If one would compare our life to that of Ezekial – I would say we are BLESSED… Ezekiel was tasked at being exposed – let us say EZ-posed – for over a year – living on the street – prophesying. and Ezekial had to symbolize the future of the Israelites who were turned away from God for years and years. And it wasn’t pretty.

Our lives could would should instead symbolize and exclaim God’s Goodness and Grace and especially His Salvation. We should symbolize and materialize His Joy – would could should –  provide justice like Jesus would for the ostracized – we could walk humbly – we should show how we love mercy – modeling Jesus with our forgiveness passed to others…  We are of His Children who should “get it” by now… We must realize and proclaim that Jesus came as our sacrificial lamb for God’s Plan.

Ezekial’s symbolism and prophecy to demonstrate? Ugh – not so pleasant… The book may be EZ Ezekial to read and understand – but the harsh symbolism of what was to come for those people, who disobeyed Him, for years is down right scary – both as the receiver and as the giver.  Ezekial – protected by God – is being asked to live it out tough – God asks Ezekial to live on the ground for over a year – and next to a big slab of clay that portrays the siege of Jerusalem. Ezekial does get to eat but he has to cook his food over dung – and live a life totally EXPOSED… Ugh…  No thanks, I would rather do my job of writing and speaking and singing of God’s Grace and Mercy, thank you! We live in a time after Jesus came and will come again. But Ezekial had to witness the rebellion and as tough as it was to be a prophet to people who didnt want to listen, EZekial is known to comply – God bless him!

390 days – a day for each year of Israel’s disobedience. plus 40 days for each year of Judah’s rebellion. God was warning and telling them what He was going to do – cut off the food supply – and woe to those who didn’t prepare and believe. 

What about us – do we prepare and believe? Are we living a life exposed? We should be EZ-posed and so obviously EXPOSED to show that we DO TRUST GOD – we DO have JOY – we DO love mercy, kindness, goodness, and live sharing all the fruits of the spirit. If we have trouble in this life, we should remember the words of Jesus who said “I have overcome the world” and keep shining His Light. 

If anything – we should model how we approach the Lord – EZ-posed with hope and thankfulness – with fear for His Almighty Power – and talk of His faithfulness. He has done GREAT things… 

Let us live exposed in His Glory. Pray for those who do not yet realize He IS a Loving and Forgiving God.

Amen

—
Ezekial 4 

“Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.

“Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.

“After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.

“Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. Weigh out twenty shekels[b] of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.” The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”

Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.”

“Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin.

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Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.