Ezekiel Lesson 2-3

Introduction

We are in Ezekiel chapters 2 and 3 this morning. And which is uh what lesson number three in your workbook? Uh as you if you’ve read this lesson today, you might uh understand when I ask you your parents. Have you ever had a child that just seemed to be, let’s use the word hard-headed, stubborn, and never would, you know, you wonder it just frustrated you. Anybody parent ever had a child like that? No, I wasn’t one like that. You were one.

Yeah. Well, I remember even uh buying a book back at that when we had younger children by Dr. James Dobson called The Strong Willed Child. Well, I listen today. If you felt frustrated somewhat as a parent, perhaps you can understand even the lesson today, how God must have felt, maybe even more so than as a parent. Because what does Ezekiel say the Lord instructed him to do is to go to a people and to speak to them? And how would he find them? Impudent, one translation is stiff-hearted. They won’t listen to you, Ezekiel. How would you like to have that kind of assignment? You go out to speak or to teach, and you know in advance. They’re not really going to pay attention to you. They’re not going to respond.

How the heart of the Lord must have felt. And it’s important, and we’ve tried to stress this in the first two classes, the history that is uh in which Ezekiel was born and finds himself doing the work of prophesying. In fact, uh the history doesn’t start with Ezekiel’s day, does it? In fact, you go back in the history of Judah, the southern kingdom. What king was it that really brought about such grievous sins? He wasn’t the first, but he was probably the worst. Manasseh. Manasseh. He reigned for how many years? 55 years. And what did Manasseh do? Can you summarize? That was so evil that God said, because of this, he was fall. Because the children sacrifice his children far. Alright. Well, I would say, yeah.

Every type of idolatry was idolatry. But more than that, even finally, even to offer their children as sacrifice in the fire. I think that is probably the ultimate of the idolatrous kind of worship. And God has specifically warned them not to do such. And yet Isaiah, I mean, Isaiah start with, of course, found that, but Isaiah’s prophesying and foretold even how Babylon would be the one who would take them in captivity. Isaiah could say that hundreds of years before it actually occurred. And so when it came down to the point in history, the people of Israel did go into Babylonian captivity. There were three different occasions of it. The first one would be in what year? Anybody know? Just right off? So nine. Who was taken?

Significant at that time. Daniel. Alright, Daniel. You mark Daniel in your mind. Daniel, uh what uh what um how would you get this question word right? Relate Daniel to Ezekiel. Is there any relationship?

Same age. Probably the same age. Probably the same age. How about Jeremiah? Is he are they is Jeremiah related?

He was probably older. But all three of them experience and see the fall of Judah. Jeremiah, of course, to those of you who are in the Jeremiah class, many times spoke about this is going to happen. But he wasn’t loved for it, and he wasn’t appreciated for it because there were many more than Jeremiah, prophets who would say, peace, peace when there is no peace. But no doubt Jeremiah saw the fall, the first remnant being taken, and Daniel taken captive. The second remnant happened how many years later? From 606 to 597. And who’s taken in that one? Ezekiel. Ezekiel. Along with how many hundred thousand? 10,000, the finest. Only the poorest are left back in Jerusalem in the surrounding area. Is Jeremiah, has he been taken?

No. No. Daniel is taken to the capital in Babylon itself, and that’s where he, no doubt, even in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, of course, we read the story of Daniel, and it’s a great story. But Ezekiel is taken where? Does he go to Babylon, the capital city? No. He is found where? At Tel Aviv, which is south of the city of Babylon, maybe a little over the hundred miles, called the river. She’s Shemar. Well, I call it Kita. Y’all can call it sheep if you want. But I pronounce the CH with a K. Chicken, you know, we do that all the time. But anyway. But here’s Ezekiel in 597. But does the does the capital of, does Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah, fall with Ezekiel? No. In fact, we say even 11 years later, 590, 587, 586, depending on somewhere in there, we’d say, actually, uh the temple is burned, which the Jews thought would never happen.

That’s why they felt so confident when the when the other prophets would say, Oh no, don’t worry, peace, peace. When there really was no peace, the temple is here. But God allowed the temple to be taken. But in all of this, have any has uh of the prophets from Isaiah, Jeremiah, even Ezekiel now, Tel Aviv. Did the people back in Jerusalem have a heart to repent? Did they turn back? Did they hear the words of these faithful prophets? No. It was the midnight hour of God’s people. Taken in captivity, temple destroyed and burned. And then, really six years before that temple is destroyed, we might say we find Ezekiel at Tel Aviv at the river Kebar, making this prophecy. And so as we read through through the book of Ezekiel, we’re going to find the first 24 chapters particularly are going to be God’s anger being expressed.

He would say, Repent, and then explain why this sad occasion has happened to his people. Ezekiel doesn’t finish that way, of course, and those of you who would say with it, you know that in the last few chapters of Ezekiel, there’s hope. There’s going to be a return, for God did promise a return of his people. But here’s a cleansing process, you might say. A people who’ve had opportunity who did not really respond to the preaching. In our chapter Wednesday night, chapter one, we went through the throne scene, and while we read that, it’s uh as you might say difficult reading and trying to imagine or put it together in your own mind. At least the real lesson from chapter one is what? What is what does Ezekiel see in that vision?

What’s the real? How would you describe chapter one? Is Ezekiel’s vision of the throne of God and the glory of God? And so that’s the impression. Where does it start? And all through this book we’re going to have over and over the word of the Lord came to me saying, or that you may know that I am the Lord. So over and over, who’s really behind Ezekiel’s message? Who is the Lord? And so all of this that’s occurring, it is the Lord’s will that’s coming to pass. As we close chapter 1, so when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one speaking. And he said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak to you.

1. Sent to Impudent and Stubborn Children

Then the Spirit entered me when he spoke to me and set me on my feet, and I heard him who spoke to me. And he said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I’m sending you to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God. I’ve had on occasion, more than once, somebody come up and say to me, you know, rather innocently and sincerely, why is it that some people just won’t accept what the word of God says? You ever try to teach somebody what to be saying? And you can say, look, you know, here’s the scripture that teaches what a sinner needs to do to have forgiveness of sins.

And and and for whatever reason, they just won’t accept it. They will not obey it. Have you ever felt rather frustrated at that. You suppose? Why is it that some people just will not?

God would say to Ezekiel, they are impudent. What does the word impudent mean to you? Obstinate. Pardon? I didn’t hear it.

Well, literally, hard of face, and then they are stiff-hearted, which is hard of heart. They just are stubborn. And we understand what that word means, don’t we? Why is it that some would be that way? You know, Ezekiel’s not the only one that’s told. Now you go, then I’m going to listen to you. Look at Isaiah chapter 6, verses 9 and then.

And the seraphim who are around the throne. And Isaiah is being called to go prophesy. It’s a great chapter where Isaiah says, Hear my send me. But then he says that before he’s even told where he’s going, how long he’s going to be there, or what he’s supposed to say. It’s just that I trust in the Lord. But when you get in that the last phrase of verse 8, hear am I, send me. But in verse 9, go and tell this people, keep on hearing, but do not understand. Keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, their ears heavy, that shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with the heart and return and be healed.

That phrase or that prophecy is quoted some five times in the New Testament. Even Jesus used it when he was explaining why some people do not accept even the parables of that the Lord would teach. Why don’t they? Why are you still teaching parables? Because they see but they do not see. They hear, but they do not understand. And what the Lord says the reason? The Lord made an application. He quoted it, but then he made an application of it. Because they’ve stopped their ears. They closed their eyes. They don’t want to hear. So God said that to Isaiah. Now you’re going to go speak to these people, but I want you to know they’re not really going to receive your message, Isaiah. Look at Jeremiah chapter 1.

In Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 17 through 19. Here are these great, we say great prophets of the Lord. But they’re not great because they persuaded the people of Israel, and they all turned. What great teachers these were? I mean, you just had to believe if you heard Isaiah, wouldn’t you? You just have to believe you heard Jeremiah, wouldn’t you? But in Jeremiah 1, verses 17 through 19. God said, prepare yourself and arise and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Jesus, against his princes, against his priests, against the people of the land.

