"Indescribable"
Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone's voice speaking to me. (Ezekiel 1:26-28 NLT)
When God reveals his glory to his people there is a pattern. From Isaiah to John in Revelation, we see them fall on their faces.
Ezekiel is no different.
He comes face to face with the glory of God & he can't seem to wrap his mind & especially his words around what he sees. In these three verses he says "like" or "resembles" or a word of similar meaning some 8 times.
Eight times, three verses.
He can't get a grip on the glory of God. He doesn't possess the vocabulary to describe God. God is indescribable. And all he can do is give some similar descriptions of things he already knows to try to communicate to the people the God he is seeing.
We cannot describe God. He is indescribable. We must admit that he is outside of our vocabulary. We don't have words to adequately capture his essence. We can't begin to put together enough words to get at him. So, we use what we have. His love is like a Father's. It's more perfect but that's what it's like. And although he is indescribable, he is also knowable. He wants us to know him.
We can't put God in our box. Whether it's language or thoughts or theologies, he just doesn't fit the mold. He is God & we are not. He is infinite, we are finite. He is mysterious. He is glorious. He is worthy of our praise & awe. He is also worthy of our trust. And like Ezekiel, he is worthy of our lives. We are called like Ezekiel to be his heralds to tell a world about their need for this superior one. This indescribable God that wants to know them & be known by them.
What other implications for our lives does this truth that God is indescribable reveal?
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