Ezekiel 1:13-15 & 16-18

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

  Ezekiel 1:13-25

  Verses 13-15 describes what the living beings looked like and then in 15 mentions wheels.  (Life Application Bible) Ezekiel 1:16 The wheels sparkled as if made of beryl.  All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it.  17 The beings could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved.  18 The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.

  Ezekiel is describing the wheels to be at right angles to each other, one on a north-south axis and the other on an east-west axis.  It is believed that these wheels demonstrate that GOD is present everywhere and is able to see all things.  God is not restricted to any one area, but is everywhere and rules all of life and history.

  We must remember this, that GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.

Thank you for reading today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Ezekiel 1:5-12 -- Four faces, do they mean anything?

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  John said he was the disciple Jesus loved; not because of arrogance, but because he finally realized that Jesus loves him more than he loves himself.

   This is the same for you---Jesus loves you more than you love yourself.  Go forth with the confidence Jesus thinks you are awesome.  Live strong and bold in Jesus.

  Ezekiel 1 - verse 5 & 6 --5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings.

  Experts believe that the 4 faces symbolize God's perfect nature.  Basically they believe they stand for strength, diligent service, intelligence and divinity.  Also, showing 4 faces could relate to 4 different personalities, such as God - 3 in 1. Just theories.

Ezekiel 1: 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 human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

  All of this is difficult to understand.  The feet burnished bronze; wings on 4 sides yet human hands.  All had faces and wings that touched. Burnished bronze emits a radiance that is bright (like God); wings denote angelic beings

  They (possibly Cherubims) were close together, move together, and were not chaotic in nature.  The hands under the wings could relate to man, human.

    Ezekiel 1: 10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, 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. 

   This is stated again by John in Revelation 4: 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.

    To interpret the vision the lion is seen as the Lion of Judah representing STRENGTH, then the ox as DILIGENT SERVICE,  the human as INTELLIGENCE, and the eagle as DIVINITY.   There are some theorists that believe this relates to the 4 gospels: Matthew -=man; Mark -=lion; Luke-=ox; and John -=eagle.  

   The 4 living beings may represent the attributes, qualities and character, of God.

         There are many other beliefs about this as well - some man is dominate over all and the animals - lion, ox, eagle - are dominate over the animals.  One day we may know, OR, we will be so excited singing  praises we don't care.

  Ezekiel 1:  11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.

  Trying to understand this is mind boggling for me.  However, I do believe I need to be aware of how the Old Testament relates to itself and to the New Testament.  This book is amazing.  More tomorrow. This is interesting to me and I pray also to you. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Ezekiel and his first vision

 Good morning all, God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Why did the Jewish people need a prophet when they were in captivity?  God wanted them to know why they were there, in captivity; and--- the time would be short and there was hope.  This would bring an awareness of and dependence on God.   Ezekiel shared the visions God gave him with the people to make them aware of God and the consequences of their actions.

   The name EZEKIEL means ''God is strong" or "God strengthens".  

Ezekiel saw a vision and we will look at chapter 1, verses 4 & 5a.  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. 

   Here comes a huge cloud, lightening, and a very bright light.  From the fire came 4 living creatures.  This was to show Ezekiel of Jerusalem's destruction which was coming and the punishment for the sins of Judah.  These living beings are in Revelation: 4:6,7 (6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.)

    Ezekiel was not close to Jerusalem when he received this vision and this made him more aware that God's presence is everywhere and that God is getting the events shaped up for earth.

  Well, you know more about Ezekiel and what God is doing at this time.  Next, we will do chapter 1, verses 5-12 and try to understand more about these times.

  Thank you for reading today.  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Ezekiel and his first vision!

 Good morning all, God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Why did the Jewish people need a prophet when they were in captivity?  God wanted them to know why they were there, in captivity; and--- the time would be short and there was hope.  This would bring an awareness of and dependence on God.   Ezekiel shared the visions God gave him with the people to make them aware of God and the consequences of their actions.

   The name EZEKIEL means ''God is strong" or "God strengthens".  

Ezekiel saw a vision and we will look at chapter 1, verses 4 & 5a.  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. 

   Here comes a huge cloud, lightening, and a very bright light.  From the fire came 4 living creatures.  This was to show Ezekiel of Jerusalem's destruction which was coming and the punishment for the sins of Judah.  These living beings are in Revelation: 4:6,7 (6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.)

    Ezekiel was not close to Jerusalem when he received this vision and this made him more aware that God's presence is everywhere and that God is getting the events shaped up for earth.

  Well, you know more about Ezekiel and what God is doing at this time.  Next, we will do chapter 1, verses 5-12 and try to understand more about these times.

  Thank you for reading today.  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Who is Ezekiel?

 Good morning everyone. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Who is Ezekiel?  When was he around? What did he do?  Was he a prophet?

Ezekiel, born and,raised in the land of Judah was preparing to become a priest in God's Temple when the Babylonians attacked  in 597 B.C. and carried him away along with 10,000 other captives (2 Kings 24:10-14).  The nation was at the edge of complete destruction.  Five years later, when Ezekiel was 30, which is the normal age for becoming a priest, God called him to be a prophet.

  During his first six years of ministering in the land of the Babylonians, Jeremiah was preaching to the Jews still in Judah and Daniel was serving in Nebuchadnezar's court.  The Jewish settlement of the exiles were located at the Kebar River which connected to the Euphrates in Babylonia.

  Ezekiel 1: 1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth ay, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2On 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.

  This is Ezekiel, who lived at the same time as Jeremiah and Daniel.  I was not aware of this and never really thought about it.  I hope you learned something new today as well.

  Tomorrow we'll go more into Ezekiel and see what is happening. Thank you for reading today. Love you all. 

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny