Forget the Wheels—Part One
I started in on the book of Ezekiel in my devotional reading this morning. Probably you've heard a good many sermons on. or references to, Ezekiel's "wheelie" visions. Everyone seems fascinated by the wheels and what they mean.
If you think I'm going to tell you the meaning of the wheels well, you can just toss that thought right out of your mind. Tumbling around and around in circles trying to figure out the wheels is a great way to miss the real focus of the passage. After Ezekiel finishes describing the undefinable he describes the indescribable. He sees the Lord.
"Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking" —Ezekiel 1:25-28, NIV.
Ezekiel forgot the wheels in the presence of the Lord.
There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Chasing those wheels isn't a bad occupation at all. But never let it distract us from seeing the Lord and hearing his voice.
I wonder if Ezekiel would have preferred to stick to his "wheelies" once he heard the message that God had for him, and the task that was to be assigned to him. After he received his assignment the Scriptures say: "The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in anger of spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord upon me" —Ezekiel 3:14, NIV.
On my list of things to ask when I get to heaven is exactly what Ezekiel was bitter and anger about. Was he annoyed that he had to leave all this glory? Was he disgusted because of his assignment? Did he finally have a tummy ache from the scroll that he ate in his vision? Was he frustrated because he never did solve the mystery of the wheels?
See how easy it is to get distracted and miss the point of the passage? I don't really need to know why Ezekiel left glory with an anger and bitter spirit.
What I do need to do is hear God's voice, accept his assignment and get on with it, just like Ezekiel.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on Ezekiel's assignment.
If you think I'm going to tell you the meaning of the wheels well, you can just toss that thought right out of your mind. Tumbling around and around in circles trying to figure out the wheels is a great way to miss the real focus of the passage. After Ezekiel finishes describing the undefinable he describes the indescribable. He sees the Lord.
"Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking" —Ezekiel 1:25-28, NIV.
Ezekiel forgot the wheels in the presence of the Lord.
There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Chasing those wheels isn't a bad occupation at all. But never let it distract us from seeing the Lord and hearing his voice.
I wonder if Ezekiel would have preferred to stick to his "wheelies" once he heard the message that God had for him, and the task that was to be assigned to him. After he received his assignment the Scriptures say: "The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in anger of spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord upon me" —Ezekiel 3:14, NIV.
On my list of things to ask when I get to heaven is exactly what Ezekiel was bitter and anger about. Was he annoyed that he had to leave all this glory? Was he disgusted because of his assignment? Did he finally have a tummy ache from the scroll that he ate in his vision? Was he frustrated because he never did solve the mystery of the wheels?
See how easy it is to get distracted and miss the point of the passage? I don't really need to know why Ezekiel left glory with an anger and bitter spirit.
What I do need to do is hear God's voice, accept his assignment and get on with it, just like Ezekiel.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on Ezekiel's assignment.
This is GREAT, Lynda. It is SO easy to get caught up in things like that and miss the important stuff (especially in Ezekiel - which I tend to call "Freaky Zekie LOL"). Looking forward to hearing the next part of this.
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