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| Ezekiel. Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo |
God to Ezekiel: "Man up, lad, I've got a job for ya'..."
8 Aug 593 B.C. Lest we forget.
Ezekiel ( יְחֶזְקֵאל ) receives a message that he is to be God’s appointed and specific messenger, sentinel and watchman for the faith.
Ezekiel was called to be a "prophet" or God's point-of-the-spear at age thirty. He lived in Tel Abib, Babylon.
Ezekiel was overwhelmed with the divine majesty of the infinite, eternal, unchangeable, most holy, most wise, most just, most sovereign, most almighty, and most gracious God who preserves, ordains and does all things according to His most inscrutable, free, and sovereign will.
By way of an application, if anything is needed in our time, it's a refreshed and renewed vision of the attributes of God. Our Prayer Book moves in the correct direction, undoubtedly. Our beloved Westminster Standards, chapter two, are superb and perhaps are unrivalled.
Ezekiel encountered Him who does whatsoever He pleases upon whom, to whom, with whom and when He is pleased to do it. This God stands in need of no one, derives His glory from none, and exists as Three Persons in One.
It is not a limp, lame, begging, cheap and meretricious deity, but the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Judges, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and Josiah...this is the faithful covenant God whom Ezekiel the “now-called” prophet meets.
Ezekiel is simply “overwhelmed,” a sure-fire engagement to cure human nature’s addiction to idolatry. Isaiah, near-wise 150 years earlier, got the "The-i-fi-cation" treatment (our word), that is, an awareness of His Majesty unilaterally imposed by His Majesty upon some unsuspecting chap...one that is that is blinding, humbling and re-orienting.
That is, all service to images, relics, icons on the cheaper side are forbidden. Sorry, but 787 A.D. and the 7th Council must go. We refer you to the "Homily on the Peril of Idolatry."
Ezekiel ( יְחֶזְקֵאל ) receives a message that he is to be God’s appointed and specific messenger, sentinel and watchman for the faith.
Ezekiel was called to be a "prophet" or God's point-of-the-spear at age thirty. He lived in Tel Abib, Babylon.
Ezekiel was overwhelmed with the divine majesty of the infinite, eternal, unchangeable, most holy, most wise, most just, most sovereign, most almighty, and most gracious God who preserves, ordains and does all things according to His most inscrutable, free, and sovereign will.
By way of an application, if anything is needed in our time, it's a refreshed and renewed vision of the attributes of God. Our Prayer Book moves in the correct direction, undoubtedly. Our beloved Westminster Standards, chapter two, are superb and perhaps are unrivalled.
Ezekiel encountered Him who does whatsoever He pleases upon whom, to whom, with whom and when He is pleased to do it. This God stands in need of no one, derives His glory from none, and exists as Three Persons in One.
It is not a limp, lame, begging, cheap and meretricious deity, but the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Judges, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and Josiah...this is the faithful covenant God whom Ezekiel the “now-called” prophet meets.
Ezekiel is simply “overwhelmed,” a sure-fire engagement to cure human nature’s addiction to idolatry. Isaiah, near-wise 150 years earlier, got the "The-i-fi-cation" treatment (our word), that is, an awareness of His Majesty unilaterally imposed by His Majesty upon some unsuspecting chap...one that is that is blinding, humbling and re-orienting.
That is, all service to images, relics, icons on the cheaper side are forbidden. Sorry, but 787 A.D. and the 7th Council must go. We refer you to the "Homily on the Peril of Idolatry."
Humans are hard-wired to be idolaters by nature.
Also, idolatry to false ideas, inadequate theological views, and other lies on the other side (of the above cheaper version) are verbotten. Yes, bad theology, as well as bad deeds, are defamatory, insulting and sinful.
Ezekiel must bear an "unpopular message" to an "unreceptive audience." This is not much of a recruitment tool, but Ezekiel "has his orders." The upshot: "Buck up, lad, I've got a job for you!"
Ezekiel is a “priest” (1.3), that is, one who can trace his lineage to Aaron, the brother of Moses. He begins such service at age thirty (Num.4.3). This is followed by a 7-day consecration (Lev.8.33). As such, he was aware of original sin, depravity, God's holiness, vicarious atonement, substitutionary atonement, expiatory and propitiatory atonement alongside the promises of King David to come, and the offshoot of Jesse to come.
Ezekiel awaited:
"...Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace,
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Is.9.6-7).
But, things had gone south in the South (Judah) by the time of Josiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. The big picture? You lads and lasses are headed to Babylon. Yet, God keeps His people, the "remnant," and raises faithful witnesses.
On 8 Aug 593 B.C., on/at the end of the 7-day consecration period, Ezekiel receives the call “to be a watchman.” Or, a sentinel, guard, infantryman if we might, a theological Marine! "Son, you'll have to be tough....they'll fight and they'll resist, but play the man!"
He was to look for any threat to the city from without or within.
Here is Ezekiel’s call and duty:
Ezekiel Is a Watchman (Ezekiel 3.17-21):
Also, idolatry to false ideas, inadequate theological views, and other lies on the other side (of the above cheaper version) are verbotten. Yes, bad theology, as well as bad deeds, are defamatory, insulting and sinful.
Ezekiel must bear an "unpopular message" to an "unreceptive audience." This is not much of a recruitment tool, but Ezekiel "has his orders." The upshot: "Buck up, lad, I've got a job for you!"
Ezekiel is a “priest” (1.3), that is, one who can trace his lineage to Aaron, the brother of Moses. He begins such service at age thirty (Num.4.3). This is followed by a 7-day consecration (Lev.8.33). As such, he was aware of original sin, depravity, God's holiness, vicarious atonement, substitutionary atonement, expiatory and propitiatory atonement alongside the promises of King David to come, and the offshoot of Jesse to come.
Ezekiel awaited:
"...Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace,
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Is.9.6-7).
But, things had gone south in the South (Judah) by the time of Josiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. The big picture? You lads and lasses are headed to Babylon. Yet, God keeps His people, the "remnant," and raises faithful witnesses.
On 8 Aug 593 B.C., on/at the end of the 7-day consecration period, Ezekiel receives the call “to be a watchman.” Or, a sentinel, guard, infantryman if we might, a theological Marine! "Son, you'll have to be tough....they'll fight and they'll resist, but play the man!"
He was to look for any threat to the city from without or within.
Here is Ezekiel’s call and duty:
Ezekiel Is a Watchman (Ezekiel 3.17-21):
16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”
Semper Fidelis!
If we could get some lyrics, befitting Ezekiel's narrative and fidelity, to fit the USMC anthem, it would be a fine thing!
Sung right before Morning Prayer too!
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