The Manifest Glory of God | Ezekiel 1:4-28

• Sermon Transcript

  Good morning. It's good to see you this morning. Well, years ago, in a small town, there were these two little boys, an eight year old and a 10 year old. And if there was trouble in the town, usually, they were in the middle of it. And so the parents were at their wit's end didn't know what to do. And so they had heard that there was a pastor in town, who could work miracles with bad little children, he just could construct the fear of God and love and get them to behave. So they said, well, we'll send him we'll send these boys to the pastor and see what he can do. So they sent the eight year old first, and they thought they'd send the 10 year old after him. So that eight year old and went down one afternoon, met with the pastor in his office. The pastor was a large man, big booming, voice intimidating. And he sent the little boy down, and he said, Where is God? And the boy's mouth dropped open, and no response. So he said, even sterner, where is God, little boy, had had no attempt to answer didn't know what to say. And finally, the pastor got to his feet and, and put his finger in the boy's face and said, Where is God. And the boy screamed, and bolted from the room and ran all the way home. And he went to his his room and dove into his closet and slammed the door behind him a few minutes later, his older brother found him and said, What's wrong, what happened? And the younger brother was having a hard time breathing said, We're in big trouble. God is missing. And they think we did it. God is certainly not missing. Amen. God is not missing. He's glorious. He's ever present. He's wonderful. Everything that you can think of that's good is God. Today we're talking about the glory of God and how it was displayed in the call of Ezekiel. We're going to see how incredible God is. Today we have a long passage. So I'm going to pray. And then we'll dive in. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for passages such as this, which is a challenging one, but one that we can learn a lot from you, as we as we look at the imagery that was used and how you revealed these angels in your glory to Ezekiel, this day, Father, Lord, I pray that you take my words and they reflect your heart and turn them into a sermon today, Father, I pray that that you would fill me with your Spirit in preaching, and that those here today and those watching online or on TV would also receive this message. And it would help them today Jesus name, amen. The Book of Ezekiel was, was written during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. And in 605 BC, Jerusalem was attacked. Daniel and other captors were taken to Babylon. And then about eight years later, and 597, Jerusalem was attacked again by Babylon. This time they took treasure from the temple, and more captains were taken to Babylon, of which Ezekiel was one. And then 10 years later to 587, Jerusalem fell, and almost everyone remaining in the kingdom and was exiled. Ezekiel was taken captive in this second phase, and the people of God had had been captured. They're in the middle of being captured in the process of losing their nation. They're now captives to a foreign ruling empire. God had sent prophet after prophet to Judah and, and Israel. He'd urge them to turn from worshipping false gods to quit living sinful lifestyles or or God would judge them. And he gave them message after message. And he gave them chance, after chance, but they never fully listened, and never turned to them with their heart. And so now, they find themselves under his judgment. Yet, even in judgment, even in judgment, God was still with him. God is still sending them His Word, he's still giving them words of hope. And it starts with God revealing Himself to His prophet Ezekiel and this incredible way. He's revealing himself in showing how magnificent and how glorious he is. So today I want to give you three attributes of God's glory three attributes of the glory of God, that we see in this passage number one is that God is omnipresent meaning he is everywhere. He is omnipresent, meaning he is every where verse forces. As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud with brightness around it, and fire flashing fourth continually. In the midst of the fire, it was word gleaming metal zekiel sees a storm, more literally, a whirlwind, a tornado, with wind, lightning, and it's coming from the north, which is usually synonymous with God's judgment. When you see God's judgment throughout Scripture. It's, it's coming from the north. And so he understood that this vision, this storm, coming from the north, was not just some coincidence, it wasn't just some factor of climate change, and nothing like that. It was from the judgment of God, coming from the north man that God was sending this storm. That storm being the Babylonians, and blinding light from the storm underscored that the glory of God was in the storm that he was sending to God's people. And then it says in verse five, and from the midst of it, came the likeness of four living creatures. Now, this is one of the more famous descriptions in all of Scripture. Probably because we're not real sure exactly what all it means. There are differences of opinion about certain images. People actually have tried to draw this out. And if you've seen it drawn out, it's actually kind of like pretty frightening. It's kind of like a little bit of a horror movie. In chapter 10 ZICO reveals that these living creatures were Chair of them, special heavenly angels, they had unique power and, and, and