Sing a lament, Son of Man

I find it fascinating that in Ezekiel 28 one of the possible representations of the word "lift up" means to "sing" or "make music in regards to". However, the literal translation of the Hebrew word there (נָשָׂא) is to lift something up. The reason that music is implied is because the very next word (קִינָה) only ever translates to a lamentation. In context of the entire passage, t's very interesting that Ezekiel had pronounced an aggressive judgment against the King of Tyre, and immediately after was commanded to mourn for the King. It's definitely an interesting tension and release that Ezekiel was no stranger to. 

In my own experience, when I've been lead to pray judgement over someone or something, immediately after I have found myself lamenting. The way that God sees and has revealed it to me in this way is very interesting. For one thing, He knows exactly what He pronounces over people, and when someone goes against His word He must move against them. He does not lament over the things that people have done, because His reaction to being betrayed can only be anger. He laments over what people could have become, if they had followed Him. I believe that God laments over potential in communion. The best leaders, the ones who change the world for the Kingdom are the ones who are in communion with the Lord. 

It's no secret that Solomon had, in kind terms, the single most negative influence on Israel than any ruler before or after him, and the reason is because of not how unrighteous he was, but how far he fell. I believe that though his intentions for the kingdom God had handed to him were good, he didn't carry communion. He didn't carry the intense legitimization and self-esteem that could only come from being with the Creator. His wisdom carried him not only into the depths of his pitiful self-loathing, but the entire kingdom of Israel as well. 

Yet, the design and the intention of God with Solomon was to permeate from Israel to the entire world. This was God's intention, and His view of the potential of the Kingdom of Israel and of Heaven becoming one which He then lamented. God wants communion with the world, with every heart, soul, spirit, piece of land, word. 

So how do we meet God where He's at with this? Two things: Lament with Him, and allow Him communion into every part of your being. Seek communion and be sought. This post isn't about the judgement pronounced on the king of Tyre, but about the lament mourned over the King of Tyre. Just as Ezekiel was commanded to lament over the state of a foreign king, we are called to lament over the state of foreign countries, over foreign churches, and over foreign cultures. We are called to 'Lift up' a dirge for those cultures that have died, for the people groups that have been destroyed by judgment and pride. Grief is supposed to be an emotion we're intimately familiar with.

Yet there is most definitely joy in that suffering, and what a joy that is.