Pastoral Care

Not one Thing

Dan

It was my observation that Solomon understood the need to gather wisdom and build a compendium of sayings, yet he also was aware that too many books on any subject would numb the mind and lose the reader in a sea of weariness and daydreaming.

Solomon penned in Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 — The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body [NIV].

I mused at the visual scene created by the idea that wise words are like goads. Why? A goad was a long stick with a sharp point much like a nail, used by herders to move a stubborn animal. The goad is similar to wisdom shared with a person who is resisting change, the goad helps to reduce resistance to the nudge of God. When the pain exceeds the gain of resistance, movement begins.

The things that Solomon gleaned from Elohim have been used with great advantage by the children of Abraham. Solomon understood and built the messaging around this idea — wisdom from God is profitable to build clear statements of God’s intent, defense of the message, correction of the misguided, and expansion of our understanding of God’s way.

God’s wisdom can be received in humility, or it can be a goad. The effect is the same. God’s wisdom pulls us away from trouble, focusing our thoughts, amending our focus to glorify God. We all know the truth of God can be confrontive (Acts 2:37), it can lead us to a viewpoint we were not initially considering. The notion of a nail mentioned in Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 seems to be telling us that knowing the truth will ‘nail down’ our wavering and bobbling when navigating life. Where the goads are temporary pokes, the nails are a much more persistent navigational aid, guiding lights, boundaries on our activities that keep us safe in God. How is truth communicated? By the simple spoken word between friends, by writing (books and letters) and by mass meetings (church services, bible studies).

Spoken word. We call up a friend, set up a meeting at a coffee shop or in our back yard with a few chairs, and we share ideas. We talk about our needs, wants and troubles. We trade insight from God, and we help each other find the way forward. Wisdom is shared, God is glorified.

Written word. Letters and ideas are written down. The letters are passed around, the interest grows, and people realize that God’s wisdom is respected in the letter. During the days of the early church, in a very few cases, the letter becomes scripture. Did Paul understand the endgame when he started writing? I am not sure he understood at first; but I suspect later in his ministry he knew.

Oration. We gather as a community and appoint a wise leader to share insights with us. We draw strength from each other. Wisdom is shared. People are uplifted, lives are enriched. We, as a community honor the things of God, and grow together understanding the deeper truths of God.

I suspect if we had all the books ever written on wisdom, we would find it difficult to gain much value – data overload would arrest assimilation. We have as much as Elohim has seen fit to reveal, we can barely wrap our mind around scripture. It has been the goal of secular writers to generate tons of paper with advice of how to live our life without scripture – mere chaff. I am convinced no one can provide better instructions on wisdom than the Word of God. Nada. Not one other book.

I choose Jesus.

Stay in your Swim Lane

Dan

It has been my Observation, that Ezekiel is repeatedly told he must speak to them the specific message, and only the message which God spoke to him. This suggests he was not free to speak the mere substance of the message from God, but to speak the same language, terms, and phrases used by God. Paul was careful to differentiate between his words and the words of the Spirit of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:13). It is best to speak God’s mind with his term, his phrases, his logic. When needed, take the time to define the words; but use his words.  That is the safe harbor.

There is more in this line of reasoning. We are wise to recall that Ezekiel is directed to speak to the House of Israel, not the house of Babylon. Ezekiel was commissioned to help the captives not the captors. This provided impetus for his compassion. His concern caused him to focus on the House of Isreal with a tender hand.

Ezekiel 3:5-6 (paraphrased) says — You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange culture, but to the people of Israel – you speak their language. If I had sent you to the foreigners, they would have understood your words and listened to you; but you do not speak their language. Therefore, you were not sent to them.  [NIV]

Ezekiel himself was a captive, but he seemed to have some freedom to accomplish his prophetic vocation without significant interference from Babylon. We can presume this was God’s protection.  Initially, he traveled in a mob once he was captive; forced to migrate travel to a strange land and join a bilingual group of slaves who were building the city of Babylon and the surrounding area. The Babylon King needed a cheap workforce, slaves were free labor. Invade, win a battle, gather the loosing team, and put them to work to accomplish your goals. The people of Isreal were blended in with a bunch of nations. They shared a common toil and tribulation, they were fellow-sufferers and travelers, and in sadness they migrated (under force) from the coastal regions of Judah to Babylon. The tears of many nations were mingled, but they had little trust in each other, they remained apart even in the crowd of slaves.

Certainly, the other slave nations were aware of Ezekiel and his ministry. They knew he was trying to help the Israelis recover from their shock and reconnect with their God. But at the same time, I suspect the message of Ezekiel had no real interest to them or the Babylonians until Cyrus came into the picture.

At the same time, it was enough for Ezekiel to minister to the house of Israel. He had little time to learn new languages and cultures. He had enough to keep his captors at bay and deliver the message to the House of Israel. Interpreters were not easy to find nor had God prepared an interpreter for Ezekiel. The mandate was clear from God given the circumstances and the language barrier sealed the deal.

Consider this – all languages we do not know will seem strange and awkward to speak. Our profit was not sent to them, he did not know their language, culture, or habits. Clearly no serious messaging could happen. We know that Paul was a learned man and given to several languages. Still, we see from the book of Acts a practical use of the Gift of Tongues and Gift of Interpretation. Many people heard the church, speaking in their own tongue. God could have done the same thing for Ezekiel. But he did not! The time was not right for the message to be spread to a group beyond the captive House of Isreal.  That time did not come until the new covenant.  Ezekiel was sent to only one group – the house of Isreal.

Once again, we see how the Grace of God works, his plan, his schedule, his message.  His distribution plan for the message.  We worship the one true living God.  Stay in your swim lane.  I choose Jesus.

I will Shatter the Pride of Egypt

Dan

It was my observation that chapter 32 of Ezekiel is a strong statement about the fate of the enemies of the church—those who would tear and bite at the fabric of the church and its people. They would cut a thousand times the heart and soul of the tender people who have yielded to a power far greater than anything on the face of the earth. For those people who bring harm to the church, we weep.

The oppressors of God’s people are no better off than a beast of prey that will never be quite at the top of the food chain. There will always be something stronger to crush the beast of prey. We are wise to avoid admiration for the pomp of this world. Why? Its pageantry is fleeting at best. We are to weep for those enthralled by the pomp that power and wealth provide. Weep for them, because we know it is just a breath away from us. We could be them. They are in trouble and do not know they are in trouble.

The water of Egypt running like oil builds a picture of sadness for the whole nation. Make no mistake, God controls the wealth of a nation; if they use this wealth for goodness, then the wealth is continued. If they abuse this gift, it is soon diminished. We weep for those who exalt themselves. They know not what they are doing; they know not what the eventual outcome will be. Trouble is coming!

Ezekiel 32:11-16 says — The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you. I will cause your hordes to fall by the swords of mighty men—the most ruthless of all nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt, and all her hordes will be overthrown. I will destroy all her cattle from beside abundant waters no longer to be stirred by the foot of man or muddied by the hooves of cattle. Then I will let her water settle and make her streams flow like oil, declares the Sovereign Lord. When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the Lord. This is the lament they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord. [NIV]

This chapter addresses the demise of Egypt’s cattle, water, and agriculture. It continues and evaluates the destruction of their protector, the commander of their armies. We see policy implementation and protection—the core value of any monarch for its people—destroyed!

Do not lose sight that the great enemy of the church in the book of Revelation, the dark one that makes war with the lamb, the one who tries to kill the two prophets, this one is called the Spirit of Egypt (see Revelation 11:8). If this passage is a partial reference to that evil cited in Revelation (I think it is), then we can say that the destruction of Egypt is justified (see Revelation 11:3-14).

The message in this chapter is full of wrath for the Pharaohs who would make themselves out to be God. They claim to be a source of light for their nation. They even carve pictures of themselves worshiping themselves. What an amazing display of haughtiness—self-adoration. God tells them that He will snuff them out, He will place a cover on the sun and heavens, and He will extinguish the stars. They will never be able to see light again (see Ezekiel 32:7-8). They will have no light to radiate. Utter darkness.

Sometimes, we feel a little pinch of cold weather in the mornings. The mountains I can see from my window are not a pleasant place to be when it is bitter cold; the absence of light and pure darkness brings a cold that we cannot begin to describe. This is what Pharaoh will feel, and then he will face Lucifer, who will walk past him like trash on the street. “Who are you?” Lucifer asks. Pharaoh responds, “I worked for you.” Lucifer replies, “So what? That was then, this is now. I used you as a mere toy for my pleasure.”

Therefore, after listening to this sad conversation, I am grateful God allows me to say, I choose Jesus.

Confine Yourself to Quarters

Dan

It has been my observation that the early chapters for the book of Ezekiel are a series of give and take events between Ezekiel and the God he serves. We find ourselves at the end of the third chapter. After all the pomp and glitter of his visions and the clear directives of how he should respond to the rebellious House of Israel in Chapters 1-3, we would expect to see him walk outside his house, find a high spot amongst the Israelites and start talking. We would expect a large group to gather at first until the message started to bite. And so, we find the watchman in his first act of ministry. This first event seems a bit unexpected given the power and grandeur of his commissioning.

Ezekiel 3:22-27 says — The hand of the Lord was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” So, I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are rebellious people. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are rebellious people [NIV].

In this passage, we find the usual interaction. God tells him to get up, head to the flatlands (away from the river) so we can visit. Ezekiel goes to the flatlands and sees the same thing he saw at the river Kabar; So, he lays prostrate in respect, then the Spirit of God stands him back up and starts talking. 

As he drops to the ground, I suspect he would be thinking – God can be any place he wants to be, any time he wants to be, in any form of Glory he wants to display. He is a man who once took issue with his calling and withdrew from the previous visions (see Ezekiel 3:14). Transformed, he is a man who is now comfortable talking with the one true living God.

I do not think that we should expect to see such a vision, but we should expect to interact with God. He is not silent. We will hear him in meditation, through scripture, and in prayer. We do within the confines of our faith have a glimpse of the Glory of God (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). As he is being raised up, I suspect he was wondering if he has already made a mistake, hanging out in his house. He gets fully up and he gazes at the Glory of God. I suspect he was expecting a direct statement – go here, do this. Instead, God orders him to sequester himself at home.  Immediately!  God tells him to not appear in public. I think he might have been relieved. He was off the hook. Then the rest of the story unfolds. Men came to his home and tied him up.  Opps!

I think that our choices often define our speedbumps. It is reasonable to expect God to sideline pastors when they do not tend to their flock and do not respond to gentle nudges to get things done. We pray for stuff we have no business requesting and then God sends us a ‘I Love you’ note in the form of a speedbump – the very outcome of the poor prayer decision we made a few weeks ago. Ezekiel is now confined to quarters, bound, laying on the floor and unable to speak. Talk about a speedbump!

Yet God uses this situation to demonstrate the siege of Jerusalem where people were confined to their homes and unable to talk to others. He shows that even in this dire situation, He is the Lord God Almighty. He is in control. He is sovereign. He shall be respected. I choose Jesus.

There is a Time for Everything

Dan

It was my observation while reading Ecclesiastes chapter 3, that Pete Seeger created the song ‘Turn Turn Turn’ from the first 8 verses. Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”[NIV]

It is clear there is a plan for us, a plan that has been in place for eons, a plan that includes ebbs and flow of life events, a plan that carries us from birth to death. This plan was built from God’s foreknowledge, (God’s awareness of our choices and decision nuances), he integrates our free will decisions with His goals and forms the plan. Solomon pens the ebbs and flow of life in the context of God’s plan for us. We read about the rhythms of joy and sorrow, tearing down and building, scattering things and gathering things all playing out in our life and the life of our community.

