June 8, 2021 – Ezekiel 1-7

“In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God” (1:1). And what visions the prophet saw! From the visions, the Lord commanded the prophet: “You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear” (2:7). Jeremiah spoke to the people just before the exile, and Ezekiel did so during the exile. The command to both, and to us, is to speak the truth, whether people hear or refuse to hear.

God declared to Ezekiel, “You are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel” (3:5). Of all peoples, Israel should hear! And, so, Ezekiel preached, but the people would not hear. But, again, the prophet’s task was to preach, regardless of the response: “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 soul” (3:19) and “If you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul” (3:21). Ours is to go and to tell.

Hast Thou, O Lord, a work to do?

Here am I, send me!

The field is white, the lab’rers few,

Here am I, send me!

Over mountain, plain or sea,

Here am I, send me!

I’ll go to the ends of the earth for Thee,

Here am I, send me! --J. Gilchrist Lawson