you, if you will, to open your
Bibles with me today to Ezekiel chapter 2. Ezekiel chapter 2. And And is a connecting word. And this chapter is connected
to the first chapter. And so this chapter ends with
this prophet, Ezekiel, on his face. Ezekiel on his face. Why was he on his face? Well, in the vision, As you look
back to verse 28 of chapter 1, in the vision that God gave him,
he saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the
Lord. He saw the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the Lord. Above that, in verse 26,
we read the likeness of a throne. and upon that throne the likeness
of a man upon it. Why was Ezekiel on his face? He was on his face because he
saw a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose
glory is as the only begotten of the Father. In the New Testament,
we read one day the Lord Jesus Christ brought three of his disciples
to a mountain, and the Bible tells us that he was transfigured
before them, that his face did shine as the sun, that his garments
were as white, so white that no fuller could wash them. He was transfigured, in other
words, this man, the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, his glory,
as God began to break through. And God the Father spoke from
heaven. He said, this is my beloved son
in whom I am well pleased. Hear you him. Then the disciples
fell on their face. Have you ever fallen on your
face before the Lord Jesus Christ? Not physically necessarily, but
in your heart, as He ever appeared to you, as He ever manifested
Himself to you through His Word, through the preaching of the
Gospel, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way that
there was no place for you before Him but on your face, on your
face before Him. We read in Matthew chapter 8
when the Lord Jesus Christ came down from the mountain upon which
he delivered what is called the Sermon on the Mount, that there
met him a leper. And the first thing that we read
about the leper is he worshipped. He fell prostrate before the
Lord Jesus Christ and he said, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst
make me clean. He worshipped. He fell on his
face before the Lord. We live in a day and in a time
when most people have very little reverence, if any, for God and
for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It's now buddy-buddy with God. People have no idea of the distance
that exists between God Almighty, the thrice holy God, and you
and I, sinful men and women. Ezekiel fell on his face. We
read the same thing in Revelation chapter one. John, the apostle
on the Isle of Patmos, in the spirit on the Lord's day. And
the Lord appeared unto him, and John fell on his face. We read
the same thing in Isaiah chapter 6, when Isaiah saw the Lord high
and lifted up, and the seraphims crying one to the other, holy,
holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts. And in the gospel of John,
we know that was Christ that Isaiah saw. And immediately he
confessed, I'm a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of
an unclean people. Ezekiel was on his face before
the Lord. What I want to do today, we're
going to look at chapter two and part of chapter three. And
I want to point out seven things that Ezekiel heard. And notice
it says in verse 28 of chapter one, and when I saw, I fell upon
my face and I heard a voice of one that spake. I want us to
look at seven things. There's probably more, but seven
things that stand out to me at least, that Ezekiel heard this
voice, the Lord Jesus Christ that spoke to him. And then after
we look at these seven things that Ezekiel heard, I hope by
God's grace to make application to all of us today. So first,
look at these seven things that Ezekiel heard. Son of man, notice
in verse one, the first thing he heard was, son of man, stand
upon thy feet. This is the first time of almost
200 times in this prophecy, the prophecy of Ezekiel, 48 chapters
as it is divided in our Bible. But this is the first time that
this man was addressed by God as son of man. Older commentators
believe that this was to serve as a perpetual admonition to
him of his own weakness and frailty. We might look at this as an Old
Testament equivalent of what Paul the Apostle said he learned. In the New Testament, he said
he learned this because, remember, he was caught up into the third
heaven. And when he returned, there was
a thorn given to him in his flesh, lest he be exalted above measure. And he said out of that experience
he learned this, when I am weak, then am I strong. When I am weak, then I am strong. Son of man, recognize your weakness. Recognize your frailty. Recognize
your need of depending upon me in this ministry that I'm calling
you to. The word Ezekiel means strengthen,
God strengthens. And notice in verse one, son
of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee and the
spirit entered into me when he spake unto me. and set me upon
my feet. God strengthens. Here he was
upon his face before the Lord, and the Lord spoke, and the first
thing he heard was, Son of man, stand upon thy feet. And the
strength, the power, the ability to stand upon his feet was the
Spirit of God entering into him and giving him that power. Remember in the book of Zechariah,
when Zechariah the prophet is told of he who would come and
build God's temple. Now God's temple, Solomon built
that temple in Jerusalem. It was a beautiful temple, nothing
like it in the world probably at that time. But there's a more
beautiful temple, if I can use that word, and it is a spiritual
temple. a temple where God dwells, and
it is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the one who
builds this spiritual temple is much greater than Solomon.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ. But Zechariah was told it's not
by might. It's not by might, it's not by
human strength, by human ability, human power that the church of
the Lord Jesus Christ is built. It's not by might, it's not by
power. It is rather by my Spirit. Son of man, stand upon thy feet. And the Spirit of the Lord entered
into him. Ezekiel is made to recognize
the ministry, the work that God is calling him to is above that
of man. That he in himself is a frail,
weak individual and the power must be of God. The strength
must be of God. His ministry would not be carried
on by the power of the flesh, but rather of the Spirit. So that's the first thing he
heard. Son of man, stand upon thy feet. Now notice the second
thing he heard. Son of man, this is in verse
3. Son of man, I send thee to the
children of Israel. Now Ezekiel was a man sent of
God. I send thee, God spoke and he
heard that word, I send thee to the children of Israel. Ezekiel was one of the captives
who was taken into Babylon. We saw this last week in chapter
one. And he was a prophet that God
raises up here to minister unto his people in captivity. Son of man, I send thee to the
children of Israel. During the time of Ezekiel's
ministry, as in all times, there are always false prophets. Ezekiel was a prophet of God,
called of God, sent of God. But at the same time, there were
many false prophets, even in captivity, among the nation of
Israel. You know, in 2 Peter chapter
2, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter rather, mentions the fact
as there were false prophets among the people, speaking of
the nation of Israel, all through the Old Testament. So Peter says,
there shall be false prophets among you. What is the message of a false
prophet? Well, the message of a false
prophet is he preaches what he knows men want to hear. He knows what men want to hear
and that's his message. He's a false prophet. He's not
sent of God. What was it that the Israelites
in captivity wanted to hear? They wanted to hear that their
captivity was ended. God, through Jeremiah, had spoken
and said it's going to be 70 years. Now, when God says something,
when you have the Word of God, you can take that to the bank.
God's Word is like God. It's faithful. It's true. And
God said He had determined that they'd be in captivity for 70
years. Now, these false prophets that
were not sent of God. They were going to come. If you
study through the book of Ezekiel, you'll see they will come and
they will speak to the people and tell the people of Israel
in captivity what they wanted to hear. And what they wanted
to hear is the captivity is ended and you can return home. That
was a false message. Ezekiel is sent of God. I send thee to the children of
Israel. The false prophets, they were
not men, son of God. Now Ezekiel, I think this is
important. I know it is. Because Ezekiel
would always have this in his heart. When the going got tough,
and it's going to get tough. If you look through this book
of Ezekiel, it's going to get tough. for the prophet of God. When the going gets tough and
Satan attacks you and tells you, insinuates at least to you that
you were never called of God, you've got this in your soul,
you've got this in your heart. God spoke and God said, son of
man, I send thee to the children of Israel. Pity the man. Pity the man who ever professes
to be a pastor, to be a preacher, and does not have this in his
heart, that he is called and sent of God. Because he's going
to meet with many discouragements, many hardships along the way,
and he's going to have that insinuation in his ears, God never called
you. God never sent you. Ezekiel,
as every man sin of God, must have this in his soul, in his
heart. Son of man, I sinned thee. I
sinned thee. The third thing, and let me say
this, those whom God sins, He keeps. Now that's just so. Those whom God sins, He keeps. Third thing, Son of Man, I send
thee to a rebellious nation, stiff, hard-hearted. Look at that in verses 3 and
4. 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. For
they are impudent children, stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto thee, and
thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. The very
fact that they were in captivity, the very fact that they were
in Babylon in captivity, testifies to the fact that they were a
rebellious people. From the time that they were
in Egypt, as slaves in Egypt, until the time that God delivered
them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, into the land of
Canaan, until this point in the history of the nation of Israel,
they were a rebellious people. God, through the prophet Jeremiah,
said they've committed two evils. You see this in Jeremiah chapter
2. God said this about the nation of Israel. Who he calls my people,
God calls them my people. They've committed two evils.
The first evil, he said, they have forsaken me, the fountain
of living waters. That's the first thing. They
turned their back on God. They forsook God. And notice
how God describes Himself as the fountain of living waters. You know, water is equal to life. Where there's no water, there's
no life. And all life comes from God. Natural life, but especially
spiritual life, eternal life. Lord Jesus Christ, you know He
used this emblem when He was speaking to that woman there
in John chapter 4. Whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall give him, it shall be in him a well of water springing
up unto everlasting life. They forsook the fountain of
living waters. That was the first sin God said
they've done. That's the first evil. He charged
them with. But secondly, when they forsook
the fountain of living waters, He said they've sought out many
broken cisterns that can hold no water. What does that mean? They turn from the true and the
living God, the Lord God Almighty, and they turn to false gods,
to the idols of the nations of gods around them. And there were
many of them. And they turned from the fountain
of living waters and sought out broken cisterns. Have you ever
drunk water out of a cistern? Yeah, I have years ago when I
was a child. And I don't know if this is always
the case, but water always tasted stale to me. tasted stale. There's nothing like spring water,
is there? When water comes bubbling up
out of the ground. We were on a trip several years
ago, and I believe we were in South Dakota, and there was a
fountain there right in the middle of the town, and the water just
running out of the mountain. And everybody could take their
cup over there and get them a drink of fresh water. the Lord Jesus
Christ, the fountain of living water. And men forsake him and
turn to broken cisterns of that that can hold no water. False gods, false ways of so-called
salvation, false gospels. Men turn. Turned from the living God to
dumb idols. They have hands, but they can't
move. They have eyes, they can't see.
