January 10, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Ezekiel? Here’s today’s reading:
Ezekiel 1 (NIV)
Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision
1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the Lord was on him.............Continue Reading
Ezekiel explains in detail what he saw Where ever the spirit would go this whole image would follow without turning. The spirit was leading all of the different parts of this vision. At the end he says this was the likeness of the Glory of the Lord. He fell face down and heard the voice of the one speaking.
Here
. Ezekiel gets a glimpse of the thrown of God. Being reminded that God is in control of all things. Including allowing Babylon to capture Israel so they can be punished for their rebellion as usual Babylon is being used by God. And they will come to an end when the lord says. But not his chosen people. Must have been a huge encouragement after being captivated to see God was in complete control and to witness the throne of God. And all creatures worshiping God and the wheels showing God is overseeing all things everywhere. So as a child of the living God. It’s a great comfort to know as he watches over Israel he watches over his children
Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel 1 – Ezekiel saw the visions that God put before him, he knew he was showing him who is in control, he didn’t understand it all but he saw the likeness of the Glory of the Lord and it says he fell facedown, and heard the voice of one speaking.
What an awesome sight this vision must have been for Ezekiel to see. His explanation itself seems worded in a way where he struggles to convey to us just how awesome a sight it was.
I loved how he kept reminding us that it all worked together because the spirit flowed through all of it because it gives me a good picture of how the Holy Spirit should infuse in all parts of our own life as we operate in it.
What a powerful and awesome picture of the glory and presence of God in a foreign land. What a picture to show them that the presence of God is not connected to a geographic location but to the people of Judah now exiled in Babylon. It is also interesting to see the similarities of the descriptions here to the Book of Revelation. How humbling and convicting is a revelation like this and a clear reminder of the immense glory and power of the God that we serve. It is no wonder that Ezekiel, the priest, falls face down. We too need to remember to be humble before God and shouldn’t need a vision to know our proper place before Him.
This was fascinating to read. I am still trying to get my mind around how this all looks and works visually. It reminded me also of Isaiah 6 when Isaiah sees the temple, although I suppose these are different creatures. Isaiah saw Seraphim, not sure what these would be called.
Ezekiel – “And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.”
Isaiah 6 – “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.””
The glorious, winged creatures remind me of the creatures at the throne of God in Isaiah. The wheels would go where the creatures would go because the spirit of the creatures were in the wheels. Makes me think about how we should be following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The figure of the man above the throne was the glory of the Lord. It was a magnificent sight to behold, so much so, that Ezekiel fell on his face. Makes me think of the amazing power and strength and glory that is in heaven. Worldly power, strength and glory is nothing compared to it! And God is full of all this power, and this is what we have at our disposal through the Holy Spirit.
Amen Shelly!
Wow. Ezekiel starts out with amazing imagery and prophetic decription. Not sure if any other prophecy book starts out so abruptly this way.