One Year Bible - November 1

EZEKIEL 1:1 - 3:15                                                                                                             
WILD MAN:  "Ezekiel" means "Strength of God" and comes from the Hebrew word "chazak" which refers to the decisive and resolute strength of an eagle that keeps his gaze straight ahead. It is the singlemindedness that acts like a man, instead of panicking or giving up.  It is translated "encouraged" in 1Sam 30:6.  It is the strength that comes because we know how to hold fast to God. That pretty much describes this young prophet-priest.  When we first meet him, he is married, has been a captive in Babylon for 5 years already, with no home, no Temple, no altars, no ministry.  He is 30 years old, about the same age as his contemporary, Daniel, who has been in Babylon about 11 years longer than Ezekiel. They know each other, obviously. Jeremiah is an old man by now, living back in Jerusalem - and both Ezekiel and Daniel know of him and of his ministry, too.  Ezekiel was outspoken, passionate, daring and unusual.  He had the most bizarre visions pictured in the Bible, and saw the glory and the majestic throne of God.  It was Ezekiel who kept the faith alive as, amazingly, the captives persisted in their disregard for God's commands.

EZEKIEL'S AUDIENCE:  The Babylonian captives were prisoners of war.  They were disobedient and spiritually calloused.  During the siege of Jerusalem, they were idolatrous and violent.  They were naively believing that God would "forgive and forget" and protect them from their enemies, even though they were unfaithful, idolatrous, perverse blasphemers.  Just as Jeremiah prophesied, 1/3 were destroyed by famine and disease, 1/3 died in battle, and 1/3 went into captivity. (Actually this is not speaking of equal thirds, but of three unequal parts.  Over one million actually died from famine, disease, and battle.  Only 14,600 are listed as being taken captive.)   HOWEVER, the first 24 chapters of Ezekiel cover the time BEFORE that final, fateful siege that ended in the total destruction of Jerusalem. Those 24 chapters cover 7 years of trying to get people's attention!  Then he prophesied during the siege (chap 25-32), and after the siege (chap 33-48).  God called the people to whom he was sent "impudent and hardhearted". Think of stubborn relatives, who have heard the truth and rejected it because of the moral implications.

THEME:  "They shall know that I am God." This phrase occurs 62 times.  Ezekiel's job was to convince the captives that they had brought this on themselves because of their unspeakable abominations, that God's judgment was righteous, and then to offer hope IF they would repent.

THE GLORY OF GOD: This phrase is used 16 times in the book.  We learn that when we depart from the "glory of the Lord", that the "glory of the Lord" departs from us.  God has a plan and His plan will not be thwarted! He SHALL have a people made in His likeness through whom His glory would be revealed! It should be noted that Revelation is almost PARALLEL to Ezekiel. Both REVEAL (not conceal) "Who is in charge"!

WHAT IS THE GLORY OF GOD?  Ezekiel saw "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." (1:28) "Glory" is the full potential of a thing.   It is God's goodness and greatness (Exo 33:18-19).  Glory is what gives a person weight, so it includes power, majesty, influence, honor, wealth, wisdom, superiority, authority, splendor, magnificence, privilege, abundance.  The throne is always linked with God's glory because of its power, authority and majesty. 

CHERUBIM: The "cherubims of glory" are in the Holy of Holies, which is God's throneroom and also the place from where He communicates with us (Heb 9:5; Exo 25:18-22).   They are first seen at the entrance of the Garden of Eden, holding flaming swords - to be sure man finds it!  I believe they have some kind of tractor seat on them because the root word is "cherub", which means "to ride".  Ezek 9:3 suggests that the glory of God rested on the cherubims.  In 1 Kings 7:27-38 we see the cherubims acting as the agents of cleansing as they cry, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Rev 4:8).  They are full of eyes so that they can see beyond the chaos and see God's purpose.  God rides on the cherubim, which form God's throne-in-motion, the vehicle of His Presence (2 Sam 22:11).   God is enthroned on His creation (four faces), which means that everything exists for His pleasure and His purpose.

