Read Ezekiel 2
Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet
2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.
Go Deeper
In this chapter, God tells Ezekiel that the Israelites are rebellious, obstinate, and stubborn. Ezekiel is warned not to be scared of them, even though they would be like painful stinging things surrounding him. Then, Ezekiel is handed a paper filler with funeral songs, words of mourning, and judgments–not really a sign of good things to come.
While God paints a pretty miserable picture for Ezekiel, He also prepares and equips Him with the Spirit, His purpose, and His word. Notice that in verse 2, the Holy Spirit fills Ezekiel. Isaiah 11:2 describes the Spirit this way: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
In verses 4-5, God fills Ezekiel with His purpose. The purpose of Ezekiel’s mission is to share God’s message with the Israelites, not necessarily to convince them to change; God is the one who changes the human heart. In Jeremiah 24:7, God says: I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
Finally, Ezekiel is filled with God’s word. He doesn’t have to figure out what to say; God provides Ezekiel with the message he’s supposed to share. Hebrews 4:12 describes the power-filled words of God: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Just like God shared with Ezekiel, Jesus shares the challenges of being a Christian in this world with us. So, why wouldn’t He make better pitch? God doesn’t sell us; instead, He prepares and equips us by filling us with His Spirit, with His purpose, and with His word.
Questions
- What stuck out to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?
- What do you learn about Ezekiel through God’s call on his life?
- Why is it important to understand a prophetical book like Ezekiel? What are the implications for us as the readers?
Did You Know?
Ezekiel’s name means “strengthened by God.” He grew up in Jerusalem and trained to be a priest, but became a prophet after God called him to a different kind of ministry.
2 thoughts on “Ezekiel 2”
What I noticed about the priest Ezekiel is that God called and delegated him to be a prophet in a dramatic way. His response as he saw the glory of God was to fall face down in the dust. Afterwards God addressed him, stood him on his feet, and sent him out on a mission to deliver a timely message to a hard-hearted, rebellious people. He is told to fear not as God’s spirit rests on him. We see that God’s truth doesn’t depend on how people respond. It is unchanging. As we deliver truth in a mostly hostile culture, we, too, may face ridicule. We are to do it anyway. God’s strength will sustain us even under scrutiny or criticism. We are to stand firm in faith and humility as James 1:2-4 reminds us to “ Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
So God picks him up off his face and stands him up. God tells him this is what I want you to do and say, but there is going to be some trouble along the way. He was given a commission that sounds very daunting. Life is very much daunting. Seems as if though trouble follows along BUT GOD is where our measurement of success should be. The worlds standards are not healthy. God knows and knew what kind of battles would be involved and He did and is making THE WAY for us. Ezekiel obeyed. Even he knew there was going to be difficulties, he trusted and believed God. The measurement of success would be in Ezekiel’s obedience regardless of the people around him or their response. This was what God was looking toward in Ezekiel. Our measurement of success will also be in our response. I am called to the utmost high standard, and not letting the world around me dull my senses, but to bring Glory to God is the measurement I want to achieve.
God thank You for helping me keep my eyes focused on You!!! Thank You for Your word and it constantly giving me direction in this crazy world. God thank You that You guide my heart to not be deceived by the junk in the world. I want to live for Your will for my life. God I am in awe of You, I love You, I fear You, I respect You, I desire You, I want to hear Your voice, I want to see Your face. Thank You for Hesed love of me in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!