While Ezekiel did not live during Israel’s Golden Age under David and Solomon, the Temple was still at the center of Jerusalem when he was growing up. It is difficult for us to understand how much was associated with this building. It was both Israel’s worship center and a symbol of their relationship with the Lord. His visible Presence was seen in the Cloud which rested upon the Mercy Seat within the Holy of Holies. Its destruction was equivalent to ripping out someone’s heart and leaving them to die. The Exile was both morally and spiritually devastating especially for someone like Ezekiel whose life would have been focused on ministering there. The psalmist wrote, “By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion” (Ps. 137:1), an apt description of the emotions associated with its loss.
Ezekiel’s life had been determined at birth. He grew up knowing that someday he would serve in that beautiful Temple which rose above the city of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. God’s visible presence had guided Israel through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21-22). God’s promise to dwell with His people began with His instructions to Moses in Exodus 25:8. It continued on the day when Solomon dedicated the Temple and the Lord’s Glory filled it with smoke (1 Ki. 6:11-13; 8:10-11, 20, 27-29). But continued desecration and disregard of God’s commands had brought about the unthinkable and exactly what God had forewarned (1 Ki. 9:1-9). God’s presence departed from the Temple and it appeared He had departed from His people too. But they could not have been more wrong. If Ezekiel and his fellow exiles learned anything during their time in Babylon it was that their God was bigger than a building and never limited to a particular place as the pagan gods often were. Yet they still longed for that special place (Jerusalem) and that Temple that once stood there (Ps. 122:1-9; 137:5-6). Ezekiel’s final vision gave them hope. God would restore both His temple (Ez. 40:1-43:27) and His city (Ez. 44:1-48:35) with the name “Yahweh Shammah” (Ez. 48:35), The Lord is There”.
I am sure there were times during the Exile that Ezekiel felt life to be terribly unfair. It certainly had not gone the way he or his family had planned. Life often feels that way. Whether we are the victim of someone else’s sin and ill-will, a confusing and stormy world, or are living with the results of our own poor choices, we all face times when God appears to be distant and remote because our circumstances seem overwhelming and discouraging. Some of these events can be so devastating we wonder if we will ever be whole again. There are people spread out across the pages of Scripture, who like Ezekiel, know exactly how we feel. While Ezekiel struggled with the unfulfilled mission in his life he may have been reminded of Joseph, who also landed in a place where he did not belong (Gen. 39:19-20), or Gideon who struggled with courage in the face of a formidable foe (Jud. 6:11-16). He may have been reminded of his contemporary Daniel who ended up in a lion’s den when He would not give up on God (Dan. 6:16-23).
Be encouraged! While it may not FEEL like the Lord is with you, He is “The Lord is There”. He has promised to never leave or forsake you just as He did Moses and Joshua (Dt. 31:6; Jos. 1:5; Heb. 13:5-6). He has given you a Helper (Jn. 14:15-18; 16:7). You can draw upon the strength these promises give you when the world seems out of control (Ps. 37; 40:1-3). He has been where you are and He is in the midst of your struggles walking beside you (Heb. 4:14-16) and He understands exactly how you feel. It is important to remember in these times of deepest sorrow and strife that you are not alone and that God can use your situation for His glory (Phil. 1:12-13; 4:11-13, 19). Just as Ezekiel was promised a restored Jerusalem and its glorious Temple, all believers have received the promise that one day there will be no sorrow and shame and we will dwell with the Lord forever (Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 21:1-5). I’m sure we are all looking forward to that!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 5/1/2016