The Call

Day Three

The Call: Ezekiel Chapter 2

We hear people talk about “the call” they received from God recruiting them into a divine ministry or service. Some answer “the call” with a yes.  Others run from “the call” or  they let the phone continue ringing day in and day out. Some flatly answer no.

Okay, so the phone doesn’t actually ring and God’s thunderous voice doesn’t really come booming through the speaker when it’s answered. {Although, I did hear a man once say God literally called him on the phone—not that I doubt God’s ability to do so. He is God; he can do anything he wants. But I must confess I was skeptical about this man’s testimony as well as his ministry. He seemed to be more concerned about money than souls. Just because a man says he is called of God doesn’t make it so.}

So what is the call?

The call is God’s personal invitation to an individual to perform a specific duty or fulfill a particular ministry.

Sounds Simple. Right?  But, how does one know it is God calling? In Ezekiel’s case it was evident. God came to him in person and He truly did speak to him with thunderings. Ezekiel wasn’t the only man who God literally spoke with in the Bible. He spoke with both Moses and Isaiah after they were permitted to see glimpses of God’s glory. (Ex 3:10 & Is 6:8) However, these instances were rare not at all one of the more common ways God uses to make the call.

So how do we get the call?

Before we can discover God’s specific call for our life we must first have a personal relationship with Christ. We must be born again. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

The call will come through the workings of the Holy Spirit. For some it may come in a flash and they can be confident in knowing what it is God is calling them to do. For others it may be more gradual. Years could go by before they recognize the call. Always, the way to hear the call is through communication with God—prayer, study God’s word, fellowship with other believers and taking time to listen.

Ezekiel was called and equipped by God to be the spokesperson (prophet) to the rebellious chosen people, Israel. {When God does put forth the call he also prepares that person for the job. My Dad always said, “Don’t worry, if He calls you, He will qualify you.”}

The call is not always a pleasant task to fulfill. Ezekiel’s certainly wasn’t. God entrusted His Word to Ezekiel but gave him a tremendous amount of responsibility. He was called to deliver a message that would bring lamentations, mourning and woe to Israel. (Ez 2:10) Israel had sinned against God and God was angry. Even 5 years of exile had not brought Israel out of being impudent and stiff-hearted toward God. (Ez2:4)

The call comes with warnings and encouragement.

God warns Ezekiel not to rebel as Israel had. He has placed the call and expects Ezekiel to answer with a yes. {The same goes for us, when God calls he expects us to be obedient to the call.} If Ezekiel would have rejected his call he would have been no better than the rebellious House of Israel.

God encourages Ezekiel. The spirit enters him and lifts him to his feet. God places His hand upon him-- giving him divine strength to sustain him during the demanding ministry. God gives him visions and encourages him not to be afraid. {God will likewise lift us to our feet when we are down, place His hand upon us, and encourage us throughout our ministries.}

* * * * *

Ezekiel’s vision was certainly a dramatic way to call Ezekiel.  I know from my own experiences God sometimes gives us an out of the ordinary experience or vivid dream to get our attention or to “call” us to do something. God hasn’t changed. He is the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow. Ezekiel saw four living creatures in his vision which we learn are the cherubim (angelic order); he saw the appearance of wheels; the firmament; and God’s occupied throne.

When I read about his vision I see:  The holiness of God, His majesty, His creation, reverence for God, how the Spirit works, the affirmation that God is on His throne (in control) and that judgment proceeds from His throne.

God called Ezekiel to minister to the exiles of Jerusalem in an extraordinary way. His call is befitting to the intense ministry he was called to do. We don’t all get such a dramatic call to do something for God, but we are all called to do something for God!

In Awe

Day Two of  Ezekiel Experience

I am in awe. Ezekiel is so overwhelmed he fell upon his face. If you missed Day One of  Ezekiel Experience you might want to read it before you continue.

I’m sure you-- as I did, came near to the point of falling on your face from just reading about his vision of God’s glory. Ezekiel realizes no man has seen the face of God and lived. Moses prayed for God’s presence and God allowed him to see His glory, but covered Moses with His hand as he passed by. Moses was permitted to see God’s glory from the back only.

(Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.)

Ezekiel didn’t see God’s face but was permitted to see the “appearance of the likeness” of the glory of the Lord in an extreme dramatic way. God is not limited by domain. Ezekiel is in the land of Israel’s captor. The forces of nature are at God’s command. Creatures both celestial and earthly are at His beck and call. Chariots of fire stand ready to move in any direction on or off the earth at His directive. There should no longer be any hesitation in our hearts or minds to believe in the power of God to keep His promises or to execute His punishments.

God appears to and speaks with his people in various ways for numerous reasons. I traveled out of state with my mother several years ago. It was in the early morning hours before daybreak and we were attempting to reach family in need. Our hearts heavy with this particular burden, our bodies exhausted. Neither of us thought we would be able to keep going. We were emotionally and physically drained.  I drove into the parking area of a twenty-four hour diner and parked beside the one other vehicle in the lot.

We went into the restaurant for strong coffee and to have an opportunity to stretch our legs. When we came back out of the diner and walked toward our car we both looked up at the same time and saw the appearance of Christ’s face in a large single cloud looking down at us from a dark sky. A refreshing spirit washed over us and renewed our strength. We didn’t have to guess or speculate about what we saw. It was real. God touched us and gave us what we needed to continue our journey. We saw just a tiny glimpse of His glory and we knew without doubt we were not alone.

 In no way does this experience compare to Ezekiel’s vision but it supplied our need to renew our spirits and give us strength. My mother and I drew from the reviving sensation of seeing Christ’s image not only during that phase of our life but many times since. If you have experienced God in a special way or at a significant time in your life I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment or email me at starrbryant@ymail.com.

John 1:18 | No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

I John 4:12 | No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Ezekiel Experience

I've started out on a journey with a thirteen year old boy named Ezekiel.  We stand among captives by the Chebar River. Ezekiel helps me grasp the importance of the time and place of our travels.  This is a time when hopes of the remaining faithful from the chosen people had been dashed by the loss of their freedom. Israel was overall a rebellious people against God.

 Ezekiel was born into a priestly family and was taken captive among 10,000 others who were deported by Nebuchadnezzar during the second siege on Judah.

The captives include their new King (King Jehoiachin) who only ruled for three months before Babylon re-took Jerusalem.  King Jehoiachin’s father, King Jehoiakim, switched his support for King Nebuchadnezzar to make allegiance with Egypt in 601 B.C. and as a result Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and captured it once again. King Jehoiakim had already died in disgrace and his son, Jehoiachin, succeeded as King.

 The days of captivity are now in the fifth year. The days are long and hearts yearn for freedom. Ezekiel’s life as a prisoner is dreary. If he were home he’d be privileged to assume his priest duties in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we remain with Ezekiel imprisoned in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar River {a main tributary of the Euphrates River} looking out into a mundane setting.

And suddenly… God commands the portals of Heaven to open and His glory burst into Ezekiel’s monotonous day with brilliance and cosmic color. The word of the Lord came expressly to him and God’s hand enabled him to see spiritual things.  What Ezekiel saw by the Chebar River was a miracle so overwhelming and powerful that only Ezekiel can describe it:

 “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.   And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.   And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.   And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.   Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.   As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.   Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.   And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.   As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.   And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.   Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.   When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.   As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.  And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.   Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.   When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.   And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.   And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.   And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.   And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.   And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.   And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.   As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”