Ezekiel 3:16-21

Ezekiel 3:16-21

INTRODUCTION: Ezekiel is a fascinating book. He is given a wonderful vision of God and describes it so well. The prophecy against Jerusalem which comes true in Ezekiel’s time and continues to 70 AD when the Romans lay siege to Jerusalem and latterly fulfill the words found in 5:8-17 . Ezekiel is told to go lay in the dirt where everyone can see for over a year attacking to a map of the city and preaching to the people that pass by. But I want to focus on Ezekiel’s call found in 3:16-21.

1. THE CALL OF EZEKIEL

A. EZEKIEL IS NEVER GIVEN A CHOICE

B. TELL THE UNRIGHTOUS AND THE RIGHTOUS

C. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR REACTION

D. EZEKIEL IS RESPONSIBLE IF HE FAILS TO WARN THEM

2. GOD’S INTENT

A. CONFRONT, CONFESS, REPENT, FORGIVE, HEAL, UNDERSTAND

B. MATTHEW 28 19-20 GO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TEACH THE TO OBEY

C. MESSY- SCARY- DIFFACULT EVEN OFFENSIVE

D. MISSED SEEING THE CONFIRM STUDENTS

E. BEING CONFRONTED AND CONFRONTING AND LOST SLEEP

3. THE TEMPTATION

A. COMPROMISE THE COMAND OF GOD TO FIT OUR COMFORT LEVEL

B. EXCUSE SIN

C. NEVER REPENT

D. NEVER FORGIVE

CONCLUSION: CAN WE BE THAT CHURCH?

THE PERFECT CHURCH IS DOWN THE STREET

THE RIGHTOUS CHURCH IS ACROSS TOWN

THE MESSED UP SINNERS STRUGGLING TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD, YOU HAVE FOUND. GOD HAS GIVEN US A MISSION AND WE MUST NOT NEGLECT IT.

Ezekiel 1 – 5

The book of Ezekiel is an amazing book with Ezekiel’s ministry spanning 22 years which includes the darkest day in the history of Israel. Ezekiel is a colorful book filled with vivid images. As with other books like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zephaniah, Ezekiel follows a pattern of prophecies of judgment against Israel, the nations, and then consolation for the people of Israel. The picture being that the nations will be used to punish Israel and then the nations are judged for their own rebellion against God as Israel is restored.

The book of Ezekiel starts with the call of Ezekiel which happens in 597 B.C. We learn that Ezekiel is an exiled priest who receives his call as a prophet through a vision of God.

Ezekiel’s vision starts with something that appears as a windstorm that turns out to be the throne room of God. The four living creatures are called Cherubim; they are the attendants of the throne. The four of them form a square which moves on wheels in all four directions. Once the throne is in place they stop moving and it is time for Ezekiel to meet God. Like other prophets who try to describe the sight of God, Ezekiel is overwhelmed by the brilliance of the sight. Fire, burning metal, brilliant rainbow, and intense light. Ezekiel does not hear a still small voice; he hears thunder, something that roars like an army on the march, or the roar of the ocean waves.

Chapter 2 verse 1-3 start the call of Ezekiel which is not a request or a volunteer situation but an order or assignment from God. We see that Ezekiel never seeks the call or assignment from God, God chooses to call Ezekiel.

Often we picture the call of God upon individuals and the church as some kind of cooperative arrangement, but that is not the case here. God has an assignment for us and we are to carry it out regardless of our own ideas or desires. Notice when you get to 3:16-21 that God intends to hold Ezekiel accountable for carrying out his assignment. Also notice that Ezekiel never accepts the assignment he just starts carrying it out.

The judgment Ezekiel proclaims against Israel is due to their failure to live as God’s obedient people. This stands in sharp contrast to Ezekiel who never questions or agrees with God but simply does what he is told.

This makes me wonder where the church stands. Where do we stand as individual believers? Do we listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit and then follow or we trying to help God run things? Do we fail to hear the voice of God because when we do, we try to judge or evaluate it and then negotiate or amend it like a bill going through congress? The brilliant burning metal God of Ezekiel is not leaving things to be discussed, negotiated or agreed upon.

Ezekiel is told why he is being sent and that the results are not his responsibility. Ezekiel’s responsibility is to go and speak. As you read the book of Ezekiel you might see that he is very confronting even insulting at times, with some slick packaging of his message he could have got better results. If Ezekiel softened the edges of his message so he could get better results we might like it better. I have to wonder if we soften the edges of our faith, both as individuals and as churches to make it sell better. In the effort to “get results” we compromise the Word of God to make it more appealing, or politely correct. Ezekiel was told not to worry about results but worry about the message.

Once given the task, Ezekiel is given a scroll to eat which symbolize God putting His words in the prophet’s mouth. The words are sweet to taste because they are the words of God, yet he will find them difficult, and they leave him feeling bitter vs. 14. In Rev 10:9-10 the prophet says the scroll is sweet but turns his stomach bitter. This is so true of God’s Word, the words of the Old and New Testaments are sweet to those who listen and receive it. The words are ones that bring us peace, forgiveness, grace and joy. But to the person who rejects it the word brings judgment. While we love the sweetness of the words to us are we really aware of the fate of those who fail to listen. Do we truly hurt for the lost who will suffer?

In 3:16-21 Ezekiel is told to speak to people, some of them righteous and others not, yet the same goal exist for both, to get them to turn from evil. If they repent from evil at Ezekiel’s words then they will be saved and the prophet will save himself. If they do not turn from evil they will die but the prophet will have saved himself. But if for some reason Ezekiel fails to deliver the warning, Ezekiel will be held accountable for that person’s death. What a heavy weight Ezekiel has been given to carry. Notice again Ezekiel is not responsible for the results but he is responsible for giving the warning. The Church has been given the orders in Matthew 28:19-20, to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Jesus does not ask us to agree to this task, a go if you want to kind of thing. Jesus also does not give us editorial powers, we are to teach “everything I have commanded you”. Like Ezekiel we are given words of life for a dying world and God will hold us accountable for what we do with that word. We are not to worry about the “results” the numbers but we are to worry about telling the Word we have been given. If we leave parts of the word out to make it more appealing or comfortable then it stops being the Words of God, and will we not be held accountable for not delivering the entire word of God?

3:22-27 find Ezekiel being moved about by the Spirit and being told to shut himself up in his house and be silent until God tells him to speak. He is told they will bind him with ropes. This was a common practice to control those who were thought to be insane. Jesus finds one man had even been tied with chains.

What Ezekiel is told to do to most would seem insane. He is told to make a map of the city of Jerusalem and then pretend to attack it. He is to lie in front of the people most likely a town square on his side for 390 days; this would be one day for every year from Solomon until the fall of Jerusalem. Lying in the middle of town for a year, cooking food over cow manure proclaiming the sins of Israel while attacking a map, the people might think him insane. Many people today think Christians to be weak minded or insane.

The judgment of Israel reads like a history book. The real siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD inflicted unbelievable suffering on the people, then they are scattered to the nations where they are persecuted. This not only takes place in Germany but in many other countries, and continues even today. In the end only a few strands are left to return to Israel.

The rest of is a book that continues to read like a history of Israel written before it ever happens. I hope you will explore this book even further.