Day 227: Ezekiel 1-3

Summary

The Bible Dept. Podcast: Day 227 - Ezekiel 1-3

Host: Dr. Manny Arango
Release Date: August 15, 2025

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Introduction

In Day 227 of The Bible Dept., Dr. Manny Arango dives deep into the first three chapters of the Book of Ezekiel. This episode is meticulously crafted to help listeners grasp the complexities and profound messages within Ezekiel, a prophet renowned for his vivid and often perplexing visions. As with every episode, Dr. Arango provides context clues, nerdy nuggets, and timeless truths to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the Scriptures.

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Historical Context of Ezekiel

Dr. Arango begins by situating Ezekiel within the tumultuous period of the Babylonian deportations, a series of exiles that significantly impacted the Kingdom of Judah. He outlines three primary waves of deportation:

1. First Wave (605 B.C.):

   • Key Figures: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
   • Context: Under King Jehoiakim, the Babylonians initiated the first deportation, capturing elite members of Judah.

2. Second Wave (597 B.C.):

   • Key Figures: Jehoiachin (Jeconiah), Ezekiel.
   • Context: A more substantial deportation led by King Nebuchadnezzar, resulting in the exile of 10,000 individuals, including skilled workers and the royal family. This is the wave in which Ezekiel is taken into captivity at the age of 25, five years shy of his priestly commission.

3. Third Wave (586 B.C.):

   • Context: The fall of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and complete domination by Babylon, marking the culmination of the Babylonian conquest.

Notable Quote:

Manny Arango [06:04]: "2 Kings 24:10... Nebuchadnezzar... carried all Jerusalem into exile."

This detailed historical backdrop sets the stage for understanding Ezekiel's prophetic mission and the profound challenges he faced.

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Ezekiel’s Commission and Vision

At 25 years old, Ezekiel is deported before he can officially serve as a priest—a role he had been preparing for since his early teens. This abrupt change mirrors the disruptions many face when their plans are derailed, yet it becomes the catalyst for his prophetic calling.

Key Insights:

• Ezekiel's Age: Being deported at 25, five years before his priestly duties, symbolizes the abrupt shifts that can alter one's destiny.
• First Vision: On his 30th birthday, Ezekiel receives a divine vision by the Kabar River in Babylon, marking the commencement of his 20-year prophetic ministry (Ezekiel 1:1).

Notable Quote:

Manny Arango [07:32]: "Ezekiel is going to prophesy for approximately 20 years, and he's gonna focus on themes of judgment, restoration, and the presence of God."

This transition from priestly service to prophetic ministry underscores the theme that God's plans often diverge from our expectations, yet they lead to greater purposes.

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In-Depth Analysis of Ezekiel Chapter 1

Dr. Arango delves into the mesmerizing first chapter, where Ezekiel describes a vivid vision of God's throne:

• The Throne Vision: Ezekiel witnesses a divine chariot composed of wheels within wheels, supported by four living creatures—cherubim.

• Living Creatures: These beings are a composite of human, eagle, ox, and lion, symbolizing various aspects of creation and foreshadowing New Testament revelations about Jesus Christ.

Nerdy Nugget #1: Precision in Calendar Dating

Manny Arango [12:37]: "The Babylonians had created the most advanced calendars in the ancient world... this translates into our calendar as July 31, 592 B.C."

Dr. Arango explains how Ezekiel's precise dating, influenced by Babylonian astronomy, allows for accurate historical alignment with modern calendars—a first in biblical chronology.

Nerdy Nugget #2: Symbolism of the Living Creatures

Manny Arango [15:43]: "The living creatures are a blend of human, eagle, ox, and lion... They represent all of creation."

These creatures not only symbolize the pinnacle of their respective domains but also prefigure their representations in Christian theology, linking Old Testament visions to New Testament narratives.

Notable Quote:

Manny Arango [16:35]: "Everything in creation can be described except God... Ezekiel gets a vision of God and can't describe God."

This underscores the ineffable nature of the divine, emphasizing the limitations of human language in capturing God's essence.

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Examination of Ezekiel Chapter 2

Chapter 2 introduces Ezekiel's role as a prophet and the challenges he faces in delivering God's messages to a resistant audience.

Key Insights:

• Prophetic Commission: Ezekiel is commanded to "speak to the people" despite their obstinacy and the inevitability of resistance.
• Symbolic Actions: Acts of rebellion and obedience are employed to convey deeper spiritual truths.

