Listening and Obeying

KEY VERSE: “Thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.” —Ezekiel 2:7

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 2:3-7; 3:4-11

WHEN JERUSALEM WAS invaded, Ezekiel was called by God to be a prophet (Ezek. 1:1), and what followed was an account of the prophet’s call and commission by God. He wrote: “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake, and he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

“And the spirit entered into me when. he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet,, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.”—Ezek. 1:28-2:3

God warned Ezekiel that as his prophet the people might not listen to him, nor would they ignore him. These rebellious people would be like ‘briers, thorns and scorpions’ to Ezekiel. In spite of their ability to inflict pain upon him, he was not to be afraid of them, but was to speak with a ‘thus saith the Lord’, whether they would hear or whether they would forbear. And, through it all, he was not to be rebellious himself. Ezekiel did not rebel, and was told to take a scroll upon which the words of God were written, and to eat thereof. When he did, it was in his mouth ‘sweet as honey’. He was not to speak his own words, but only those given to him by God. These were not pleasant words to speak to the people of Israel, but, rather, words of lamentation and woe.

Ezekiel had been sent to the people of Israel in exile, to speak to them the words of God; but being in a strange land, they apparently were influenced by “strange speech” and “hard language.” (Ezek. 3:5) Being influenced by these, they were hard-hearted and would not listen to Ezekiel, any more than they would listen to God. Indeed they were a rebellious people. However, God strengthened Ezekiel, and he was determined to prophesy. But still they would not hear.

As it was then, so also was it in our Lord’s day. For three and one-half years Jesus ministered the Word of God to Israel, and most hardened their hearts and would not hear the words that he spoke. When his disciples rejoiced and praised God for all the mighty works that they had seen and heard, the Pharisees cried out for them to stop. Jesus replied, “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”—Luke 19:37-40

Many listened to Jesus; few obeyed. In the succeeding verses of this account, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, saying, “If thou hadst known … the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”—Luke 19:42

This is the same commission the followers of the Master have today: “Preach the word; be instant in season, [and] out of season.” (II Tim. 4:2) Though we speak of the events of today that are ending this present social order, we also continue to preach the good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. We look for that time when, in God’s kingdom which is soon to come, all who are willing and obedient will have their ears opened to hear and to know of God’s merciful justice, wisdom, love, and power.

| Home Page | Table of Contents |