Thank you for joining us on this 30- day journey in our series, “Rising from the Ruins: Lessons from Ezekiel.” I pray that God has enriched your relationship with Him through the lessons of Ezekiel.
We have reached our last post, to God be the glory.
Ezekiel’s message was a mixture of harsh truths and delicate grace. It’s so important that we do not miss the highlights. In summary, this is what Ezekiel wants us to know.
We are wretched: God wasn’t shy in His declaration of man’s wretchedness. He used words, like whores, prostitutes, mentruous women and images of unkempt new born babies to compare iniquitous Israel. Ezekiel 16: 33 – 34 tells us that the people were drunken with sin and idolatry that they even paid and bribed others to have their full of “prostitution”. That we are wretched, is extremely vociferous in Ezekiel. If you read with an accepting heart, you can’t help but sense a tone of unworthiness. Ezekiel shows that we can do nothing about it, we just are.
We need a Savior: The Man in linen clothing pops up in a few chapters of Ezekiel. It’s no coincidence, because those who accept their wretchedness know they need a Savior. Jesus, our high priest is our Savior, the man in linen clothing. In Ezekiel, we see Him sealing the people of God before the angels of destruction are set loose upon this earth. An overlay often adds a flare of beauty to images. Grace offered through Jesus Christ is the overlay that covers the picture of our wretchedness, and transforms our image into beautiful creatures fit for the kingdom.
We are Helpless without God. God made it clear to the people that nothing they did, could save them from His hand of Judgement. Nothing they did, could restore them the lost fortunes. Nothing they had, was good enough to pay a ransom. Everything had to come from Him. Every redemption had to come through Him and Jesus is the only suitable payment for ransom. The Israelites were pitifully helpless. They were wandering around in captivity. Stripped of everything, they had ownership of nothing, in fact they were owned by someone else. Money, couldn’t help. Prestige was useless. Only God could suffice. He is our help.
We are loved by God.God made it clear that the people didn’t deserve the offer of restoration. But, because He is holy, because He is love, because we are His people, He will be our help and hope. And, He was to the people. He was their sanctuary. He was their provider and only He could quicken their dead bones, revive their graveyard and bring everything to life again. Though He classified the sins of the people with such a taste of decadence, He still called them, “My people.” He made the means to rebuild the temple. He provided for the restoration and He brought them out of bondage. He wants to do the same for you and me.
We are at the heart of God. God is preoccupied in heaven with earth’s proceedings. Angelic beings, dash to a fro with lightning speeds to help God’s people. God sits high upon the throne full from the iniquity of man, but makes careful plans for redemption. From the foundation of the world, He has been intimately involved in world affairs. When Jesus walked the earth, there was no deed done, that was not done for man. Except for quiet time prayers and rest, His life was engulfed with duty to man. What has man done for God? What has man done to God? Yet, God continues His pursuit for those who will genuinely declare love for Him. He will not desist until He brings those home to live with Him forever, in that lovely city we read about in the last chapter of Ezekiel.
Everything represented in Ezekiel represents humanity and God’s involvement with us. The book begins with doom, but it ends with a beautiful kingdom, a holy worship and a God declaring that He is our heritage, He is God. He is there, here and everywhere. He Is and all that should be the embodiment of human life.
Ezekiel 48: 35, “The entire circumference of the city is six miles. And the name of the city will be ‘The City of God.”
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