Then He [the Lord] said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to Me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn. But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.” Then He added, “Son of man, let all My words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”
Ezekiel 3:4-11
Have you ever sent a letter to someone and had it returned unopened "Return to sender"?
Or, have you ever relayed a message to someone who rejects you and doesn't believe a word you say?
It's like talking to a brick wall. You can tell from their facial expressions that they think you're talking nonsense.
That was Ezekiel's thankless task.
God was sending him to give His message of judgement to those in exile from Israel, living in Babylon.
But the Lord told him beforehand that they wouldn't believe or receive the announcement.
His hearers would either ignore, scoff or angrily reject God's Word.
So God prepared Ezekiel ahead of time to brace up and declare the Word of the Lord in spite of the rejection.
For us, today, this is no time to back down or become disheartened when faced with ardent opposition to God's Word.
We need to respectfully affirm the Truth of Jesus whether folk listen or not.
Remember Ezekiel was told to "eat" God's Message first, before speaking out.
So we too need to feed on the Word and let it be a part of the very fibre of our beings. Only then will we have the strength and wisdom to speak out.
These are urgent times and we must make the most of every opportunity to bring Jesus' message of Hope to everyone.
Most of us, like Ezekiel, are not sent on foreign mission fields, but to people who speak our own language and with whom we meet on a daily basis.
Prayerfully be ready to share the simple Truth of the Gospel of Jesus today - even if you know beforehand that it will be rejected!
Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
Ecclesiastes 11:6
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