A Hard Calling

A HARD CALLING.

Ezekiel 2:1-5.

In times gone by, and in certain places and professions still, it was taken for granted that children would follow in the trade of their fathers. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, would have known from an early age that they were going to be fishermen. The people in Jesus’ village recognised Him only as ‘the carpenter’s son’.

Ezekiel was all set to follow in his fathers’ footsteps as a priest in the Temple: no doubt studying in the Priest school (if there was one), and maybe doing post-graduate studies in preparation for his big day. However, on Ezekiel’s thirtieth birthday - the day when we would normally expect him to be ordained into his priestly role - we find him purifying himself (perhaps): but not for the priesthood, and not in Jerusalem, but hundreds of miles away, in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1). Another call had taken precedence in Ezekiel’s life: the call to pack ‘flight bags only’ as he was going into exile!

Sometimes, it seems, life does deal us bitter blows. Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, falsely accused, wrongfully imprisoned. Generations later, Moses, who had been brought up in Pharaoh’s house, had to flee from Egypt. Even Jeremiah, Ezekiel’s near contemporary, was dragged by his countrymen back into exile in Egypt (Jeremiah 43:6-7).

Ezekiel had no doubt been looking forward to becoming a priest his whole life long. Now the Temple was gone, and God’s people scattered. However, it became evident that the LORD of glory (Ezekiel 1:28) had other plans for the young man.

Perhaps it is when we are most perplexed that the LORD speaks into our situation. Is it not so? We are at the end of ourselves, the end of our tether, and our only recourse, our only hope, lies in Him. For now, before the throne of the LORD of glory, Ezekiel could only prostrate himself: but the voice of the One who spoke called him to his feet (Ezekiel 2:1). Stand up for your commission!

By way of simple comparison, a priest speaks to God for the people, whereas a prophet speaks for God to the people. The term used by God in addressing his new prophet is ‘ben Adam’: son of man. Whereas this might be a way of saying ‘Mister’ as opposed to any other ecclesiastical title, I still see significance in the fact that Jesus’ favoured term for Himself was ‘Son of Man’.

The call of a prophet, as of a priest (and Jesus is both, as well as a King), is wrapped up in his humanity. The prophets, from Samuel to John the Baptist, filled the void until the One came who was ‘like unto’ Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). Such a One, or any of His forerunners, would speak the LORD’s words after Him (Deuteronomy 18:18). Even as Ministers should be doing to this very day!

The Spirit entered Ezekiel, and empowered him to rise to his feet, right there before the speaking One (Ezekiel 2:2). The prophet, like the Apostles after him, became a “sent one” (Ezekiel 2:3) - but the people to whom he was sent were not necessarily going to be friendly, or open to the Word.

There is a certain irony in the comment that “the children of Israel” were “a nation of rebels” - in other words, they were behaving as goyim, Gentiles! They were “in revolt” against the LORD, their covenant King. The status was ongoing, continuing “to this very day” (Ezekiel 2:3), and they were still far from recognising their transgression (but cf. Daniel 9:5; Daniel 9:9).

The new generation had “stiff faces” (were obstinate, brazen-faced, impudent); and “hard hearts” (were stiff-hearted, tough-hearted, stubborn). In other words, their faces were as hard as their hearts. To such, the LORD was sending the prophet: and to such he must say, “Thus says the LORD” (Ezekiel 2:4).

Whether they would “hear or refuse to hear” was not the point. After all, the house of Israel was now named “a house of defiance” (Ezekiel 2:5). As the Apostle Paul would later say, ‘Preach the word: be instant in season and out of season’ (2 Timothy 4:2).

As the Apostle says elsewhere, ‘Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel’ (1 Corinthians 9:16). Only when the prophet (or Minister) fulfils this commission will the people know that it has been the very word of God that has been spoken among them (Ezekiel 2:5). Nothing is more important.