How I read Ezekiel

In the past couple of years, I’ve had conversations with a variety of people about how to interpret the Scriptures. I’ve even written a post or two about these. I’m currently reading the prophet Ezekiel and I thought I would write down my approach to this Old Testament book – How I read Ezekiel. I do not mean for this to be viewed as instruction, or correction, or an insinuation that no one else is reading it this way - this is simply how I am approaching this book.

1) I come to Ezekiel as the Word of God. Doesn’t everyone? I can remember when I was the custodian for Audubon Park Baptist Church in Memphis. The Minister of Music was given the task of teaching Ezekiel to some group in the church. As he was preparing for this study he said me, “I believe Ezekiel was insane.” He certainly didn’t approach it as the Word of God! But I do, and I believe the following verses are true of it:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

I not only believe this to be the Word of God and potentially profitable, I also believe that as I read it, God is speaking to me through it. There is an old David Ingles chorus that reflects my approach to the Bible:

The Word is working mightily in me 2x

No matter what the circumstances

What I feel or see

The Word is working mightily in me

2) I read it in what is known as the historical/grammatical manner. That is, as I read the text, I realize that some parts are literal and some are figurative. And I believe the context makes this clear. And unless there is some indication in the passage that indicates it is to be understood in a figurative sense, I read it in a straight-forward manner. My guide is, "If the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense." And even when the passage is clearly using symbolism, the context usually gives a clue as to the meaning. In other words, I am fairly simple and don’t try to hyper-spiritualize to find some hidden, secret meaning.

3) I am asking the following questions of the text:

† What is Ezekiel saying? How would those who first heard him have understood these words? I admit, this can sometimes be challenging, because I think there are times when his original audience was as confused as I am! And other times he refers to something they knew about but of which I have no idea (such as Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes – I am not afraid to say it, I have no idea!). In those instances, I “zoom out” and attempt to get the bigger picture to learn what he is saying.

† What does this tell me about God? We can learn a lot about the Lord and His ways from Ezekiel. This is exciting! We see attributes of God that we don’t hear much about these days. We see a LOT of God. Amen!

† What does this tell me about what God expects of me? And let me tell you, there’s plenty of reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness in Ezekiel! Yes!

† How does this apply to me / to us today? I believe the Apostolic hermeneutic (rule of interpretation) is that the promises, warnings, reproof and instruction found in the Old Testament are for me. And for the Church. So this applies to my life:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

† Does this speak of Jesus? Is it really realistic to expect to find Jesus in Ezekiel?? Yes!

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

In the very first chapter, when he saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh - he saw the Son, the Word. Amen! Jesus is in the first chapter!

† In the prophetic sections: What does this tell me about Messiah? About God’s plan and program for the ages? Does this prophecy speak of the blessings of the Gospel?

4) And finally, I am reading Ezekiel with New Testament glasses. I am unabashedly approaching it from the perspective of New Testament truth. I believe the Lord, through the Apostles, gave us The Faith and also gave us permission and encouragement and the right to apply the template of The Faith to the Old Testament - to Ezekiel. So I read it almost like an epistle of one of the Apostles!

I’m excited as I'm reading Ezekiel, and being blessed as I do so. I’m considering making two more posts on Ezekiel, using two separate chapters to demonstrate how I read them. Then you can see how this works for me and decide whether I’m on a good road or completely derailed!

The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest