June 18, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

A Challenging Call

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions”
(Psa. 51:1).

Read Ezekiel 2:1--3:15

[1] 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. [1] And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” [2] So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. [3] Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. [4] He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. [5] You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel- [6] not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. [7] But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. [8] But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. [9] I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” [10] And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. [11] Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” [12] Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the LORD rose from the place where it was standing. [13] It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. [14] The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD on me. [15] I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days-deeply distressed.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

God is slow to anger and does not wish to punish. The consequence of our actions is something that we as individuals, nations and humanity need to own rather than blame God.

Anyone who has had the experience of delivering a message to someone who really does not want to hear it will understand only too well why Ezekiel sat in silence for a whole week “deeply distressed” (3:15) before he could begin to speak. Our messages, if it is bad news about a health issue or the closing of a company with many jobs lost, may not be the fault of the listener but can still bring a sleepless night to the teller. When there is fault it doesn’t necessarily make it any easier–”I’m sorry, but your failure to do any revision means you failed the exam”; “Your second offence of copying someone else’s work means you have to leave the college.” In an educational context the reply can sometimes be, “But you have to pass me, I paid my fees!”

 

The problem with those to whom Ezekiel was being sent was that they were not yet ready to acknowledge any fault or responsibility on their own part. Yahweh was their God and it was his responsibility to sort out all of their troubles. So it was his fault they were in exile and why should they listen to him anyway? They had not grasped at all what it meant to be in covenant relationship with God and why obedience and loyalty were as important as receiving blessings.

 

Later on, Ezekiel would be able to bring a message of renewed hope: God did long to show mercy, he did long to bless his people. But that message could only be delivered when they had heard and responded to the hard sayings that he had to bring first, when they had listened and repented and accepted their responsibilities. And they were not ready to do that yet!

Apply

Are you taking complete responsibility for your choices? Find a faithful follower of Christ with whom you can get honest, be accountable and start fresh.

Closing prayer

Lord, help me to listen when You speak. Forgive me for when I have failed, or even refused, to hear, or when I have blamed You for my own faults.

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