glory, and they typically surround God. But here they are, showing themselves to Ezekiel, typically around the throne of God, and here they are speaking to zekiel and says in verse five, this was their appearance, they had a human likeness. They had a human likeness. Now, they weren't men. They weren't human. But they had some form or structure that looked human. And he goes into detail of what they looked like for six. Each had four faces. Now you may have heard of someone being to face before, but they had four faces. For seven, their legs are straight. And the soles of their feet were like the soul the calf's foot, and they sparkled like burnished bronze. under their wings, on their four sides, they had human hands, and the four had their faces and their wings. Thus, verse nine, their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward without turning as they went, asked for the likeness of their faces each had a human face. Before had the face of a lion on the right side of the forehead, the face of an ox on the left side of the forehead, the face of an eagle, such with their faces, and their wings were spread out above each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another while to cover their bodies and each went straight forward. And wherever the spirit would go, they went. Without turning as they went, and asked for the likeness of the living creatures. Their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures, and the fire was bright and out of the fire went forth lightning, and the living creatures darted to and fro like the appearance of a flash of lightning. So you have these creatures with four faces, they're going back and forth and darting back and forth and, and going, whatever the Spirit led them to go. A lot has been said about these faces and what they represent. Bible scholars have a lot of theories. Some say they, they represent the tribes of Israel. Some say they represent all of intelligent creation. Some say they represent that sentient creation that all beings that are aware of that can feel. But what is unmistakable in this description is that it shows that God is everywhere. He's going everywhere he sees, seeing everything, looking at everything, wherever the Spirit wants to go, it goes, he is everywhere. God is everywhere now. God is not in everything. That is a difference. He created everything. I'm gonna show you a little bit about some views of God, that we have an image here, we should have, feel look at the middle one that were just as God. That's pantheism that's the view that God is in everything. Like, like the lizard outside is God. My dog is God, Your God, this pulpit is God. The roof is God, the redwood trees, God, God is in everything. That's not a biblical view of God. That's pantheism. dualism next to it says that God and the universe are on these, this this path and they're both going the same way that God is independent from the universe. That's not what we believe. deism believes that there's God and creation but they're both separate. And materialism, their second from the left believes that there is no God, there's just the universe. This is what you typically hear from a lot of unbelievers, people who are spiritual to talk about the universe did this the universe gave me a bad hand the universe has has done this system with the they'll call the universe but reality on the far left is that there's God who is over all creation, because He created it. So because he transcends all creation, God transcends time he transcends space. God is everywhere, not in everything. He's everywhere, which is much better than being in everything. He's Omni, present. So we call this God's Omni presence. He is everywhere, at all times, wherever you go, there he is, you can't escape him. And would you want to know God's size cannot be measured. We had to measure it, his size would be said to be larger than anything we can imagine. He cannot be limited by time or space. He transcends them both. Look at Psalm 139. The writer says, Where shall I go from your spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence? Sometimes I'll tell this to my little four year old John David who won't leave me alone. I can't get away from you. He says this, If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed and she'll you were there, if I take the wings in the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me says, I can't get away from you. No matter where I go. There you are, there is nowhere in the entire universe where we can avoid God's presence. That's really good. If you know Jesus, but if you don't, I imagine it's haunting. Knowing that God is watching, and you're living a life of sin, that is going to be judged. This is what he's trying to show Ezekiel, that even in their captivity, even in the sin they brought upon themselves, God is still with them, even in Babylon. God is still with him. Even though you can't see the table, even though there's no sacrifices, God is still with him. No matter what you are going through in your life, no matter how down you might be today, even if you brought it upon yourself. Even if you're living in the consequences of your own sin, God is still with you. Amen. And that's what he's trying to tell that he's omnipresent. He is every where, and even in the storms that God might bring into your life, to get your attention, to get you to turn back to him. He is everywhere. Secondly, not only is he everywhere, God is omniscient, meaning He is all knowing. He's everywhere. And he knows all. You might think, you know, people who