A form of a man appears to Ezekiel. The top half of him is gleaming metal and the bottom half fire. Ezekiel is taken by the hair and lifted up between heaven and earth and shown visions of Jerusalem. He sees the entrance of the north-facing court where “the seat of the image of jealousy” was.

Ezekiel is taken on a tour of idolatry in Israel. There are those who think they are secretly burning incense to other gods. They do it in secret, but God sees. They are burning incense. Our prayers are the incense ascending to God. Do you pray to other gods? Think about it. Do you turn to other things for help instead of God? Do you turn to your credit card to rescue you instead of God? What experts do you go to instead of seeking God as your savior?

There are women participating in a ritual of mourning for another god. Our God appoints only one time of weeping and that is over our sin in repentance.

Then there is a group of men worshiping the sun. The phrase that stands out in this section is that they had their backs to the Lord. Do you ever turn your back to the Lord? Do you ever act like He’s not there, not helping, not able, so you aren’t even considering looking to Him and seeking help? Have you given up waiting on God for something and so turned your back and are looking for help elsewhere?

Are there ways you are provoking the Lord to jealousy? Is He the one you turn to first when you need help? Where are your eyes looking when you need help?