GOING DEEPER:  What grabs my attention is the fact that these creatures have wheels!  They DART to the four corners of the earth.  They contain the elements of lightning, fire, whirlwind, and great noise.  These creatures are not only God's dwelling place, but are a revelation of the character of God.  The face of a man suggests human compassion and understanding.  The face of a lion suggests kingship and dominion, strength and fearlessness.  The face of an ox suggests patient and enduring service, even in weariness and pain.  The face of an eagle suggests living above the world, with insight and wisdom.  The four are one creature, with singleminded purpose; no indecision, but prompt execution of the will of God.  Emanating from the wings was "the Voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech".  Their sound is gone out into all lands, and the words to the end of the world.  Various commentators from the earliest times in Church history have recognized Ezekiel's vision as a prophetic revelation of the detailed structure of the whole Bible, given many centuries before it was completed.  The most obvious correspondence is between the Four Faces and the Four Gospels.  The "wheel in the middle of a wheel" is the New Testament hidden in the allegory of the Old Testament!  And we see the GOSPEL speeding its way to the four corners of the world.   God is seen in the wind, the cloud, and the fire. HE IS "FIRE...FROM HIS LOINS UP, AND HIS LOINS DOWN", meaning He sits on the earth (loins down) and in heaven (loins up).

EZEKIEL'S CALL: "BRIARS, THORNS AND SCORPIONS":   A Life of hardship and persecution. The people to whom he was sent are bitter because of all their losses, convicted because of their guilt, and are being forced to see the connection between their sin and their punishment.   Ezekiel was to eat the scroll that contained his message of man's failure. (The teacher always has to live it first!).  If we do not EAT the book and digest it until it becomes bitter to our flesh and transforms us so that we live it, even tho it is sweet to our mouth, we forfeit our calling and have no power.   Ezekiel was to speak ONLY what God told him.   No one around him acknowledged Ezekiel as a "prophet", but he must preach and declare the "word of the Lord" whether anyone listens or not!   But note, Ezekiel's "trump card": (2:2) "the spirit entered into me" AND "the hand of the Lord was strong upon me." (3:14) Our call is to obey in our real-life circumstances.  Ezekiel's situation was dismal, but God would use him there, even without a church in which to carry out his duties.  God calls us to faithfulness, not success.  Ezekiel's life would be one of knowing and hearing God in the context of discouragement. . . . but, with the awareness of the glory, power, majesty, and sovereignty of God.

RESPONSE:  God vindicates His holiness.  He won't tolerate uncleanness and unfaithfulness forever. The only reason to delay judgment is to give us opportunity to repent.  But people are "hardheaded".  Ezekiel's passion for God would have to sustain him through some tough times.  The people he is called to have lost everything, even family members.  Some have boiled and eaten their children!  They probably feel that God has forsaken them.  The hardest thing to grasp at a time like that is that we have brought this on ourselves.  When we are rebellious, we never think we are responsible.  We see ourselves as victims, and then blame everyone and everything else.  The more Truth we hear, the harder our hearts (heads) become.  Fortunately, "For the word of God is living and active (on wheels). Sharper than any double-edged (flaming) sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Heb 4:12)  Our real problem is "the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb 3:13) which "hardens" us and causes us to become self-deceived. The problem with being "self-deceived" is that we don't know it!

HEBREWS 3:1-19                                                                                                       
Hebrews" means "to cross over" and refers to the crossing of the Jordan into "the Land". Here in chapters 3 and 4, this is interpreted to mean "entering into God's Rest".  It is the place of being "in faith", pleasing God.  The Jordan River is the lowest riverbed in the world (1000 ft below sea level) and means "to descend". Our "Jordan River" is figurative to crucifixion of the flesh.

"GOD'S REST":  There are two words used in the NT for God's "rest". The "rest" spoken of in the Gospels in reference to being born again, means "rest from weariness, rest from labor, rest from trying to save ourselves."  It refers to inactivity.  The "rest" spoken of in Hebrews 3 and 4 is the "Sabbath rest" spoken of in Genesis 1 and 2, and is the rest of being satisfied. This rest does NOT refer to inactivity.

