And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you werebrought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.”
Ezekiel lived in Babylon as a prisoner of war. The nation of Judah had rebelled against Babylonian occupation and this rebellion cost them dearly. In 587 BC the city of Jerusalem and the Temple of God were burned to the ground. What had once been a glorious structure representing the majesty of God was now nothing more than a pile of rubble.
One can only imagine the joy that Ezekiel must have experienced when he was taken in a vision back to the Promised Land where he watched as a new, even more glorious temple was erected to reach the one that had been leveled. This visions provided hope against hope of the future plans that God had for His children.
After Ezekiel’s time had passed a man named Zerubbabel would lead thousands of Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The basic structure they built would still be standing five hundred years later when Christ arrived. As amazing as this was, the promise Ezekiel received was of a yet future temple that would be erected after Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth.
What a blessing it is to know that know matter how dark things may appear we can trust that the purposes of God will be completed.
Pastor Jim
Jim Gallagher 