EZEKIEL
EZEKIEL
The Book of the Glory of God, of the Son of Man, and the Book of Visions
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
February 11, 2008
The Hebrew meaning for Ezekiel is “God will strengthen” (#3168 Strong’s concordance). He is one of the four major prophets and rightly so. He was one of the greatest spiritual figures in the O.T. He possessed a highly developed prophetic utterance. He lived in the highest consideration of those around him. He was unique, distinguished by his stern and flexible energy of will and character. He was devoted to strict adherence to the rites and ceremonies of the national religion. His writings were deep, individualistic and filled with strong priestly passion. His style is plain and forceful. He speaks in the metaphorical language of God. This is a universal language understood today by those prophets to whom the Lord continues to speak with visions. He was one for definite and minute detail, abounding in repetitions for force and weight. His inspiration as a powerful preacher was:
“THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS (IS) UPON ME!”
This indicates a special supernatural empowerment; In Ezekiel it denotes the onset of prophetic ecstasy.
The books of the prophets belong to the time of the nation’s decline, the exile, and the return to the homeland. They span altogether a period of 250-300 years. Most of them address their messages primarily to the southern King of Judah.
God sent these prophets on a daunting and sometimes dangerous mission. They were for the most part dispatched at the eleventh hour to try to halt the people’s headlong rush to destruction; to warn them of judgment; to call them back to God in repentance and after the great crash came, to comfort the survivors with the assurance of God’s continuing love and purpose for them. To a man, the prophets went out in the burning conviction that they had a message from God.
Isaiah stands at the head of the prophetic books. There is nothing to equal his tremendous vision of God, and the glory in store for God’s people until we reach John’s book of Revelation. Isaiah and Micah predict international salvation through the coming of Jesus Christ. Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah warn of God’s retribution on his people. Jeremiah looks for a covenantal reaffirmation in Christ. Ezekiel expects the nation’s religious restoration and Daniel predicts its political restoration.
We know nothing of Ezekiel’s personal history except what is found in his book. He is not mentioned in any other O.T. book nor is he directly cited in the N.T. Although the imagery of the Book of Revelation coincides with the imagery of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel was a priest, a son of a priest of the Zadok family. These minister from within the veil, flowing from the mercy seat, which is the throne of Grace. With open face, this corporate priesthood experiences the open heaven and rent veil, having been trained and restrained by the Hand of God, and having been raised up out of the lower Chaldea realm.
He was taken captive to Babylon with King Jehoiachim in the eighty year of Nebuchadnezzar. Most of the captives deported with Ezekiel were settled at the River Chebar which has not been identified as a royal canal of Nebuchadnezzar (Psa. 137:1). He was married and has his own home where the elders of Judah came to consult with him. His wife died during his ministry, but he was expressly forbidden to mourn. He began his ministry when he was 30 years old and he prophesied about 20 years. Tradition says that he was murdered and buried upon the banks of the Euphrates.
He identifies himself as “The Son of Man” 92 times in the book. The emphasis here is upon his identification with humanity as a merciful priest. He typifies the Lord Jesus Christ, our great and merciful high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is called “The Son of Man” over 80 times in the four gospels.
Jesus became a partaker of the human nature so that men could become partaker of the divine nature! (Jn. 1:14)
Ezekiel was concentrated upon one great object—to give life and reality, body and freshness, to the objects of faith, so as thereby to reanimate an expiring church, and recall men’s confidence to an almost forgotten or unknown God.
The purpose of the Book:
To declare to the unbelieving House of Judah that the temple and the city would be destroyed once the “Glory of the Lord” had departed.
To show the nations their inevitable judgment.
To predict the return of the “Glory of the Lord” to a new Temple and Holy Nation, the church. (Matt. 21: 42-43; 1 Pet. 2: 9-10; Eph. 2: 19-22)
To reveal the principle of the “Glory of the Lord”:
(a) In and through the head of the new Temple, the Lord Jesus Christ.
(b) In and through the new temple, the church invisible and universal.
(c) In and through the new Temple, the church visible and local.
To reveal and demonstrate the principles of operation of the king-priest ministry from within the rent veil.
The Message of the Book:
In spite of the captivity of His people, “God is strong” and His plan is not thwarted! “God will strengthen” his people by a three-fold overturning (21:27) so that He may restore to the temple the Glory of the Lord in the latter day. This restoration is seen:
(a) In the restoration of Judah after the Babylonian Captivity.
(b) In the restoration of the Church after the Dark ages.
(c) In the restoration of the Creation
This restoration and judgment is to affect the nations. These are:
(a) The Nations of the earth.
(b) The denominations of the church world.
(c) The imaginations of men’s minds.
When a nation departs from the “Glory of the Lord,” the “Glory of the Lord” departs from it.
All nations are accountable to God and are judged by Him.
God is righteous to judge and merciful to restore.
There are three Kingdom of God principles throughout the book:
(a) The vindication of the holiness of God.
