The Book Of Ezekiel.

The Book of Ezekiel.

The Call of God to Service.

Ezekiel 2:1-3 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. [2] And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. [3] And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

The opening 8 verses of chapter 2 reveal the Call of God to Service. Ezekiel the prophet was called into God's Service in the most unlikely of places. Ezekiel, like others of God's believing people, were swept away with the crowd of captives to Babylon.

While living as a child of God in the spiritual ghetto of Chebar, God called Ezekiel into His Service,

[3] And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

Just after seeing the Glory of God, Ezekiel receives God's call into service. He is called to take God's Word to the House of Israel, (true Israel) to God's redeemed people.

This Calling to Serve the LORD, is also demonstrated in the life of the prophet Isaiah,

Isaiah 6:1, 3, 8 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

[3] And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

[8] Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Both, Ezekiel and Isaiah were called into God's service to carry God's Word to backslidden and rebellious Israel. This is exactly where God's blessings begin, when the hearts of God's people are turned back to the LORD. God uses His Word to cleanse and to correct His Redeemed people. Ezekiel was called to bring a Word of rebuke, of chastening, of correction, and of hope to God's people who were in the spiritual ghetto in Chebar.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

National Israel had been defeated and exiled to Babylon, while 'true Israel', were swept away among them. There is a distinction here between believers and unbelievers.

Romans 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: [7] neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. [8] That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

It was to 'true Israel' that God called Ezekiel to take His Word to. It was to the House of Israel, the Household of faith, to the Father's House, that Ezekiel was called to preach to.

Ezekiel's Calling was particular and challenging under God, because God's people were in a strange land, with strange customs, and a strange culture. They no longer had the liberty that they once enjoyed. They no longer could worship as they once did.

This is very much the same as God's redeemed people experience today as society is filled with strange customs and cultures. We are no longer permitted to worship God as we once did. Yet God is Calling His servants to serve Him in a gainsaying and rebellious generation.

Blessings in Christ. Rev Mervyn Cotton.