The Will of God, Ezekiel, and You
Do you know someone who is very much concerned with their physical health? I actually know quite a few. They seem to always have some tidbit of information on different types of foods. They can tell you what is good for you, bad for you, and not so good for you after all. One of these people told me about a certain type of bread. This bread was supposed to be extremely healthy and was based on the recipe of the bread that Ezekiel made in The Book of Ezekiel. It is called (not surprisingly) 'Ezekiel Bread'.
When she showed me this bread and generously offered me a taste of it, I got to thinking about the prophet, himself, and the story around the bread that he ate.
Ezekiel And God's Instructions To Him
Ezekiel had been told by God to make this bread as a sign to the children of Israel and Judah. It was made of barley, beans, lentils, millet, fitches, and wheat and it was cooked over cow's dung as Ezekiel asked God to spare him the task of cooking it over human dung. This bread was to be made like barley cakes were made and Ezekiel was allowed to eat a certain amount of bread a day and no more. He was to eat the bread while lying on his left side without turning for three hundred and ninety days as a sign to Israel and he was to eat the bread for forty days on his right side as a sign to Judah. (See Ezekiel Chapter 4)
Personally, I do not think that Ezekiel enjoyed eating that bread for that length of time. Obviously he was asked to do something that would be thoroughly uncomfortable for him. Yet, Ezekiel did it because it was the will of the Lord God.
The Will of God
God's will explained simply is what God would have us to do. God's will refers to things going His way rather than our way. It is strange how easy it is for us to want God's will to involve only good things. Scripture passages where God blesses His chosen people are selected and preached about. There is never a lack of great joy and many smiles when people hear that God has a great plan for you and that He desires that you be happy. What people do not understand is that God's ways are not our ways and that the happiness that He brings, the happiness of eternal life, does not mean that on earth our lives should be rosy and bright.
Ezekiel the prophet, just like many of the other prophets is a perfect example of this. Do you think that Ezekiel liked lying on the ground on a pallet in the sight of the people? Did you think he liked cooking with cow dung as fuel, shaving his hair and burning it in the sight of the people? But this was the will of the Lord and He was God's messenger to the people. Ezekiel walked in the will of God and acted according to His will and as a result he was able to speak to God and He revealed many things to him.
Walking according to the will of God means dying to the flesh and being prepared to sacrifice even bodily comfort in order to obey Him.
What Does That Have To Do With Me? Wasn't I Saved By Grace?
It is because we have been saved by grace that we should want to earnestly follow the will of God and walk in His steps. The law, which showed us our sins, led us to grace and we have been redeemed by the Most High God. Because of this, our eternal devotion to Him should be true even if it costs us and causes us pain. Jesus Christ endured the ultimate pain for us and yet we would hesitate to face a pain that would last for a moment?
As for the question 'Would a God who loves me cause me pain and distress? Would a God who cares cause me harm?' Job, the man of God who went through trouble, trial and turmoil received the answer from God Himself, and when he knew the truth, he said this:
"I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42: 2-6 (K.J.V.)
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Comments
Bravo. very good.
We serve God out of love not duty.
God bless you.
Thank you North Wind for writing this. Each time you write a hub, I learn something new. God loves us, and we do serve God out of love.
Great message. God called some of the prophets to do some very uncomfortable things, and of course Jesus. I have never read through Ezekiel so i am now motivated to do so. Thank you, voted up and all the rest.
In the Old Testament the prophets had to do a lot of things to prove that they indeed loved God. Why, they had sinned in the Garden of Eden. But when Jesus came he wiped all of our sins away and took our burdens away. Jesus was the one who died on the cross for us, so that we did not have to sacrifice animals on the alter, etc. Jesus said on the cross, "Father they do not know what they are doing" He cleansed our sins with his own blood. He asked God to forgive us!
North Wind: Thank you for this message. Even though as "Christians" we are cleansed from our sin, sacrifice as thanks to God and to Jesus still seems appropriate.
God being a God of love will not ask of us that which He knows we cannot endure, especially with God Himself helping us along the way.
So many of us forget to seek him first. It is only then that we can see our own desires more clearly. Service to God and HIS will is what it's all about. Great hub!!!
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Hello teacherjoe52,
The Lord bless and keep you as well! Thank you very much for reading.
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Hi Michele,
Thanks for reading and for your kind words as usual. Somehow you don't mind serving when you love that is what is so good about it.
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Hi lambservant,
Thanks for stopping by.
Ezekiel was one of the first books of the Bible that I actually went back to many times. I still go back to it and it intrigues me to this day. The prophets and the disciples and all of God's chosen ones are called to do some difficult things but they are able to do those things by His power and might. For the prophets the promise of the Messiah caused them to serve willingly and for the disciples the fulfillment of that promise caused the same reaction.
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Hello Nan Mynatt,
Jesus did indeed wash us and made us to be whiter than snow as the prophet Isaiah so prophesied.
The prophets, I believe, did not do those things to prove to God that they loved Him. They did love Him and He knew this and that is why He revealed so much to them. Though they were under the law, God revealed to them the prophesy of a Messiah who would free them from the law and they believed in Him (Jesus Christ) even though they did not see His time ( as we know time).
Those things that the prophets and men of God did were a result of their faith. The trials they went through was because they would not deny God and His truth. Men of God have gone through trials because of their belief in God and the truth since the beginning. Just think of Abel. And after, in the New Testament, Stephen and James died proclaiming the truth so too did John the Baptist. Many other Christians died defending the faith. You can read about them in the book Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe.
God has forgiven us and washed us and sent us the Comforter and we are now on His side in the battle. He will prevail but He did warn that persecutions will come.
Thank you very much for reading and for your comments!
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Hi Dave Mathews,
God does not give us more than we can stand, you are right! Even if we think it is too much, we underestimate ourselves because He is not a liar. Never has been and never will be. Thank you for your comment.
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Hi Genaea,
Seeking God does show us our faults and then we can recognize when we fight against His will instead of embracing it. Sometimes it is difficult, especially if you do not see the end of the road that god has set before you. You really have to walk by faith and not by sight but praise God because He is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
I believe God never did/does things to hurt us. His great purpose encompasses things we cannot know. God had Ezekiel (and others) do uncomfortable things to bring about the Master plan. May we all be so obedient, including myself. Thanks for this article on the great prophet.
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Hi Hyphenbird,
I believe that as well. It is better to rely on and lean upon God than to think we know better. His wisdom far surpasses ours.
Thanks for the great comment!
It's a high calling we have and one that is not always easy to follow obediently. I do admire Job for how he didn't blame God for his circumstances, and Ezekiel really abandoned all comforts to deliver the message of truth. Thanks for the reminder. May we all remain solid when called upon to take a stand.
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"Trust and Obey," says the hymn of old, "There is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and Obey."
I believe that hymn and I think that our struggles would be far easier if we stopped fighting Him and leaned heavily on Him instead. He will carry us through. He is not slack concerning His promises.
Thank you, teaches12345 for always coming to take a look at and comment on my hubs. I appreciate it.
Wait a minute. Are you saying that I'm supposed to do what God says rather than the other way around? That is pretty novel for these contemporary times! You do know that, right, North Wind.
Well I'll stand with you on this one also. It is neither what we say or even think that determines who we truly are, but rather what we do, act upon, execute--that is what builds character, and what better character can we possess than to act upon what Christ commands.
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I know that when I say it out loud I hear audible gasps and disturbed silences. But it is what is clear to me because it is what is in the Bible.
I am glad that you stand with me. Acting upon what Christ commands is the greatest action we can ever do. No accomplishment can beat it and whether the world calls us heroes or not is irrelevant if we know that we have done the will of the Lord, run the race and fought the good fight.
The Book of Ezekiel gives the best example of the description of an aircraft from the point of view of the Hebrews. The Book of Ezekiel describes a craft flying out of a cloud several times.
EZEKIEL IS AT THE RIVER CHEBAR (PERSIA). Ezekiel 1:1
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
EZEKIEL SEES A MACHINE FLY OUT OF A CLOUD. Ezekiel 1:4-28
As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot and they sparkled like burnished bronze....
EZEKIEL DESCRIBES THE LANDING GEAR. Ezekiel 1:5-19
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 gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved. Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
EZEKIEL DESCRIBES THE COCKPIT. Ezekiel 1:22-25
Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
EZEKIEL SEES AND HEARS THE PILOT. Ezekiel 1:26-28
And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form.
I could go on, but that is enough for now.
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