Mishpatim

      The Book of Ezekiel opens with an accounting of the day on which "the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel (hazak - strengthen, repair, prevail, courage, encourage, make strong, make bold, be resolute) the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar (kebar - length of space, continuance of time, long ago, formerly, now, already); and the hand of the LORD was upon him there." (Ezek. 1:3). On this day, Ezekiel said, "the heavens were opened and I saw visions (mar'a/mar'e/ra'a - a vision as a mode of revelation, mirror, looking glass/appearance, sight, vision, phenomenon, spectacle, countenance, form, visage, pattern/to see, look at, perceive, consider, foresee, seer, discern, be visible, to be caused to see) of God." (v. 1). Last week we read about the direct and powerful encounters in scripture that several had with God which changed their lives. Here is another of those encounters.

     Ezekiel's vision begins with a whirlwind cloud coming out of the north "with a raging fire engulfing it." (v. 4). Within this whirlwind of burning cloud, Ezekiel sees four angelic creatures, with each of the creatures having four wings and four faces, and "they went wherever the Spirit wanted to go..." (v. 12). The appearance of the (angelic) creatures "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." (v. 13). Ezekiel went on to give a very specific description of what he further saw. Eventually he said that above these creatures was the firmament (raqia - extended surface, expanse, vault of heaven supporting waters above, visible arch of the sky, the heavenly ocean to which the stars are fixed). Ezekiel's vision continues to advance upward, seeing above the firmament to the likeness of a throne, and on the throne " was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it (v.  26). From His waist up, the man's appearance was the color of amber "with the appearance of fire all around within it", and a voice like the sound of many waters. From the Man's waist down, "...the appearance of (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek as Jesus was referring to Himself: Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) fire with brightness all around." (v. 27). The brightness that Ezekiel saw around and within this Man was like the appearance of a rainbow: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." (v. 28). The likenesses of both the throne and the Man seen by Ezekiel are very similar to descriptions of Jesus Christ in Rev. 1:13-16 and Rev. 4:3. 

     This awesome and glorious vision changed Ezekiel's life. He received his prophetic calling at that time, and the Word of the LORD for the children of Israel (Ezek. 2:2), who, at this time, along with Ezekiel, were in the middle of their seventy-year captivity by the conquering Babylonians/Chaldeans. They were captives in a foreign land far from their home, as their own land lay in the destruction of war. The Word of the LORD that God had for captive Israel was a Word for a rebellious people who had transgressed against God, whom God described as "impudent" and "stubborn". (v. 3-5). Evidently, their traumatic captivity had not broken through to them, and the LORD very much wanted to break through to them (and perhaps to us). They also had true prophets like Jeremiah telling them that unless they repented, they would fall to Babylon, be taken into captivity. However, the people of Jerusalem chose to believe the more appealing prophecies that promised them victory. After all, would God ever turn away from His people, His city, His temple? Yes, He would, although He would never forget His covenant with them.

     The passage from Ezekiel Chapter 1 above is part of this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Mishpatim, meaning "Judgments/Ordinances". In its way, it is a sad commentary regarding the character of God's people, while, at the same time, it gives us a wonderful view of the character of God. The title comes from the first verse in Ex. 21: "Now these are the judgments (mispat/sapat - judgment, justice, ordinance, manner, right, cause, measure/to judge, govern, vindicate, punish, defend, condemn) which you shall set before them...". In these times, I found that the reading portions for this week brought a very important lesson to me. 

     This Sabbath reading portion includes Ex. 21 through 24. The LORD had just spoken (not yet written on tablets) the Ten Commandments from the mountain top. The LORD then began to speak of the justice to be shown to slaves and servants, and to victims of violence and kidnapping. The LORD demanded that foreigners and the poor were not to be mistreated and were to receive the same uncorrupted justice as others. The children of Israel agreed: "So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the LORD has said we will do." (Ex. 24:3). An altar was constructed, and sacrifices made by the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) young men. After Moses wrote all of the LORD's judgments in a Book (of the Covenant). he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the altar, on the Book, and also on the people, saying, "This is (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to these words." (v. 8). This aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega blood (of Christ) is the same blood that became the New Covenant through Messiah/Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:23-26). These mishpatim judgments that had been spoken by God became a blood-sealed covenant between God and His people, the Israelites.

