 And he said to me, “Son of man,[a] stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions.[b] Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.
8 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. Meditation Every Christian is called first to Jesus Christ and second to participation in God’s mission of redemptive restoration. Today’s reading reveals the anatomy of Ezekiel’s call; a paradigm to propel Christians into the individual calls Christ has for our lives. Stand (1): Standing is a position ready to hear and obey the direction of the king. Sent (3): All of God’s people are sent to participate in God’s mission, beginning with family and then outward, sometimes to places far away. Ezekiel was sent as a prophet to “a rebellious people” (mentioned 7 times!) who had ears but would not hear. Secure (6): Three times God repeats the command to “be not afraid.” Throughout Scripture the command is repeated 365 times! If God is for us, who can be against us! We can boldly follow God’s call to serve Him in all of life. Speak (7): God gives us what we need for service to Him. God called Ezekiel to speak (7) and He gave him words to eat (8), words sweeter than honey (3:1-3). Sent (3-9): Where, and to whom, are you sent for service of the King? Ezekiel was sent to God’s people in exile, filled with God’s Spirit to participate in God’s purposes in a difficult place and during a difficult time. Sincerity (10): Participation in God’s mission of redemptive restoration comes from the heart, a heart re-made by grace and love for the works prepared in advance for us to do. Richly Dwelling -You are called to Jesus first and His mission second. How clear is Christ’s call for your life? If not clear, ask Him to give clarity of call. -Which portion of the anatomy of Ezekiel’s call stands out to you? Why? -How can you more faithfully participate in God’s mission of redemptive restoration today? Be specific. Key Verse 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. Comments are closed.
|