Coals of Fire
Ezekiel 10:1-22
It has been about two and a half months since we were last in Ezekiel.
Then we saw the beginning of a vision that God gave the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel.
In that vision in chapter 9 we saw a group of militant angels with destroying weapons in their hands enter the city and walk toward the house of God.
That was a vision that began with a dark outlook and ended with a small glimmer of hope.
With the destroying angels was one clothed in priestly white linen.
He had no weapon in his hand but an inkhorn with which he was to mark those who mourned for the spiritual condition of their country.
Those who were thus marked were granted mercy when the judgment was visited upon the remainder of the people.
In that last sermon from Ezekiel we learned that there is mercy in the mourning of God's people for their sin.
Today we are in Chapter 10.
It is merely a continuation of the same vision and we should recollect the scene which will be shown in this chapter as well.
First of all, let us remember that God is here pictured in a complex and magnificent chariot-throne.
- The glory of God is revealed in the efficiency of the wheels and the consistency of their movement.
- The glory of God is revealed in the four-faced angelic creatures representing different powerful characteristics of God's nature.
- The glory of God is revealed in the appearance of coals of fire beneath his glorious throne.
I'll remind you that this chariot-throne has, in the earlier portion of this vision, come close to the temple in Jerusalem, that symbol of God's presence among His people.
It is that throne and the nearby mercy angel still clothed in white that we see right away in our text this morning.
READ TEXT EZEKIEL 10:1-22
PRAY
There are three outstanding aspects of the scene in this chapter.
1.) The Chariot-Throne
2.) The Coals of Fire
3.) The Presence of God
These three aspects have, in their representation in the text, specific and powerful lessons.
Let us look to each of these and find the Lord's challenge for us this morning.
1.) The Chariot Throne
The first aspect that grabs the attention of the reader is the wonderful chariot-throne.
Its description is complex, but seems to communicate a multifaceted, efficient and powerful God, in Whom is no change or instability.
The Cherubim appear to be a part of the chariot-throne and wholly obedient to the will of the One Who sits thereon.
We have studied the lessons of the chariot-throne in Chapter One and will spend no additional time on it today.
2.) The Coals of Fire
In Chapter 1 it was noted that the appearance of the cherubim was as coals of fire.
As we noticed in Chapter One, there is a distinct symbolic value to the appearance of the
cherubim.
Now we see that this is even more apparent with the linen-clothed angel now instructed to procure coals of fire from the throne of God and scatter them about the city.
These coals of fire are clearly representative of God's judgment and their placement throughout the city is nothing but the fiery judgment of God spread over the entire city of Jerusalem.
From the previous chapters we have seen that God's people had allowed sin into their lives.
They had surrounded themselves with images and idols.
They had compromised their worship, trading religious ritual, dead traditions and even pagan influences for the holiness and purity that God had demanded in the lives of His people.
Now He is instructing the angel to take the coals of fire that represent His own holiness and purge the city of its wickedness.
Elsewhere in the Bible we see the symbolic use of coals of fire.
- In Leviticus 16:12 we read that the Priests of the tabernacle were to take coals of fire from the altar and use them to burn sweet incense before God's throne, the Mercy seat. It was there, that God's Holiness was shown to bring out the sweetest aroma from a life lived for His pleasure.
- In Isaiah 6:6, after Isaiah declares himself undone and unworthy to be used of God, an angel takes a coal from the altar and touches Isaiah's tongue. There, God's holiness was shown to make an imperfect man able to speak God's perfect truth and glorify God.
Then, there are the passages that show God's holiness in a different light.
- In Psalm 18:12 and 13 we see coals of fire sent forth from God's presence as judgment for displeasing Him. There the holiness of God is shown to be a terrible thing to the object of God's wrath.
- Habakkuk 3:5 shows coals of fire paving the very footsteps of God when God comes to judge the earth. There God's holiness spells the doom of the sinners who rejected Him.
In each instance, coals of fire represent the holiness of God.