Nerdy Nugget #3: The "Son of Man" Terminology

Manny Arango [13:05]: "Yahweh is going to refer to Ezekiel as the Son of Man... simply means human or mortal."

Dr. Arango contrasts Ezekiel's use of "Son of Man" with its portrayal in the Book of Daniel and the New Testament, highlighting the term's evolving significance and its different implications across scriptures.

Notable Quote:

Manny Arango [22:00]: "Ezekiel is not using the term Son of Man the same way that Daniel is using the word Son of Man."

This nuanced understanding prevents potential misinterpretations, especially for listeners familiar with New Testament theology.

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Exploring Ezekiel Chapter 3

Chapter 3 centers on Ezekiel's assignment as a watchman for Israel, emphasizing his responsibility to warn the people despite their hardened hearts.

Key Insights:

• Watchman Role: Ezekiel must diligently deliver God's warnings, bearing the weight of potential consequences for the nation's fate.
• Symbolic Consumption: Ezekiel is instructed to eat a scroll, symbolizing the internalization and assimilation of God's word.

Nerdy Nugget #4: The Watchman Metaphor

Manny Arango [20:35]: "Prophets have a narrative where... their job is to communicate what they see."

Ezekiel's act of eating the scroll signifies a deep personal engagement with Scripture, aligning with Jesus' teaching on the importance of internalizing God's word.

Notable Quote:

Manny Arango [28:00]: "If you eat or consume content, that's toxic... but if, like Ezekiel, you take the scroll and consume that, you'll be what you eat."

This metaphor encourages listeners to engage deeply with Scripture, highlighting the transformative power of internalized truth.

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Timeless Truth

Dr. Arango concludes with a profound reflection on Ezekiel's journey:

Manny Arango [29:23]: "We may have dreams, lives set up for us in our imagination. And sometimes those dreams are ripped away from us. But God is greater than our dreams and desires."

Key Message: Ezekiel's unexpected path from priesthood to prophetic ministry illustrates that while our personal aspirations may be thwarted, God's plans are ultimately more glorious and fulfilling. Even in exile and suffering, divine purpose prevails, offering hope and restoration beyond our initial expectations.

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Conclusion and Next Steps

As the episode wraps up, Dr. Arango encourages listeners to continue their journey through Ezekiel, promising deeper explorations in the upcoming segments. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance in studying Scripture, reinforcing the podcast's mission to make the Bible accessible, clear, and transformative.

Upcoming Topics:

• Ezekiel Chapters 4-7
• Further exploration of prophetic symbolism
• Continued application of timeless truths to daily life

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Join the Journey

The Bible Dept. invites believers of all stages to engage with Scripture in a meaningful way. By following the 365-day reading plan and tuning into each episode, listeners can expect to grow in their understanding and connection with God's word.

For More Information:

• Website: thebibledept.com
• Courses: Free library access available at thebibledept.com

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Manny Arango [06:04]: "2 Kings 24:10... Nebuchadnezzar... carried all Jerusalem into exile."
• Manny Arango [12:37]: "The Babylonians had created the most advanced calendars in the ancient world... this translates into our calendar as July 31, 592 B.C."
• Manny Arango [15:43]: "The living creatures are a blend of human, eagle, ox, and lion... They represent all of creation."
• Manny Arango [22:00]: "Ezekiel is not using the term Son of Man the same way that Daniel is using the word Son of Man."
• Manny Arango [28:00]: "If you eat or consume content, that's toxic... but if, like Ezekiel, you take the scroll and consume that, you'll be what you eat."
• Manny Arango [29:23]: "We may have dreams, lives set up for us in our imagination. And sometimes those dreams are ripped away from us. But God is greater than our dreams and desires."

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Stay Connected: For more insights and updates, visit thebibledept.com and follow The Bible Dept. on Instagram @hebibledepartment.

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Peace and Blessings,
Dr. Manny Arango

Transcript

[Manny Arango]

Hey Bible nerds.

[Co-host]

This is Dr. Manny Arango and I'm your host for the Bible Department podcast. Powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan we created to help you read the.

[Manny Arango]

Entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes.

[Co-host]

Or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan.

[Manny Arango]

And join the journey.

