Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about… In order that the prophet might be prepared to discharge his prophetic ministry aright, it was necessary that, in the first place, he should experience a just conception of the greatness, holiness, and authority of the Being by whom he was commissioned. He could only then appear in a proper attitude before men when he had found what was his proper attitude before God. The fear of the King of heaven alone could preserve him from any fear of those whom he was directed to visit as an authorized ambassador. Hence there was first afforded to Ezekiel a vision of the Eternal Majesty - a vision which doubtless often recurred to his memory when he was fulfilling the duties devolving upon him as the servant and messenger of Jehovah to men, and when he encountered incredulity, neglect, scorn, or opposition. I. MAN HAS A NATURE CAPABLE OF REVERENCE. Fear is one thing, reverence is another. Fear is awakened by the sense and apprehension of personal danger; reverence is enkindled by the sight of supreme goodness, purity, and power. It may be base to fear; it must be honourable and profitable to venerate. It is the prerogative of man to recognize, to admire, to adore supreme excellence. II. GOD IS THE PROPER AND SUPREME OBJECT OF REVERENCE. Within limits it is right and good that we should honour and revere our fellow men. The child may justly revere the parent, the pupil, the teacher, the subject the king. Yet there is but One who may be revered with no qualification, with no reserve. The Divine attributes are such that, the more we study them, the more we shall find in them deserving of wondering and adoring awe, and the more shall we be assured that there is in them an infinity of excellence which is unfathomable, undiscoverable. III. IN GOD'S PRESENCE IT IS JUST THAT HUMAN REVERENCE SHOULD BE MANIFESTED AND EXPRESSED. Ezekiel says, with beautiful simplicity, "I fell upon my race." Overcome with the vision of natural and moral perfection, the prophet felt himself unfit to look up, felt that his right place was in the dust. It is meet and proper theft we should manifest the emotions which we justly feel. With reverence and godly fear should human spirits, conscious alike of dependence and of ill desert, draw near to the Infinite Holiness and Strength. Familiarity in devotion is hateful and contemptible; lowly veneration is both becoming and acceptable. IV. REVERENCE IS THE ATTITUDE IN WHICH MAN IS JUSTIFIED IN EXPECTING BLESSING FROM GOD. 1. It is good for us profoundly to feel our inferiority, our dependence, our innumerable necessities. 2. It is good for us to receive the revelation of God that is only made to the lowly and submissive. 3. It is good that reverent, prophetic spirits should be the channel by which men may submissively receive authoritative representations of Divine glory and Divine grace. - T. Parallel Verses KJV: As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. |
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