2. Why Would the Lord Send Them Anyway?

Why? Verse 19, they will fight against you. But they will not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord to deliver you. I tell you how the Lord fortified these great men. You go out, they’re stubborn, they’re rebellious, they won’t hear. But you go anyway. Because I’m with you. That’s my word. So I got a question asked why would the Lord send them anyway? Why did he even hear say, Ezekiel? These are these are impudent. They rebel against me. They’re stubborn. But I’m sending you anyway. Why? Why did God send these prophets on out anyway? You heard somebody start to answer. They don’t know what to use. To give them another chance to hear the word and repent. Really, the last phrase of verse 4, thus that you shall say to them, thus saith the Lord God.

At least my word. God is fair. He wants this word to be spoken. It is not that all men will receive it, they will obey it. Even in the New Testament. You remember what Paul said wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, verse 2 through 4. Preach the word and be infant.

When they want to hear it, when they don’t want to hear it. Reprove, rebuke, resorb with all long suffering. For the time will come, what? Is he say? That men will not sound about them. Having itching ears, they’ll bring themselves teachers after their own desire, after their own lusts, and they’ll please themselves.

You know, one of the things I hope you’ll get as we go through Ezekiel that you’ll learn how Ezekiel fit into the history of time. But like we study the Old Testament, we learn God’s uh history, uh history of God’s people and how he dealt with them. Can we make applications to the day? Yes. It is one of the most fascinating things to me about the Old Testament is history does repeat itself. We are like people of the past. We’re built physically and emotionally, and we have to guard our hearts that we not be like them spiritually. There were always some who were faithful, and let’s be of that group. But recognizing that not everybody’s going to see the word. You know, there are people that they say, Well, look, now let’s see.

Which which kind of religious group is the majority today? You know the Mormons today claim to be the one true church because anybody don’t want it? What do they say? They’re the fastest growing. Is that the that the standard make them right? Uh probably the most in number among those who call themselves Christians is Catholic. Does that make them right? Right. But you’d be surprised how many people say, Oh, well, that’s see which way the wind’s blowing. And that must be right. Well, now had you been in Nikol’s day, was that the right way? No. We have to guard ourselves that we not be closed-minded and make up our mind what we want to do. We we may be like a history of the past. But why preach it anyway?

In Isaiah 55 and in verse 11, it’s that great passage where God would say, My ways are not your ways, and my thoughts, your thoughts, for the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways than your ways and my word and your word. But in Isaiah 55, verse 11 through Isaiah it says, So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. It shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. I I think when I was younger, and certainly not near as wise as I have become today, and I’m still not that wise, but I used to think, oh, that means just preach it, and oh, they’ll obey it.

It won’t return void. But that isn’t what it means. That isn’t at all what it means. How can you say it will not return void when they’re, you might say the majority reject it? How can you say it won’t return void? Because come judgment day. What will they have to say? And they say, Well, Lord, you’ve just been unfair. No, my word is there. It’s the standard of judgment. Whether you want it or don’t want it, at least you need to know, thus says the Lord. Here is God’s will. And if you’re going to be like the people of Isaiah’s day and reject it or Jeremiah’s day or Ezekiel’s day, well, you’ll suffer the consequences. But at least I want you to speak it. And so in verse 5, really Ezekiel 2, he said, as for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are a rebellious house, yet.

3. Do Not Be Rebellious Like Them

They will know that God’s messenger has been there. Reading on in verses 6 to 8, Ezekiel 2, he said, You son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or dismay by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

You reckon Ezekiel’s feeling that way at that point? Well, no, not at all. What does he say to Ezekiel? Don’t be like them. Don’t be afraid of them. By their looks, though they are a rebellious people. Don’t back off. In fact, verse 7, you shall speak my words to them whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, what I say, do not be rebellious like them. Why have that warning to Ezekiel? In verse 8. I know they’re rebellious, so Ezekiel, you go speak, but don’t you become like them? How could that have been a possibility? How could it be that Ezekiel? Why would God even have to warn him? Don’t be like them. Any idea? Human nature. Human nature is what?

Be discouraged. Get discouraged. So, okay, what’s the use? Can you give in those get tired of saying the same thing? Oh. Do you ever get demon?

Yes. Okay. It’s also very their point of view is one that’s very content. If you take their point of view, you don’t really have to change, you don’t really have to think. You can just keep, you can just live based upon what you see right in front of you, which is easier. Could be that way. I think probably though, and that they are a rebellious people. I mean, it’s probably more like be careful that you don’t just get so frustrated at this and just stop. And become like them. Look at Jeremiah chapter 20. Jeremiah. What happened with him? Jeremiah chapter 20. Verses 7 through 9. This is a this is a passage I try to give all young preachers, especially. Because we’re living a time where people are satisfied religiously.

You know, don’t change. I’m satisfied with what I believe. My church is good, and so leave me alone. Don’t show me anything different. Anybody, any of you find any neighbors like that? No, sure. You finally get saved. Like Jeremiah chapter 27, oh Lord, you induced me, and I was persuaded you’re stronger than I and I and have prevailed. I’m in derision daily. Everyone mocks me. When I spoke, I cried out. I shouted violence and plunder, because the word of the Lord was made to me. A reproach and a derision daily. What do you mean? How it became a reproach and a derision daily. How could it be that? So Jeremiah was not appreciated, was he? The word that came that Jeremiah spoke wasn’t accepted by the people.

So what did he say in verse 9? I’ll just quit. I’ll not make mention of him or speak any more in his name. Can you believe Jeremiah got to that point? Did he quit? If he did, it’s only momentarily. Because the rest of that verse says, His word was in my heart like a burning fire. Shut up in my bones. I was weary of holding it back, and I could not. I tell you, Jeremiah, like Ezekiel, had to keep on keeping on. I make you like that’s why Jeremiah 1, we read a moment ago, a fortified city. You know, I’m gonna build you because you’re gonna go against a hard-hearted people. And Jeremiah did get discouraged. And I think all who really faithfully serve the Lord, there are times you will get discouraged.

If you’re really out trying to teach your loved ones and friends, recognize that there are some people who made up their minds and don’t want it. It doesn’t matter what it says, what the Bible says. But don’t get like them and just shut your book and shut your tongue from speaking it. Keep on keeping on. That’s your, at least what they will know is that the Lord, the Lord’s message is what you’re not the judge, and you’re not the writer of the scriptures. But your work is to say, here’s what the Bible says. So again, in Ezekiel chapter 2, beginning in verse 9. Now when I looked, and there was a hand stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.

4. Sweet in the Mouth, Bitter in the Belly

Then he spread it before me, and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mournings and woe. Moreover, he said to me, Son of man, eat what you find, eat this scroll and go speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that scroll, and he said to me, Son of man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you. So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey and sweetness. That’s an interesting kind of a description, isn’t it? Here’s a scroll, I want you to eat it. You think literally, literally, he’s eating that scroll. What do you think it’s symbolizing here?

All right, he’s consuming the word. Where is it that we have uh something done similar to that in the New Testament? Revelation. And Revelation chapter 10. Let’s kind of look there quickly. In Revelation chapter 10, you know, I would I’m gonna add this point that so many of the figurative language that is in Revelation is also from books like Ezekiel and then Daniel. And I no doubt while today maybe we have more difficulty understanding the book of Revelation. I’m convinced the saints of God of earlier days who knew Ezekiel and Daniel didn’t have near the problems we do. But in in Revelation chapter 10, verses 9 and 10, uh I uh uh John, who’s writing, said, I went to the angel and said to him, Give me the little book, and he said, Take and eat it, and it’ll make your stomach bitter, but it’ll be sweet as honey in your mouth.

Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. This is found at the time where after the seven seals have been opened, and the seven, really six of the seven trumpets have sounded, and when the seventh trumpet is sounded, then comes the seven bowls of wrath, which is described as completing the wrath of God. They’ve had opportunity to repent.

And of course, Revelation would say, you know, in the fact they do not repent, then the wrath of God is going to be poured out in the bowls of wrath. But so, like Ezekiel. Here is an eating of God’s will. It’s sweet in his mouth. It’s bitter in his stomach. What do you think that meant? Why would it be sweet in his mouth? Mean bitter in his stomach. Any idea what that’s symbolizing or describing at that point in time? I think that is your research question, isn’t it? Research question. Where the New Testament is told either book, what was the taste of it? Well, that was easy. Sweet as mouth, bitter in the belly. Too easy. Now you tell me what it meant. That’s what it should have had.

John. The sweet to me is obvious. I mean it is God’s word. God’s word is always sweet, it’s to be obeyed. The bitter part of it, I think on it as uh John was writing it in Ephesus, in that the seven churches, the seven churches save one, had pretty much, in some respect, they had fallen away. And John was preaching to the seven churches, the seven churches being symbolic of all the churches of the world. Therefore, the bitterness is the disobedience to God’s word. Okay. And really the woes that would come upon them for the disobedience of God’s word. You think Ezekiel, what he could what he writes about, and already he’s gone into captivity himself, and he knows in a few years the temple’s going to be destroyed and the whole rest is going to be taken.

You think Ezekiel is saying, Yeah, yeah. You think he’s preaching it that way? No. No. While later in this book, he does speak about the hope and the return. And the temple of God, the spiritual temple, I think, descriptive of what the church is today, Ezekiel chapters 40 through 48, when you get there. But uh that’s hope, and that’s something rejoicing. That’s sweet in the mouth. It is God’s word, and it’s sweet. And even John and the revelation, as you get to the latter part after the judgment, description of the blessings of the righteous. John writes about that too, doesn’t he? It’s not all doom and gloom in Revelation, nor in Ezekiel. But there is a certain woe in the bitterness in the belly. Why won’t people come?

I’m sure every person in this room can say, I’ve got some loved one. Maybe it’s a family member. Or maybe it’s just a neighbor that you come to know and love. And say, This person should do better. They really know to do better, they just don’t do it. Why? And that feels that brings a bitterness or a woe, a sense of sorrow in your heart for them. And I think that’s exactly what Ezekiel is experiencing here, and so did the apostle John. Yeah, it’s sweet in my mouth, but it’s it’s bitter in my belly. Indeed, uh the Psalms speaks of God’s word that way. Um, just a quick one, Psalm 119, 103.

I can’t make it come to my mind right at the moment. Uh he says, uh, how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Indeed, God’s words are sweeter than honey to my mouth. But then as we proceed in chapter 3, I’m gonna read verses 4 through 11, where God speaking to Ezekiel, he said to me, Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you’re not sent to people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel. Not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you.

5. Whether They Hear or Whether They Refuse

But the house of Israel will not listen to you because they will not listen to me. For all the house of Israel are empty and hard-hearted. And behold, uh I have made your face, behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads, like Adam and stone, harder than flint, I’ve made your for it. Do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. Moreover, he said to me, Son of man, receive into your heart, all my words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. And go get to the captives to the children of your people and speak to them and tell them, thus says the Lord God, whether they hear or whether they refuse.

You know what? What a statement, even as you close verse 11. Whether they hear it or whether they don’t hear it, I want you to go speak it. They are rebellious, but you speak it. Look at Zachariah. Zechariah, who was somewhat later in time from Ezekiel. In fact, uh you might say, in the return, the rebuilding of the temple at the time of Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 7, and verses 11 and 12. It says, So the prophet again is restating why it is that God’s people suffered such destruction at God’s hand. Chapter 7, and Zechariah 7, beginning in verse 11. The prophet, of course, God speaking to him, to say they refused to heed. They shrugged their shoulders, stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord. Pretty pretty succinctly stated in it. They shrugged their shoulders.

You’re like your father, your ancestors. They rejected the prophets, and so do ye. You resist the Holy Spirit. And so they said, Yea, Stephen, you’ve got to be right. We learn from history. Our father said that, and so we’ll. Oh no. They took up stones, didn’t he? But he was accurate. He was accurate in his charge against them. In Matthew chapter 11, in verses 21 and 22. Jesus said, Woe to you, the raisin. Woe to you, Beth Sayer. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago and sacked off in ashes. But I say to you, it’ll be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which are done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I said to you that it’ll be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. They saw the miracles. They saw and heard the Lord himself. He said that Sodom and Gomorrah heard and seen what you see, they put differences in people. But Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. And really those who rejected the Lord, as he’s addressing in Matthew 11, also shall suffer eternal torment and destruction from the hand of the Lord. Indeed, Ezekiel, you go speak. Now verses uh chapter 3 from verses 12 through 16.

Um Ezekiel’s reaction. I quote verse 12 says, The Spirit lifted me up. Heard behind him, behind me a great thunderous voice. Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place. I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit. But the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. Then I came to the captives at Tel Aviv who dwelt by the river Kebar, and I sat where they sat and remained there astonished among them seven days. That verse you know I tried to picture here is Ezekiel astonished for seven days.

6. I’ve Made You a Watchman

Then it came now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me saying Son of man I’ve made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore hear a word from my mouth and give them warning from me. Here’s an especial I think message that has application even in our own day as well. Ezekiel had a responsibility did God give him much hope that he’s going to be successful as we count success. Then we shake our head no he wasn’t successful in turning their hearts but he was successful in that the word of the Lord will not return void I want them to hear my word at least he’s successful in that sense. But what’s his work?

He could say well you know they’re not going to listen to me why should I go how many of us have ever said well you won’t do any good on you know we have a gospel meeting coming up in four weeks and it won’t do any good to invite them I know they’re not going or I’ve got a loved one who uh who’s in a lost condition and oh it won’t do any good to speak to them. I I he won’t do any good to try to put the scripture in front of them. It won’t do any good to hand them a tract. It won’t do any good to do we sometimes do that? We make up our minds sometimes. I know we all do. I do too.

I have that same problem and saying well, it won’t do any good. So let’s just don’t do anything. So I’ll tell you these last few verses in Ezekiel chapter 3 should touch our conscience just a little bit. When he says in verse uh verse uh I’m supposed to say verse uh 18, God would speak, When I say to the wicked, you shall surely die. And you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his way to save his life. That same wicked man shall die in his iniquity. But his blood will not require your hand. What is that meaning? His blood will require your hand. What does that mean to you? You have responsibility. You have responsibility.

Then he shares some of the responsibility, not all of it, but it’s a sharing of that responsibility of inequity. I think you both well said. But I want to ask the word blood. Why does he say his blood? Blood is blood. All right. And so in effect, he’s trying to say what’s going to really be. Is he going to lose his life or his soul as such? Phrases like that are used in the New Testament. Look at Acts chapter 18 and in verse 6. The book of Acts chapter 18. The apostle Paul.

But uh when they opposed him and blaspheme, he shook his garments and said to them, Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Is he saying, here’s a rebellious house of Israel, the Jews that he’s spoken to and spoken to Jesus the Christ? But he says, Your blood’s on your own hands. At least he’s warned. Go to chapter 20, I think chapter 20 and verse 26, another statement. When he described his work and preaching, he says, I testify you this day that I’m innocent of the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole council of God. So that’s free from the blood of all men by not shunning, by speaking the word of God.

In that sense, you know, are you going to convince everybody? No. But the responsibility as a watchman, at least is to speak to them. I think that was part of your thought question, wasn’t it? From Ezekiel 3:17 through 19, explain a watchman’s responsibility to the wicked. If he failed to warn, why? If he fell warned, why would the blood of the wicked be required? Why would he required of his hand? Isn’t that kind of unfair on God’s part? You ever thought about that? That somebody’s conditions required at your hand? Is that unfair, God? Never has been unfair. Never has been unfair. What does he expect of us though? As we learn, so you go teach others. Tell it to others. They may not listen, but don’t keep quiet.

At least speak the word. So back in Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 19. Oh, verse 18, if you warn him and he doesn’t turn, or if you if you fail to warn him, I would require at your hand his blood. But in verse 19, yet if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity. But you’ve delivered your soul. Your work is at least to warn. You know, it’s not your responsibility that caused him to obey or respond to God. Your work is to warn. So in verse 20, again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you do not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered.

But his blood I will require at your hand. Again, much the same as with the wicked. Do all righteous people stay righteous? And his passage that indicates take some men turn, right? But again, what do we have to do? At least to try to warn. But in verse 21, nevertheless, if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning. Also you will have delivered your soul in the process. That’s more than one lesson, I think, to be gleaned out of this. And as we look to see, of course, he’s telling Ezekiel here, Ezekiel is your work and your responsibility. But when we stop and think, how does how can that affect us today?

More than one way. I’ve been trying to say, well, we have responsibility to try to teach others, number one. But number two, it’s a lesson about can the righteous turn from his way? There’s a belief, pretty popular doctrine today that says once saved, always saved. We’ve heard it, right? Well, does this passage enter in maybe to say that may not be true? You know, I would answer, first of all, if we call the doctrine, I believe in the security of the believer. Bible teaches security of the believer. But does it also say it becomes impossible for a believer to become an unbeliever? See, there are passages that speak about how that nothing can separate us from the love of God. The last few verses of Romans chapter 8, right?

And there’s a sense of security that when you really believe the Lord, trust in him, and you obey the gospel, you follow him, and you do your best as a as a child of God, you have God working on your side to help you, and the devil can’t take you away unless you choose. But can you choose to depart? Absolutely. That’s where it doesn’t say once an unbeliever, always an unbeliever. So an unbeliever can choose to turn and obedience. And likewise the other way around. Where would you turn to show that from the New Testament? Turn? Matthew chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25, which teaches parables of servants throughout Jesus. God is represented as the master.

There’s uh two members of the church and the parable of talents, the five-talent man, the two-talent men that do what God’s supposed to do, God says they’re supposed to do, and the one talent guy who’s a member of the church, goes and buries his talent in the sand, he does nothing. He does nothing. Alright. That’s that’s one way out. I think that’s a little harder maybe to get across chapter 25, but it certainly illustrates the point. How about Hebrews chapter 3? Anybody look up that? Amen. Hebrews chapter 3, look at verses 12 through 14. I think just Hebrews 3 since the bell’s rung, to other passages, but let’s look at this one in particular. Where in Hebrews chapter 3 uses the expression that we depart from the Lord.

Hebrews 3 and verse 12, beware break, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. I like to use it this way. People say, Well, you know, if you really some people say, Well, there are those who turned away from the Lord, but they never were really saved. That’s the argument sometimes.

Well, look at this. Were you uh could you depart from this room if you never come into it? Nope. So he’s talking about people who were there, and he said, Beware, brethren, lest you depart. So here are people who were in relationship with God who may depart, and the warning is beware lest that happen. In verse 13, but exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have been quick become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to them. There’s an if there. And look at chapter 4 and verse 1. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest what? Any of you seem to come short of it.

Conclusion

Chapter 4 and verse 11. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest lest anyone fall, according to the same example of disobedience, speaking about the children of Israel who did not enter the promised land, though they were promised. So, just that text right in there, as well as so many others, and particularly in our lesson today from Ezekiel chapter 3. So, great applications, I think, even uh for our own time. So let me finish in Ezekiel 3, verse 22. Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, Alise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you. So I rose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I saw by the river Kivar, and I fell on my face.

Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet and spoke to me and said to me, Go shut yourself inside your house. And you, O son of man, surely they will put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them.

And not be one to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth. And you shall say to them, thus says the Lord God, he who hears, let him hear. He who refuses, let him refuse. For they are a rebellious house. How many times did he say that in these two chapters? Our lesson for Wednesday night is chapters four and five. And you’ll see that four different parables are signed to Ezekiel. And we said in talking about the book as uh at the book uh last uh week. There’s different illustrations. And so in these next two chapters, Ezekiel is going to illustrate the siege against Jerusalem. Set up a wall, and can’t go past it. And you can’t escape when the time comes.

And then he lies on one side for so many days, and on another side for so many days, to show the the captivity and the length of it. And then he’s told to eat the polluted bread in such a way. God’s people are going to suffer. And so he’s going to illustrate that in these next two chapters. And I hope that’s where you comprehend it.