Ezekiel: A Warning to Priests of Little Humility

Ezekiel's Vision by Raphael

Good day dear friends of the Church of Man, welcome to the Society of Honor Bible Study Group on this bright Philippine day. 

No attack from China today. The priests are off doing whatever priests do. Manila is a beehive of activity, taxi drivers switching plates so they can keep the income in-coming whether the day is odd or even. Typhoons are tucked in hibernation for later in the year. The politicians are in the back rooms chewing on cigars and smoking gum trying to figure out how to make more money by serving us poorly. The more chaos they can project, the more they can argue that we need them.

I rather think the world would perk along quite nicely if they all just rowed into the cave of the underground river and kept paddling.

Have you read your bible lately? Picked up a word of warning or wisdom?

Pastor Joe is here to lead you through one of the most vibrant and colorful books of the Bible, that of the Prophet Ezekiel, who testified that God is indeed awesome. "Zeke", as I prefer to call him, is the Van Gogh of religious writing. It is hard to determine if what he penned is art work or lunacy, truth or allegory, brilliant expression or the work of a demented soul who deals in visions because he knows not how to deal any other way.

Read this description

• [1.4] And I looked, and, behold, a whirl-wind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Whoa, Bubba, that ain't no typhoon there, that's God come down to visit. Spielberg used this scene in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", but his clouds were gray and his creatures were alien. Zeke's vision is out of this world, for sure:

• [1.5] Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

• [1.6] And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

• [1.7] And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

• [1.8] And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they had their faces and their wings.

• [1.9] Their wings were joined one to another; they turned no when they went; they went every one straight forward.

• [1.10] As for the likeness of their faces, they  four had the face of a man and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Boy howdy, and it gets even wilder. Soon Zeke is attaching wheels and rings to the creatures and there is a "likeness of the firmament" on the heads of the creatures and a voice came from the firmament and fire and loins came on stage and brother, glory hallelujah, even you and I would fall to our knees in awe.

• [1.28] This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Then God sets out to give Zeke his charter. "Zeke, my good man, head forthwith to Israel, which is getting a little unruly, as those middle-easterners are inclined to get, and become My spokesman." I paraphrase, of course. That's rather like President Aquino has press people and administrative aides to front for him. God also delegated, and Zeke was stuck with a nasty job.

What is interesting is that Zeke does not say God physically appeared in that vision, but, rather that a "likeness of the glory" of God appeared. Zeke acknowledges this is his imagination at work and he takes it as meaningful, as a directive from God. He feels compelled to go to Israel and face the unruly tribes and represent God and God's will.

Possibly Martin Luther King or Jose Rizal or Ninoy Aquino had similar imaginative drives. Maybe even powerful visions. Because otherwise their bravery makes no sense. Why walk directly toward hell when you don't have to? What FORCE is it that impels risky good deeds, for the betterment of mankind?

Dep. Press Sec. Abigail Valte

In Chapter 2, God gives Zeke a book and  [2.10]"there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe." In Chapter 3, God feeds Zeke and gives him instructions on how to deal with the Israelites.  Zeke is told to tell the Israelites that God says [3.27]"they are a rebellious house." Hah. And President Aquino's Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Valte thinks SHE has it tough explaining President Aquino's position on FOI!

In Chapter 4, God gives Zeke the power to bring down the walls of Jerusalem by putting his face on an iron pan. But He's only getting warmed up. He instructs Zeke to lay siege to the city by . . . yes . . . by lying down for 390 days. Then, God gives Zeke cow's dung instead of man's dung and instructs him to make bread out of it and feed Jerusalem. You think I make this stuff up?

• [4.15] Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cown's dung for man's dung, and thy shalt prepare thy bread therewith.

In Chapter 5 there are more bizarre acts, and if you ever doubt that the Christian God is a God of vengeance, read on:

• [5.11] Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou has defiled my sanctuary with al thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

• [5.12] A third part of they shall die with the pestilence, and with the famine shall they be consumed in the midst of they; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

• [5.13] Thus  shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted; and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

Well, you know, this is so powerful, is it not?

So today's priests wield this power. They claim they represent God and whip their wisdom and fear upon our poor innocent souls. We fall to our knees in obedience. The Pope is a prophet is he not? His admonitions strike fear and obedience in millions. And reverence, yes, that too.

Well, the book goes on to recount how God and Zeke work together to raise havoc with Israel. There are more astounding visions, they keep rolling in.

I tell you, if Zeke was smoking dope, it was powerful stuff.

Ahhhh, but read on, dear friends, to get to the meaning of this lesson.

• [13.1] And the word of the Lord came unto me saying,

• [13.2] Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord;

• [13.3] Thus saith the lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

• [13.4] O, Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts

And God rips on the prophets for a few verses.

• [13.23] Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

The Vanities of the prophets. The vanities of the priests.

Today's Catholic Church remains political. Politics is divided, one for this law, one for that. One for this candidate, one for that. When the Church is so stridently AGAINST half the people, and against the President of the Philippines, one must ask how can the priests nurture ALL the people of the land in the ways of the Lord?

To gain acceptance to heaven one must vote against President Aquino?

The  Book of Ezekiel continues, more visions, more anger and punishment, more lessons. After ripping Israel to shreds with disease, war and famine, God puts everything back together again. Chapters 45 through 48 report on the reconstruction of Israel, defining the boundaries of the lands of the various tribes as well as the division of Jerusalem and the establishment of the city's various gates.

• [48.35} It was round about eighteen thousand measures; and the name of the city, from that day shall be, The Lord is there.

No book in the bible portrays "awesome" quite as colorfully or powerfully as the Book of Ezekiel.

And no book in the bible is more clear in holding priests accountable for being obedient themselves to God's demands.

I raise this point in a context that perhaps even priests understand. They will be held to account, as Israel was held to account, when they engage in vile acts, in lies and deceit and the grabbing of power for the sake of the Church, rather than ministering to mankind in the ways of the Lord. Rather than ministering to the Philippines.

I can read the Ten Commandments. And I can tell when Philippine Priests are cheating on it.

I've studied Jesus, and I know when the Priests are consumed with acts other than the healing and teaching of mankind. These are political acts. They divide they do not join. They do harm, they do not heal.

Prophets and priests who go astray are not immune to the wrath of God.

The prophet Zeke makes this awesomely clear.