Get rid of cows . . . ?

 

READ Ezekiel 45–48

A headline in today’s daily newspaper tells of someone’s new book that essentially says, ‘the world is headed for an environmental disaster unless we quit farming.’ The term ‘dumbing down of America’ comes to mind, a general inability to connect the dots, to see cause and effect, but this makes me wonder. The writer thinks cows are ruining the world and we need to get our protein from bacteria produced in a laboratory. Mmmm!

In these last chapters of Ezekiel, I looked for hope that this world will not go down the tube because humanity thinks it can control the weather by getting rid of all the animals.

Ezekiel’s words are mostly about God’s plan for their new city. They were in exile and needed comfort. Ezekiel’s words can be extended to point to the return of Christ where all things will be made new. He gives me hope also.

Back then, Jerusalem had fallen to the Babylonians in three waves of attack and exile. Daniel and other leaders were taken first to Babylon. Later, Ezekiel and others were forced to join them The final destruction was seen by Jeremiah. At the end of Ezekiel long description of a new city, he writes:

The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There. (Ezekiel 48:35)

Before reading this, I didn’t feel very peppy when I woke up, but after singing a few worship songs, the sense of the Lord’s presence gave me joy and strength. Knowing He is with me makes a difference. Knowing they would live in a new city in the presence of the Lord would do the same for these OT believers.

But NT believers are in on it too! Revelation 21–22 describes a new heaven and earth with a new city, sounding much like the OT prophet’s description:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . . . And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”  And he . . . showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed . . . . And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb . . . . And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life . . . .Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

This city is given a new name and there will be no more pain, hurt or tears, nor sin or its devastation. God will be there. Ezekiel tells of God leaving the temple, yet in this new place, He will never leave and the people of God will be in total communion with Him.

Despite the questionable self-focus of so-called wise humans making themselves the center of the universe, God still occupies His throne and He gives me all I need to get on with life!