看见神的荣耀
以西结书一章1至5节
1当三十年四月初五日，以西结（注：原文作“我”）在迦巴鲁河边被掳的人中，天就开了，得见神的异象。
2正是约雅斤王被掳去第五年四月初五日，
3在迦勒底人之地、迦巴鲁河边，耶和华的话特特临到布西的儿子祭司以西结，耶和华的灵（注：原文作“手”）降在他身上。
4我观看，见狂风从北方刮来，随着有一朵包括闪烁火的大云，周围有光辉，从其中的火内发出好像光耀的精金；
5又从其中显出四个活物的形像来。他们的形状是这样：有人的形像，
信息分享
当时的以西结与其他数千名犹太人，一同被掳到离家乡1,600公里的巴比伦，至少已五年时间。以西结的名字意为「神是强壮的」，然而，当他们需要神的时候，神在哪里呢？
神呼召以西结作祂的代言人回答这个问题。神没有忘记祂的百姓，祂已经预备了仆人，在祂的百姓中间作见证。当犹太人被掳到巴比伦的时候，耶利米留在耶路撒冷的犹太人中间作见证，但以理则在巴比伦的皇宫中向达官贵胄作见证。而此刻，神呼召以西结作祂的使者，向聚居在迦巴鲁河边的被掳者传讲祂的信息。
然而，以西结的事奉将会非常艰巨。他要用尽各种方法，使百姓醒悟到，他们是因为犯罪，才落入如斯的困境。他还要尽力鼓励他们，举目望向遥远的未来，相信神必使以色列复国，让他们重回故土。
神向以西结启示的异象，今天能否同样激发我们醒悟到，神仍在掌管一切？或是我们只见到周遭的可悲境况和被罪恶所困的光景？我们是否质疑神在我们生命中的某些作为，或对我们的遭遇袖手旁观？你如果有这种困惑，阅读以西结书的信息就最合适不过了。神仍然坐在宝座上，祂仍然握有至高无上的主权。我们可以把自己的将来，放心交在祂的手里。当我们一起研读本书的时候，愿神向我们每个人清楚启示这个真理。
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?