Ezekiel became a major priest in the second of three separate battles with slave round-ups, chosen carefully by status, from Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II. Ezekiel was asked to go with the first round-up, but he had deference for the Major Priest.
In the second round-up, the job was vacant due to old age. By the third round-up Ezekiel's good wife had died. Nebuchadnezzar thought so much of the young priest, he gave Ezekiel a house on the Chebar River.
The peace, the sound and the presence of God gave Ezekiel guidance for the enslaved nation Nebuchadnezzar quickly changed the status of out-right slavery to exiles.
One of the clay tablets revealing the presence of the Judean royal house as prisoners in Babylon. Excavated from an arched building near the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon. The cuneiform texts, 595 - 570 B.C., contain lists of rations of barley and oil issued to the captive princes and artisans, including "Yaukin, king of the land of Yahud." This is a direct reference to Jehoiachin (or Jeconiah). The other tablets mention his 5 sons accompanying him to Babylon. Staatliche Museum, Berlin
In the middle of all of this culture, Ezekiel could find God. And see incredibly far in this Love and Hope.
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin- 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.
4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 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. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 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.
Nebula Heart
What does bringing this focus to every day?
Ezekiel was so convinced of God and His Goodness, he was open completely to the belief God would do amazing Works of God.
Ezekiel was able to look at life with a Hope and a Future in God's Good Purpose and Plan. And in this faith of the Goodness of God, Ezekiel spoke amazing words of Hope.
We have this spark in us. This Light of God. His Hope.
We have this spark in us. This Light of God. His Hope.
And give thanks for the kindness of people around us. Giving thanks for kind words. For visitors. For the Diligent. Being diligent ourselves. We make the Circle of God's Love complete. And some days this isn't a joy, until we remember Psalm 136 His Steadfast Love endures forever. If we roll a stone, we do work. Jesus didn't skate to His Ministry - He put work going and doing. On the days of being bogged down in the typical, Ezekiel reminds us to be lifted up.
Let the circle be unbroken, by and by Lord, by and by.
Let the circle be unbroken, by and by Lord, by and by.
When we think of the Second Exodus, we think of people dying walking 1,000 miles. Nebuchadnezzar II built the Empire seeing God and His Wisdom. The rise of Daniel. The help for Ezekiel to decide his fate. Nebuchadnezzar II brought the faithful the freedom to worship.
One of the clay tablets revealing the presence of the Judean royal house as prisoners in Babylon. Excavated from an arched building near the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon. The cuneiform texts, 595 - 570 B.C., contain lists of rations of barley and oil issued to the captive princes and artisans, including "Yaukin, king of the land of Yahud." This is a direct reference to Jehoiachin (or Jeconiah). The other tablets mention his 5 sons accompanying him to Babylon. Staatliche Museum, Berlin
In the middle of all of this culture, Ezekiel could find God. And see incredibly far in this Love and Hope.
Ezekiel 1
The Living Creatures and the Glory of the Lord
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin- 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.
4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 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. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 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.
Abba, Father God,
As we see discouragement on faces around us,
Help us to lean to Your Encouragement.
God of Encouragement, God of Love.
We pray for our Nation, our State, our state of being, the communities in our lives.
The news reports.
We ask You to dwell in us.
Give us Your Love and mercy to find You first.
Bless the Nation, the population praying. Help those who are weary to pray.
Help us to be Strong. Filled with Hope.
Thank You for the Churches and Christian Missionaries finding they aren't in need.
Help the small business owners to find their Good News in You.
Help us with the Vaccinations continuing to roll out.
In these new times, help us find our purpose each Day, pleasing You.
Help us to stay in Good Health.
Comfort those who have lost a loved one.
And to help those suffering to find Healing.
Remind us if we don't grow weary of doing good, we will find our reward.
We need our Hope to last with Your Help.
We lift up Elliott, to Jesus to say His Healing Word for Elliott and his comfort.
Bless us with to help with prayer to recover from
Singed nerves and to not have so much loud aggression
and sorrow. To have the encouragement of Better Days to look to.
We pray for the weather Texas and others are receiving.
Father God, let this not be this cold and bad.
We ask for Your Mercy, Willing Blessings
and Healing Word in Jesus.
We pray for Covid minds and suffering,
the Historic cruelty of Pandemic
to end.
Let Your Word Go Forth for Your Blessings, Father God.
Bless the United States and the Elected Officials to go forth to know in the Lord.
And all the Nations seeking Him and His Blessings.
Amen in Jesus Christ.
The Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus tells us, has shining water
just as Ezekiel knew.
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