The Big Picture

I know Ezekiel is not light reading, but it is there, and as I have said before, if you want to read the whole bible, you need to read it. I don't think anyone could make a movie out of it. The scenes described are best left to our imagination, because re-creating them would be next to impossible if the movie maker were to stick to the text.

The Sovereign Lord speaks to Ezekiel and commands him to tell the people what He says. It is hard. He eats a scroll, he shaves his head, he sees the glory of the Lord depart from the temple, he hears God promise to restore, he is commanded to symbolize the exile, he is commanded to condemn false prophets, his wife dies, he sees visions of heavenly hosts, he raises dry bones back to life and more. And that is only through chapter 37.

Quite a life. Quite a story. As I am reading and thinking I keep coming back to the thought that God is sovereign and we will know that He is Lord. All will know He is Lord. Everything in between this moment as you are reading and that moment is heading you towards that climactic point, when you will know that He is Lord.

Our free will can make the road there bumpy or joyful. No doubt we will encounter potholes not created by us, but, for the most part the more we get our minds around the concept that "He is Lord" the smoother the ride will be.

The people of Ezekiel's time were not interested in what he had to say. Not interested in focusing on the fact that "He is Lord" with sad consequences. I can't imagine we will be exiled, but I can say that the joy of the Lord is the Lord's. By that I mean, as we do our own thing we can not have His joy. He won't give it to us. If we want His joy, we need to do His thing, His way. And without His joy we really are like men and women in exile.

So I am reading on. There is good news to come. The King will return, His glory will shine and His river will flow. In the mean time I am praying I will listen to the word of the Lord through Ezekiel and repent, draw near and seek the joy found in holiness.