Ezekiel’s concern for holiness

I was teaching on the Book of Ezekiel at Bible School last night when his very deep concern for the holiness of God just overpowered me. Unlike the other prophets who focus in on man’s sin – idolatory, unnecessary alliances with nations, decling morality etc, as the cause for the exile of Judah to Babylon and destruction of Jerusalem, Ezekiel’s focus is that they had shown distain for the holiness of God. They were His holy people, living in a holy city in a holy land with His holy word to guide them and they messed up.

And God’s “rejection” of them was also so holy. Just a time, then restoration. And in that time God would nonetheless be with them. But ahead lay a return of a holy people to a holy land with a holy promise from a holy God. Awesome!

And its no wonder that Ezekiel describes his visions of God in such a crazy way – wheels within wheels and four headed cherubim – how on earth do you describe to someone else what you have seen of the glory of God?