Everyone reading this essay knows that life is full of turns. Not all the turns lead us to smooth waters. Some lead right through the valley of death, complete with tragedy and deep troubles. We know that God provides comfort and protection, but the bumpy road remains. Not all death means the termination of human Life. The death may be of things that matter, or relationships, or feelings, or other things. He uses these troubles to draw us over, around, or through walls that keep us from a deeper trust of his love for us. He uses events (good and bad) to strengthen our character.

There is more — Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 3:11) “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” I think that we know about some things, but there is much knowledge that God keeps tucked away, out of our reach. Human wisdom is real, is true, and extremely useful, but it is built on a limited knowledge structure – the things and ways he chooses to reveal to us. But, for sure, there is not one thing that we can know or ever know apart from God. Everything we experience, encounter, embrace – the good and the bad – is allowed from God. We discover things, we experience all that life brings us and we find trust. His timing is his business; in the end his timing reflects His glory.

Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 3:12-14) “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to His plan, and nothing taken from His plan.” I think — if we knew everything that God knew it would create a burden that could not be carried. Consider the initial shock that Adam felt after they realized they were being evicted from Eden – I bet it took a while to adapt to their new surroundings. They had two sons, one of the sons killed the other son. This early example of evil is difficult to assimilate. How did things get so far out of control so quickly? I suspect this is why so much is hidden from us.

Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are amazing blessings that are gifted from God to us. With Jesus, hope abounds. We can face a myriad of experiences (good and bad) with hope, knowing we are secure in his grace. I really like the song ‘Turn Turn Turn’. Solomon wrote the lyrics long ago; the 1965 ‘Byrds’ recording holds the distinction of being the oldest known lyric for a #1 U.S. hit on the pop chart. But I think God’s Grace is infinitely better. I choose Jesus.

The Hand of the Lord was upon Him

Dan

It was my experience while assessing the Babylon exile story, Ezekiel entered this at the very beginning of the story. Ezekiel was among the first wave of captives (Much of the Hebrew nation was still in their own land). Jeremiah spoke of this first wave of exiles as the ‘good figs’ who had been initially sent to Babylon (Jeremiah 24:5). For this group of figs, God provided a prophet to bring them back to the Law. We read in Psalms 94:12 — “Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law. From this context, we could say, this first group was being pursued by God.

Ezekiel 1:1-3 paraphrased says — In my thirtieth year … the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest … in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the Lord was on him [NIV].

I think we can agree that it is an act of mercy for God to bring a message of hope to them even when they were experiencing self-inflicted trouble. Those chosen to deliver God’s message and mercy are blessed for their actions. I would be remiss if I did not make clear; it was 5 years into the exile before God provided Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 1:2). He gave the Hebrews in Babylon time to realize their need. However, at the same time, God provided Jeremiah to the Hebrews still in Jerusalem to guide them. Even in distress, God did not leave the Hebrew nation unguided, no matter how obstinate they were.

It was by the rivers of Babylon the Psalmist spoke of musicians setting down and singing songs of lamentation (see Psalm 137:1-3). What was the topic of their songs? The people who were in this area Babylon were experiencing the harshness of captivity, more important, they were feeling the national and personal judgement inflicted upon them for sin against God’s law. Yet, they were not very repentant – they continued to claim entitlement as God’s people. This accounts for Ezekiel’s assessment of their resistant heart as the cause of their woes. This theme recurs often in Ezekiel’s message

His message was a combination of condemnation, aggressive counsel to repent, and restoration (the exile would not last forever). I think God knew the message would be easier to hear if the message came from a fellow exile. For, even though God’s messenger is bound in chains, the message from God is not bound (see 2 Timothy 2:9). John the Revelator was banished to an island and yet the message from Jesus to John left the island and traveled around the globe. Paul tells us — For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:5)

Ezekiel was clearly being guided by the Holy Spirit, he tells us what he saw, what he heard, and what he felt; all of it centered on connectivity with the Spirit of God. In the first chapter, Ezekiel saw a profound vision of God, even when scripture says no man can see God and live, Ezekiel has a vision (the next best thing). This was not the first time this happened. We are reminded of visions in Isaiah Chapter 6 and Jeremiah Chapter 1. Furthermore, let us not lose sight of Moses (Exodus 34:5-7), Abraham (see Acts 7:2), and Paul (Acts 9:1-19) to name a few. They all saw, they all heard the voice of God.

