Ezekiel 1-4

by Paul Ice

Ezekiel was called by God to do some challenging things. God even told him about the opposition he would receive. 

            But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.

(Ezekiel 3:7 ESV)

God even had him act out various details of his message from God:

[1 He drew a map of Jerusalem on a large stone (4:11)

[2] Lay on his left side for three hundred and ninety days (4:4-5)

[3] Lay on his right side for forty days (4:6)

[4] Cook food on fuel made from dung (4:9-17)

Even the death of his wife was a sign that they would not return yet, and that the city and temple would not be spared.

And yet he fearlessly warned the people about their desperate need for repentance before they could even hope to return to Jerusalem. 

It puts our calling to reach others with God’s message into perspective.  It had to be hard to know that he would be rejected.