     We can see the heart of the LORD reflected in His mishpatim judgments concerning the weak, the abused and the vulnerable. As we look at another portion from this Sabbath, we will see that the people of God did not keep this covenant of justice.  During the siege of Babylon against the city of Jerusalem (Jer. 34:1), the prophet Jeremiah had delivered the prophetic Word of the LORD to the king of Judah, Zedekiah, telling him that he would not escape from the king of Babylon, but neither would the king be killed by the sword (Jer. 34:2-5). The king had received this mercy from the LORD because: "...King Zedekiah had made a covenant with (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: that every man should set free his (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slave...that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage." (v. 8-9). The princes and the people obeyed "that no one should keep them in bondage anymore" and let their (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) slaves go. However, the princes and the people who had entered into this covenant of liberation changed their minds, "...and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection (kabas - subject, subdue, force, keep under, bring into bondage, violate, tread down, conquer, trample under foot) as male and female slaves." (v. 11). The LORD was not pleased and gave this prophetic Word to Jeremiah to deliver to the people: "...you turned around and profaned (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My name, and every one of you brought back (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slaves, whom you had set at liberty...and brought them back into subjection to be your...slaves. Therefore...Behold, I proclaim liberty to you', says the LORD - 'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth...I will give them into the hands of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life..." (v. 16-17, 20). Although God had assured His people that, even in the face of captivity, He would not forget His covenant (of mercy) with them (Jer. 33:25-26), they had immediately forgotten the covenant of liberty that they had established in the Spirit of God's mishpatim judgments. While they were facing enslavement themselves from a brutal enemy, they refused to show mercy and justice in their own hearts while enslaving others, even their own brethren.

     As we see above, although we believe that we can discern the evil in other men's hearts, we often are unable to discern the same evil in our own hearts. Jesus shocked the religious leaders of His day when He told them what lives in the heart (not just some hearts), though a man looks righteous on the outside: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man..." (Mt. 15:18-20). Ezekiel prophesied that the LORD would give us new hearts (Ezek. 36:26-27), and John wrote that if we confess our sins to the LORD, He will forgive them and cleanse us (1 Jn. 1:9). This is why Jesus came for us all - so that we did not have to remain dead in our sins, as slaves to sin, but could live in Him.

     It is good to keep these things in mind when we read from the prophet Amos, in another of this week's Sabbath readings. Amos wrote the Word of the LORD to His people concerning the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which went into captivity approximately 150 years before the Southern Kingdom of Judah did: "...shall surely go into captivity...Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel (meaning "House of God") - You who turn justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) into wormwood (la ana - bitterness, to curse, poisonous, accursed, hemlock), and lay righteousness to rest (yanah - leave, withhold, withdraw, abandon, be quiet) in the earth!" (Amos 5:4-7). The LORD accused His people of treading down the poor, taking bribes to afflict the just, and diverting the poor from justice. He urged them to "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the LORD of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good; Establish justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." (v. 14-15). According to this verse, while God's people were transgressing the mishpatim judgments in this manner, they were saying, "The LORD is with us"! The LORD promised them that there was coming "the day of the LORD" (which they desired to see!) when they would be wailing in the streets.  In the same spirit, do we also look for the Day of the LORD to come, and the wicked to be judged, not realizing that the judgment begins in Bethel - in the house of the LORD? When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the first thing He did was to sternly establish mishpatim justice in the Temple, the House of God, the place of His Name (Mt. 21:12-14). 

     The prophet Malachi also wrote the Word of the LORD to His people: "And I will come near you for judgment (mispat/mishpatim - see above); I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit/oppress (asaq - press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, obtain deceitfully, be crushed, drink up; to strive, contend, quarrel) wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien/sojourner/foreigner - Because they do not fear Me,' says the LORD of hosts." (Mal. 3:5). 

     The Spirit that causes us to walk in these mishpatim judgments of the LORD (see Ezek. 36:27) is beautiful, and the LORD desires His people to walk in this beauty: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly (mispat/mishpatim - see above), to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Mic. 6:8). 

     If you would like to know more about the mishpatim justice of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have called me to walk in Your mishpatim justice towards others. Your Son, our Savior, walked in it, and established it. Heal me Lord, of any spiritual blindness that would prevent me from walking in Your Word by the Spirit of God. Help me to understand Your high and perfect standard of justice that reflects Your goodness and holiness, and the needed mercy that You have provided for me in the blood of Jesus. Let me be transformed by both. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."