

Eze 3:7  But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.

…….The hardest part about Ezekiel’s had to be the knowing that Israel would not listen or change.

Eze 3:8  Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

Eze 3:9  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Eze 3:10  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

Eze 3:11  And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

…….Even though the ministry would not seem successful, being in tune with the Lord in obedience knowing that the Lord would sustain and bless through it all was the comfort Ezekiel depended on. For those seeking the glory that belongs to God, ministry will not be ultimately successful. But for those seeking to minister for the sake of obedience, God promises to sustain us and never leave or forsake us!