Ezekiel 3:4-17 ~ Thus says the Lord God

 

Ezekiel 3:4-17

4 And He said to me, “Son of man, go, get you to the House of Israel, and speak with My Words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. 7 But the House of Israel will not listen to you; for they are not willing to listen to Me; because all the House of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stubborn heart. 

Behold,
I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. 9 Like adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead; fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” 

10 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get you to the exiles, to your people, and say to them, 

‘Thus says the Lord God’; 

whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

Then the Spirit lifted me up, 

and as the Glory of the Lord 

arose from Its Place, 

I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake; it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a great earthquake. 

The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the Hand of the Lord being strong upon me; 15 and I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who dwelt by the river Chebar. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

16 And at the end of seven days, the Word of the Lord came to me: 

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My Mouth, you shall give them warning from Me.” 

The description of Babylon and Babylonian customs in Histories by the Greek historian Herodotus c. 484-425/413 BC

Unlike the First Exodus, or "The Exodus", the Babylonian Chaldean Empire of Nebuchadnezzar II, The Babylonian Exile or Second Exodus, created thousands of documents and documentation exactly mirroring Jeremiah of the Scriptures and the Scripture Holy Spirit Word and Works done in slavery.

We always think slavery would have been terrible, it would, and the 1,000-mile walk away from the flames of the First Temple would have been dragging through a horrendous desert. The tortuous walk into slavery would have been horrendous, but it was not all desert. It was fairly well watered. Babylon was a Garden City surrounded by 2 of the rivers, mentioned describing Eden.

We always think Babylon's 3rd king, Cyprus, was the inventor of Human Rights and Compassion. 

But during the 70-year captivity God told Jeremiah correctly and prophetically about, Nebuchadnezzar II was the first to show the slaves compassion. 

Nebuchadnezzar called them exiles. It wasn't just a political spin, during the 4 times of slave round up with Nebuchadnezzar II and the errant Judah who ignored their political deals, Nebuchadnezzar was rounding up the best slaves/nobles/High Priests to make his Babylonian Chaldean Empire culturally adept and significant. Nebuchadnezzar wanted the "exiles" to gather on their Sabbath and celebrate their God. Nebuchadnezzar was pleased with their God and felt Isaiah 10 was about the Righteousness of Nebuchadnezzar II teaching Judah to behave. Even if Jeremiah told Nebuchadnezzar II was dooming his nation to desert status instead of garden fame. 

We can see, from the artwork, why Esther's family would not depart for Judah when their slavery was lifted. Babylon was very cultured, gardened and delightful.

Emperor Nebuchadnezzar liked God. And he was pleased to sort out Ezekiel to be the High Priest in the Babylonian Chaldean Empire based upon Ezekiel's Priest Levi lineage and father's resume in the Priesthood. 

Scripture always explains Scripture and in the clarity of this joy, we find we know God and know His Power. God of Love.

Ecclesiastes 3 

For everything there is a season, 

and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; 
nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. 

What Ezekiel perceives, if Ezekiel had been a political machine, now would be the time he would be capitulating.  Meet Greet. Glad hand. 

And instead, Ezekiel hears from The Lord, it is not time to laugh, dance, gather stones, embrace. The Lord says see eye to eye that the Lord is Firmly in Place. The Lord's Plans Will Come To Fruition.

Nebuchadnezzar II promised the exiles, he would return them. And so did the next 4 kings. The 4th was the charm. What did it matter what an Emperor said to slaves.  The Lord let Nebuchadnezzar know the huge garden district would become desert.  Even a triumphant king has The Lord to account to for his words. 

 Job 42:2 

I know that you can do all things, 

and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

Proverbs 21:30

There is no wisdom, no insight, not plan that can 

succeed against The Lord

Abba, Holy Father,

We pray with the Blessing of Hannah - for all the parents 

who have realized they did their lives with God:

1 Samuel 2

1Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;

in the Lord my horn is lifted high.

My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one Holy like the Lord;

there is no one besides You;

there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly

or let your mouth speak such arrogance,

for the Lord is a God Who knows,

and by Him deeds are weighed.

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,

but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,

but those who were hungry are hungry no more.

She who was barren has borne seven children,

but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;

He brings down to the grave and raises up.

7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;

He humbles and he exalts.

8 He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

He seats them with princes

and has them inherit a Throne of Honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;

on them 

He has set the world.

9 He will guard the feet of His faithful servants,

but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;

10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

The Most High will thunder from Heaven;

the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to His king

and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

And in the Strength of our Abba,

we place ourselves, our cares,

our Loved ones

the people God has given us.

And Our Nation, our communities,

our employments, our Schools, our Churches.

All the Nations trusting in Him

all the Beloved around the world - calling on Jesus

and for more of the Holy Spirit to bring

more Heaven to our lives 

and upon His Good Creation.

Our God who wants to fulfill His Will to save

through Jesus Christ.

Dwell in us, Father,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first

and in Jesus Christ,

we will finish well.

In Jesus Christ

Our Lord

Our Savior

Wonderful Jesus,

we find

Our Alleluia in You.

Amen.

 Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus