October 1: The Real Reality

Ezekiel 1:1–3:15; Revelation 1:1–20; Job 32:1–10

John and Ezekiel open their prophetic books in a similar fashion—to prepare us for an unexpected view:

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his slaves the things which must take place in a short time, and communicated it by sending it through his angel to his slave John, who testified about the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it, because the time is near!” (Rev 1:1–3).

“And it was in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, and I was in the midst of the exiles by the Kebar River. The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of the king Jehoiachin—the word of Yahweh came clearly to Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans at the Kebar River, and the hand of Yahweh was on him there” (Ezek 1:1–3).

Both authors open with heavenly visions—God testifying to His people. Both place their prophecies in a particular setting, and both articulate their ideas during tragic, despairing times. We meet John on the island of Patmos, and we meet Ezekiel on a riverbank. But more important than where the visions start is where they take us: to a scenic overlook of reality, not as it appears, but as it is. God is about to reveal what’s really going on.

Prophets speak truth about what others cannot see and urge them to heed that truth. John and Ezekiel call us to something greater, something unknown. They urge us to act as if time were running out—because it is. It’s only a matter of time until Jesus comes again.

The visions of both these prophets declare that God wants to use us here and now for a grand purpose—one that we may not yet comprehend but that we must nonetheless embrace. Their message is clear: Our call may be difficult, but real reality demonstrates God working through the pain. He is bringing goodness into the world and into our lives. All we have to do is respond.

What reality is God revealing to you today?

John D. Barry

 Barry, J. D. – Kruyswijk, R., Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan (Bellingham, WA 2012).