Monday, June 3: Ezekiel 2:1–7 (1st Sunday A. Trinity)
The first sound Ezekiel hears from the Lord was not his name, but a phrase by which God would address him more than 90 times in this prophetic document. This title is emphasizing the prophet’s humanity as he was addressed by the transcendent God. The other place in the Old Testament where we hear this title is the book of Daniel 7:13 (where the phrase is used as a title in reference to the Messianic figure) and 8:17 (where Gabriel uses the title in addressing Daniel). Jesus’ frequent use of the phrase in referring to Himself shows both that He is incarnate man and that He is also the eschatological figure spoken of in Daniel.
The description in verse two of the Spirit entering the prophet Ezekiel and standing him up before the Lord is a beautiful parallel of our understanding of the Holy Spirit entering sinful man. The Spirit brings him to stand before the heavenly Father as one of His elect, to act as His light in a darkened world. The rest of this reading presents the undeniable truth of God’s Word and the wretched, rebellious fallen state of all of humanity without faith in Jesus Christ and His holy work of Redemption.
Collect: O God, the Strength of all them that put their trust in Thee: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in keeping Thy commandments we may please Thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.