[Co-host]

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[Manny Arango]

Family. Welcome to day 227. We got a brand new book of the Bible today. We are in the book of Ezekiel. We're covering Ezekiel chapters 1, 2 and 3 and Yo Ezekiel is wild. My man is known for strange visions, incredible visions. Whereas Isaiah and Jeremiah are more like speaking prophets. Like they hear God and then they say what God said. Ezekiel is more of a visionary prophet, so he's gonna get tons of visions. And like always, I'm gonna give you as much context as possible. Since it is our first day starting a brand new book of the Bible, we'll probably be heavier on the context clues than normal. And then after context clues, I'll try my best to give you at least one nerdy nugget for every chapter that we're gonna cover. And I'll always leave off with a timeless truth. Cause we are not here studying history, we studying theology. And although we have to learn a lot of history to put the Bible into context, we know that the Bible.

[Co-host]

Tells us about the character and the nature of God.

[Manny Arango]

And so we'll always leave off with a timeless truth.

[Co-host]

If you have done the reading today.

[Manny Arango]

Then you already have context for all the things that I'm gonna share. If you haven't done the reading today, then this may go over your head. So how about you stop the video, pause the audio, and actually do the reading? This is not designed to sit, substitute your Bible reading, but to supplement your Bible reading. So stop the video, pause the audio, read Ezekiel chapters one and three, and then come on back with no further ado. Let's dive in. Let's get some context. All right, if you are rocking with us all the way through the Book of Jeremiah, you know that I had everybody memorize the last five Kings of Judah. And those last five Kings of Judah are Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Those last five Kings of Judah are really, really, really important. And they are going to come up over and over and over again as we continue through the book of Ezekiel. All right, to give you historical context, I actually want to give you three dates. And Ezekiel's gonna fit into one of those dates, the deportation. Let's just unpack that word.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

The Babylonians are going to have waves of deportations. So they are going to deport the people of Israel to Babylon in three separate waves. The very, very, very first wave happens in 605 BC. That wave is memorable because Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are on that wave. They get deported into exile, and exile is in Babylon.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

And I want you to think about deportation. Imagine somebody came to your hometown. You know, imagine a foreign nation, came to the United States of America or your hometown, sieged your city. Total. The army marched through your streets, ripped you out of your bed, took you out of your house, and deported you to Australia or Japan or South Africa. And imagine there's no smartphones, there's no maps. There's no way for you to get back home. You are totally enslaved. All right? We use the word deportation or exile, but really, it's. It's in slavery, so the people are enslaved. So that first wave of Deportation happens in 605 BC Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel are all on that first wave of deportation. This is under the reign of King Jehoiakim.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

So Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, when Jehoiakim is king, they're the first wave of deportation. The second wave of deportation is under Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin. This happens in 597 BC. This is a much more major wave of deportation. I'm actually gonna read this account of deportation from 2 Kings, chapter 24.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

2 Kings 24:10 says this. @ that time, the officers of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it. Verse 11. And Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city of while his officials, while his officers were besieging it. Verse 12. Jehoiachin, King of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to King Nebuchadnezzar in the eighth year of the reign of king of Babylon. He took Jehoiachin prisoner as the Lord had declared. Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace and and cut up the gold articles that Solomon, king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. Verse 14. He carried all Jerusalem into exile. So this is deportation wave number two. He carried them into exile, all of the officers and fighting men and all the skilled workers and artisans. A total of 10,000 people get deported to Babylon. Only the poorest people of the land were left. Remember, Babylon does not want poor people, okay? So Babylon is taking the best of the best of the best. This is why Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are desirable in Babylon. That's why King Nebuchadnezzar wants to educate them, train them, because they are skilled.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