The holiness of God is the empowering healing revealer of beauty or it is the terrible destroyer of sinfulness.
The difference is the condition of the people exposed to God's holiness.
In our text we see that God has directed that these coals be scattered throughout the city to signify that Jerusalem would be burned because they failed to respect the Holiness of God.
3.) The Presence of God
The final aspect of the chapter is the Presence of God.
the text is very specific during the vision about where God is in the scene.
This is because His presence is what gives meaning to the text.
In Verses Three and Four it appears that God is present on the threshold of His temple.
He has moved there and filled the court with His glory.
Normally this would be a good thing, but as we have seen, God's holiness can have a terrible effect as well as a good one.
It appears God has descended from His throne to oversee the spreading of the coals of fire.
What a thought!
The temple that had for so long been the place of compromise finally has the presence of God.
Unfortunately it is not a time of rejoicing.
They had pushed Him out of the temple by their compromises.
He had come back to them to deliver His judgment.
Now was a chance for repentance, but no, there would be no repentance from the city of Jerusalem.
In verse 18 we see the presence of God moving.
He departs from the temple and is carried away to the east gate.
Now He has left His people to be judged without His assistance.
So it is when a person rejects God's offers for repentance and mercy, he honors the choice made by the sinner and leaves him utterly alone.
If you are here today, a child of God, a blood-washed believer, you must respond to the moving of the Holy Spirit this morning.
His coals of fire represent a holiness that you and I must respect.
Let us decide that we will let His holiness do its perfecting work.
If we don't, we can be sure it will do its work of judgment.
If you are here as one unsure of your position with God today, I can tell you in simple terms, God is offering you mercy.
You are a sinner I know because we all fit that moniker.
You fall short of the holiness you need to be in His presence.
Your sin has indebted you to Him, and you have nothing to pay.
But Jesus was Holy enough.
He paid for your sins.
He offers you His holiness if you will take Him as your personal Saviour.
Won't you do so today?
Ezekiel 10:1-22
It has been about two and a half months since we were last in Ezekiel.
Then we saw the beginning of a vision that God gave the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel.
In that vision in chapter 9 we saw a group of militant angels with destroying weapons in their hands enter the city and walk toward the house of God.
That was a vision that began with a dark outlook and ended with a small glimmer of hope.
With the destroying angels was one clothed in priestly white linen.
He had no weapon in his hand but an inkhorn with which he was to mark those who mourned for the spiritual condition of their country.
Those who were thus marked were granted mercy when the judgment was visited upon the remainder of the people.
In that last sermon from Ezekiel we learned that there is mercy in the mourning of God's people for their sin.
Today we are in Chapter 10.
It is merely a continuation of the same vision and we should recollect the scene which will be shown in this chapter as well.
First of all, let us remember that God is here pictured in a complex and magnificent chariot-throne.
- The glory of God is revealed in the efficiency of the wheels and the consistency of their movement.
- The glory of God is revealed in the four-faced angelic creatures representing different powerful characteristics of God's nature.
- The glory of God is revealed in the appearance of coals of fire beneath his glorious throne.
I'll remind you that this chariot-throne has, in the earlier portion of this vision, come close to the temple in Jerusalem, that symbol of God's presence among His people.
It is that throne and the nearby mercy angel still clothed in white that we see right away in our text this morning.
READ TEXT EZEKIEL 10:1-22
PRAY
There are three outstanding aspects of the scene in this chapter.
1.) The Chariot-Throne
2.) The Coals of Fire
3.) The Presence of God
These three aspects have, in their representation in the text, specific and powerful lessons.
Let us look to each of these and find the Lord's challenge for us this morning.
1.) The Chariot Throne
The first aspect that grabs the attention of the reader is the wonderful chariot-throne.
Its description is complex, but seems to communicate a multifaceted, efficient and powerful God, in Whom is no change or instability.
The Cherubim appear to be a part of the chariot-throne and wholly obedient to the will of the One Who sits thereon.
