8/14/22
Today would have been my grandmother’s 91st birthday. She has been in Heaven for many years now and has seen up close and in person the glorious creatures described in this passage. Today I honor her memory as a woman who spread contagious hope to others.
You are called to hope against hope and to lead others to that same place of faith.
This morning I woke up excitedly before sunrise to prepare for our church service. As I was sitting on my couch worshipping and praying suddenly The Lord said “many are hurting” when He said this tears came to my eyes and I could feel a flash of the emotional pain so many are carrying. The Lord went on to say “pull them across the threshold to a place of hope…” then I saw and perceived being in a waiting room of hope. There was great peace and comfort there as believers drew from each other’s love, strength and faith. Everyone was talking about God’s glorious plans of redemption and what was about to happen.
As I started to read Ezekiel 1 The Holy Spirit began to give revelation.
“Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man….As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.”
Ezekiel 1:4-5, 10 NKJV
As I read this verse the Lord said “various viewpoints” and I began to consider each viewpoint represented by each face. The ox is a servant’s viewpoint, the lion is a ruler whose perspective is one of dominion. At the back is the eagle who sees the whole picture from a Heavenly perspective and balanced in the middle is the face of man. If only I could be more like this! If only I could live my life as a servant to others while walking in the power of my call establishing Divine rule everywhere I went, all the while seeing all things that happen through a Heavenly perspective! The four faces represent a perfect perspective balance.
“As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.”
Ezekiel 1:13-14 NKJV
The appearance of burning coals draws the viewer in. The sight of moving torches among these magnificent creatures holds you in an enamored captivation. Then imagine a bright fire with bolts of lightning exploding from within. Have you ever seen anything like that? Could you imagine two such powerful forces coexisting? As these glorious creatures moved it was perceived as a flash of lightning. This is how God moves. He draws us in with the warmth of His love then astonishes us with His vastness of His power. As we stand before Him entranced He rapidly moves in shocking, unexpected, and impossible ways that our minds aren’t equipped to fathom as lightning from a blazing fire! We are about see great and glorious things we would never have expected. “I didn’t know You could do that! I didn’t know You would do that!”
“Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.”
Ezekiel 1:15-18 NKJV
Stop watching, listening to, perceiving and discussing the work of the enemy. Enough! Stop talking among family members about those the enemy is using and hurting others through. Stop giving in to intimidating threats barked up at you from Hell itself. Stop watching the news and marveling at the brazen acts of the demonic. The greatest glory is yet to be revealed. Marvel instead at what God has brought you through. Invest your hope in His promises and discuss and believe in the wonderful things He has planned for your life and your loved ones.
“When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”
Ezekiel 1:17, 20 NKJV
Let’s discuss the movement of these glorious creatures. They moved with ease because they moved with the Spirit. Another passage describing this these same creatures reveals that they can move in any direction without turning around. Let go of what you think you want to do for God or what you wish He would choose for you to do and instead offer yourself to be used in the exact purpose for which you were created.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
It is time to live our lives in boldness carrying the power of the God we represent and the confidence in the profound depths of His love and mercy.
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:”
Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV
He was sent out after having experienced the realm of the ridiculous in faith. He went forth having that comprehension of the possibility of unexpected astonishing moves of God, treasuring the glimpse of His greatness behind him in his memory knowing Who he represented.
The Lord has a new mission for His people: fill your mind and your mouth with the wonder of His works. Notice every good thing and speak of it. When you worship God thank Him for everything you take delight in and enjoy. Lord I trust You today and I am looking for the lightning in the fire.
That was wonderful. I loved the description and ability of the four creatures. Now maybe we’ll learn our own abilities and move with the Spirit of God.
God Bless us all, amen.