Two-Minute Manna

It was as he sat by the river Chebar, a captive away from home, no doubt feeling lonely and isolated, that the heavens opened to Ezekiel. Therefore, if you feel isolated, cut off from family or separated from friends, as though something is going on that is uncomfortable or uncertain, take hope. Ezekiel had this glorious vision of the reality of God when he was in a place of isolation.

The Bible speaks of the opening of the heavens on a number of occasions. In Matthew 3:16, it was when Jesus was baptized - a picture of death, burial, and resurrection - that the heavens were opened. So too, when we get to the place where we say, “Lord, I’m dying to self and living for You,” the heavens will be opened. We’ll have visions, new insights, new understanding.

The heavens were opened again in Acts 6. There we see Stephen being stoned to death, martyred for his belief in Jesus. As the rocks were flying, he looked up and saw Jesus standing, ready to receive Him. So too, when you go through persecution, Heaven becomes more real.

In Acts 10, Peter was on the rooftop praying when suddenly the heavens were opened and he had a vision of a sheet descending from Heaven bearing food forbidden to Jews. It was then that the Lord began to deal with him, saying, “You’re not under the Law any longer. I’m doing something new.” So too, when we seek the Lord and pray with intensity, we’ll hear the Lord’s voice to a greater degree.

Finally, in Malachi 3, we are told that when we give our tithes to the Lord, He opens the heavens and pours out blessing upon us. When you give to the Lord, when you seek the Lord, when you take a stand for the Lord, when you die to self and live for the Lord, the heavens will be opened to you. The problem is, we don’t sit by a river, we float down it. We don’t go up to the mountain, we ski down it. When we’re going through hard times, we think we’ve got to get away for recreation. But how much better it would be to get away for meditation and contemplation.