In the second wave of deportation, 10,000 people are going to get shipped off to Babylon. Verse 15. Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive. So the king of Judah is going to go off to Babylon as a political prisoner, captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king's mother, his wives, his officials, the prominent people of the land. The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon, the entire force of 7,000 fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans. He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah. Remember, the last five kings of Judah are Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. So we get those last two kings mentioned in this story in Two Kings. Well, guess who's a part of this second wave of deportation? You guessed it. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Our prophet, Ezekiel. So Ezekiel gets marched off into exile. Now Ezekiel gets marched off into exile when he's 25 years old. 25 years old. That's huge. This is massive context. Because he comes from a priestly family, Ezekiel is a priest. And a Jewish man isn't allowed to start functioning as a priest until he's 30 years old. So he's 25 years old when he gets marched into captivity. Can you imagine being 25 years old, knowing in five years, I'm finally going to be able to do the thing that I've been preparing to do my entire life? Well, dang it. But then it got ruined. It's almost like, you know, high school seniors who, like, their senior year was during COVID It's like, I can't have a graduation. I can't go to prom. There's all this stuff that I have been waiting to do for four years, and now I can't do these things. So Ezekiel has been dreaming about the day he gets to actually practice as a priest. He knows that that's gonna happen when he's 30 years old. He's been dreaming about this since the time he was 11, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 years old. He's finally 25 years old. We got five years left before he can actually practice as a priest, and he shipped off into exile and stuck in Babylon. And what happens on his 30th birthday? This is where Ezekiel chapter one starts. In my 30th year, in the fourth month of the fifth day, this is Ezekiel 1:1. While I was among the exiles by the Kabar river. That's in Babylon, the heavens were open. And I saw visions of God on the day where he's supposed to become a priest back in Jerusalem. God knows that I'm going to visit you, and you're going to be more than just a priest, and you're gonna become my prophet. It's not a coincidence that Ezekiel's telling us that on my 30th birthday, I saw a vision from God. Actually, this is gonna get into our timeless truth later. But God knows the dreams of your heart. God knows exactly where you think you should be. And God has a way of always giving you, not a consolation prize, but actually giving you something better than the thing that you hoped and dreamed for. Let's get back to some context. Three waves of deportation. Ezekiel is on the second wave. Obviously, we know if you've been rocking with our podcast or these episodes for any length of time, that 586 B.C. is the third wave of deportation. And this is when Jerusalem falls. This is when the temple is burned to the ground. This is when Nebuchadnezzar doesn't just deport people out of Jerusalem and set up some puppet king, but he absolutely demolishes the nation of Israel in the city of Jerusalem. So, for context, we have an exact date for when Ezekiel starts to prophesy, and it's five years after the exile or the second wave of deportation. So that second wave of deportation is 597 B.C. which means Ezekiel begins his prophetic ministry in 592 B.C. on his 30th birthday. That is our context. Ezekiel is going to prophesy for approximately 20 years, and he's gonna focus on themes of judgment, restoration, and the presence of God. All right, with all that context, okay, now we can actually get into the text. We got three chapters. I'm gonna try my best to give you a nerdy nugget from each chapter of our Bible reading plan today. All right, let's start with chapter one. Here's a nerdy nugget, and this is real nerdy.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

So all the true nerds. You're going to love this.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay.

[Manny Arango]

One of the things that you begin to see, like, in the middle of Jeremiah, you can see it a little bit in Isaiah as well, is that you go from years to months and years. Well, now that we're in Ezekiel, not only do we have months and years, but we have the day, the day, the month, and the year. The Babylonians had created the most advanced calendars in the ancient world.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

So now that we get into a book that's heavily influenced by Babylonian technology, we are going to get precise dates for everything in the Bible. So this day where Ezekiel gets a vision from God is actually July 31, 592 B.C. not only do we have, like, oh, yeah, like it was 592 BC no, we actually have precise dates. So this is what the opening of Ezekiel is going to say. Verse 2, on the 5th of the month. It was the 5th year of the exile of King Jehoiachin.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay.

[Manny Arango]

And here's actually why we're able to do that. The Babylonians were more advanced in terms of astronomy, which gave them a far more precise calendar. And as they trace the movement of the sun, the moon, and the stars, the upshot of which is that from now on in the Bible, the dates become more precise, more definite. Ezekiel, since he spends his entire ministry in exile in Babylon, is the first writer in the entire Bible to fully benefit from a better calendar. It also means as the Babylonian system is more connected to astronomy, and it is far easier for us to work out when Ezekiel prophesied on our own calendar.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay.

[Manny Arango]

Anything earlier than the Babylonian kingdom, and it's kind of hard for us to translate that in our modern calendars. So obviously, Ezekiel's day did not have the month of July.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

We have the month of July. He didn't have the month of July, but he's explaining to us what day on his calendar he starts prophesying. And that translates into our calendar as July 31, 592 B.C. i know that is super nerdy, but I loved it. Okay, let's keep rocking. Second, nerdy nugget is the living creatures. So let's talk about these living creatures. Ezekiel's gonna get a vision, he's actually gonna get a vision of God's creation. Throne of God's war chariot. And he's gonna describe it as wheels within wheels, whirling wheels. And there are four living creatures holding it up. And there's cherubim. And so a couple things about these living creatures. First, the living creatures are a blend of human, eagle, ox and lion. The New Testament writers are gonna pick this up big time, okay. And they're gonna say that Jesus is human, eagle, ox and lion.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay?

