Today’s Reading: Ezek 1:1–3:15, Rev 1:1–20, Job 32:1–10

Today’s Theme: The Royal Trinity

Today’s theme is the awesome power of our God the Royal Trinity. God is one unique essence with three distinct persons who are God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (not one God in three modes or manifestations and not three individual / separate Gods).

Ezekiel 1:1–3:15

God’s awesome presence

Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.(Ezekiel 1:28, ESV)

Even though Ezekiel has written this down the sheer awesomeness of seeing the glory of The Lord in this vision is beyond comprehension. One thing that stands out is that the bodies of God and the Heavenly host seem very glorious. Also there seems to be a great deal of order and ceremony in the presence of God.

The Trinity in the Old Testament

And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.(Ezekiel 2:2, ESV)

The Holy Spirit entered the prophet and literally put him on his feet. We can see members of the trinity at work here.

Don’t refuse to hear

And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.(Ezekiel 2:5, ESV)

Dear Lord, help us to hear and not refuse to hear.

Don’t be afraid of words or looks

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.(Ezekiel 2:6, ESV)

It brings perspective and encouragement to remember this when sharing the Gospel, and even when ministering in church.

Don’t rebel

“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”(Ezekiel 2:8, ESV)

We are God’s servants, we should not rebel against His word, we should receive it and give it to others.

Eat, chew and swallow

And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.(Ezekiel 3:3, ESV)

We need to eat (read), mediate on (chew) and apply (swallow) God’s word. The word of God is sweet like honey.

God given backbone

Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.(Ezekiel 3:8, ESV)

Notice God did not give him a stubborn heart like theirs but He did give Him the backbone and straightforward determination he needed to deal with them. He made his face and stand hard to deal with a hard people.

Resolute in righteousness

Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”(Ezekiel 3:9, ESV)

We need to be harder, more resolute in righteousness than our hearers are in sin and rebellion, this way iron will sharpen iron rather than both us and them becoming blunt.

For God’s glory

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!”(Ezekiel 3:12, ESV)

This great vision and the Lord’s commission to Ezekiel was all for the sake of God’s glory.

Be affected by the message

The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me.(Ezekiel 3:14, ESV)

Although the taste of the word was sweet the mission issued in it was serious and caused great heaviness and bitterness of soul to the prophet. If we are not affected by the message we have to deliver we are in great danger ourselves.

Revelation 1:1–20

The revelation of Jesus

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,(Revelation 1:1, ESV)

Not John but Jesus.

This can be problematic for us when explaining that soon for man is not the same as soon for God.

The Royal Trinity

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood(Revelation 1:5, ESV)

Two significant things here, first we see the Trinity, He who was, is and is to come is the Father, the Sevenfold Spirit is the Holy Spirit and Jesus is the Son.

Also note that Jesus is both a faithful witness and the King over all kings, He rules right now.

We have actually been freed from our sins, this is a glorious and awesome truth.

Father and Son

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”(Revelation 1:8, ESV)

The Father and the Son both use the same words of self disclosure revealing their shared nature as God.

Jesus the Victor

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.(Revelation 1:17–18, ESV)

Unequivocal truth that Jesus is divine, He is the Son of God and is the great victor holding the keys of death and hell.

Also note John’s relation to Him and his descriptions, this puts all the false modern testimonies about seeing Jesus into perspective. When we see the glorious Lord we would not get paly, we will fall down and worship Him.

Those that are and those that take place after this

Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.(Revelation 1:19, ESV)

Two lenses through which we interpret various parts of the book.

Held in God’s favour

As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(Revelation 1:20, ESV)

Thank you Jesus that you hold the church in your hand of favour.

Job 32:1–10

Beware pride

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.(Job 32:2, ESV)

This was Job’s sin, he had pride and justified himself over and against God.

Understanding comes from God

But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.(Job 32:8, ESV)

This young man is very respectful but is also passionate for God’s glory. He understands that wisdom comes from the Spirit of God and is not necessarily acquired through age.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 1