How Ezekiel Opened My Eyes To The Big Picture

The book of Ezekiel is kind of intimidating to study because of it's imagery and symbolism, and a lot of people just either skim through it or simply stay away from it.

Ezekiel lived around 600BC. He was among those Jews who were brought into captivity in Babylon. It was a time when the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, had become disobedient, corrupt, arrogant, and were worshiping idols instead of worshiping God. 

God began giving Ezekiel visions, calling him to become a prophet. The first vision was a spectacular one. It's the famous vision of spinning wheels inside of wheels. Essentially what this spiritual throne-chariot meant was the God was going to remove His presence in Jerusalem because He was fed up with their disobedience.

Then chapter after chapter Ezekiel gives warning after warning, prophesying about the coming destruction of Jerusalem. This destruction would be by God's own hand of judgment, using the Babylonians as his vehicle. At first God told Ezekiel he would temporarily be unable to speak, so he had to act out various predictions. For example, he would lay on his side in the direction of Jerusalem, pointing to the city that would be receiving God's judgment. He would build models of Jerusalem, indicating where the coming destruction was to happen. Only after the destruction of Jerusalem was he allowed to speak.

The book of Ezekiel, however, ends on a wonderful note -- a glorious vision of the new Jerusalem in all its splendor. This could mean, symbolically, the coming New Testament church of Jesus Christ, or even the eternal Holy City of heaven talked about in Revelation. Regardless, it is a vision of restoration and promise. 

From a simplistic, big-picture view, the book of Ezekiel initially looks like this: 

Disobedience.....Punishment

But considering the end of the book of Ezekiel, it can be summarized this way: 

Disobedience.....Punishment.....Restoration

However, I believe the big picture view of Ezekiel is really this:

Disobedience.....Purification.....Restoration

God needed to punish the nation of Israel for worshiping other gods. He would allow them to be taken into captivity by the Babylonians, and He would allow Jerusalem including the temple to be destroyed.

But here's the key: Although their punishment was justified, it was actually part of a purification process. You see, God didn't totally annihilate His people and wipe them out completely. There was a remnant left - a remnant of the faithful. Because of this purification of Israel, God's chosen nation could be restored from the remnant. 

What is even more amazing, is that this principle of Ezekiel, "Disobedience-Purification-Restoration", is echoed in most all of the other 17 prophets of the Old Testament as well. Not only that, it is the underlying big picture concept of the entire Bible as a whole. Think of it this way....sin came into the world through Adam and Eve (Disobedience). Forgiveness of sin was needed for mankind to be reconciled to God (Purification). This purification is only found through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus, who offered to take the punishment we deserve. And finally, by His grace, the relationship between God and His people could be reconciled. (Restoration). 

Disobedience.....Purification.....Restoration

What really is amazing is that this principle found in Ezekiel, "Disobedience-Purification-Restoration", applies not only to the nation of Israel, and not only to the big picture of the Bible, but it applies to the big picture of our own individual lives as Christians!

You see, because of sin (Disobedience) we become separated from God. We then need a Savior, Jesus, who came to die for our sins (Purification) to take our punishment, so we can be reborn into a new creation, reconciled into a loving relationship with Him (Restoration). 

Thank you, Ezekiel, because from a sometimes intimidating, confusing book, you have clearly brought out a simple, but powerful principle. It's the big picture of the Gospel message.

Disobedience.....Purification.....Restoration

Thank you Ezekiel.

And thank You Lord!