Psalm 8, 47; Ezek. 1:1-14,24-28b; Heb. 2:5-18; Matt. 28:16-20
Ezekiel receives a manifestation of God’s glory prior to his commissioning as a prophet. He sees images that are very similar to those that John saw in the Revelation in the 4th and 5th chapters particularly and these visions are also similar to what Isaiah tells us he saw and what Daniel saw. The particulars of the images are not the central issue of the theophany, what stands above all else is the glory of the Lord being manifest. He sees a throne with a sea like glass around it surrounded by a rainbow and a being “with the appearance of a man” on the throne. Ezekiel’s attention is captured and he knows that whatever comes next is with authority and is from God. We all need to come “face to face” with God prior to speaking in His Name, that meeting ensures we take great care in communicating His message.
There is a good bit of confusion about this passage in that it remains to be settled whether the only ones who are here this day are the eleven disciples cum apostles or are there others there. If we refer back to verse 10, Jesus tells Mary to “tell my brothers to go to Galilee” then we have to ask who Jesus refers to there, just the 11 remaining disciples or all those who accompanied them. Most commentators fall on the side of believing that the group gathered here in the mountain included others and that it is these among whom were some who doubted. Jesus had conclusively proven Himself as resurrected from the dead to the disciples, concluding with the appearance to Thomas and the invitation to inspect his wounds. The other Gospels tell us these men had no doubts remaining. These are the ones to whom the command is given and who are commissioned to lead the movement and we know that because we see them in this role in the book of the Acts. If they had doubts they could not have been commissioned for the work of discipling and teaching. The commission is to all of us who have been taught their lessons to go make disciples of others. Have we come face to face with Jesus and moved beyond doubt to faith? If so, let us now evangelize.
Jesus was like us in every respect. He was tempted and suffered to overcome temptation. He suffered death and was buried. He was fully man and fully God and in living a perfectly righteous life, without sin, He has overcome death and the grave. He has overcome the curse of sin and has given us His righteousness. Because He was like us in every respect, He took on flesh and understands our weakness, He is truly our brother. That is an amazing reality and now we look to that brother and also recognize Him as God. In Jesus we see the glory of God, the perfect image of God which is what we were created to be. In Him then we see perfect humanity, what we would be if not for sin and we should long for resurrection and the coming of His kingdom when we will be all we can be.
To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be,
hence evermore.
Thy sovereign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity
love and adore!
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