It’s been a couple of weeks since we read Ezekiel’s writing, which is longer than the prophet waited on God in chapter 3. Given what happened during the “pause,” I need a brief recap to refocus on this part of God’s Word. God called Ezekiel to sit with exiles—those far from God. Then God was silent for seven days before He spoke. 
God charged Ezekiel with warning the Israelites regarding the consequences for continuing in sinful, evil ways. The charge was also for Ezekiel, that he should obey to “save” his own soul—his “breath, inner being, thoughts, and emotions.”
- God calls us to sit with one another—those who are near and those who are far away from Him.
- Sometimes God calls us to wait in silence.
- God consistently calls us to share His Word with others.
*Who is God calling you to sit with in silence?
*Who is God calling you to share His Word with?
“The hand of the Lord was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you” (Ezekiel 3:22).
- God’s hand remained on Ezekiel, which shows their ongoing relationship.
- God knew Ezekiel would follow through with what God asked of him.
- The interesting thing about the phrase “hand of the Lord” is in a Hebrew dictionary, the word “hand” means strength.1 The name Ezekiel means “God strengthens.”2
“I can do all this [being content in every situation] through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
- Once again, God called Ezekiel to go, and God would speak to his prophet.
God still speaks to us today.
“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him [the shepherd of the sheep], and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:3-4).
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
*How does God strengthen us in our walk with Him?
*How does God speak to us today?
“So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown” (Ezekiel 3:23).
- Ezekiel obeyed, no questions asked.
- Once again God showed Ezekiel His glory (and Ezekiel lived to tell the story).
- In chapter one we saw that God’s glory is radiant, brilliant, and glowing like fire.
- The glory of the Lord stood on the plain, like the glory Ezekiel saw earlier (“Glimpse of Glory” 1-18-2024 post)
- I wonder if cherubim were present, since God’s presence is in this scene.
- Perhaps Ezekiel saw the angel of the Lord.
“A voice of one calling:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all the people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:3-5).
Whatever Ezekiel saw, he bowed down in worship. (3)
*What do we learn about God’s character and glory in this chapter?
*When and how might we see the glory of God?
“Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: ‘Go, shut yourself inside your house. And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says,” Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse, for they are a rebellious people’” (Ezekiel 3:24-27).
- One of the fascinating aspects of Ezekiel’s life is he walked with God and the Holy Spirit was with
- Ezekiel saw God’s glory, bowed down in worship, and God’s Spirit spoke.
- Ezekiel maintained a listening heart, attitude, and posture before God.
- The Spirit bound Ezekiel from speaking to the people for a specific time.
- The Spirit then instructed Ezekiel when he should speak.
- God’s gift of free choice stands throughout history, before Jesus lived on earth, during His ministry, and still today.
“‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.’ When he said this, he called out, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’ His disciples asked him [Jesus] what this parable meant. He said, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”’” (Luke 8:5-10).
*What did Jesus mean when he said “whoever has ears to hear, let them hear”?
*What does it mean to maintain a listening heart before God?
*How do we show those around us we are listening to what they say?
*How can we show God we are willing to listen to Him?
- Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003). 418
- Ibid., 442
- Handel’s Young Messiah. “The Glory of the Lord.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9cnQNy2BLI.