are all knowing, but they're not. There's only one being that knows all. He's God. Verse 15, he says now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel On the earth, beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction, their appearance was like the blooming of barrel. The four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction, being as it were a wheel within a wheel becomes more confusing when you look at Think about that way, a wheel within a wheel. And when they went, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went. They're just not turning but they're rotating or something. And somehow they're not turning but they're going wherever they want. Verse 418, in their rims were taught awesome in the rims of all four were full of eyes, on just one too, full of eyes, seeing everything. Verse 19, and when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. And wherever the Spirit wanted to go, they went. And the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of living creatures was in the wheels. And when those went, these went, and when those stood these stood, and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of living creatures, was in the wheels. This is a representation of God's omniscience, that he knows all he sees all. He sees all that's transpiring, and he knows all that is happening. God knows all there is to know. The first John 320. For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart. And He knows everything. For whenever a heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and he knows everything. God knows everything there is to know everything. He knows everything that there is about you. Is everything that there is about me. Look at Matthew six, eight. He says, Do not be like them for your Father knows what you need. Before you ask Him. He knows what you need. When you don't know what you need. You might think you know what you need, but God really knows what you need. And it might not line up with what you think you need. Psalm 139, one through four. Oh, Lord, you've searched me and known me. You know, when I sit down. You know, when I rise up, You discern my thoughts and you're not even with me from afar. You're not with me. You're not even in my head technically, but But you just serve them. You search out my path and my lying down and you are acquainted with all my ways, even before award is all my tongue. Behold, Lord, you know it all together. God knows what you're gonna say before you say it. He knows everything about you. Look at Psalm 139 16. Your eyes saw my unformed substance. In your book were written, every one of them the days that were formed for me when as yet they were none of them. Your life has been written. You have not lived all of it yet. But all your days have been written. Now, I guess if you're super independent person that might frighten you a little bit. It's not fatalism. It's just that God knows all. You still make real decisions. You're living in real time, there's still you still have choices in this life. But God knows whatever choice you might make. And he knows that every choice you don't make in every possible scenario, and every possibility. And that should give you great comfort. Knowing that this life is not out of control, that God knows everything that could possibly happen. Look at Matthew 1121. And they rejected Jesus he says, Woe to you Corizon Woe to you Bethsaida. For the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and sign on, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Jesus knows how people would have acted if it were to happen. It didn't. But if it were this is what would have happened. Now I like to tell my children all the time. Well, you know, if you've done this, this would have happened. If you hadn't done this, this is what happened. But I don't really know that I've pretty good indicator inclination, high chance the probability but I don't really know. But when God says it would have happened, it would have happened Amen. God knows how things could and would occur. He knows where our steps will take us. We may not have the future figured out, but he knows all. So he does. And the fact that God is all knowing is an ever present comfort for us. Have you ever wondered why certain things you desired in life? Never came about? wondered about that certain things in your life just never happened? You You're Why did that not happen? Why did that not occur? Have you ever thought about that the fact that these things didn't come about might have been God's grace in your life? Have you thought about that before? Things that you might have wanted? Could have been a curse. It might have been God protecting you. blessing you. Have you ever thought that God knew what would have happened? Had you get in your gotten your way? Many times, it's by God's grace and his knowledge of future possible events that he protects us from suffering, I can't tell you the amount of times where I have been late for something or, or or something gets in my way or something. And then maybe I see a wreck down the road that just happened. Or something lines up or like, you know, I would have been right there. When that happened. That's happened to me multiple times. And I was frustrated about not being something or getting something and then I realized, whoa, I'm glad that did not occur. God's by his knowledge of future possible events. As a child of God, he is protecting us. He is with us I saw a video one day of these children, it was called like saves or something like this, where a child would fall off a chair, fall off a boat dock or something and, and as it was happening, like the dad or the mom or somebody would catch him just in time, the child never knew was the baby like a baby, a little kid never knew what was happening or what could have happened in the data the mom saved them. God does that for us all the time, without us ever knowing. He protects us from further suffering. He knows we talked about this last week, he knows the number of hairs on our head. He knows the amount of grains of sand on the earth. But he doesn't necessarily have to take inventory. He just knows it. But then Isaiah three says something interesting. He says that, that God will not remember our sins. Well, how can he know everything and not remember our sins? Well, God will not literally forget our sins. He will however, not keep let our sins keep us in relationship from him. He never brings them up. They don't keep us from relationship to him. Our sins are as good as forgotten. Some may say, If God knows all things that will ever happen, does that mean? We don't have freedom to make choices? No. As I mentioned earlier, we make real decisions that determine our actions we have real actions and consequences. But God knows it all. God knows everything. And he's working in this life for us, as he knows everything. And finally, number three, God is omnipotent meaning all powerful. All Powerful, first 20 to over the heads of the living creatures. There was a likeness of an expanse. Shining like all inspiring crystals spread out above their heads. And under the expanse, their wings are stretched out straight one toward another. And each creature had two wings, covering its body. And when they went I heard the sound of the wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. And when they sit still, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads, and when they stood still, they let down their wings. And above the expanse over their heads, there was a likeness of a throne. In appearance, like Sapphire, and seated above the likeness of the throne was a lightness with the human appearance, and upward from what had the appearance of his waist, I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around and downward from what had the appearance of his waist, I saw as it were the appearance of fire and there was brightness around him, like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain. So is the appearance of the brightness all around As such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Fire gleaming on a throne power. And when I saw it, I fell on my face. The magnificent thing to see the visible representation of the power of God, amen. Ezekiel fell, and he heard the voice speaking. And description of the incredible power of God, the throne shows the throne signifies who is reigning, who is in control. It's not a, an oligarchy, somewhere. It's not a select group of people. It's not a president, a dictator. God is on His throne, even in the captivity of Babylon when it looks like the Babylonians are running everything God is on the throne, not Nebuchadnezzar. God is on the throne, he is the one that has complete power. He is nipa didn't. Everything depends on him for his existence. God does not need anyone or anything. He exists for himself, and is independent, and powerful. Acts 17 says this, the God who made the world and everything and and being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by a man nor is he served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since he himself gave to all mankind left life and breath and everything. God is all powerful. And if you KNOW Jesus Christ, you have the Spirit of God in you, in you. But we let little things worry us, don't we? Well, you know what, I'll have as much money in my savings account as they used to have any money in my checking account like I used to. A hamburger went from $5 to $7. Even Chick Fil A's raising their prices, one of the world's just aurochem and my children are a mess. My grandchildren don't know the Lord. All these things that warriors. Where's God and all these things? In Ezekiel is moment of captivity. God reveals Himself in this mighty way to say I am God. Do you need to be reminded of that today? A God is God. He's everywhere. He knows everything. And he's all powerful. And whatever need you have, because of Jesus and his work on the cross, you can bring to him. He may not answer the way you want him to. Because he knows everything. But oh, answer you. You know, make things work together for your good. We're going to have an invitation time in a few minutes. Maybe you just need to come down front to these steps. And say, Lord, help me believe that you are these things. Help me believe that you know everything that I don't help me believe that you're everywhere. And I'm not how many believe that you're all powerful, and I'm weak. Maybe you need to have that maybe you just need someone to pray for you. I'd be glad to pray for you. Whatever your need is today during invitation, cry out to the God who doesn't need anything, but wants you to be in relationship with Him. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for who you are and what you've done for us. And as we close our time together today, we thank you for being the God that we've learned about today. We thank you for your vision of to zekiel He was in a bad time in his life. That's where all the Jewish people and when you called him to minister when you called him to minister Lord. You gave him this vision so that he would be able to minister to God's people in exile.