8:2,3
The Lord’s communication to Ezekiel begins with a vision of a “figure like that of a man” (or “fiery figure”), but this was no ordinary man. The man lifted Ezekiel up by the hair of his head and transported him to Jerusalem. This was a supernatural transportation. Either Ezekiel was actually taken there supernaturally and then allowed to see various things, or he was given a vision of Jerusalem. The latter seems the more likely to me. The reason for the vision of the fiery figure is to emphasise to Ezekiel that He is greater than the terrible things Ezekiel is about to see. We prefer to close our eyes to terrible things because we cannot cope with them. We need first to see Christ, then we can cope with the reality of life. People sometimes say that religion is a form of escapism. This is not true of true religion, rather it enables us to cope with reality, and to be faithful servants of Christ while facing up to reality. The “idol that provokes to jealousy” is an idol set up in the midst of the temple, the very place where God is supposed to be woshipped.
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