Day 159 – Ezekiel: Messages of Doom

“Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words.” Ezekiel 2:1-2 NLT

Reading Ezekiel 1:1 to Ezekiel 24:27

An angel gave Ezekiel a vision of the Temple and Heaven in great, descriptive detail. God’s holy presence had departed from Israel and the Temple because of sin. The building of a future Temple portrays the return of God’s glory and presence. God will cleanse his people and restore true worship. One day, all of God’s promises will be fulfilled under the rule of the Messiah. His faithful followers will be restored to perfect fellowship with God and with one another.

While Jeremiah was prophesying in Jerusalem that the city would soon fall to the Babylonians, Ezekiel was delivering the same message to the captives already in Babylon. Like those in Jerusalem, the captives stubbornly believed that the city would not fall and that they would soon return to their land. Ezekiel warned them that punishment was certain because of their sins and that God was purifying His people. He had to dispel the false hope that Israel’s captivity would be brief, explain the reasons for the severe judgments, and bring a message of future hope. Although people did not respond positively, they still heard the messages and know the truth. God’s people are not left without explanation and guidance, and neither are we.

Prayer: Father, thank You for choosing prophets who stood up for Your Word, Truth and Love.  Who, against all the world threw at him, still obeyed You. May we learn from these prophets not to shy away from Your truth but to boldly proclaim it to a lost world. Amen.