They Will Know

 

Ezekiel 12:15 They shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.

I am currently reading the book of Ezekiel, which is somewhat intimidating to me because of all the unusual and difficult-to-understand visions and messages he gives. However, I keep finding gems of understanding and insight that remind me of the power of God's Word even though I may not understand everything.

For example, by the time I got to chapter 12 in my reading today, I had encountered the phrase, 

                              “They shall know that I am the Lord”

 thirteen times, three of them here in chapter 12. 

Even though Ezekiel is describing all kinds of troubles and punishments because of the waywardness and sinfulness of God’s people Israel, in almost every context, God’s purpose is to bring His people into line and to remind them of His glory and His authority.

In chapter 12 alone I read the phrase several times:

         ✔In social upheaval (verse.15 says when they are dispersed and scattered abroad).

         ✔In physical turmoil (verse 16 explains, when facing famine and pestilence).

God’s purpose remains the same: to bring people beck to His ways. 

        ✔ In destruction and defeat (verse 20  calls it cities laid waste and land becoming desolate).

His purpose is clearly stated as redemptive. 

God, in His love and mercy, does all He can to persuade people to follow Him. 

For me, that knowledge lends a comforting and calming outlook on troubles and trials.

The Spiritual Life Cycle

Ezekiel 6:9b-10 They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices.  And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them.

I think sometimes we do not think our sin is very bad because we do not have a clear picture of how holy God is.  

 As we grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, we also grow in our knowledge and understanding of our sinfulness in comparison to His holiness. As that happens, we are more and more likely to loathe our sinfulness.  In doing so we then grow in our knowledge and understanding of God.  

This is the cycle of spiritual growth: 

     Our understanding of God makes us understand sin ...

          ... which makes us understand our sinfulness ...

               ... which makes us understand God ...

                   ... which makes us understand more of our sinfulness ... 

                         ... which makes us understand more of God’s holiness … 

And so we continue to grow more spiritually as this cycle continues to operate in our lives.

 

Worship? or Work?

 

Ezekiel 2:1 He said to me, “Son of man, stand upon your feet and I will speak to you.”

Why did Ezekiel have to stand up to listen to God speak to him?  

I see two reasons Ezekiel needed to stand up. 

1. Ezekiel had fallen on his face in worship when he became aware of the glory of the Lord.  Have you ever noticed in the Bible that every time God, or God's angelic messenger, appeared to someone, that person fell on his face in awe or worship or fear, or all three? Because of the awe Ezekiel felt when seeing the glory of God, Ezekiel was prepared to listen to what God had to say to him. 

He knew without any doubt that God was about to speak something important.

2. Standing was a signal for action.  What God said to him once he stood was a call to service.  God was sending him out to the Israelites with a message.

He could not obey that command lying on his face, even though it was in worship.  

There comes a time when we must stop worship and stand up and do something for God.   

There is a time for worship. But there is also a time for work. I want to be ready for both.