Book: The Way of the Word: Chapter 26: Ezekiel: The Glory of God and the Breath of Life
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 20 hours ago
- 8 min read
Welcome to the twenty-sixth chapter of The Way of the Word.
This project was born out of a desire to see the Church reconnect with the full, unfiltered power of Scripture. Too often, we treat the Bible like a collection of disconnected quotes or moral fables. But the Bible is a single, epic narrative of God’s relentless pursuit of His people. In this series, we are walking through every book of the Bible to understand its historical context, its theological heart, and its practical application for your life today.
As we move into the book of Ezekiel, we are entering one of the most visually stunning and spiritually intense portions of the Old Testament. Ezekiel is a book of visions, strange symbols, and deep emotional movement, from the crushing weight of God’s glory departing a sinful city to the breathtaking hope of dead bones rising to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you have ever felt like you were in a "dry season," or if you have ever wondered if God could really change a human heart from the inside out, Ezekiel is for you.
The Priest in Exile
To understand Ezekiel, you have to understand where he was. It is 593 B.C. The first wave of Jewish exiles has already been dragged away to Babylon. Among them is a young man named Ezekiel, the son of Buzi. He was a priest, which means his entire identity was tied to the Temple in Jerusalem. He had spent his life preparing to serve in the presence of God.
But instead of the beautiful courts of the Temple, Ezekiel finds himself by the River Chebar in a foreign land. He is thirty years old, the age at which he should have been entering his full priestly service. Instead, he is a refugee in a pagan empire.
It is in this place of displacement and disappointment that the heavens open.
Ezekiel 1:1 tells us, "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." This is a fundamental truth for every believer: God is not confined to our "holy places." He is the Lord of the whole earth. Whether you are in a sanctuary or a cubicle, in a season of blessing or a season of exile, the glory of the Lord can find you.
The Weight of Glory: Understanding the Kavod
The central theme of the first half of Ezekiel is the kavod, the glory of the Lord. In Hebrew, kavod literally means "weight" or "heaviness." When we talk about God’s glory, we aren't just talking about a bright light; we are talking about the manifest weight of His character, His holiness, and His presence.
Ezekiel’s first vision of this glory is so overwhelming that he struggles to find words for it. He sees "wheels within wheels," living creatures with multiple faces, and an expanse that looks like "awesome crystal." At the top of it all is a throne of lapis lazuli and a figure that looks like a man, glowing like red-hot metal and surrounded by a rainbow of light.
"This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking." (Ezekiel 1:28)
Ezekiel's response is the only appropriate response to the manifest presence of God: humility. In our modern culture, we often try to make God "accessible" by making Him "small." But Ezekiel reminds us that God is holy, transcendent, and infinitely weighty.
However, there is a tragedy at the heart of this glory. In chapters 8 through 11, Ezekiel is given a vision of the Temple back in Jerusalem. He sees the elders of Israel practicing secret idolatry in the very rooms dedicated to God. He sees the people turning their backs on the Lord to worship the sun.
Because God is holy, He cannot inhabit a space that is intentionally and persistently defiled. In one of the most heartbreaking sequences in Scripture, Ezekiel watches as the glory of the Lord slowly lifts from the Holy of Holies, moves to the threshold of the Temple, and then departs from the city altogether.
What does this mean for us today? As believers, we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). While God’s love is unconditional, His manifest presence, the weight of His glory and favor, requires an atmosphere of holiness and surrender. When we harbor "secret idols" in our hearts, we grieve the Spirit. Ezekiel calls us back to a life of transparency, where our inner world matches our outward profession.
The Valley of Dry Bones: A Symphony of Resurrection
If the first half of Ezekiel is about the tragedy of the Glory departing, the second half is about the triumph of the Spirit returning.
Nowhere is this more powerful than in Ezekiel 37. God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with bones. These weren't just skeletons; the text emphasizes that they were "very dry." This is a picture of total, irreversible death. There was no hope of resuscitation. There was no "spark of life" left to fan into a flame.
The Lord asks Ezekiel a question that echoes through every impossible situation in our lives: "Son of man, can these bones live?"
Ezekiel gives the only wise answer: "Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
Then, God gives Ezekiel a two-part command. First, he is to prophesy to the bones. He is to speak the Word of God. As he speaks, there is a noise, a rattling, as bone joins to bone. Flesh and skin appear. But the text says there was still no breath in them. They were perfect corpses, but they were still dead.