God's rest is found in His Presence.  "God's Rest" is not a rest because of weariness; it is the rest of satisfaction and contentment!   God rested because He had completed what He set out to do and was satisfied with it (Gen 1:31-2:3).  For us to be in "God's Rest" is a condition where we are "in faith", manifesting Jesus as we trust Him to live in us.  It is a place of trust (faith) and obedience.  We get to this place by going against our flesh with obedience to the Word of God.  Remember, Jesus meets us at the entrance of "the Life" with a SWORD in His hand, and He has and will open the way (Josh 5:14; Heb 4:12-13).  We have God's permission to ASSUME that when we draw near to Him, He comes to us (James 4:8).  Don't wait until your circumstances are "out of control" to connect with God.  Speak out loud to your heart, instructing yourself to trust God, obey His voice and come.  We instruct our heart to trust God with the outcomes, no matter what they are. That's rest.  Our faith is to rest, confident that the outcomes are in God's hands. 

"HEAVENLY CALLING": The word "son/s" is used 23 times in Hebrews, and this book urges us to grow up to be sons (see also Galatians 4).  All through the book we read how being a "son", conformed to Jesus' image, is "better" than what we have experienced before.  We must not allow ourselves to be satisfied with "good enuf" because we are afraid of crucifixion.  This two-sided admonishment says that everything in "God's Rest" ("the Land") is "better" than settling for a life without meaning and influence, and without inheritance. Gal 6:7 and Heb 1:3 define "son" as the one who is "heir of God"/"heir of all things".  The other side of that is that when we DON'T press forward to enter in, God "loathes" us (3:10; Psa 95:8-11) and will not allow us to come into His Presence.

"EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF" :  The opposite of "laboring" to enter "God's Rest" is to have an "evil heart of unbelief".  Heb 3:8-11 are a quote from Psalm 95:7-11, where the word "grieved" is the translation of an OT word "loathed and detested".  How do we become the object of God's loathing?  This passage tells us they forfeited their inheritance thru hardened hearts and unbelief, which are manifested in complaining and looking to substitutes for reliance on God.  We harden our hearts every time we hear God's voice and refuse to respond in obedience.  They "tested God"- to see whether He would fail them.  They didn't bother to know "God's ways" which are the ways of obedience and rest.  When we don't obey and enter God's rest, there is a disconnect, a departing heart from God.  The end result: "an evil heart of unbelief" is rooted in FEAR and self-preservation.   The "deceitfulness of sin" is the lie that life is men-centered, and it leads to being self-serving.

FOR THE RECORD:  What is our inheritance as "sons conformed to the image of Jesus"? Exactly what is our goal?  Where is "the land" that we are headed for?  What our inheritance IS NOT: heaven.  Heaven is given to us when we are born again.  We enter "eternal life" at our rebirth (John 3:16, et al).  Hebrews 3 and 4 make it VERY CLEAR that "the Promised Land" is "God's Rest" and that it is still available in this life.  To "inherit" something, I don't have to die, but the Person who leaves me something dies (Heb 9:15-17). 1Pet 1:4-5 says our "inheritance" is "reserved in heaven" - (heaven is the place of "God's Rest" and His Throne)  which Greek word ("reserved") means that it is being held in reserve like a savings' account, so that we can access it and make withdrawals on it.   It is NOT being held until our death, but rather is for life NOW and we make withdrawals on it for the purpose of attaining God's goal: "that we might be partakers of the divine nature" (Heb 3:14; 2Pet 1:3-4).  It is a "MUST" that we "enter in" to God's rest (Heb 4:6)....to partake of God, to be "in faith" - to give our SOUL rest (Mat 11:29).  Using the allegory of the OT "inheritance", we may say that in the NT, we find that our inheritance is "God's Rest" - it is a state of mind of being "in faith", rather than having an "evil heart of unbelief" with its inherent unrest, fear, rebellion, disappointment, dissatisfaction.

