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East Towards Babylon

 The Lord gave the prophet Ezekiel many interesting visions, including one contained in the tenth chapter of the book that bears his name. In this vision Ezekiel saw the Lord inside the temple, which was where God’s invisible presence resided in Israel. The timing of this was shortly before the Southern Kingdom was defeated and exiled. 

After describing the four angels around the throne, the prophet described what he saw next: “Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them (v.18-19).”

In a shocking scene, the Lord left the temple. The vision was meant as a warning that the Israelites would not be able to go into the temple for worship because they would not be in their homeland, but it was also a sad declaration that the Lord wouldn’t be there either. After years of idolatry and paganism, God finally said, “Enough!” He had left the building. 

But as was so often the case, when the prophets had a message of disaster, there was a glimmer of hope. It is not an unimportant detail that Ezekiel pointed out the east gate. East was the direction towards Babylon, the city where the Israelites would be exiled. God left the temple and headed east, perhaps signifying He would go into exile with His people. The one who promises to never leave nor forsake us goes with us into Babylon. The friend who sticks closer than a brother leaves the temple with us. 

When the Lord left the temple it was not with a one-way ticket, but a round trip. He knew a faithful remnant would return to Israel seventy years later, and He would be right back in the temple when they came home. But in the meantime, He would be a very present help in time of need. You might feel like you have been exiled, but you are not there alone. If you are saved, the Lord is with you, even in Babylon.

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