Title: Heaven is open
Contents
Bible: Ezekiel 1:1~3
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While studying the Bible for a long time, I have the know-how to organize 39 books of the Old Testament in my head. There are two main events to remember in your mind. One is the 430-year slavery of the Israelites in Egypt, and the other is the 70-year captivity in Babylon. The books written based on those two events are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Then Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings unfold. Next, remember the prophecies related to the Babylonian captivity. The book of prophecy comes to mind first of Isaiah, Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian captivity, and just before Israel was destroyed, you can remember it as Jeremiah. And after the Babylonian captivity, Haggai, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. In this way, all 39 books of the Old Testament will come into your mind.
Of these two events, the event that had a great impact on the Israelites in Israel's history was, in my opinion, the 70 years of Babylonian captivity.
The incident in Egypt was that the Israelites voluntarily entered Egypt to live, but the Israelites began to settle in the land of Canaan around 1250 B.C. as the Babylonian captivity, and continued their kingdom while enjoying an enchanting heyday during the reign of King David, until finally 587 B.C. It was destroyed by Babylon in the year 2000 and forced into captivity.
Ezekiel in today's text is a prophet who was taken to Babylon with King Jehovahgin when he was taken into captivity in Babylon.
Babylon is now Iraq. Back in history, this region was the birthplace of Mesopotamian civilization. Mesopotamian civilization is a civilization that arose between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. The land between the two rivers is fertile soil. You have built a city here. But the problem is the flood. The city you build is heavily damaged by floods. So King Nebuchadnezzar dredged the river bed to prepare for a flood. So I made the Israeli captives to do this hard work. Their troubles are also recorded in Psalm 137:1. Ezekiel was also among the captives working. Ezekiel realizes who he is while doing the hard work. He soon realizes that he is Ezekiel the priest, son of Bush.
Realizing who you are and what you are doing is a huge help in overcoming the difficult reality. Ezekiel wore the ephod, the priest's garment, while doing the hard work, digging up the soil. The priest's clothes are very uncomfortable when working. But I did it on purpose to constantly remember who I am.
There is a book called “The Day of Ivan Denisovich” by Solzhenitsyn. ‘Ivan Denisovich’ is a prisoner living in a Siberian concentration camp. Solzhenitsyn was also there. Ivan Denisovich was a stoner. Ivan Denisovich tells his colleagues: “You and I are dignified human beings. Let's never lick our tongue for a single meal. The moment we lick a piece of grass with our tongues because we are hungry, the guards mock us. Let's not take the bread that the guards throw at us, fighting with each other for more bread. The moment we take it, the guards treat us as animals, not humans. That should never be the case.” Ivan Denisovich wants to not forget that we are human beings with dignity. What we call dignified beings can only be discovered when we are struggling, struggling, and ill.
who am i I am God's beloved child, we are God's chosen holy people, and we are children of light who receive the light of Christ today and spread the light to the world. I bless you in the name of the Lord that we become those who clearly realize this.
The heavens will be opened when we confirm that Ezekiel is God's holy priest. The opening of heaven means meeting the Lord. Through that Ezekiel, the Israelites who were taken into captivity in Babylon were able to accurately identify themselves as children of God. Before they were taken captive to Babylon, they served God while also serving Baal and Asherah. However, as they were taken to Babylon as captives and dredged, they began to realize that they were children of God.
Then three important things happen. First, they will throw away all the idols in them. If we look at the Bible, the Babylonian exiles, Amos, Micah, Hosea, and Habakkuk say, “Abandon idols among you.” There are many records. However, these records do not appear in Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, and Nehemiah after the Babylonian captivity ended. The second most important thing is to weave the Old Testament into a book during the Babylonian captivity. Third, they lived in hope that the Messiah would come soon. He also lived with the hope that he would return to his hometown soon.
The day we meet the Lord, the moment we have the Lord in our hearts today, even if we live in a hut or in a palace, I believe that wherever we are, we will become the kingdom of heaven where the Lord is served.
Ezekiel always looked to the Lord during the Babylonian captivity. This is the hallmark of those who have seen the heavens open. I could hear the voice of God because I saw the heavens open. Aren't I living in God's care and love today, as God's precious son and daughter? I believe you will hear these voices through the Holy Spirit.
Today is the first day of Advent. May the heavens be opened and you will hear the voice of the Lord and remember that you are God's beloved children, God's chosen holy people, and children of light.
2009-12-12 15:28:06