Visions of God

Visions of God
Ezekiel 1

It has been said that the book of Ezekiel is the most difficult of all the prophets, and that the first chapter is the most difficult to understand of all.
After reading through it, it is easy to see how it gets this reputation.

I have been praying about preaching from Ezekiel for some time now and have never preached from this chapter before.
However, I recently heard the popular, although heretical, Harold Camping answer a question about Ezekiel 1.
His answer about the meaning of this chapter was vague and unhelpful, but it got me to thinking more about what God might want to convey about Himself in the chapter.

When the vision recorded herein takes place, Israel is at a crucial turning point in the history of the Jewish nation.

Israel had been under the false delusion that God would never let them dissolve as a politically viable nation.
They saw the prophecies of a continued Davidic line as assurance that God would never allow Jerusalem to fall.

They had taken God's presence and protection for granted.
They falsely assumed that God would tolerate their sin and their many false gods.
They were wrong.
God loved them too much.

As our text begins, we see that the Babylonians have taken the masses of Israelites into captivity to be used as slaves in foreign countries.
Our prophet Ezekiel is among the captives by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans.

We are now going to read the first chapter of Ezekiel in its entirety.
You will see right away how unique Ezekiel's vision is.

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In order to grasp God's clear message to us this morning we have to remember the historical context.
Israel has become complacent in her religion as a nation.
Israel has begun to take God and His protection for granted.
They have defined God into a neat little corner of their lives so that He doesn't interrupt their way of life.

While all of these points could easily apply to our own nation and, to some extent our own lives, it is Ezekiel’s presentation of God's glory that we need to wake us up and help us to realize who God is and what place He insists upon having in our lives.

The chapter we have just read can be divided into six distinct sections.

First we have the Introduction in Verses 1-3
The background which we have already discussed is here briefly glimpsed as we see Israel in captivity.
The man Ezekiel is also briefly introduced as a priest, a prisoner and a prophet, whose vision of God follows.

The rest of the chapter is made up of Ezekiel's Vision's of God.

Secondly we have the Whirlwind in Verse 4
As this first part of our vision of God, we see the proper order our journey back into the truth must take.
A whirlwind speaks of judgment.
Indeed, Israel's primary enemy came like a whirlwind from the north to destroy Jerusalem.
This was clearly the hand of God.
What do we learn about God from this whirlwind that rips violently into our lives and reveals a burning determination from within to execute judgment?
Our God is a God of judgment.
If we sin in our lives, He will bring the whirlwind of judgment.
This is our first glimpse of God and it is a grim picture that reminds us of our shortcomings and His perfect standard of righteousness.
Often our first glimpse of God as we draw closer to Him is the Whirlwind of Judgment.

Thirdly, in Ezekiel Chapter 1 we see the four creatures in Verses 5-14
These four creatures are angels, of this we are sure as Ezekiel mentions them in 10:20.
These angels are the great and terrible cherubim, whose task it is to guard and worship at the throne of God.
Herein is our first glimpse of the greater picture of God ruling from His throne.

The Cherubim are angels, God's messengers, sent for to minister to the saints and to execute God's justice on earth.
They are indescribable in their appearance and Ezekiel’s attempt to paint us a mental picture falls short of completing the task.
Nevertheless, there is something to learn about God from this vision of four creatures: They speak to His ability and efficiency with which He operates.

The modern picture of God is One Who bumbles through with a long, drawn out creation and finally perfects man.
He struggles to maintain peace in various areas of the earth and every now and then actually manages to answer a prayer or two.

These Cherubim show God to be:
absolutely understanding of the condition of man V5
able to see and understand all things V6
determined and consistent in His steps V7
versatile and competent in all His ways V8
Intelligent as represented by the face of a man
Fierce and courageous as represented by the face of a lion
Powerful and determined as represented by the face of the ox
Intuitive and observing as represented by the face of an eagle
completely in agreement in all His persons V12
as determined as fire in his mission V13,
as quick as lightning in His movements V14,

Our God is competent and expedient in all he does.
He will not overlook my sin, but will speedily and efficiently come to me and deal with it.
As I draw closer to the Lord I recognize more than a whirlwind of Judgment. God’s messengers reveal His efficiency and His competency in all things.

Fourthly we see the Wheels within Wheels in Verses 15-21
This portion of the text is perhaps the most difficult of all and certainly hard to imagine.
Some have read this section and envisioned flying saucers and aliens.
The natural understanding of these wheels is much more realistic.
For many centuries, wheels have represented providence.
They are how things get done.

Since this vision is a revelation of God we can only assume that they speak of the efficiency and the intricacy of the eternal plan of providence.
The complicated series of wheels serve to represent what we cannot fathom in God's provision and His overall plan for us.

I cannot tell how all the gears and the intricate details of God's plan works, but I do know this, that He has it all figured out.
He has provided for every eventuality and has planned how I might glorify him with every area and facet of my life.
It is His plan that moves his messengers and his messengers at times that bring his judgment.

Now, as we move closer to the throne, from his judgment to his messengers to his providential plan and ultimately his sovereign will, I want to see more of Him and learn more of His surroundings.

Fifthly we see the firmament upon the heads of the Cherubim in verses 22-25
This firmament speaks of the actual place or ground upon which the throne of God sets.
It is Heaven and the Holiness of it is terrible to our sinful eyes.
However, as we draw closer to the throne we recognize that God can only dwell in a place of holiness, and the only purpose for His Angels is to lift Him up before the world.
From this I take a challenge to be more heavenly minded that I might be some earthly good.

Now we have envisioned God as he comes in the whirlwind of Judgment awaking us from our sinful slumber.
This vision of God became clearer as we noticed the individual messengers that God has sent to represent him to us and the effectiveness with which He works.
Then the wheels of providence reminded us of God’s ultimate plan and intricate details that He knows and we cannot understand.
Then we are brought in this vision to Heaven where the foundation of terrible crystal reminds us of the requirement of holiness to draw closer still.

Lastly we arrive at the throne in verses 26-28
Remember, we do not study God so that we might know how to fit Him into our lives in a more comfortable fashion.
We want to know Him, and the beauty of it is that He also wants us to draw closer.

He is already speaking from his throne when we step onto the portals of the firmament.
He desires that we come to Him and learn of Him.
A few characteristics stand out in this last portion of these visions of God:
1) The appearance of a man can be none other than Jesus Christ.
2) The appearance of flame can be none other than His absolute holiness.
3) The bow behind Him speaks loudly of His faithfulness and mercy.

Let us seek to know this God Whose voice shakes the heavens and Whose unfathomable glory makes these small worlds of ours turn.
We may come to him through the same journey as Ezekiel's vision.

His judgment convicts me.
His messengers constrain me.
His providence upholds me in my quest.
His Heaven leads me closer to Him until I am finally in His presence, where I can like Ezekiel fall to my face when He speaks to me.

Have you put God in a box?
Have you managed to fit him into your life in a way that makes you comfortable?
This chapter is meant to shake you from your comfort zone and cause you and me to see Him as he is.