(b) The demonstration of the sovereignty of God
(c) The ultimate triumph of the Divine holiness of God over man’s sinfulness.
(d) God overruling – Government – Glory transcending
(e) God intervening – judgment – Glory departing
(f) God consummating – restoration – Glory returning.
There are five reoccurring themes through the book:
The otherness (Holiness) of God.
The Sinfulness of Judah and Israel.
The fact of judgment
Individual Responsibility
The promise of restoration.
God is King over all, enthroned in the Glory of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
The Throne of God is emphasized. We see God and His purposes above all, behind all, and beyond all! (Rom. 11:36) That Throne is the mercy-seat or the Throne of grace. There is hope because nothing will thwart His purpose. The Lord has spoken His Word, and it will surely come to pass! (1 Kg. 8:56)
Captivity will cure idolatry. Ezekiel communicated this in various ways to a demoralized and unhappy remnant in exiles.
It is the message of the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle of Moses (43: 10-12) it is the Word of the Lord from that dimension through the lips of a prophet-priest. It is from this posture that God guides and governs the affairs of men. His righteous judgments will flow out of this realm, which is Zion. All the nations are going to hear the Word of the Lord from His holy mountain.
Ezekiel operates in the prophetic using at least nine of the prophetic “arms”.
Visions
Symbolic Action – The prophetic action of a prophet is as anointed as the prophetic word.
Similitude’s
Parables
Poems
Proverbs
Allegories
Prophecies
Metaphorical language
God is a Spirit who has given us a spiritual Book to be understood with a Spiritual mind. Ezekiel is an end time book for an end time people.
Jesus Christ is seen in the Book of Ezekiel as “The Son of Man’:
Jesus is seen in the Visions of God, whirlwind of Cloud and fire, the likeness of a man, the face of a man, of a lion, ox and eagle. Jesus is seen in the appearance of lamps, the Spirit of the living Creature, the Voice of the Almighty, the Voice of Speech, the Man Above, the Bow that is in the Cloud and the Prophet among them.
He is seen in the roll of a book, adamant harder than flint, the Glory of the Lord, the watchman, the One who bears the iniquity, the barber’s razor and the beauty of His ornament set in majesty. He is the door of the inner gate, the man with the writer’s inkhorn and the man clothed with linen. He is the Beryl stone, the hedge for the house of Israel and the highest branch of the high cedar. He is the bond of the covenant, the sharpened sword, one whose right it is, and the man among them.
He is the One who did as He was commanded, the Sign, the King of Kings, the man of their coasts (Borders) and the Very Lovely Song. He is the One Shepherd, the Plant of renown and the One who Sanctified His Great name. He is the King over them, the Prince forever, the man with the measuring reed and the Way of the Gate whose prospect is toward the East. He is the pattern of the house, the law of the house and the prince of the Temple. Jesus is the just balance, the one Lamb out of the flock, the young bullock that reconciled the house and the Prince in the midst of them. Jesus is the waters which issued out, and the waters from the right side. He is the man who had the Line in his hand and the river that could not be passed over. Jesus is the thing most Holy by the border of the Levites. He is the One who is there.
Ezekiel by vision reveals to us the Kingdom of God in its final glory – the last nine chapters are perhaps the most remarkable part of the book. God will not hide his face any more.
EZEKIEL ONE
This chapter is the key to our understanding the whole book. The Glory of the Lord is the theme of this prophecy.
Chapters 1-3 contain the account of Ezekiel’s call and commission. In this opening chapter, a mighty whirlwind issues from the north, and a dark cloud appears. The day of the Lord often appears in the prophets in the picture of a great storm. In the midst of the cloud is an area of dazzling brightness surrounded by encircling flames. Therein are seen four beings of strange and mysterious shape standing so as to form a square. Below their feet are four wheels and over their heads a throne of which is seated the likeness of a man dimly seen, while a voice issuing from the throne summons the prophet to is office.
In the early verses of chapter one, notice the extensiveness of detail noting the time. Also of great significance are the four ways in which Ezekiel received the message of God: the opened heavens, the visions of God, the coming of the Word to the prophet, and the imposed hand of god. Chebar, noted as the place of Ezekiel’s vision was known among the Babylonians as the grand canal; it flowed southeast from the Euphrates.
The “Thirtieth Year” in 1:1 refers probably to the 30th year of Ezekiel’s age. (the number of full maturity). The Priest began his ministry at that age, and Joseph, David, and Jesus came to a place of authority (the principle of the Throne of god) at the age of 30. the word came “expressly” to Ezekiel; it came in reality, contrary to the words of the false prophets who only claimed to have heard from the Lord. The “hand of the Lord was there upon him.” (1:3) showing that Ezekiel had a conscious awareness of having received a Divine communication. The appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord was the announcement of the vindication of the holiness of the Lord by means of the whirlwind of His wrath and his fiery jealousy executed from the north by the Chaldea forces in the complete destruction of Jerusalem.
