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Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Thursday.
I wonder if you’ve ever been accused of being ‘hardheaded’? Would you believe I have found that sometimes God actually helps a person become hardheaded when they are facing a challenging situation which needs a strong, determined person?
Come with me again back to Ezekiel as he is receiving his final marching orders from God in his life changing vision experience which He records for us in Ezekiel 1-3. God was warning Ezekiel that his commissioning was not an easy one, for the people would not want to hear the messages God was giving Ezekiel to tell His people, the Jewish captives in Babylon. Look with me at Ezekiel 3:4 “He said to me, ‘Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak My words to them…But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to Me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.” (Ez. 3:4,7)
Wow, that’s pretty strong language, isn’t it? But if you know the story of the Israelites, it’s true. From the days of Moses all through Biblical history, this people God called His chosen people far more often turned their backs on God, rejected God’s instructions, than times when they embraced God’s Word and followed His instructions. Of course, God is not accusing EVERY individual Jewish person of being rebellious, but it’s a general statement that covers the entire people through many generations.
So, I can easily imagine the more God described this commissioning He was giving Ezekiel, the more reluctant Ezekiel became. Very few people enjoy conflict or confrontation, yet that’s what God was preparing Ezekiel for and commissioning Ezekiel to! So, God continued His instructions to Ezekiel with these stunning words: “But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are! I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” (Ezekiel 3:8,9)
There it is my friends, the very words of God promising He would make Ezekiel ‘hardheaded’! But as always God had a PURE purpose… it was so Ezekiel could survive the very difficult challenges of the days ahead when Ezekiel would attempt to bring God’s unwelcome but very important messages to His rebellious people! God’s purpose was also so the people would see through Ezekiel how determined God was to help His people understand God’s love for them; God’s holiness and justice; and God’s offer of hope for a better future!
Next God said to Ezekiel: “Listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them: ‘this is what the Sovereign LORD says’, whether they listen or fail to listen to you.” (Ez.3:10,11) Ezekiel’s instructions are clear and unwavering, aren’t they? Ezekiel was NOT given any latitude to say whatever he wanted to say. As God’s ambassador, God’s spokesman, Ezekiel had permission to ONLY speak the words God gave Him to speak! That meant Ezekiel needed to really develop His ability to HEAR God’s voice and DISCERN with clarity exactly what God was saying to him!
But please notice that Ezekiel also did not have the option to NOT speak God’s message! Ezekiel’s silence or minimization of God’s message would be insubordination to God!! I wonder how long God paused right there, giving Ezekiel time to process, time to take some deep breaths and get ready for this very courageous, daunting life mission!?
The next thing Ezekiel knew he was on the move, for the record says: “Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the LORD rose from the place where it was standing. It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away…” (Ez. 3:12,13)
Well, here we go! The amazing vision of chapter 1 has evolved into the life changing calling and commissioning of God to Ezekiel in chapter 2, and now commissioning has moved to action living! Empowered and challenged, Ezekiel is being taken by the Holy Spirit of God to his first assignment location! What might his emotions be at this moment? What do you think yours would be?
Ezekiel gives us a very honest glimpse into his soul: “The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.” (Ez. 3:14) WOW! That’s very real and raw, isn’t it? Ezekiel was not happy, not encouraged, not at all looking forward to the assignment God had given him. Already a captive with no hope that he would ever again see his beloved Jerusalem nor freedom of any kind, Ezekiel’s captivity now loomed before him as a dreadful, painful, difficult life, but not suffering at the hands of his captors.
Instead, Ezekiel anticipated he would be ridiculed, rejected, slandered, maligned and maybe physically persecuted by his fellow Jews who wanted nothing to do with his message or him! Oh my, no wonder he is bitter in soul, angry in spirit, and yet Ezekiel knew the strong hand of God was upon him!
And what do you think Ezekiel did? His record says: “I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv, near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days – deeply distressed.” (Ez. 3:15) No, the ‘Tel Aviv’ in this verse is obviously not the “Tel Aviv” of modern Israel, rather it was a settlement along the Kebar River on the outskirts of Babylon, the same place where Ezekiel’s story opens in Ezekiel 1. It would seem the people here would be people known to Ezekiel, maybe even some relatives who might have been brought here as Jewish captives when he came here.
I think it’s important we take note of what Ezekiel did upon his miraculous arrival there, having been transported there by the Holy Spirit, perhaps similar to what the Holy Spirit did with Philip. (Acts 8:39,40) Ezekiel did NOTHING but reflect and I presume pray for 7 days, seeking to fully understand all God had shown him in the vision. Ezekiel needed to prepare his heart for the battles ahead. Ezekiel needed to be fully confident he understood his commissioning from God.
So, let’s pause with him and I urge us to do the same. Find some time today, if you can, to just sit quietly before God and reflect deeply on your relationship with God, your understanding of what God has called and commissioned you to BE and DO. Be ready to hear from God, and here’s a worship song which might help you in this quiet time of reflection.
Today’s Scripture: Ez. 3:4-15.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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