Scripture For Today: Ezekiel Chapter 2
“And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.”
Ezekiel 2:5
Your community needs you, your family needs you, they need a voice of distinction that will faithfully tell them what God has said and will not allow their words to be muffled by their life. Your attitudes, actions, and responses to God will make your life either glorifying to God and helpful to those around you, or your life will muffle the message of God and leave those around you helpless. Decide today to be a living megaphone for the message of righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Show them a servant of God in your living so they can hear the God of that servant in your words.
The Conversation that is recorded in Ezekiel chapter two is between God and Ezekiel. More accurately it is from God to Ezekiel. In chapter one Ezekiel has a vision of God: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” Ezekiel 1:1. He sees God’s presence manifested in the brightness of His glory and falls on his face and worships God, as Ezekiel is prostrate before God he hears a voice “…of one that spake.” Ezekiel 1:28. He hears the voice of God. In chapter two we have recorded the call of God to Ezekiel in that conversation. God’s call on Ezekiel’s life was simple. Go to your own people and tell them what I say. Don’t let them intimidate you with their words or actions, just tell them what I say. Don’t worry that many won’t listen, just tell them what I say. Their rebellion is not against you it is against me, just faithfully tell them what I say. God in His instruction to Ezekiel also tells him how to measure success. God’s formula for success contains two simple things. First, you are successful when you are faithful to what I have told you to do no matter how many of these people listen to you. He tells Ezekiel in chapter two and verse five that when it is all over, if he is faithful, no matter how many listened, they will all know that there has been a prophet in their midst. Second, you are successful when you don’t begin to respond to God in the same manner as those you are commissioned to impact. In verse eight, God warns Ezekiel not to pick up their habit of rebellion against God. Ezekiel, as he dwelt in the overwhelming presence of God, was sent to a rebellious people to tell them what God said even though many would not listen. He was told to stay faithful to his call and his God through it all. We have a call just like Ezekiel.
We are called by God to carry the message of righteousness in Jesus Christ to our people. We are told that there are none that are really interested, that none seek God; “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”. Romans 3:11. Yet we are sent to tell them what God has said. We dwell in the overwhelming presence of God by faith and are sent to our own people to tell them what God has said. Our only measure of success is that we remain faithful to our call and to our God. When you become like those you are trying to tell about Jesus, your voice is muffled and made unclear by your life. Holy living with attitudes of joy and submission to God are the tools that God uses to amplify your voice to those around you. The great danger is that you begin to respond to God like those around you. Today many who are sent have the same attitude of resistance toward God and selectivity about His commandments as the world around them. The reality is that many of the called won’t listen to what God has said any more than the lost they are sent to rescue. The result is a muffled voice that reaches no one and makes a laughing stock out of our God. When all is said and done, will your community, family, and friends know because of your faithfulness to God and His call that there has been a man or woman of God among them? “But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house:…”. Ezekiel 2:8. Show them a servant of God in your living so they can hear the God of that servant in your words.