Welcome back. We’re continuing with our Ezekiel study this week and this week Ezekiel gets his commission, and God tells him how it’s going to go: no ability to talk until God tells you what to say. Listen and hear. Beautiful visions and memories of them though. And he can be certain God is with him.
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, may we be able to listen and hear what You would say. And Lord, let the study of this book be a blessing that lasts and lasts. For Your Glory, Lord.
Please read Ezekiel 3:1-3
Ezekiel’s Commission
1 He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find [in this book]; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll that I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
Please read Ezekiel 3:4-9
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, 6 not to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you and pay attention to My message; 7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you and obey you, since they are not willing to listen to Me and obey Me, for the entire house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.9 I have made your forehead like emery (diamond), harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”
Sent to those who speak his language. Sent to those who ‘should listen and pay attention to My message’ yet will not be willing to. Oh how sad. But look what God did for him. And look how God strengthened him and assured him not to fear them even though they are a rebellious house.
Please read Ezekiel 3:10-11
10Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and hear with your ears (listen closely). 11 Go to the [Jewish] exiles [in Babylon], to the children of your people, and speak to them, whether they listen or not, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’”
We would do well to do this too, receive into our hearts all the words He speaks. Listen closely to Him.
Please read Ezekiel 3:12-15
Imagine this, try to picture it.
Spirit Lifted and Transported
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rushing sound behind me, “Blessed be the glory of the Lord in His place [above the expanse].” 13 And then I heard the sound of the wings of the living beings as they touched one another and [I heard] the sound of the wheels beside them, a great rushing sound. 14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went embittered [by the sins of Israel] in the rage of my spirit; and the hand of the Lord was strong on me. 15 Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the River Chebar at Tel Abib. I sat there for seven days [in the place] where they were living, overwhelmed with astonishment [by my vision and the work before me].
Ezekiel is not the only one the Spirit transports in Scripture. I find these stories so exciting. (Acts 8:39-40)
Hear the Word of the Lord
Please read Ezekiel 3:16-19
16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You will certainly die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to tell him to turn from his wicked way to save his life, that same evil man will die in his sin, but you will be responsible for his blood. 19 However, if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he will die in his sin; but you have [a]freed yourself [from responsibility].
Training. That’s what God is doing. Training Ezekiel, warning Ezekiel, assuring Ezekiel that he will hear God and when he does, he’s to speak to the people.
Please read Ezekiel 3:20-21
20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness (right standing with God) and sins, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered; but you will be responsible for his blood. 21 However, if you have warned the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning; also you have [b]freed yourself [from responsibility].”
See the difference between the righteous and the wicked? If the righteous take the warning and do not sin, they will live.
Please read Ezekiel 3:22-27
22 The hand of the Lord was on me there, and He said to me, “Arise, go out to the plain, and I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory and brilliance of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the River Chebar, and I fell face downward. 24 Then the Spirit entered me and made me stand on my feet; He spoke and said to me, “Go, shut yourself up in your house. 25 As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them. 26 And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you cannot talk and you cannot be a man who rebukes the people, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses [to hear], let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.”
Completely God’s. That’s what he will be. He won’t be able to talk unless God lets him.
Let us be among those who hear. Let us be among those who obey. All God’s. Wholly God’s. Lord, let it be.
Footnotes
- [a] Ezekiel 3:19 – freed yourself – Lit delivered.
- [b] Ezekiel 3:21- freed yourself – Lit delivered.