Eze 37:3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
Wise words from a young prophet, Ezekiel. The breadth and depth of prophesies in Ezekiel's book that cover not just Jesus’s first coming but even second coming and beyond might give us an impression of an old, mature and seasoned prophet. But in late teens, he was studying to be a Priest, mid-20s, he was taken captive to Babylon, started prophesying ~30ish and last recorded prophecy was when he was ~50ish. Many of us fall into that spectrum of age - Don't we?
Do you know Ezekiel was a contemporary of Daniel and Jeremiah? In fact Daniel and Ezekiel served around the same time frame in Babylon but one in the palace and the other in the river banks. Back in Jerusalem, Ezekiel as an aspiring and ambitious student in the school of ministry, might have even had his eyes set on becoming the High Priest one day! He was just 5+ years away from a blazing start of his career as one must be at least 30 years of age to serve (Num 4:3). Ezekiel was well on his way, cruising…
Until GOD UPSET/UPENDED his plans…
At age ~25, Ezekiel and his wife are taken captive to Babylon. Ezekiel couldn’t fathom, understand, comprehend what just happened in his life and the life of his Nation. Why would God, who promised his everlasting presence in this city and temple would abandon it? What wrong did he personally do that his life was turned upside down? After all, he was studying to serve the Lord - What's is wrong with that? Why would God shatter his entire career and life? Was it not God’s will / purpose? As a young man, Ezekiel might have struggled with so many challenging but unanswered questions.
What Israel thought as doomsday, what Ezekiel thought end of his career/life was exactly the place where God would use him, exalt him far above even his own imagination. Ezekiel would have seldom imagined that he would be the great prophet nicknamed ‘Prophet of the Spirit’ who would prophesy not just the first coming of the Messiah but much beyond, all the way to end times.
Still it did not happen instantly. Ezekiel had no clue for first 5 years in Babylonian captivity but faithfully served his people. He would have fought and resisted every fear and temptation to run away from God and use his incomplete education and inexperience to avoid serving, avoid being in ministry. But Ezekiel, intentionally chose to trust God and wait upon Him patiently. There was no "religious" place to serve but deliberately served God's people in captivity even if he was ridiculed as a 'seminary drop out’.
After 5+ years of believing, waiting and serving, his first prophecy was ~5+ years into captivity when he was ~30 years old and last recorded prophecy was when he was ~50 years old. In these 20 years, God revealed so much to this humble, faithful, obedient seminary drop out that is only comparable to the book of Revelation.
Out of this Prophet’s mouth came these wise words “O Lord God, you know” came. When God asked him, “Could these dry bones live”, Ezekiel did not assume/presume “God’s Will” but shows humility. Para-phrasing, Ezekiel said, “Sovereign God, you rule and overrule everything in life and death including nature and all creation”.
My dear Brother/Sister, do you remember a time when God upset your plans? Or are you in a place where things have not gone the way you planned? Are you worried and wondering like Ezekiel? These are exactly the times God fortifies our faith before doing something that we cannot even imagine possible.
Trust in the faithfulness of God, Hold onto him closer than ever before, Obey and Serve him wherever HE has placed you. These are exactly the times, God tests your readiness to stand in the mountaintop without falling, tests your readiness to stand in the valley of death/dry bones speaking life into them, test your readiness to proclaim His Gospel to the unbelieving world.
No, it doesn’t happen overnight or obviously. But God works fervently in the very moments we think He is missing and feel alone. If we would only see and believe his work, then why do we need faith? (John 20:29)
Whatever may be the state of affairs in your life in this period, would you tell God, “O Lord, God, you know”. I don’t want to assume or presume but I trust you, I obey you, I serve you and I am ALL confident in your faithfulness and I am ALL sufficient in your Grace. ALL in ALL, I am in YOUR hands!
God bless, lead and guide you this day and week ahead!
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