The Life of Ezekiel

~ A Life That Pleased God ~   

We can learn a lot about how to please God from the prophet Ezekiel. His name means “God will strengthen” and his life was truly strengthened by God. He has been termed the “prophet of God’s glory.” Would you want to be remembered with an epitaph of “He displayed God’s glory”? Quite a testament to a life well lived! 

In the book of Ezekiel we find the word “living” used at least 40 times. A key message of the book shows that there is no true serving God apart from a deep spiritual life of intimacy with God. Remember that while God has no favorites, He allows each of us to chose to be intimate with Him.

The tone of the book is set forth in the first chapter as Ezekiel presents a Vision of Four Figures (1:1-21) and a Vision of Divine Glory (22-28). Then in chapter 2 we find Ezekiel’s call. Let’s consider some aspects of a life which pleases God from the visions Ezekiel experienced in chapter one.

A consistent life ~ “Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze” (verse 7). The implication of “their legs were straight” is being focused and consistently striving toward the overall goal. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

A consecrated life ~ “And each went straight forward…” (v. 12a). This is like an amplification of the earlier thought but this phrase contains action—they lived a consecrated life, set apart for doing the right thing.  

A controlled life ~ “Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went” (v. 12b). They were led by, controlled by, the Spirit of God. In the New Testament we are told, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

A convincing life ~ “I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp” (v. 24a). What interesting phrases? “The sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters… like the voice of the Almighty” gives the impression of power and divine authority. 

A contemplative life ~ “Whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings” (vs. 24b-25). They weren’t just still, but they were letting down their wings, suggestive of a quiet, reflective time, a time of communion with God, a time of listening to God as well as talking to Him. 

A crowned life ~ “Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that's what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God! When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground” (vs. 26-28). Awaiting all true servants is the coming into the very presence of God and receiving crowns of rewards for a life well lived. 

SUMMARY:  Is your life Consistent spiritually? Is your life Consecrated to God? Is your life Controlled by the Spirit? Is your life Convincing to those around? Is your life Contemplative in communion with your Creator? Are there Crowns waiting for you when you enter into the presence of God?

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW