Ezekiel's Example

I've been reading the book of Ezekiel each evening and I am always impressed by the intricate object lessons God provided His people through Ezekiel's obedience.  The prophet Ezekiel had an inquisitive audience who wondered over the strange things he did, like making a model of Jerusalem on a tile and laying siege to it, lying on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days, ate his food by weight (20 shekels a day) and drank water by measure (about 600 millilitres), and even baked bread with cow dung.  God made Ezekiel a sign to the rebellious house of Israel, to people who largely ignored God's warning of coming judgment.

It requires faith in God to obey Him, especially when it seems nothing positive comes from our efforts.  It would have been easy for Ezekiel to be discouraged if he looked to his hearers for justification to continue.  Some have said, "If only one person hears the message, it's worth it."  Every person is precious in the eyes of the LORD who loves them, yet I am convinced Ezekiel did not content himself with the hope one person heard and responded in obedience.  Ezekiel's motivation to open his mouth and do as God directed was simply obedience to the LORD God regardless of what others thought of him.  Ezekiel's primary audience was not the people or a person but the almighty God who is worthy of all praise, worship and obedience.  What a good example for us all!

The prophets detailed in scripture (from a human, worldly perspective) had varying degrees of success.  Over 100 years Noah was a preacher of righteousness who convinced only his immediate family to enter the ark while through the preaching of Jonah for 3 days all the inhabitants of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes.  Sometimes prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel were not listened to at all, their words a testimony of God's love and grace to warn rebellious people who would refuse to heed.  If people applaud this ought not to boost our resolve to continue, and should they complain or not even show up this should not discourage us from obedience to our awesome God who has revealed Himself to us.  When no one turns up to a prayer meeting or Bible study we prepared to lead instead of losing heart we can take courage and be strengthened in Christ.

Because God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours we can wonder what He is doing when nothing seems to be happening.  It may be within our own hearts and minds God has much work yet to accomplish.  Know what God has promised He is able to perform (Rom. 4:21), the work He has begun He is faithful to complete (Phil. 1:6) and we are complete in Him (Col. 2:10).  Jeers and praise taken to heart both pose risks for the Christian who is tempted to play to the crowd or even one person rather than speaking forth and living out what God has written in His word.  Praise the LORD Jesus is wisdom for us, the Holy Spirit comforts us and helps us do our duty as God's servants with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control.

Be Glad in Jesus Today

It is fitting and proper to read the Bible with a seeking, inquisitive heart.  While it is true many of our questions can spring from doubt and unbelief, this does not mean asking questions reveals a lack of faith.  Our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the truth of His word is according to knowledge gained by questioning, wondering and reasoning.  A product of caring and consideration of new concepts and ideas is asking questions, and this simple act acknowledges our lack of understanding and desire to learn and grow.

I was recently asked a great question about the meaning of Jesus' words to Jews who were skeptical of His identity and doctrine in John 8:56:  "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  The context of the conversation was Jesus claimed not only to be of God to be God made flesh, much to the confusion of His hearers due to unbelief.  These were people who revered Moses and Abraham, and were incredulous Jesus would imagine himself equal or superior to them.  When we reflect on a time past we might say something like, "Back in the day we used to write letters by hand with paper, pen and ink."  Jesus said father Abraham rejoiced to see His day, meaning Jesus was living and present at that time.  His hearers were gobsmacked by this claim because they did not believe Jesus is God in human form and thus eternal.  The surface meaning is clear, that when Abraham lived it was Jesus' day.  The inescapable conclusion is Jesus is greater than Abraham.

Like many passages of scripture, one verse or statement can have multiple correct interpretations, like when prophecies have multiple fulfillments.  It is unnecessary to strictly limit the words of Jesus to only one possible interpretation or application when there is scriptural support for complementary views.  For instance, Abraham and Sarah are mentioned of having eyes of faith in Hebrews 11:13:  "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."  Thus Abraham, having believed the promise of God Who revealed Himself to him, the day of which Jesus spoke was a day present for Abraham and also a future day.  The sacrifice God provided instead of Isaac pointed to the day and hour when Jesus would be offered as a sacrifice for sinners.  God was glorified in the judgment of sinners in the plain of Sodom and in Abraham's victory over the kings of the north.  Abraham rejoiced in the almighty, living God who promised, Who guides, provides and lives.

