WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:00.880 Well, good morning. 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:03.200 Please turn with me there to Ezekiel. 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:07.040 This morning, we're going to be picking it up in chapter three. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:08.800 Chapter three. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:14.080 As you're doing that, let me start today with this true story. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:16.079 Antonio Brown. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:22.879 He was an NFL player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in the 2021 season. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:38.880 After years of locker room issues, legal problems, and suspensions across multiple teams, the Steelers, the Raiders, the Patriots, Brown's tenure with the Super Bowl-winning Bucks ended in public embarrassment. 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:40.880 It was week 17. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:54.880 The game was against the New York Jets, and that's when he stripped off parts of his uniform on the sideline, threw a bunch of his gear out into the stands, and walked off the field mid-game. 00:00:55.280 --> 00:01:01.359 Reportedly, this was over some kind of injury dispute or maybe a refusal to re-enter. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.280 Afterward, and the team released him. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:17.680 The spectacle that day made the franchise look chaotic and unable to manage a talented yet disruptive star. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:20.239 No longer a buck. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:24.400 His coach did not want him representing the team anymore. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:29.760 I share that story because there's a question I want us to ask and answer this morning. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:37.040 The question is: what does my life communicate about the God whose name I bear? 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:42.079 What does my life communicate about the God whose name I bear? 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:48.480 I think that's the burden Ezekiel is carrying in chapter 3, 4, and 5. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.359 Israel bears God's name. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:57.040 And our God is really concerned about what his people are communicating about him. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:05.200 Israel wasn't just breaking the rules, they were misrepresenting the God whose name they bore. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:13.520 They were supposed to put on display his holiness to all the nations, but instead their rebellion was causing God's name to be profane. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:18.240 And here's the reality that I think we have to ask and answer as well. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:21.599 We bear God's name. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:26.319 We, the people of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ also represent God's name. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:28.000 We are his witnesses. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:29.919 You are a witness. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:36.240 No matter what, you might be a good witness or you might be a not so good witness. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.240 But either way, you are a witness. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:41.120 The question is, what kind of a witness are you? 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:45.280 What does my life communicate about the God whose name I bear? 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:49.120 That's the haunting question in this section of God's word. 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:53.599 So the title of my sermon is just a version of that same question. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.599 What does your life say about God? 00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:01.280 Ezekiel 3 through 5 breaks down into these three sections, each relevant in their own way. 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:04.000 First, we're going to see Ezekiel receives God's word. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:07.680 Second, we're going to see Ezekiel proclaims God's word. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:13.199 Third, for the longest section, we're going to look at how Ezekiel embodies God's word. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.080 I realize if you were here last week, we're going backwards. 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.800 We actually skipped over these chapters last Sunday. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:21.199 We covered 8, 9, 10, and 11. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:31.599 We were on this theme of God's glory and how that showed up in Babylon and how that left Jerusalem, but we skipped a few chapters and I want to go backwards to see what we skipped. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:35.360 This particular section of the Bible is fascinating material. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:38.319 Most people do not know that this is even in the Bible. 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:43.439 And we're going to enjoy learning some things from God's word today. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:50.639 Also, as a fair warning, I am going to ask a few of you to help me out with my message and come up on stage a couple different times. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.159 I hope you're willing to help me out with that. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:53.199 So that's what we're willing. 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:54.080 That's what we're going to do. 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:56.080 And we'll pray and then we'll dig in together. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:57.520 Would you pray with me? 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:02.960 Father, we come to you this morning only because you've spoken. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:06.879 And we need to hear, not from Pastor Dave, we need to hear from you. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:10.479 Give us humble hearts as we open your word. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:17.519 Help us not to explain away the things you confront in us as we often do. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:22.560 Instead, help us receive your truth even when it's sometimes difficult to hear. 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:30.879 Would you give us those kind of ears and that kind of mind to understand and hearts that are willing to listen and most importantly obey. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:40.319 As we look at Ezekiel and the failure of your people, help us not to get lost in the historical background of that, but help us to see ourselves here as this is a mirror. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:45.120 Show us where our lives do not represent you faithfully. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:50.399 And we ask that your word would do that kind of work through your spirit. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:52.240 And we ask it all in Jesus' name. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:53.360 And everyone said. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:54.560 Amen. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.959 Remember, Ezekiel chapter 1 was a vision of the glory of God. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:01.439 After that, Ezekiel fell on his face. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:06.560 We're picking up the story right there, same scene, same exact channel. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:11.199 Chapter 2, verse 3 is where I'll start, just to pick up a few details. 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:20.959 It says, And he, meaning God, said to me, Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, two nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:25.360 They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:33.759 Just a quick little note the title Son of Man is the most common title used for Ezekiel in this particular book. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:39.040 The significance of that title is that it connotates humility. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:43.040 Ezekiel does not see himself as a cut above the rest of the people. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.800 He sees himself as a son of man, or son of Adam, you could translate it. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.600 He's not in the upper class looking down at the lower class. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:50.879 He is one of the people. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.199 He is a son of Adam, he is a son of man. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:54.959 He's identifying with his people. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:56.399 That's what son of man means. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:03.360 Drop down with me to verse eight, as God continues by saying this, but you, son of man, hear what I say to you. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.240 Be not rebellious like that rebellious house. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:09.199 Open your mouth and eat what I give you. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:15.120 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:25.600 And he spread it out before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:39.680 So there's this vision, there's this hand, and then there's this book, this scroll, and there's stuff written on it, and the question is is it a happy, joyful message written on here, or is it a sad and bitter message written on here? 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.000 It's the sad and bitter message, right? 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.920 Literally, you could translate the Hebrew funeral dirges or funeral songs. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.000 That's what's written all over this scroll. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.480 That brings us to chapter 3. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.399 So now here we are in today's passage. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.800 Chapter 3, verse 1 continues. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:59.199 God said to me, Son of man, eat whatever you find here. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:01.199 Eat this scroll. 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:04.079 And go speak to the house of Israel. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:08.240 So I opened my mouth and he gave me this scroll to eat. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:14.000 And he said to me, Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll I give you and fill your stomach with it. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.000 So pause right there. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:18.560 God says, I want you to eat this book. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.800 Like, eat this thing. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:23.600 This is him, like with a mouthful of papyrus. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:25.600 I want you to eat this scroll. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:27.120 Strange. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:29.439 But not unique to Ezekiel. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:33.600 It happens other times in the book of Zechariah, it also happens in the book of Revelation. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:40.000 All these passages connect the idea of God's word and eating and then speaking what you've eaten. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:41.040 What does that mean? 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:42.560 One commentator was helpful to me. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:48.079 He said, quote, the whole experience indicated that he was to absorb the word of God totally. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:54.560 He did not just taste it, but it was to fill his stomach so that he had thoroughly digested it. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:58.879 It was to become part of him, nourishing, energizing, and empowering him. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.360 Friends, this is what the word of God is designed to do. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.319 The word of God is designed for you to eat this book. 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:10.639 May I ask you, do you spend time eating this book? 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.120 Is this your source of spiritual nourishment? 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:18.240 Are there times during the week where you're thinking about, hey, we're doing this Ezekiel passage the next Sunday? 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:24.160 Let me make sure I eat this book to get ready for what God is going to say as we gather on the Lord's Day. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:26.959 God wants us to eat this book. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:29.360 So that's what Ezekiel does. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:32.559 God says, eat it, though you might not like the taste of it. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.120 Kind of like when I was a parent and the kids were a lot smaller. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:37.840 We say, kids, I want you to eat this and keep it down. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:39.519 Okay, that's what God is saying. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:40.799 That's what he does. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.919 And when he does that, look what happens. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:49.200 Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:54.480 It's sweet as honey, even though this scroll contains a message of judgment. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:59.440 Because the sweetness isn't necessarily in the content of the message. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:02.879 The sweetness is because God has spoken. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:09.120 And the word of God can be sweet, even if what God has to say sometimes is hard. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.759 But secondly, I want you to know that this thing right here is like a little riddle. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:20.879 Somehow, what God has purposed to do in judgment to his covenant people because of their faithlessness is so bad it's like a funeral. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:22.159 It's so sad it's like a funeral. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:22.720 It's bitter. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:29.279 Somehow, for anyone willing to take it in and eat it, there's a honey promise at the end. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.799 And this is a picture, a riddle, really, of the whole book of Ezekiel. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:42.639 That there's this there's this bitter judgment at the beginning of the scroll of Ezekiel, but by the time you get to the end, from chapter 34 on, there's like honey at the end of this book. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:53.440 So Ezekiel is given this scroll, he eats it, it's sweet, and then he's given this as a message to give to the people, and I wonder what kind of response the people are going to have. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:54.960 We'll take a look at verse 7. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:02.559 God says, But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:08.080 Because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:15.679 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads, like emory, harder than flint have I made your forehead. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:20.559 Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:21.679 Pause there for a second. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:24.799 So as a recap, Ezekiel is given God's word. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.879 Ezekiel is supposed to eat it and to receive it and then give it out to the people. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:31.519 And Ezekiel here is God's representative. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:34.799 His first responsibility is not to make the message more palatable. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:38.879 Rather, his responsibility is to faithfully deliver what he has been given. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:45.679 In verse 9, when it says, fear them not, what that means there is that they're going to be intimidating when you give them this message. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:50.559 When he says, Don't be dismayed at their looks, it doesn't mean that they look weird or look funny. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:53.279 It means don't be dismayed at the way they look back at you. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.960 Just keep on giving the message. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:04.159 When it says they have this hard forehead thing and that expression there of a hard face, what that refers to is talking to someone who has a very fixed expression. 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:07.039 You're talking to them, but they're not really getting what you're saying. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:08.720 They're not receptive to what you're saying. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:11.759 And so God is saying, just be aware of that. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:13.759 This is how that they're going to be when you talk to them. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:21.840 But don't worry, Ezekiel, I'm going to make your forehead and your face just as strong as theirs, if not stronger than theirs, so that you'll be able to stand up against that. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:24.000 Now drop down to verse 12. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:30.960 Then, after all this, the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake. 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.000 Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:41.759 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures, remember them, as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, remember that, and the sound of a great earthquake. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.480 The spirit lifted me up and took me away. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:51.600 And I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:12:01.679 And I came to the exiles of Tel Aviv, who were dwelling by the Kibar Canal, and I sat where they were dwelling, and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:06.799 So Ezekiel gets this scroll, he eats the scroll, and how does he feel about this whole commissioning? 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:08.080 How does he feel about all of this? 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.720 Well, he's not happy, he's angry. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:14.720 And he goes to sit by the river, bitter and overwhelmed. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:20.240 Ezekiel came back from his day trip and he's boiling with fury. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:25.440 The words here, bitter and overwhelmed in the original text are very, very strong words. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:27.919 Just picture if you were him. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.440 Was it not enough to have lost my career and my future? 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:39.360 Was it not enough to have been wrenched away from the temple and my dearest dreams in life on my 30th birthday? 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:46.080 Was it not enough to be suffering this appalling death in exile along with all my other friends who are here in exile? 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:58.639 Must I now also live a life of lonely unpopularity and social exclusion, apparently, that would inevitably be my lot as a prophet as I come with predictions of more doom yet to come? 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:00.960 Ezekiel is upset. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.919 So can I ask you a question? 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:08.000 Have you ever had trouble eating this book? 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:15.759 Have you ever had this experience that you're reading something in here and you're like, man, this is hard. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.559 Maybe you're there like right now. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.440 You're like, exactly, this is what I hate about the Bible. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:23.279 This is what I hate about the God of the Bible. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:29.759 This God who's full of anger and judgment, who's calling us rebellious and all that stuff. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:36.320 And if that's what you're thinking, I just want you to see that Ezekiel can relate to you. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:45.600 And if you will just hang on and keep going, we're gonna come back to that because there's like honey at the end. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.600 So just hang in there. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:53.519 So God gives him his word, and Ezekiel receives God's word, and we're to do the same. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.480 Number two. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.519 He not only receives God's word, but he proclaims God's word, and that's the next section. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:03.120 Just like you and me, Ezekiel is now given everything he needs to have a ministry. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:06.879 He's given the Spirit of God, he's given the word of God, and the scripture is with him. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.480 Now look at verse 16. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:12.639 It says, And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.559 Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:22.159 Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:27.279 So God says, Ezekiel, I want you to play a role, and the role I want you to play is the role of a watchman. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:29.840 Now, a watchman had a very important job. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:34.000 It was their job to warn the people of the city of impending war or danger. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:36.159 Everything depended on the watchman. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:40.000 If that person messed up, your city would be attacked and sieged without warning. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:43.519 Big consequences would come if you don't do your job as the watchman. 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:45.120 This is like a matter of life and death. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:48.240 You had to be all alert as the watchman. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:53.440 This was like an early warning system, and you doing your job could save lives. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.399 That's what our main graphic is actually communicating. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:02.960 Uh, if you've seen this graphic, Ezekiel is there as a watchman, ready to give the warning that God is telling him to give. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:07.279 The role of a watchman will be a crucial image throughout the entire series. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.639 It's a dominant theme. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:15.840 So Ezekiel is gonna be a watchman, and then God here gives him a few scenarios about how this is gonna play itself out. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:19.679 Like, here, if you're a watchman, it's gonna happen like this, not this. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.600 Let's take a look at verse 18. 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:36.879 God says, If I say to the wicked, you shall surely die, and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I'll require at your hand. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:39.840 You catch that? 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:42.799 So God says, You're the watchman. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:46.320 If somebody dies on your watch, guess whose fault it is? 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:48.480 It's your fault, Ezekiel. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:55.679 Now they still die for their own wickedness, but God says, I will hold you at fault for failing to warn them. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:57.919 And the flip side of that is also true. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.360 So look at verse 19. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:08.799 But if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your own soul. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:14.159 So here's the reverse if somebody dies, but you warn them, that's not your fault. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:17.600 You will not be held responsible, even though they didn't listen to you. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.039 You still did your job. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:21.759 So I want you to notice Ezekiel's job description. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.399 It is not to negotiate with God's people. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:26.639 He is called simply to warn them. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:31.200 Secondly, God does not hold Ezekiel responsible for Israel's response. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:36.559 He simply holds Ezekiel responsible for delivering God's message to the people. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.720 Ezekiel's responsibility is like your responsibility, it's faithfulness. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.879 Friends, the same exact thing applies to us. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:45.919 Don't you see? 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:49.279 We in the church have a parallel responsibility. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.240 We have been given a message to share. 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:55.679 We have been given a message of warning to share. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:59.200 Ezekiel's message was that the people of God had to repent of their sin. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:03.440 Those who reject the message must suffer the consequences of that sin, death, and judgment. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.920 And we have a very similar message. 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:13.519 Only in our generation, because of our place in redemptive history, we also share the good news of the gospel after the warning. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:23.039 We share that there's also a way of escape that's possible through the work of Christ and forgiveness that you can enjoy if you come to Him by faith and faith alone. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:28.160 But the language of salvation only makes sense if there's something that they need to be saved from. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.200 So we have to give a warning. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:37.200 This is what Paul tells his mentee, Timothy, do the work of an evangelist. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:42.400 And when you do that, you'll save not only yourself, but your hearers. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:45.119 We like them are watchmen. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:50.720 God has placed people around us, around me, around you, who need to know about God's message. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:56.319 So let me encourage you to pray daily that God would make you useful as a watchman in this way. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:59.920 And let me also encourage you with the same thing that God used to encourage Ezekiel. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:01.119 Don't be afraid of them. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.039 Don't be afraid of their response to you. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:05.119 Don't be afraid of how they're going to respond. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.240 That's God's job. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:13.440 Your job is having the courage to stand and ask God for help, to live for Him, not human approval. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.400 Their response is never our responsibility. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.440 Our responsibility is to be faithful to share the message. 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:27.759 And that goes for big messages like the truth of the gospel, but that also applies to other important biblical messages that involve speaking God's truth around us as well. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:36.160 There have been many times in the ministry where I have had to sit across from someone that I love and tell them something that they did not want to hear. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:49.920 And there's always a temptation in my heart, every single time at that moment, to soften it, to say just enough truth that I can walk away feeling like I was faithful while making sure they don't get too upset with me. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.039 That's not faithfulness. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:58.799 If God has entrusted me with something to say, my job isn't to control how that person responds. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.880 My job is to speak the truth in love and leave the results up to him. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.759 This is what Robert Murray McShane said as he preached the gospel. 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:11.680 He said, I would preach as if I would never preach again to them. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:14.640 I will preach as a dying man to dying men. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:20.640 So how are you doing representing God in this way, being faithful to share the message that he has given to you? 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:24.720 That's exactly the position Ezekiel finds himself in as the watchman. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.960 Drop down with me to verse 22 if you would. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.920 It says, And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:34.160 And he said to me, Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:38.640 So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:44.799 Again, like the glory that I had seen by the Kebar Canal, and I fell on my face. 00:19:45.920 --> 00:20:00.880 Once again, Ezekiel has another encounter, like a bookend, like a bracket, that brackets his first encounter after he's given his commissioning here, much like what happened in chapter one, he falls down on his face once again before a holy and glorious God. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:02.240 Verse 24. 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:18.559 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, Go, shut yourself within your house, and you, O Son of Man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:25.920 And I'll make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:37.839 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God, he who will hear, let him hear, and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:45.920 So here, what happens here is he's given one of the first sign acts as a prophet that God is calling Ezekiel to embrace. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:49.359 And apparently, the first thing he wants to do is send the guy home. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:55.279 He's gonna be stuck at home, he's gonna be bound up, and not only that, apparently, he's gonna be kept mute. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.119 He's gonna be struck mute. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.279 You might say, okay, isn't he a prophet? 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:02.240 How are you gonna do your job as a prophet if you're struck mute? 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:02.640 Right? 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:03.839 Good question. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:17.279 Well, commentator Daniel Block helped me here when he said, Ezekiel is struck dumb here, so that when he does talk, people will know it's God who's allowing him to talk. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:21.839 So that when he speaks or when he leaves his house, they're gonna know, oh, this is important. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:24.880 That's the guy that was stuck in his house and couldn't talk. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.960 Now he's talking, now he's out. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:28.799 We need to hear what this guy's saying. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:32.079 So people will say, wait a minute, I thought this was the guy who was struck dumb. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.680 Now he's talking, we need to listen. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.440 God must be behind this. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:38.240 Let's listen to what Ezekiel has to say. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:43.680 So Ezekiel receives God's word, and now he's proclaiming God's word. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:47.359 Number three, and this is the longest section. 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:49.279 Don't get excited because we're on point three. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:50.079 I got a long way to go. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:52.480 Ezekiel embodies God's word. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:59.759 Next in Ezekiel 4, what's gonna happen is God is gonna call him to do what's called prophetic street theater. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.839 Has this ever happened to you? 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:05.599 Have you ever gone into like New York City, Times Square, some sort of urban context? 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:13.519 And you're just like, you want to go out there with your wife to dinner, or you want to go to the store, buy something, and you like look over, and like there's somebody doing something, right? 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:25.519 Like there's a guy, there's like a some sort of one act play, there's like a thing happening, and you're like, okay, you go in, you get your table, and you sit down, you're like, Did you see the guy, the weird guy out front? 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:26.559 What was he doing? 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.640 Ezekiel's that guy. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.519 That's what God is calling Ezekiel to do. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.880 Here's some examples, right? 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.480 So, like, you've probably seen something like this. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:43.119 Somebody's out there with like a pantomime or like a megaphone, or they're protesting something, or somebody's doing like charades, or they're dressed up to depict something. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.960 There's like a one-man show going on. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:46.720 That's prophetic street theater. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:49.039 That's what Ezekiel is called by God to do. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.359 Ezekiel is a little eccentric in that way. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.480 He's a little weird. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:54.559 You probably wouldn't have been friends with Ezekiel. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:56.960 He's he's kind of, you know, different. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:05.440 So Ezekiel is given some instructions, and he goes about doing these different prophetic street theater actions throughout the rest of the book, and people will get used to him. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:07.519 Like, oh, did you see what Ezekiel was doing the other day? 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.559 Yeah, he was doing that. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.440 Oh, whoa. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.960 Mom, dad, let's go to the Ezekiel show today and see what Ezekiel's doing over there. 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:14.480 I want to see what this guy's doing this time. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:16.720 That's what's going on in chapter four. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:18.319 So here's sign number one. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:20.160 Sign number one, chapter four, verse one. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:21.359 If you're with me, say amen. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:21.920 Okay. 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:51.759 He says, And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem, and put siege works around it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it, set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around, and you take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:55.519 This is a sign for the house of Israel. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:56.480 Okay. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:02.079 So, God, you want me to build something like a miniature city. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.319 Ezekiel's like, this is my job. 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.599 This is what you want me to do. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:09.039 You want me to sit outside in the dirt and you want me to like play with toys? 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:15.039 Yes, I want you to like play with Legos in front of everybody, and I want you to build exactly what I told you to build. 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:19.599 Build this little miniature city, put an iron plate between you and the city, and this is gonna be the sign. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:20.880 So here's sign number one. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.079 Build a miniature city of Jerusalem. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:27.119 And you have to have it being sieged and stuff. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:28.799 Are you with me? 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.240 I need a volunteer. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:31.519 Who could Jacob? 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:31.920 Thank you. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:32.880 I knew it. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.400 I knew he was gonna volunteer. 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:36.480 You're my favorite volunteer ever. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:39.839 Okay, so Jacob, your job is to do this, okay? 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:45.279 So this is gonna be your like place where you're gonna play Legos, and you're gonna build this city. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.119 How do you do with crisscross applesauce? 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:47.759 You alright with that? 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:49.920 Okay, so yeah, right there. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.559 That's good. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:53.839 Here's the supplies I got from Home Depot this week. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:55.599 And that's your stuff. 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:57.359 And also you're gonna need this thing. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:00.000 Remember, there was like a metal thing he told them to put in. 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:01.200 You're gonna need that. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:05.359 Don't tell my wife I took the cookie sheet, but that's that's what I want. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:09.039 You you just build this city the best you can, the city of Jerusalem. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:11.599 While he's working, we're gonna we're gonna keep going. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:13.920 Okay, so we're gonna look at sign number two now. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:16.880 So look in your Bible, chapter four, verse four. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:18.160 Sign number two. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:26.160 Then God says, I want you to lay on your left side and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:30.400 For the number of days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.359 Just keep going. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:31.759 That's good. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.200 Make it a little better. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:35.279 So here's sign number two. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:40.480 I want you to lay on your left side and place the punishment or the guilt on you. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:42.160 This is atonement language here. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:43.359 This is sign number two. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:46.240 I want you to lay down, Ezekiel, on your side. 00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:47.680 Okay, I need a volunteer. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.480 Another volunteer. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.759 Who can help me out? 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:51.599 Okay, Felicity, come on down. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.039 Are you wearing a dress? 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:55.759 This might not be the best part for you to volunteer for. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:56.880 Somebody with pants. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:57.680 Somebody with pants. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.400 You have pants? 00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.519 Yeah, come on up. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:01.039 Awesome. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:02.240 Very good. 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.480 You okay laying down? 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:05.200 All right. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:09.359 It's like a miracle that you can even be here today and you're gonna lay down on stage. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.799 Yeah, she's awesome. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:11.359 Alright. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.240 Here's the deal. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:14.960 I want you to lay down on your left side but kind of face Jacob. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.079 Yeah, alright, there you go. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:20.079 So you're gonna be laying down, and um, how long are you gonna be laying down? 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:23.359 Just lay down, and then we're gonna see how long she's gonna be laying down. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:24.400 Look at verse 7. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:25.920 Or no, wait, look at verse 5. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:26.960 Verse 5. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:32.799 For I assigned to you a number of days, 390 days. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:33.680 Yeah. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.119