Second, God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the Breath (the Ruach).
"Then he said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live."' So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast army." (Ezekiel 37:9-10)
This is a masterclass in how God works in the world. He uses the Word and the Spirit.
In the Assemblies of God tradition, we understand that sound doctrine (the Word) is essential, but without the empowering Breath of the Holy Spirit, we are just organized bones. We can have the best programs, the most accurate theology, and the most beautiful buildings, but if the Ruach of God isn't breathing through us, we are missing the life that God intended.
This vision was originally given to comfort the exiles who said, "Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone" (v. 11). But it is a promise for you today. No matter how "dry" your marriage, your career, your mental health, or your spiritual life feels, the God of Ezekiel is the God of resurrection. He doesn't just improve things; He brings life out of death.
A New Heart and a New Spirit
One of the most significant theological contributions of Ezekiel is the promise of internal transformation. Under the Old Covenant, the Law was written on tablets of stone. It was an external standard that the people consistently failed to meet because their hearts were hard.
In Ezekiel 36, God promises a radical "heart transplant":
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
This is the promise of the New Covenant that Jesus would eventually seal with His blood. God’s solution to our rebellion isn't more rules; it is a new nature.
When you say "yes" to Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves into the "center" of your being. He begins to change your desires. He "moves you" to want what God wants. This is the difference between legalism (trying to obey God in your own strength) and life in the Spirit (obeying God because His Spirit is empowering you from the inside out).
The River of Life: Healing the World
The book of Ezekiel ends with a massive vision of a new Temple. While scholars debate the literal or symbolic nature of this Temple, the most important part is what flows out of it.
In Ezekiel 47, the prophet sees a small trickle of water coming from under the threshold of the Temple. As he walks further away from the Temple, the water gets deeper.
At 1,500 feet, it is ankle-deep.
At 3,000 feet, it is knee-deep.
At 4,500 feet, it is waist-deep.
Eventually, it is a river so deep that no one can cross it.
This river flows into the Arabah: the desert: and eventually into the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is so salty that nothing can live in it. But when the river from the Temple reaches it, the text says the water becomes fresh.
"Where the river flows everything will live." (Ezekiel 47:9)
This is a beautiful picture of the mission of the Church. The presence of God isn't meant to stay inside the four walls of a building. It is meant to flow out into the "Dead Seas" of our culture: into the places of brokenness, addiction, poverty, and despair.
As a follower of Christ, you are a carrier of this river. Everywhere you go: your office, your neighborhood, your child's school: the "water" from the presence of God should be flowing through you. Your presence should bring life, refreshment, and healing to everyone you encounter.
Taking the Step: Responding to Ezekiel
Ezekiel’s message is a call to total surrender to the Spirit of God. Here are three practical steps you can take today:
Check the "Weight" of Your Heart: Are there things in your life that are "crowding out" the glory of God? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any secret idols or areas where you have stopped being transparent with Him.
Prophesy to Your Dry Places: What part of your life feels like "dry bones"? Instead of speaking death and discouragement over it, begin to speak the promises of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to breathe His Ruach into those situations.
Step Into the River: Don't just stand on the bank. God is calling us into the "deep water" of faith. This means trusting Him with your finances, your future, and your reputation. The deeper you go, the more you will experience the "living water" that Jesus promised in John 7:38.
Ezekiel reminds us that we serve a God who is big enough to judge sin, but loving enough to pursue us into exile and powerful enough to raise us from the grave. He is the God of the Glory and the God of the Breath.
About the Author
Dr. Layne McDonald, Ph.D. is a pastor, author, and teacher dedicated to helping people navigate the complexities of modern culture through a biblical lens. With a background in media and a heart for the local church, Dr. McDonald creates resources that bridge the gap between ancient Scripture and contemporary life. His work is rooted in the belief that the Word of God is the only firm foundation for a life of purpose and peace.
Join the Mission
If this series has blessed you, we invite you to partner with us. Your generosity allows us to continue creating high-quality, biblically-grounded resources for the global Church. Every gift helps us reach more people with the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ.
Give a Gift to Support This Ministry
More Books from Dr. Layne McDonald
The Glory has departed, but the Prophet remains. What happens when the Word of God is taken to the heart of the world's most powerful empire? Next week, we enter the lion’s den. Are you ready for Chapter 27: Daniel?
Comments