Interesting passage from John Flavel regarding Ezekiel 1

Read Ezekiel 1 about the strange appearance of God in the sky on a throne sort of chariot and the various motions of the wheels and so on. Now here's Flavel on that:

"That Jesus Christ has a providential influence upon all the affairs of this world is evident, both from scripture assertions, and rational observations, made upon the acting of things here below.

The first chapter of Ezekiel contains an admirable scheme or draught of providence. There you see how all the wheels, That is, the motions and revolutions here on earth, are guided by the spirit that is in them. And, ver. 26. it is all run up into the supreme cause; there you find one like the Son of man, which is Jesus Christ, sitting upon the throne, and giving forth orders from thence for the government of all: and if it were not so, how is it that there are such strong combinations, and predispositions of persons and things to such ends and issues, without any communications of councils, or holding of intelligence with one another? As in Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, and innumerable more instances have appeared. Certainly, if ten men, from several places, should all meet at one place, and about one business, without any fore-appointment among themselves, it would argue their motions were secretly over-ruled by some invisible agent. How is it that such marvelous effects are produced in the world by causes that carry no proportion to them? Amos 5:9 and 1 Cor. 1:27 and as often, the most apt and likely means are rendered wholly ineffectual? Psalm. 33:16. In a word, if Christ has no such providential influx, how are his people in all ages preserved in the midst of so many millions of potent and malicious enemies, among whom they live as sheep in the midst of wolves? Luke 10:3. How is it that the bush burns, and yet is not consumed Exod. 3:2."

Christ and His Threefold Office - John Flavel, Sermon 17

Walking circles in the grass, looking like Jesus in the desert

When learning biblical doctrine you eventually see the terminal basics, ideally. It is here where most academic theologians get bored with the basics and either want to be originial or just veer left.

The other option is once you're able to see and understand and accept the basics you then become experiential with the basics. You drill down into the basics. This gets you into territory where the establishment, academic theologians will say, "Nutty, wacky!" 

When Jesus says Be Awake and you drill into that you can hear the chorus of the establishment academics "Nutty, nutty, nutty...wacky, wacky, wacky..." This is where you have to remember what God said: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Because when you fear the Lord you don't fear the world. 

When Jesus says Love thy Enemy, the academics can only hear a statement in the category of moralizing and then they don't think about it anymore. Yet if you drill down into it to know it experientially you see there is a world of practice there. 

In fact you find that Be Awake and Love thy Enemy are the principle practices of the faith. Of regenerate man. 

The establishment academic types will then counter that the principle practices of the faith are to go to a building (with the appropriate letters in front of it), listen to a sermon (from a properly seminary educated eunuch), drink some grape juice, then go get some ice cream. 

The guy with the King James Bible walking circles in the grass looking like Jesus in the desert should be avoided at all cost. He is a worldview destroyer. He doesn't just make you angry, he is dangerous. When he tried to enter the church police showed up and said to the elders: "Hey, you know that guy, he's never actually committed any crimes - that we know of - but we've been keeping an eye on him with our elite pre-crime unit. We've tried to tempt him with fake little kids, underage high-school girls, older disabled women, even a goat dressed like a prostitute, but he's never bit. But that doesn't mean it isn't his nature to bite. But like we said, he's never actually committed a crime, so we don't really know what to tempt him with, but we're not going to give up." 

Then one of the elders speaks up: "We're going to call him Stigma. He'll never get in our doors. Maybe you can arrest him now anyway? Do you need some false witness?"

Yeah, so be careful drilling down into the basics in an experiential manner. You'll get fake five-year-old children dressed as street walkers passing you by on the sidewalk at 3:00 a.m. 

RULE OF THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST

1. Read and meditate upon the Bible as it is food for your spiritual body.

2. Learn hard truth biblical doctrine as it is the armor of God.

3. Develop the Christian worldview as it is how you see and navigate reality in truth.

4. Practice Conscious Labor and Intentional Suffering (Be Awake and Love your Enemy) as that is how you strengthen in covenant and how you become useful to God on the spiritual battlefield.

5. Engage in prayer (communing with God and His will) as it is power.

6. Put gratitude over resentment for everything all the time as that is how you attain to the joy of God.

7. Fear God alone as this is how you don't fear the world. Fear God alone, expect war, and fight like a king.