Bible in a Year Series - Day #239 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Ezekiel 1-4.
Today we begin the prophetic book of Ezekiel in our chronological reading of the Bible.
Ezekiel was a young contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah. However, at roughly the age of 25, Ezekiel found himself as one of the very first exiles to Babylon under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar and before the fall of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel's call from God occured when he was 30 years old while living in Babylonian captivity, roughly 593 BC, five years after his exile.
Therefore, we are going to go back in time from our position at the fall of Jerusalem in roughly 587 BC.
The book of Ezekiel is divided up into five sections:
- His ignaugural vision
- Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah (Jerusalem has yet to fall in Ezekiel's book)
- Oracles against Foreign Nations
- After the Fall of Jerusalem
- Vision of Restoration
Ezekiel 3:15:
"And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days."
After reading these first four chapters, I am with Ezekiel: mute and overwhelmed.
While certainly there is a great deal in these chapters that is straightforward, albeit unusual (eating the scroll, street drama), can you imagine seeing the glory of God accompanied by these inexplicable creatures?
When God decides to use a person in a great way, he often makes his first contact in such a way that the person is forevermore changed.
We have again witnessed such an event, and I think the proper thing to do when we encounter such an event is to stand back in silent awe.
See you tomorrow. I'm going to go workout and contemplate this scene.