RESPONSE:   In practical terms, what does all this mean? First of all, Hebrews says it is more glorious to be God's believing son (confirmed to Christ's image), than to be only His servant. So, when the opportunities come to "enter in" to God's rest, I must seize them, through self-sacrifice and obedience to God. The alternative, which is a form of self-preservation, is to back off in fear and unbelief because I don't really believe that partaking of God is "better" than serving myself.  Fear of death and self-preservation is at the very root of unbelief.  I used to always wonder what would happen to me?  Who is going to look out for me? What about me?  Life in God (lived by faith) cannot be man-centered.

The other thing I had trouble understanding was that to access God's rest, took "LABOUR".  I was supposed to WORK AT IT! We don't try harder; we train more (before we need to be armed against the fight).  Each time we train ourselves to trust God and magnify Him, it gets easier to remember Him when situations arise.  When we refuse to deny our flesh at these opportunities, our heart hardens against God.  We can't wait until the challenge comes to train our hearts.  We must train beforehand.  We can't fight a battle without training.  We must train every day, all the time.

For example, someone insulted me and it made me mad. I can think of lots of "come-backs" to defend myself.  However, God wants me to "rest" - trust Him, believe Him, be satisfied with what He gives me, be content to be loved and accepted by Him.  How do I do that?  Before this ever happens, I instruct my own heart every morning that God can be trusted.  He is faithful.  He has always been there for me.  He has never left me or been unkind.  He is full of mercy toward me.  He has lost His heart to me and is totally in love with me.  God wraps me in His arms when I ask Him to.  God is mighty, a strong deliverer, a wonderful Friend.  What I am doing is convincing my own heart that it is okay to trust God completely. I don't need to ever defend myself. Then, when the opportunity comes, when the insult is made, I tell myself (not out loud this time), that everything is okay.  Nothing bad will happen to me if I don't react my "old" way.  I refuse to harden my heart in order to get what I think I want.  There is nothing that I want bad enough to sin in order to get it.  I rest.   Anything else is "evil" and "unbelief".  What follows is "better" than what I had going on before - a better position in God ("son"), and more to follow. The "rest" that I have is from being completely satisfied with God; He is all I really need.

PSALM 104:1-23                                                                                                         
IMPORTANT: Please refer back to the background information of Psalm 90-106: the "Numbers" Psalms - "Labouring" to enter in to God's Rest."

Psalm 104 is called "The Creation Psalm" because it parallels the six days of creation in Genesis.  In the midst of His creation, God is manifest as being full of majesty and power and greatness. He is greater than anything we may face. All of life arises and vanishes in total dependence on God. All of creation has Divine purpose, including me.  When my heart fears or feels threatened, I can know that God's greatness has not been challenged or threatened. He owns it all; He formed it all; He can manage me.  If He chooses, He has angel-servants to help me.

NOTE: V. 5 says that even though the earth is hung on nothing, it would remain forever.  It is so permanent, that not even the shock of sin would destroy it entirely. (see Job 26:7)  Nothing would disturb the earth's position in the universe.  The earth hangs in mid-air, resting on its own foundations (gravity? - drawing everything toward its center? or is it Jesus, upholding it with the word of His power:Heb 1:3?).  Psa 78:69 calls the earth "established forever", as does Eccl 1:4.  The word for "earth" refers to the land, the solid ground, not the world systems that are man-centered and therefore temporary and doomed for judgment.

PROVERBS 26:24-26                                                                                                     
This is in the context of things that destroy like fire. Here is a person with "hatred" in his heart.  This hatred could be anything from "being set against" someone, to actual "malicious brooding".  Either way, the person with hatred in his heart is UNTRUSTWORTHY.  Even tho' he covers up his hatred with deception, with false friendship, with sweet-talk, eventually his heart will be exposed publicly.  The Lesson Here: Don't be taken in by sweet-talking or by too-quick offers of friendship if you don't know the person well.  Better yet, do like Jesus:  "But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man." John 2:24-25.  In fact, when it comes right down to it: 1 Peter 2:23 says, "He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly."  We only trust people indirectly as we trust Jesus and the Father.  We are motivated by what pleases God and by self-sacrifice.  The only person who truly suffers harm from hatred is the one who has hatred in his heart. 1 John 3:15 says he is a murderer and does not have the life of God in him.