Dear Ones:
Ezekiel tells us that he saw “…the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” (Ez. 1:28) When you read the passage and meditate on what he saw, you can understand his reaction: “…And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard of one that spake.” Following this revelation, as he meditated on it and the words that the Lord had spoken to him, Scripture says that he “…sat where they sat, and remained there astonished (overwhelmed) for seven days.” (3:16) One of the great values, and blessings of God, when we worship, is that by the Spirit we begin to see God for who He is. It is certain that we cannot grasp now the eternal as one day we shall, but God is able to give to us what we need to see of His glory, so that we truly take our rightful place before Him to give Him all the praise and glory. What happens after this revelation to Ezekiel is very important also, for the Lord commands him to STAND UPON HIS FEET, “…and I will speak unto thee.” Why does he tell him to stand?
When John the apostle saw Jesus in his glory, he “…fell at his feet as dead.” (Rev. 1:17) As in the case of Ezekiel, the vision of the glory of God was the precursor for God revealing His will to them, what they were to trust Him for as they went forward. For Ezekiel, the vision of God was not the end of the matter, but the beginning, for then his mission would be described, and the commission given. The vision was given not only to increase the faith of Ezekiel, but to impress upon him the divine nature of the calling. But now, as in the case of Isaiah, the “out working” of the vision comes into view, and for this, Ezekiel must STAND…be in that position, not only to hear, but to go forward. Immediately after the revelation of God to Isaiah, the words came: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, send me.” (Is. 6:8) If we look at the experience of the Apostle Paul, we find the parallels of revelation and commission: “…a light from heaven…I am Jesus whom thou persecutest….Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles.” (Acts 9:3-4,15) We might ask the question, “What does this have to do with me? I am not an Isaiah, Ezekiel, or an Apostle Paul.” This is true. But you are, we are, worshippers of Jesus Christ, like they were. Out of that worship came the revelation of Christ by the Spirit to their hearts of Who He is, and what His calling is. The great question then becomes: “Do I truly sit at His feet (even fall at His feet) to worship Him, and then do I stand up to hear what He will say unto me?”
Habakkuk wrote: “I will STAND upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He (the Lord) will say unto me…” (Hab. 2:1) He will go on to write: “…And the Lord answered me…” (2:2) When Jeremiah was in prison, and the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar was being laid against it, he wrote that, “…the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time…’Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and might things which thou knowest not.'” (Jer. 33:1-3) How many of us, out of a life of worship, STAND to hear the word of God to our hearts, and to believe and obey Him? How many of us “call” with the certainty that God WILL answer us, and reveal to us that which we need to see and know? The revelation of His glory is given to arrest our attention, and to bring us to the proper perspective of who He is and what we are. The command to “STAND” is given to bring us to attention, and look attentively to Him to see what He will say to us. In God’s purpose and provision, He desires to reveal to all us individually, and together, the direction we are to take…and this with assurance, and clarity.
Dear Father, God of clarity and peace, God of glory and power, give to us in this hour “to PROVE the sweet omnipotence of Thy love.” Enable us to worship Thee in Spirit and in truth, trusting Thee to grant to us “…the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thee, …strengthening us in the inner man to believe Thee.” And fill us all with the knowledge of Thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we might choose that which is excellent, and KNOW Thy leading, guidance, and care..for Thy glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Love, Dad