The “LIVING CREATURES”:
The face of a man suggests human compassion and understanding for our fellowmen, an ability to enter their joys and sorrows as though they were our own. (Rom 12:15) (The Gospel of Luke; The color White, Intelligence and Holiness)
The face of a Lion suggests kingship, dominion over the things that befall the prophet of God, strength and fearless boldness in the face of obstacles and hostile opposition. (Prov. 28:1) (The Gospel of Matthew, The King, Purple, Majesty and Power)
The face of an ox suggests patient and enduring service, even in weariness and painfulness. (11 Cor. 11:27). An Ox works when he is called upon to do so, whether he feels like it or not. (The Gospel of Mark, the Servant, The color Red, service and Humility)
The face of an Eagle suggests living on a high spiritual plane above the things of the earth. (Isa. 40:31) the same wind which causes other birds to seek shelter lifts the eagle to higher altitudes. (The gospel of John, The Son of God, Blue, swiftness, discernment and Glory)
It requires all four gospels to reveal Him who is altogether lovely. The four beasts of Rev. 4-5 reveal the corporate, many-membered Christ. “Christ first manifests His perfect holiness (the man), then he is seen in might power, miracles and dominion (the Lion): after that He lays His life down as a sacrificial offering (the Ox) and finally, we see His glory in resurrection as He ascends on high to be glorified (the Eagle).”
“In this is first the humanity of this Body. When people get together, it is very clear to see that we’re all still human…and we see each other’s mistakes, shortcomings, and faults…and some people look at the humanity of the body of Christ and say, ‘Well that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for that Divine Church without a sport or wrinkle. So, I’ll stay at home and play my tapes, read my books, until there comes into existence somewhere a Glorious Church…But the first step of it is the man…the humanity of it. If you don’t get in on that face, we’re not going to make it through to the rest of it! When we get to the place where we can see past the humanity of one another, and not be offended…then we’ll see another face, and that is the LION.”B.B.
The description of the cherubim suggests many practical truths for Christian Service:
Harmony with out fellow-workers.
Singleness of purpose with no deviation of other interests.
The leading of the spirit, not ambition or preference.
No slothful lingering in indecision, but prompt and speedy execution of His will.
We must serve God with all four faces.
Ever watchful for god’s voice and the enemy’s snares
The Spirit of God’s fully surrendered servant becomes submerged in the Divine activity.
God’s servants are subject to the government of His throne.
The servant of God has the assurance that God is every mindful of His covenant.
Much of this study will be through the teachings of Brother Bill Britton and Sue Baird. God opened the heavens for Bro. bill and showed him the book of Ezekiel. He made it into a correspondence course.
Bro. Bill said, “Ezekiel was a priest and a prophet. It was the worst time in Israel since Egypt’s slavery. Their city burned, their Temple destroyed, their people taken captive. Ezekiel as a priest had no ministry, no Temple and no homeland. Ezekiel saw vision of God in the midst of his desolate circumstances. Others saw only their tracks in the desert sand in their hopelessness.” B.B.
I like the description of F.F. Bruce. He writes, “The four living creatures are composite forms symbolizing the winds or, more generally, the forces of nature which bore up the God of Israel as he rode upon the clouds and supported his invisible throne in the holy of holies. Before the establishment of the temple in Jerusalem, Yahweh of hosts was known in Shiloh as he who is enthroned between the Cherubim. In Ezekiel’s vision it is emphasized that his throne is not stationary; it can move in any direction – forward, backward, sideways, upward or downward. This is the chariot-throne of God.
The rims of the wheels were high and awesome. All four had hubs and each hub had a projection which had the power of sigh. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels, so that the wheels functioned as animated extensions of their bodies.
What looked like an expanse of sparkling ice is probably identical with John’s sea of glass, clear as crystal…mixed with fire. Ezekiel saw it from beneath, John saw it from above. Also, Moses and his companions saw ‘under his feet…something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself, So here Ezekiel sees above the expanse. what looked like a throne of sapphire.” F.F.B.
Characteristics of the Cherubim by Sue Baird.
Humanity – “likeness of a man”
Stability – “Their feet were straight feet”
Purity – They sparkled…like burnished brass”
Practicality – “the hands of a man under their wings”
Plurality – The four had their faces:
Unity – “Their wings were joined one to another.”
Mobility = “their wings were stretched upward”
Versatility – “the face of a man...lion…ox…eagle”
Humility – “two wings covered their bodies”
Integrity – “they went every one straight forward”
Availability – Whether the spirit was to go, they went”
Activity – “ran and returned …as a flash of lightning”
Immutability – “they turned now when they went”
This is a vision of the Shekinah Cloud of God’s Glory and the Presence of the Lord, the Holy Ghost; “Fire = a symbol also for the presence of the Lord to illuminate and to purify. Here is emphasized the Wind, the Cloud and the Fire.
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
www.eastgateministries.com
scripture quotes from K.J.V.; Quotes from F.F. Bruce bible Commentary; Bill Britton; Sue Baird and Kelly Varner, P.P.T.