[Manny Arango]

Human, meaning he's fully human. Eagle, meaning. Meaning that he transcends. Cause he's also fully God. Ox, meaning that he's gonna bear the burden of our sins. And lion, cause he's a lion of the tribe of Judah. Also, the human is going to represent the biblical book of Luke. The eagle is gonna represent the biblical book of John. The ox is gonna represent the biblical book of Mark. And the lion is gonna represent the biblical book of. Of Matthew. So these living creatures are gonna get a ton of fulfillment if you were in the New Testament as it relates to Jesus, but they're even cooler than that. Okay, These represent all of creation.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay.

[Manny Arango]

Human, eagle, ox, and lion as each are seen to be the king of their kind of animal.

[Guest or Contributor]

Okay.

[Manny Arango]

The eagle is the king of the animals that fly. The ox is the king of the animals who would represent animals that can be sacrificed or farm animals. The lion is gonna be the king of all predator animals. And then the human is going to be king of all the beings that walk on the soil of the planet. And so these living creatures represent the best of what the soil is, has produced. These living creatures are a common image in the ancient world. You will see these composition creatures in Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian art and guarding the gates to cities and thrones of kings. The most well known would be like the Sphinx that we have in Egypt. All right, let's keep moving. What you're gonna see a lot as Ezekiel keeps explaining these visions is this phrase that the appearance of the likeness. And it's like the appearance of the likeness. What in the world? It's interesting Because Ezekiel describes everything in detail. The living creatures are described in detail. The wheels are described in detail. The throne is described in detail. Except when we get to God, Yahweh is not going to get described in detail. One of the most interesting aspects of this vision is that there's great detail. Until we get to Yahweh, the detail ends and is replaced with phrases like the likeness of a throne, a likeness with a human appearance, the appearance of metal, the appearance of his waist, as it were. The appearance of fire. Like that is a literal quote taken from chapter one. The appearance of his waist that looked like the appearance of the resemblance of fire. And why? It's because Yahweh is the most indescribable thing, or the Yahweh is not a thing. Sorry. He's the most indescribable being in all of the universe. Everything else can be described. A desk can be described. Books can be described. IPads, laptops, mics, cameras, everything can be described. Everything in creation can be described except God. We have no words to actually describe God. And Ezekiel gets a vision of God and can't describe God. Our job as communicators is literally to try to describe the indescribable. We are trying to describe a God that is wholly other than us. This is why we have to use anthropomorphic language so the Bible will talk about the hand of God. Well, does God literally have a hand? No, he does not. He does not have a hand. But in order to translate him into language that we can even comprehend, we have to give him anthropomorphic language. Anthro, like anthropology or like. That means the study of humans. Right. Anthropomorphic means that we have to change. We have to morph God into human language to even translate him into a concept that we can understand. And the way that Ezekiel even describes God, honestly, should make us all bow down in reverence that Ezekiel is looking at a vision of Yahweh and has no words. He's utterly speechless. His job as a prophet is to communicate what he sees. And he's just like. It was like the appearance of the likeness of fire. It was like the appearance of the likeness of, like, burning metal. It's like he's just struggling. He can describe the seraphim perfectly. He can describe the whirling wheels perfectly. He can describe everything but the glory of God, because the glory of God is utterly indescribable. Family, the wait is over. My brand new book, Crushing Chaos, is.

[Co-host]

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[Manny Arango]

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[Co-host]

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[Manny Arango]

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[Manny Arango]

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[Co-host]

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[Manny Arango]

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[Manny Arango]

