You must speak my words

“You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.” (Ezekiel 2:7)

 

Ezekiel had been taken to Babylon as prisoner of war when the Second Invasion of Babylon in the 6th century BC. Ezekiel who had been nominated for prophet by the Lord in the foreign land Babylon, prophesied that Israel’s captivity is a punishment for the sins they did against God, but if they repent, they will recover. God who appointed Ezekiel as a prophet is the Lord who calls for every man and does righteousness in Christ. The Lord ordered Ezekiel to ‘stand up on your feet’. And He gave him the message to deliver for Israelite. The mission Ezekiel received was to deliver the word of the Lord to the people.

 

The countries on the earth have ceaselessly done wars during the process of history. People would want a peaceful life to continue anytime and everywhere, but it’s never easy for an individual or a country to be like that. New Zealand is one of representative countries where Koreans want to immigrate. But we heard the news a while ago that it became the second of worst countries for foreigners to go and live in, for expensive living prices there.

(https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20220716011700009) Even if there is no war and the natural environment or other conditions are good, it is difficult to maintain happy life if economic conditions are not good. And yet, after difficulties and trials, someday, recovery and joy will be given. If you think about the journey of the people Israelite or your life of past days, you would see well that it was a life of ups and downs. Thus now, it will be necessary to live a resolute life by relying on God, not to be stuck on the adverse conditions of present.

The Lord doesn’t connive wrongdoing of man. Some hope God to connives own deeds, right or wrong, however they will complain that it’s not such God. If someone’s fault is connived though doing something wrong, the person can’t be a right and great person later. In the Book of Hebrews, it says, the child that the father does not discipline is illegitimate. The right of illegitimate child cannot be recognized legally. If you’re a Christian who can’t enter the kingdom of God, would that be normal in faith? If you have a right mind, you should prepare deservedly that you are blamed for own fault. Emotions that are hard to accept the pointed by another of wrongdoing are a separate matter for oneself to solve. God, Good and Almighty, had set up many prophets for the salvation of love, and had sent Christ, and constantly is accompanying with Christ’s workers in the Spirit.

“Stand up on your feet!” This verse is a same expression that Paul the apostle commanded to the disabled of legs in Lystra. To make stand up on one’s own is the principle of way the Lord calls and raises people. Someone who hears such this might think like this; standing up on one’s own feet, what would be the point to believe in God’s ability? But the word of the Lord has more deep meaning in it. Because God gave energy for Ezekiel to stand up so that Ezekiel could be able to arise with his feet. If you just obey Christ by faith, God will make you fulfill everything. By such the way, everything is accomplished possible actually. Christian life is a process of experiencing the touch of the Lord. But Israelite were with the shameless and hard-hearted mind. Those who do not know Christ spiritually are those of hardened soul like Israelite.

There is no a nice person who wish to hear the gospel of Christ for oneself. On the other hand, rather many people would like to walk on the path of death, wasting their own wealth, energy, and life. Not doing even know the danger to fall into eternal hell, they are constantly searching for the sex videos, narcotic, hate crimes, and etc, in order to stimulate peripheral nerves and relieve stress. Whether they listen to it or not, God constantly sends them servants delivering Christ’s gospel. Those who deliver the true words of God are the prophets of this era. The environment of world is too difficult for prophets to do mission rightly in the truth. There’s a lot of thorns and briers on the road, and scorpions too to hinder the way of prophets for truth. Anybody wouldn’t be afraid to see such things? The difficulties faced in the world by those who preach the gospel are endless. They suffer from various difficulties such as money, health, jealousy, ridicule, and etc.

 

What the Lord says is, “Don’t be afraid of the situation, and don’t be afraid of words of intimidation or ridicule.” He told us also not to be afraid of seeing the faces of such people. The Lord said firmly this, “To listen to or no listening, only deliver them the word of God.” What’s a really difficult thing is to walk on the path of the gospel for Christ. As a result, certain people preach the gospel in expediency, and minister with wrong teachings as they think by oneself. What the Lord really wants from us is a dignified life of steadfastness, obeying His word.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on August 28th 2022)