We have studied the lessons of the chariot-throne in Chapter One and will spend no additional time on it today.
2.) The Coals of Fire
In Chapter 1 it was noted that the appearance of the cherubim was as coals of fire.
As we noticed in Chapter One, there is a distinct symbolic value to the appearance of the
cherubim.Now we see that this is even more apparent with the linen-clothed angel now instructed to procure coals of fire from the throne of God and scatter them about the city.
These coals of fire are clearly representative of God's judgment and their placement throughout the city is nothing but the fiery judgment of God spread over the entire city of Jerusalem.
From the previous chapters we have seen that God's people had allowed sin into their lives.
They had surrounded themselves with images and idols.
They had compromised their worship, trading religious ritual, dead traditions and even pagan influences for the holiness and purity that God had demanded in the lives of His people.
Now He is instructing the angel to take the coals of fire that represent His own holiness and purge the city of its wickedness.
Elsewhere in the Bible we see the symbolic use of coals of fire.
- In Leviticus 16:12 we read that the Priests of the tabernacle were to take coals of fire from the altar and use them to burn sweet incense before God's throne, the Mercy seat. It was there, that God's Holiness was shown to bring out the sweetest aroma from a life lived for His pleasure.
- In Isaiah 6:6, after Isaiah declares himself undone and unworthy to be used of God, an angel takes a coal from the altar and touches Isaiah's tongue. There, God's holiness was shown to make an imperfect man able to speak God's perfect truth and glorify God.
Then, there are the passages that show God's holiness in a different light.
- In Psalm 18:12 and 13 we see coals of fire sent forth from God's presence as judgment for displeasing Him. There the holiness of God is shown to be a terrible thing to the object of God's wrath.
- Habakkuk 3:5 shows coals of fire paving the very footsteps of God when God comes to judge the earth. There God's holiness spells the doom of the sinners who rejected Him.
In each instance, coals of fire represent the holiness of God.
The holiness of God is the empowering healing revealer of beauty or it is the terrible destroyer of sinfulness.
The difference is the condition of the people exposed to God's holiness.
In our text we see that God has directed that these coals be scattered throughout the city to signify that Jerusalem would be burned because they failed to respect the Holiness of God.
3.) The Presence of God
The final aspect of the chapter is the Presence of God.
the text is very specific during the vision about where God is in the scene.
This is because His presence is what gives meaning to the text.
In Verses Three and Four it appears that God is present on the threshold of His temple.
He has moved there and filled the court with His glory.
Normally this would be a good thing, but as we have seen, God's holiness can have a terrible effect as well as a good one.
It appears God has descended from His throne to oversee the spreading of the coals of fire.
What a thought!
The temple that had for so long been the place of compromise finally has the presence of God.
Unfortunately it is not a time of rejoicing.
They had pushed Him out of the temple by their compromises.
He had come back to them to deliver His judgment.
Now was a chance for repentance, but no, there would be no repentance from the city of Jerusalem.
In verse 18 we see the presence of God moving.
He departs from the temple and is carried away to the east gate.
Now He has left His people to be judged without His assistance.
So it is when a person rejects God's offers for repentance and mercy, he honors the choice made by the sinner and leaves him utterly alone.
If you are here today, a child of God, a blood-washed believer, you must respond to the moving of the Holy Spirit this morning.
His coals of fire represent a holiness that you and I must respect.
Let us decide that we will let His holiness do its perfecting work.
If we don't, we can be sure it will do its work of judgment.
If you are here as one unsure of your position with God today, I can tell you in simple terms, God is offering you mercy.
You are a sinner I know because we all fit that moniker.
You fall short of the holiness you need to be in His presence.
Your sin has indebted you to Him, and you have nothing to pay.
But Jesus was Holy enough.
He paid for your sins.
He offers you His holiness if you will take Him as your personal Saviour.
Won't you do so today?
No comments:
Post a Comment