看見神的榮耀
以西結書一章1至5節
1當三十年四月初五日，以西結（註：原文作“我”）在迦巴魯河邊被擄的人中，天就開了，得見神的異象。
2正是約雅斤王被擄去第五年四月初五日，
3在迦勒底人之地、迦巴魯河邊，耶和華的話特特臨到布西的兒子祭司以西結，耶和華的靈（註：原文作“手”）降在他身上。
4我觀看，見狂風從北方颳來，隨著有一朵包括閃爍火的大雲，周圍有光輝，從其中的火內發出好像光耀的精金；
5又從其中顯出四個活物的形像來。他們的形狀是這樣：有人的形像，
信息分享
當時的以西結與其他數千名猶太人，一同被擄到離家鄉1,600公里的巴比倫，至少已五年時間。以西結的名字意為「神是強壯的」，然而，當他們需要神的時候，神在哪裡呢？
神呼召以西結作祂的代言人回答這個問題。神沒有忘記祂的百姓，祂已經預備了僕人，在祂的百姓中間作見證。當猶太人被擄到巴比倫的時候，耶利米留在耶路撒冷的猶太人中間作見證，但以理則在巴比倫的皇宮中向達官貴冑作見證。而此刻，神呼召以西結作祂的使者，向聚居在迦巴魯河邊的被擄者傳講祂的信息。
然而，以西結的事奉將會非常艱巨。他要用盡各種方法，使百姓醒悟到，他們是因為犯罪，才落入如斯的困境。他還要盡力鼓勵他們，舉目望向遙遠的未來，相信神必使以色列復國，讓他們重回故土。
神向以西結啟示的異象，今天能否同樣激發我們醒悟到，神仍在掌管一切？或是我們只見到周遭的可悲境況和被罪惡所困的光景？我們是否質疑神在我們生命中的某些作為，或對我們的遭遇袖手旁觀？你如果有這種困惑，閱讀以西結書的信息就最合適不過了。神仍然坐在寶座上，祂仍然握有至高無上的主權。我們可以把自己的將來，放心交在祂的手裡。當我們一起研讀本書的時候，願神向我們每個人清楚啟示這個真理。
THE MAN WHO SAW THE GLORY
Ezekiel 1: 1-5
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
Message
Ezekiel was an exile among thousands of others like himself, 1,600 kilometers (900 miles) from his home. He had been in Babylonia for at least five years. His name means “God is strong”, but where was God when they needed Him?
God called Ezekiel as His spokesman to answer that question. God hadn’t forgotten His people and He had not left any of them without a witness. During the time of the Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah was with those Jews still in Jerusalem and Daniel was with the professional upper class people in the court of the Babylonian kings. Now Ezekiel was being called to be God’s messenger to the third group, the large crowd of slaves living by the canal.
Ezekiel’s ministry was going to be a difficult task, however. He had to try and make the people realize that it was their sin which led them to their present situation. He also had to try to lift their eyes to the distant future when God would restore the nation of Israel back to their own land.
Can we share today in the vision which came to Ezekiel, declaring that God is still in control? Or, can we only see the sad, sinful conditions around us? Are we puzzled by what God is doing or not doing in our lives? If so, the message of the book of Ezekiel is for us today. God is still on the throne. His sovereignty is still overall and we can safely leave our future in His hands. May God make this truth very clear to everyone of us as we look at this book together?