Month: May 2009 Page 1 of 2

Ezekiel 1 records a fascinating account of the prophet of God on whom God’s hand was (verse 3), seeing a thrilling vision with the heavens being opened (verse 1)
He describes the four living creatures, he sees, with precise details. While each aspect of his description can be expanded upon in volumes, I want to focus on a few important aspects as it pertains to the Ox (a Bible animal).

Ezekiel describes the likeness of the faces of the living creatures was as follows – each had four faces, one was that of a man, the second was that of a lion, the third was that of an ox and the fourth was that of an eagle (verse 10). This is another testament to Colossians 1:16-17, which records that it is by Jesus and for Jesus, that all things have been created and do exist. Let me explain
Jesus –
in Matthew is described as a king, the Lion of Judah (face of a lion)
in Mark is described as a servant (face of an ox – an ox is animal of burden signifying servanthood)
in Luke is described as the son of Man (face of a man)
in John is described as the Son of God (face of an eagle representing habitation on high and divinity)

So what can we learn from the Ox?
Servanthood. Jesus said he came to serve and not to be served. He not only took the form of a man, but humbled himself as a servant (Philippians 2), even to the point of death. Imagine that, the creator serving his creation – an antithesis to all we know of a master/servant or leadership relationship.

Likewise we will be commended to follow in Jesus’ example – as diligent as an Ox serving its master. Remember, the final accolade will be (for those who serve), “Well done, my good and faithful SERVANT“.

Ezekiel 1: 1,3,5,6,10,11
¹ Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
³ The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
⁴ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
⁵ Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
⁶ And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
¹¹ Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Colossians 1:16-17
¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.