They have ears, they can't hear. They have mouths, they cannot
speak. Can you imagine that? To turning
from the fountain of living waters. And that's what so many people
have done in our country. They've turned from the living
God to all of the programs and all of the things that go on
in churches today. Forsaking the fountain of living
waters to broken cisterns. The fourth thing that this man
heard, son of man, be not afraid of their words. Verse six, be
not afraid of their words. Verse six, and thou, son of man,
be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words. Though they be briars and thorns
with thee, and thou dost dwell amongst scorpions, be not afraid
of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be
a rebellious house. Did you understand what he was
telling him? Don't you be, son of man, don't be afraid of their
looks, don't be afraid of their words. You are going to be living
among them as though you were living in a briar patch. Thorns,
every way you turn. That's what you're going to find.
It's going to be like living among scorpions. But don't be
afraid. Don't be afraid, son of man. They are a rebellious people.
God, in effect, promises to this prophet, though you live in such
a situation, I will be your protection. I
will be your shield, like a wall of fire round about you. And with all their intentions,
remember this, Ezekiel, with all their hatred, their hard
speeches, their hard looks, everything that they're going to do to you
and with you, remember this, they can do no more than God
allows. Here's the fifth thing. Son of
man, now this is strange. I find this strange. But as you
think about it, it's not strange. Son of man, be not rebellious
like them. Notice that in verse 8. But thou,
son of man, hear what I say unto thee, be not thou rebellious
like that rebellious house. He was to live among them. But
he is warned, don't you be like them. Don't you adopt their ways,
their ways of rebellion. You know, in 1 Corinthians 15,
the apostle Paul, he said this, be not deceived, evil communications,
which means companions, evil companions corrupt good manners. Now, Ezekiel, you're going to
be with them. You're going to be living with
them, setting where they set. and speaking to them, but don't
be like them. In other words, don't rebel.
You hear my word at my mouth and you speak my word. And number six, this is in chapter
three and verse one. Son of man, eat, eat this roll. Eat this roll. Notice that in
chapter 3 verse 1. Moreover, he said unto me, Son
of man, eat that thou findest. Eat this roll. Now this roll,
of course, represents the Word of God. But you look back to
chapter 2 and verse 10, and this is what you find written upon
this Word. And he spread it before me, and
it was written within and without, and there was written therein
Lamentations, mourning, and woe. That is what was written on the
roll. Not literally he was to eat,
but spiritually. In other words, what was written
on this roll spoke of calamities. That which causes woe, mourning,
lamentation. That's what was written on this
roll that he was to eat. He was to show, absorb this role,
pictured by eating it, that the awful contents would become part
of Him. In other words, this ministry
is a solemn ministry. This ministry is a serious thing. When men stand in the pulpit,
this is not a time for joking. This is not a time when we're
dealing with eternal matters to speak lightly of the things
of God. Eat this roll. Let it become
part of you, Ezekiel, so that you will realize the seriousness
of this situation, the solemnity that's involved in being a prophet,
a spokesman for God. These woes which are coming upon
the nation of Israel, they're going to be worse than what they
have already experienced. And the last word that I would
mention that he heard, Son of man, go. Verse 4 of chapter 3. And he said unto me, Son of man,
go. Go. Go, and notice this, speak
with my words. Speak with my words. Verse 4, Go, son of man, go,
get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto
them. He had already told Ezekiel that
he was sending him to a people, not of a hard language, Ezekiel
already knew their language. But the point I want to emphasize
is you speak to them with my words, with my words. What does God use in saving sinners? Does he use the words of a man? Are men begotten again by the
incorruptible word, the word of God? That's the reason it's
so important, isn't it, that we study the Word of God. We don't invent a message. We are given a message, and we
have it for us, and we are to use God's Word. People are always
saying, well, I just can't understand that. Well, buy you a dictionary.
