The Church at Ellerslie SUNDAY SERMON NOTES

Transcription

1 The Church at Ellerslie SUNDAY SERMON NOTES Eric Ludy Sunday, October 23, 2016

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3 The Chariot of the Almighty A study in the grand and mystifying purpose of the believer The Cherubim An amazingly powerful, amazingly wise, four-faced, four-winged heavenly creature. And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and He was seen upon the wings of the wind. 2 Samuel 22:11 And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Hebrews 9:5 The Cherub - God s Mobile Carrying Device A cherub was built to carry the vast, immense glory of God And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwells between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 2 Kings 19:15 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 1 Chronicles 28:18 The Chariot of the Cherubim The Holy of Holies. The Seat of God. The mobile Presence. 3

4 Introducing Ezekiel Chazaq + El - God strengthens Ezekiel The Vision of God upon His Chariot Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves' feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning. Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. And under the firmament their wings spread out 4

5 straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings. And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking. Ezekiel, Chapter One From the Cherubim Chariot to the the Humble Chariot... you are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2 Corinthians 6:16 The Glory of God Carried by a Man? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 The Body of Christ is the Chosen Vehicle of Revelation Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 1 Corinthians 12:27 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in 5

6 God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord... Ephesians 3:8-11 The Word of God Begins As a fiery flame inside an ordinary bush And Still... He Has Chosen the Bush in Which to Dwell... the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:25-29 What is the Proper Response? Just ask the Cherubim And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.... Ezekiel 1:12 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Ezekiel 1:20 6

7 When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went. Ezekiel 10:11 Three Obvious Things to Do 1. Tremble with Awe The LORD reigns; let the people tremble: He sits between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. Psalm 99:1 2. Show Cherubic Obedience Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went... Ezekiel 1:20 3. Aggressively Purify Your Chariot And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:3 7