Call of a Watchman (Ezekiel 2-3)

Описание: The year is 593 BC. Ezekiel and his fellow captives have been away from their homeland for five years, along with their king, Jehoiachin. It was the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's life. Ezekiel was supposed to be a priest. He had spent much of his life preparing to serve in the temple, but now he was in Babylonian exile. Imagine being removed from everything you own and living a life of poverty far away from the only job you have ever trained to do.

All of the exiles would have looked forward to the day they would be allowed to return home. They had probably heard the message of destruction from Jeremiah, but it is doubtful that any of them took it seriously. Every other prophet said God was happy with them. This would all be over in no time.

Suddenly, a stormy wind comes out of the north with a great cloud, and lightning continually comes out. Ezekiel looks amid the cloud and sees a bright gleaming metal. In the bright light, he sees four living creatures with wheels beside them. Over their heads was a throne with a form like a human sitting on it. But this "person" had a gleaming metal appearance from his waist upward. Ezekiel says, "Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." Notice that this is his best description of God.

Ezekiel falls on his face. Who wouldn't fall on their face at such an appearance?

Ezekiel's Call

Stand Up (2:2-7)

Then, he hears a voice telling him to stand on his feet so that God can speak to him. Ezekiel doesn't move a muscle by his power. He can't. He is powerless before the presence of God. But God sent his spirit into Ezekiel and set him on his feet.

Ezekiel 2:2--7 (ESV) --- 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. 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.

What does God want to tell Ezekiel? He is no longer going to be a priest. His work will be to prophesy to the exiles in Babylon. Notice what he calls these exiles. They are a nation of rebels. These men and women who have suffered exile are still a nation of rebels. They don't have an ounce of humility in them. They don't understand that their exile is a call for repentance. Instead of turning to God and seeking out his forgiveness, they just survive while expecting God to bring them back to Jerusalem.

Even though these people are impudent and stubborn, God wants a prophet to go to them and tell them a message of truth. This shows us that God is steadfast in his love. He knows how unlikely it is that stubborn, rebellious people will listen, but he still sends his prophet to them.

He is also confident that Ezekiel's message will make some kind of impact. He says, "They will know that a prophet has been among them. Ezekiel will make a clear statement to the exiles that he is from God. They won't question him like they did Jeremiah.

God also offers Ezekiel words of encouragement. He tells him not to be afraid of them, their words, or their looks. He also offers him an illustration. He says, "Though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid..." I don't know about you, but I'm going to have a little anxiety about being around people who are compared to briers and thorns. I'm also going to be afraid that people might put a scorpion under me when I sit down. Can you imagine the words that would be spoken against you for telling everyone that they are wrong? Can you imagine the looks people will give you when you walk by? But God tells Ezekiel that he doesn't have to be afraid even though these things are about to happen to him. Why not?

God doesn't come out and tell him why not. He merely implies what he said to Jeremiah.