Okay, next, let's get into chapter two. We're going to get this phrase and it's going to be a repeated phrase all throughout Ezekiel and it's going to be the Son of Man. Yahweh is going to refer to Ezekiel as the Son of Man. This is going to actually happen around 90 times throughout the Book of Ezekiel that he's going to be referred to by Yahweh as the Son of Man. This is a. This is strange at first, especially for Christian readers as this is the title we associate with Jesus. Son of man simply means human or mortal. It's a little bit like Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve. If you're familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia in Ezekiel, Yahweh uses it to emphasize Ezekiel's own human frailty and mortality. Ezekiel is only a man, but a man who speaks and acts in the power of the spirit. Now, I'm going to add a lot of nuance here because Daniel uses the same exact term, Son of Man, but uses it totally differently. In the Book of Daniel, Daniel 7:13, we see a heavenly figure who rules over Yahweh's everlasting kingdom and stands next to the throne of God. This figure is described as one like the Son of Man. So Yahweh's calling Ezekiel the Son of Man to talk about his humanity. But Daniel is going to describe a heavenly figure that's ruling over Yahweh's kingdom next to Yahweh's throne as the Son of man. So Daniel and Ezekiel are using the term Son of Man very, very differently. For Daniel, son of man is a royal term. It's a human king, it's a ruler. That's a messiah like figure. In Ezekiel, the Son of man is the equivalent to son of Adam or daughter of Eve, mortal. Okay, let's keep tracking with this. The figure is described as one like the Son of Man in the Book of Daniel. Simply saying that there is a human being standing next to the throne who has the authority of God. Jesus, in a sense, uses the title. It's actually his favorite title in both ways. He uses it to emphasize his humanity, but also to draw attention to who he was. He was the human with God's authority, the king of the kingdoms of God. So as you read through Ezekiel, you have to know that Ezekiel is not using the term Son of Man the same way that Daniel is using the word Son of Man. And if you're familiar with how the New Testament uses the term Son of Man, then it could maybe cause some confusion as you read through Ezekiel. And you gotta have that nerdy nugget nuance if you're going to read with lots and lots of clarity. Last nerdy nugget, then we'll get into our timeless truth. Ezekiel, chapter three tells about a watchman. Ezekiel is described as a watchman who eats a scroll. Now, for the last couple of prophets, Isaiah sees God in his train fills the rope, his the train of his robe fills the temple. He has a live coal that touches his mouth. And Isaiah, chapter six is the moment of commissioning, of calling for Jeremiah. We get this in Jeremiah chapter one. There's a moment before I formed you in your mother's womb. I knew you, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. What we're going to begin to see is that prophets have a narrative where they're called for Ezekiel, that moment is a moment where he's eating the scroll and he's called in to ministry to be a prophet of God and man. That could almost be our nerdy nugget today. That our job, our goal. The reason that you would watch an episode like this is because you believe that we should be eating the scroll. You believe that we should eat the word. Jesus actually says this perfectly. He says man doesn't live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In a real way, you are what you eat. Like if you eat or consume content, if you scroll on social media and consume content, that's toxic, that's negative, that is only feeding dysfunctional thoughts, then you will be what you eat. But if, like Ezekiel, you take the scroll, you take the actual paper that the original biblical words are written on, and you consume that, and guess what? In hard times, what's in you is going to come out. You'll be what you eat, you are what you consume. Our real timeless truth for the day, that was kind of like our pre timeless truth. Our real timeless truth for the day is this. Ezekiel had a life set out for him. He would be a priest serving in the temple. He would minister in the place where the glory of Yahweh dwelt on earth. This life was ripped away from him before it could even begin. All his dreams were shattered. Yet in the exile, guess what appears? The glory of Yahweh that he thought was relegated to a temple that he was going to serve in as a priest. Even though he could no longer serve in that temple, he still didn't miss out on the glory of God. And not only is he allowed to minister in a priest like fashion for the people, but he becomes God's spokesperson. He becomes a prophet. He saw the glory of God, he spoke to Yahweh. That would have never happened to him as a priest. We may have dreams, lives set up for us in our imagination. And sometimes those dreams are ripped away from us. But God is greater than our dreams and desires. We may lose everything, but he can still meet us in the middle of our exile and make the place of our suffering a far more glorious place than the lost dreams that we left behind behind. That's not just true for Ezekiel, man. That's true for me, that's true for you. And that's a timeless truth that I think can add a lot of encouragement to our lives today. Yo. I'm so glad that you're rocking with us and that we got to walk through the first three chapters of Ezekiel together tomorrow. We've got the next couple chapters of Ezekiel. We've got Ezekiel chapters four, five, six, and seven. It's going to be day two, 28 and I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I'm so proud of you, especially if you're on a streak. I love you. I'll see you right here tomorrow as we continue our trek through the Book of Ezekiel. See you right here. Peace.

[Co-host]

Thanks so much for joining us on the Bible Department podcast. You can find us online and learn more about the show at thebibledepartment.com and on Instagram hebibledepartment. If you enjoyed this episode and want to dive deeper into the Bible, you can get free access to our library of [e-mail] we'll see you back here tomorrow.