I just can't understand that old
English. If the Spirit of God is living
in you, read it. This is what God uses. He uses
His words. Speak to them, Ezekiel, and speak
to them with my words. We haven't outgrown the Word
of God in this 21st century, and the world will never outgrow
God's Word. It was quick and powerful and
sharper than a two-edged sword in the days of our fathers and
in the days of their fathers and all the way back until the
time when the Lord Jesus Christ spoke the Word of God, inspired
the Word of God. So those are seven things. Now,
I want to Go back through those hurriedly. I won't take long,
but I want to see and point out seven applications for us. Number one, those who preach
must know that our sufficiency, if we have any, is of God. Just like Ezekiel, son of man,
stand on your feet and the Spirit of God moved or entered into
him. Our sufficiency, like the Apostle
Paul said in 2 Corinthians, our sufficiency is of God. Who's capable? We are a saver
of life unto some. Some people hear the word that
God causes us to preach and they're converted. They're saved. And
some people, they hear the same word and it's a saver of death
unto them. They reject it, they have no
interest in it, they forsake it, and so it serves as a saver
of death unto them. And Paul asks this question,
who is sufficient for such things? Well, no man in himself is. Our sufficiency is of God. Second, those who preach must
know that they are sent. They must know that they are
sent. Just like Ezekiel heard God say, I send thee. Now, over the years, I've known
various pastors, and I've had several of them tell me that
when someone came to them and said they believe God wants them
to pastor, wants them to be a preacher, that they have said, if you can
do anything else, do it. If you can do anything else,
do it. Now let me say what that doesn't
mean. That doesn't mean if you can make a living doing anything
else, Do it. That's not what it means at all.
But what it does mean, if you believe God's called you, if
God's calling you to preach, if God will let you do anything
else, do it. Do it. The last place you want
to be is in a pulpit if you do not know of a certainty that
God has sent you. Number three, those who preach,
like myself, are just like Ezekiel, and now listen to me, we too
are sent to preach to a rebellious people. You say, are you calling
us rebellious? I just point out the fact that
all men by nature We all rebelled in our father, Adam, and we all
said, in effect, I'll go my way. You remember that song a few
years ago was so popular, I did it my way? I did it my way? You know, that's the theme song
of every son of Adam. I did it my way. Nobody's going
to tell me what to do. I'm going to do it my way. We
all rebelled against God Almighty in our father Adam. And yet God
sends men to preach to men and women, boys and girls who by
nature are rebellious. And what is the message? Lay
down your arms. You're fighting against God.
What did God say? Let the potsherds of the earth
strive with the potsherds of the earth. You know what that
means? A pot sherd is a part of a broken
pot, piece of a pot made of clay, and that's what we are, men and
women made of clay. Let the pot sherds of the earth
strive with the pot sherds of the earth, but not with your
maker. Don't strive with God. Don't bow your back up and stiffen
your neck against God and fight against God. That's a battle
you're not going to win. You're not going to win. The fourth thing, those who preach
must not be afraid of men. The fear of man, the proverb
says, bringeth us there in preparing And in preaching, the one thing
that must determine the message is this, is this God's word for
God's people at this time. That's the one concern. It's
not look out on the congregation and see who you may offend and
they may stop giving or they may go away. No, no. The one
thing when you are preparing to bring a message to the people
of God is this God's word for God's people at this time. That's all. Nothing else. Don't be afraid. And number six,
and this is where I believe we see the biggest contrast. I wish
I had saved more time for this. But you know, the role that Ezekiel
played, it was full of lamentations, mourning, mournings, and woes. The Word of God that men who
preach the Gospel today, the Word that we eat, yes it has
those in it, but it also has good news, glad tidings, and
the joyful sound that is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Go into all the world, our Lord
said, and preach the gospel to every creature. There's no lamentation
in this. Let me give you a few examples. Come now. Come now and let us
reason together. God speaking. Though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. What a beautiful
message is that. Let the wicked forsake his way
and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord
and he will have mercy upon him and to our God. Now listen, for
he will abundantly pardon. Does that thrill you? He will abundantly pardon. No matter how great our sins
may be, how filthy, our Lord said, come unto me, all ye that
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Have you
ever thought about those words? Here's the Lord Jesus Christ
who is pure and holy, the eternal son of God, and yet he says,
come unto me. I tell you what, I've seen some
people I didn't want to touch, and I didn't want them touching
me. You know what I'm talking about. I mean some people so, so filthy
with whatever, so infested with whatever, I visited some hospitals
and sometimes years ago when there was a disease that no one,
everyone was afraid of. I had to put on all kinds of
gear to go into the room. No one really knew, except it
was awful. And here is the Holy Son of God,
come unto me. No matter how sinful, How filthy,
how depraved, how wicked, how guilty. Come unto me and I'll
give you rest. Are you laboring under a load
of sin, of guilt? Look unto me and be ye saved,
all ye ends of the earth. And number seven, those who preach
must go. Must go. I'm so thankful when
the Lord calls someone out of our congregation and sends them
out to preach the gospel. What a blessing. And God has
called several out of this church. And what a blessing it is for
God. You know, this church is much
larger number-wise than our church. God's never called anyone to
preach out of it. God's blessed us. And I pray that He'll call others
just like He called Ezekiel. Well, I pray the Lord will bless
His word to all of us here today. We're going to close