University of the Word
Ezekiel was a priest and a prophet of Judah. He was led away into exile in 597 B.C. along with 18-year-old King Jehoiachin, the king’s wives and mother, and other officials of Judah, after surrendering the city of Jerusalem to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It was in this period of international turmoil and unrest, combined with the immorality and apostasy of Judah, that Ezekiel was commissioned by God to carry out his mission.
What has God called you to do for Him? What is He calling you to? OR – what might He call you to in the future? Will you respond, "Yes, Lord?" Will you remain faithful to the call?
Four aspects of the "call" by God for Ezekiel and for us as well.
God called Ezekiel to an overwhelming task, but He prepared him ahead of time as we see in the first chapter of Ezekiel. He saw awesome visions of God’s power and glory. Then he was called to serve the Lord in stressful circumstances and dangerous surroundings.
Ez. 1:1-9 – The Lord showed him a vision. Ezekiel describes four living forms that he saw in the vision. Each face represents a mighty leader of that species with both physical and spiritual significance. Ezekiel understood the vision as a revelation of the glory and power of God Almighty. The vision continued and intensified to this point where he sees the appearance of the glory of God from His throne in Heaven. It is overwhelming to Ezekiel, and he falls prostrate in the presence of God. Ezekiel’s call to prophesy began with his vision of the glory of God.
Without a proper understanding of the glorious and holy character of God, the announcements of judgment that Ezekiel was being called to deliver, would be meaningless. The Lord was going to show how Israel’s wickedness had caused His glory to depart from them until they would be cleansed through the coming judgment. God prepared Ezekiel for this seemingly "impossible mission" ahead of time.
He prepares each one of us for the call He puts on us to serve Him in our areas of gifting. Each of our lives and experiences are part of God’s preparation to equip us to be faithful to the call.
Ez. 2:1-2 God, from the Heavenly throne, spoke to Ezekiel directly. If Ezekiel was to remain faithful to the call and succeed in this mission, he must depend completely on the Spirit of God. "As He spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me." It was the empowering of the Spirit that enabled Ezekiel to receive the message from God and to deliver it in the power and authority of the Lord.
The Holy Spirit is given to us to empower us for the call of God on our lives.
With the empowering Holy Spirit - "… nothing will be impossible for you" (Mt. 17:20).
We may face a seemingly impossible mission, and in our own power it would be impossible for, "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Mt. 19:26).
Vs. 3-4 – "I am sending you" - God Himself is the commissioner. In order to be successful in our call, we must be sent (commissioned) by God. God revealed to Ezekiel ahead of time that this mission would be difficult. He explained what the circumstances were going to be and what resistance Ezekiel would face. God doesn’t surprise His called, but sends them out fully equipped and forewarned if necessary.
Vs. 5 – Ezekiel was to speak in God’s authority and not his own. His message was not to be conditioned on the response of the people. Even if they refused to listen, Ezekiel was sent to speak for God. The only requirement God put on Ezekiel was for him to be faithful to the call. We need to be faithful to the call.
Vs. 6-7 – Do Not Be Afraid! This is mentioned twice because it’s important. Don’t be afraid! Don’t fear what others will think; don’t fear what people might say about you; don’t fear what others will say to you! Fear can cripple your call/mission. Ezekiel was to be faithful in proclaiming God’s message, no matter how frightful the opposition may be.
Vs. 8 – Ezekiel is warned by God not to be rebellious like the others. In order for him to successfully proclaim the message to others, he had to hear, understand, and assimilate God’s message himself.
Before beginning his ministry, Ezekiel was to symbolize his complete acceptance of the Lord’s message by eating the scroll containing the words of the Lord against Israel. Ezekiel’s call was to deliver messages of judgment and heartache to his own people. He was to take the word of the Lord exactly as given to him and consume it. The word is to become part of who Ezekiel is. By eating the word, Ezekiel became both the messenger and the message. He is then able to deliver the message both by what he says and by who he is.
We also are effective messengers for God when we consume His word and assimilate the message into our lives to the point where we become both the messenger and the message. When God calls us for a mission, we are not only expected to be faithful to that call, but we are prepared and empowered by God, so we are able to be faithful to the call. 2 Cor. 9:8 says, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
The same God who called Ezekiel calls believers today to carry out His assignments. He is not looking for ability, prominence, scholarship, or success. He is looking for faithfulness. For Next Week Read Exodus 3