Today the weirdest prophet of them all begins his ministry.
Hananiah’s false prophecy
Jeremiah 28:1-17
Seraiah and Zedekiah visit Babylon
Jeremiah 51:59
Ezekiel’s preparation
Ezekiel 1:1
His vision of God
Ezekiel 1:2-14
The four wheels
Ezekiel 1:15-21
God’s throne
Ezekiel 1:22-28
Filled with the Spirit
Ezekiel 2:1-2
Ezekiel’s commission as prophet
Ezekiel 2:3-10, 3:1-9
We hear about one last false prophet, who used Jeremiah’s trick of acted parables to reassure people that in two years, everything would be fine and dandy. Jeremiah finds it beneath his dignity to respond with anger. But them we turn to Ezekiel, who as we will see, takes acted parables to a whole new level.
But first of all, Ezekiel painstakingly describes his vision. I described him as weird to begin with, which is totally unfair. It might be better to say he is serious and literal-minded, and tries to record precisely what he has seen. The problem is, what he saw is beyond human description.
Ezekiel was among the elite who were deported to Babylon. That means he’s with those who are carrying the hopes of Israel’s future, not with the rump left behind, kidding themselves that Nebuchdnezzar will pack up and go home.
What does he see? A spaceship? We can try and make sense of this vision, but to my way of thinking, it’s not worth it. I think his human brain tried to make sense of something heavenly, something beyond his perception. All I’m left with is a sense of vastness, of movement, of wisdom, and of power. What is he seeing? God’s throne? Angels? Some piece of heavenly machinery? he calls it “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” (1:27) That’s as close as he can get.
Hananiah’s false prophecy
Jeremiah 28:1-17
Seraiah and Zedekiah visit Babylon
Jeremiah 51:59
Ezekiel’s preparation
Ezekiel 1:1
His vision of God
Ezekiel 1:2-14
The four wheels
Ezekiel 1:15-21
God’s throne
Ezekiel 1:22-28
Filled with the Spirit
Ezekiel 2:1-2
Ezekiel’s commission as prophet
Ezekiel 2:3-10, 3:1-9
We hear about one last false prophet, who used Jeremiah’s trick of acted parables to reassure people that in two years, everything would be fine and dandy. Jeremiah finds it beneath his dignity to respond with anger. But them we turn to Ezekiel, who as we will see, takes acted parables to a whole new level.
But first of all, Ezekiel painstakingly describes his vision. I described him as weird to begin with, which is totally unfair. It might be better to say he is serious and literal-minded, and tries to record precisely what he has seen. The problem is, what he saw is beyond human description.
Ezekiel was among the elite who were deported to Babylon. That means he’s with those who are carrying the hopes of Israel’s future, not with the rump left behind, kidding themselves that Nebuchdnezzar will pack up and go home.
What does he see? A spaceship? We can try and make sense of this vision, but to my way of thinking, it’s not worth it. I think his human brain tried to make sense of something heavenly, something beyond his perception. All I’m left with is a sense of vastness, of movement, of wisdom, and of power. What is he seeing? God’s throne? Angels? Some piece of heavenly machinery? he calls it “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” (1:27) That’s as close as he can get.
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