Ezekiel 2: 1-5
Ezekiel’s Call
2 And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.
How do you measure success? If you are in business, it would be by meeting a sales goal. In farming, it would be by having an abundant harvest. You get the idea. Even in church we do the same thing. We measure our church as successful if it has many members. This isn’t a bad thing. It is good to have many people in church. But, numbers aren’t the only thing.
Ezekiel was called to be a prophet, but oddly enough, it seems that numbers were not what God wanted this prophet to be concerned about. In fact, God said that the people would not likely listen at all! He was sending this prophet to a ministry that would be marked by failure, if it was judged by the numbers.
But, that wasn’t God’s point in sending this prophet. God sent Ezekiel because He is merciful and just. He sent His prophet to preach God’s Word, to show the people their sin, and to call them to repentance. At the very least, the people would know that a prophet had been among them.
God’s faithfulness continued and was ultimately fulfilled in His Son. Jesus’ death on the cross was judged the ultimate failure of His ministry by the world, yet, through that cross God worked victory over sin, death, and devil. God offers this gift freely to all who believe in Jesus.
At the end, even the roman centurion who was guarding Jesus exclaimed that truly Jesus was the son of God. May God grant us faith to hold fast to Jesus our Savior, for in Him we see all the preaching of the prophets of God fulfilled.
Let us pray
I thank you Lord for your mercy in sending your faithful prophets who point us to Jesus. I also thank you for faithful pastors who continue to preach your word in my congregation. Help your servants not to be discouraged when it seems no one will listen. Instead, remind them of their calling to preach faithfully, and grant them perseverance as they trust in you for the outcome of their work. May people know that you have been among them whenever your word is proclaimed. In Jesus name. AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.