It is possible for us to be so taken with obscure connections and implications we can miss the plain, simple meaning of the text:  Abraham rejoiced in Jesus' day, and he saw it and was glad.  The people Jesus talked to had a very different attitude towards Jesus.  Though they witnessed His miraculous power they heard Him and were mad.  They hated and rejected Jesus rather than simply believing Him as Abraham did.  This confirmed the truth of what Jesus claimed, that they were children of the devil because they wanted to kill him.  They may have been physical descendants of Abraham but were estranged from God spiritually due to unbelief.  The genuine children of God will hear and rejoice in the words of Jesus, for He speaks to us the words of life.  Instead of picking up stones to destroy Him we rejoice to hear Jesus proclaim in John 8:58, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

God Who Pardons

Contrary to the false caricature that the almighty God is a ruthless, bloodthirsty tyrant, He is a God distinguished by mercy, compassion and love.  Because God is not comparable to anything He has created or concepts conceived in the minds of men, many have taken upon themselves to present distorted ideas of what God is like.  Unless we receive the testimony of the word of God that portrays Him in truth, we could never know Him.

Consider what the prophet concluded in Micah 7:18-20:  "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. ¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. ²⁰ You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old."  God did not create mankind to destroy them, and it is man who is responsible for destroying himself through sin--which is entirely contrary to God's goodness and righteous ways.  Man is notorious for blaming others or even God rather than humble himself and admit his faults.

Isn't it wonderful God pardons iniquity and passes over transgressions?  He is not like those who hold grudges in bitterness, for He delights in mercy.  God maintains a position of absolute power and authority and is not like weak men who are suspicious, defensive, afraid of what others think, say or do.  His mercy, forgiveness and compassion are evidence of His infinite strength and power.  Because all His judgments are in truth He keeps His word to remove and subdue sins of those who fear Him.  God has chosen to redeem sinners as His heritage and thus demonstrates His glorious majesty over all.  Psalm 130:3-4 says, "If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴ But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared."  God's forgiveness is not due to weakness but supernatural strength.

Filled with the Spirit

Since believers in Christ are regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit given beyond measure, some wonder what is the point to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus brought up the subject in Luke 11:9-13:  "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  Sinful men know how to give good gifts to their children, and our Father God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

In the New Testament we observe people filled with the Holy Spirit even without asking in particular, but it is fitting to do so when we perceive our need--even as a child asks for food when hungry or a drink when thirsty.  In Galatians 5 Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.  Should we become aware of sinful attitudes and behaviour in us it is evident we are not walking according to the guidance of the Spirit of Christ.  Coming to God in faith, humbly asking to be filled with the Spirit, is an acknowledgment of our need for Him and willingness to submit to His guidance.  By making this request known to God our aim is to be emptied of our own fleshly ambitions, pride and lust and to be fully under the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit by God's grace.

Not only does the Holy Spirit regenerate us and make us spiritually fruitful, but He gives spiritual gifts according to God's will.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:31 we should "covet earnestly the best gifts," and we are told to make our requests known to God.  This does not suggest one gift is superior to another, but that we ought to earnestly desire the most fitting gifts of God to be manifested in love at the appropriate time for the glory of God and the edification of the church.  God knows better than me when a word of wisdom or edification is needed; He knows what He desires to accomplish, when and how He will bring all to pass.  We are presumptuous to assume we know what others or even we need as if God does not already know and have a perfectly ordered plan.  We ought to submit ourselves to God in opening our mouths wide that He might fill them.

Asking is one rule of the kingdom of God, and He sometimes waits for us to realise our need and humble ourselves to ask.  Other times He may in a moment of time fill believers to overflowing as the situation demands.  But in these bodies of flesh we do not always walk in the Spirit, nor are we even mindful of God in a moment of panic or pain.  Thanks be to God He gives more grace, and when we are spiritually fruitful or useful it is always out of His infinite goodness, mercy and compassion.  For believers it is not so much a question of if we are filled with the Spirit, but if we are humbling ourselves to submit to Him.  Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit we are indwelt, sealed and baptised, and we are called to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).  If we desire this filling, than we ought to ask in faith, receive and walk in Him.