It is wise for all of us to be well acquainted with God and willing to be influenced by his message. Especially if we want to be engaged in the business of bringing others to the knowledge and love for Jesus. In this context, we find the hand of God upon Ezekiel, as it was on Moses, Abraham, and the others. This kept them focused, safe, and able to press forward not crushed by resistance to the message. God’s grace was sufficient for them. Furthermore, it is sufficient for us as we press on towards that higher calling. His hand is certainly upon us. His grace will abound. I choose Jesus.

By the Rivers of Babylon

Dan

It was my observation browsing through Ezekiel, this vision in chapter 1 is not like any other message I’ve ever read in scripture. Ezekiel is very precise about his calling. He was sitting by a tributary of the river of Babylon (Euphrates), known as the Kabar River. It did not go unnoticed by me that the Euphrates is one of the four rivers that’s connected to the Garden of Eden. It also did not go unnoticed to me that Bob Marley wrote about this river in his landmark song by the Rivers of Babylon. We all know that Bob pulled his references from Psalms 137; but it was humorous to me that Ezekiel was hanging out on that same river that Bob spoke about. I’m not saying in any way that Bob’s writings are prophetic. In fact, he got the intent of Psalms 137 wrong. But I am observing that you find the most interesting things when you allow God to muse a bit with you. And so, we begin.

Ezekiel 1:1-3 says — In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians [NIV].

In this opening statement from Ezekiel, we find the circumstances of this prophecy. The first few verses define who was involved and they define the audience. The entire 1st chapter is a vision of God. I’ve read this chapter 15-20 times. I’ve done audio playbacks; I’ve tried to draw pictures of what the vision shows. This initial vision is the most profound thing I’ve encountered in a long time when reading the scriptures. Of course, this vision will have some competition for that prize once I finally get to evaluating Revelation. On the other hand, there is Ezekiel 10 and Ezekiel 37. We will see.

The glory of God (the vision) starts with the discussion of the four angels with extended wings, supporting him. There is a strong loud continuous sound of thunder accompanied by lightening. And it outlines the wheels that they stand upon and the platform that they hold up with their wings. Then the throne and the one true living God is described. When you try to make a picture from this vision, God’s glory speaks loud and clear. You are foolish to approach this without reverence, I think we would be at peril if we disrespect this vision. We see the throne through a veil, we are given but a glimpse.

We can glean from these initial few verses the approximate time when Ezekiel started his ministry. He was about 30 years old. He was at the age to be called into priesthood. But we should note Ezekiel is in Babylon. There are no temple services. God calls him to be a prophet to the people that have rejected the covenant law and temple ordinances. Later, God tells Ezekiel that he will need a forehead made out of flint. Why? Because the message he is to deliver will cause people to reject him aggressively.

The deeper truth. Most everybody I read agrees that this calling came to Ezekiel on the sabbath day. John’s Revelation also came on the sabbath day (see Revelation 1:10). Then we read in Lamentations 1:7 — In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, with no one to help her, the adversaries saw her and mocked at her downfall [NKJV].

The footnote in NKJV for Lamentations 1:7 suggests the Hebrew term underneath the word ‘downfall’ refers to the mocking of sabbaths. Do you think that it was an accident the initial message of Ezekiel and message of Revelation were delivered to the prophets on the Sabbath? I think not. Both messages have been mocked by men. I choose Jesus.