Ezekiel

By Bob Bunn

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 2:1-10, Ezekiel 3:1-15, Ezekiel 12:1-20

I really like games that involve strategy. Admittedly, my strategies don’t always work, but I’m kind of a nerd, so engaging my brain makes it interesting. In contrast, I’m not fond of games that require acting something out—or even worse, drawing something. Yes, I’m a visual learner, but I’m also a writer and editor. I do words and phrases, not physical motions or artistry!

I do think about acting games when I read about the prophet Ezekiel. Like other prophets, Ezekiel had a difficult task. He was living among the Israelites taken into Babylonian exile. And while God often spoke through him, the other Jews in Babylon had little interest in what Ezekiel had to say. In fact, at one point, God compared them to briars, thorns, and scorpions (Ezekiel 2:6). Now that’s a tough congregation for any preacher!

On top of that, God often commanded Ezekiel to act out his prophecies. For example, in Ezekiel 12, the Lord told him to pack his bags and to carry them out of the people’s sight, like he was going into exile again (Ezekiel 12:3–4). Then, He told Ezekiel to dig a hole in the city wall and to carry the bags out through the open space (vv.5–6).

God’s message related to the real-life circumstances of residents still living in Jerusalem. Before long, they would be carrying their bags into exile. They would be taken through breaches in the wall created by their enemies and marched away to join the other Jews in captivity. They thought they were safe behind Jerusalem’s wall, but their sinful ways ensured that their security was short-lived (vv.8–16). And no matter how many sermons he enacted or the rejection from his audience, Ezekiel never questioned God. Each time, he did exactly what the Lord told him to do.

Ezekiel’s actions drive home two important points for us today. First, we have to remember that God calls us to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense. Ezekiel might not have understood all the reasons God had for doing things a certain way, but He was faithful to honor His commands. He submitted to God’s plans; and, as a result, the people knew “a prophet [had] been among them” (Ezekiel 2:5).

Second, we’re reminded that God is at work even in our worst moments. Ezekiel was talking to exiles, people dragged hundreds of miles from home to a foreign land. They likely wondered if God had given up on them. As unorthodox as his ministry might have seemed, Ezekiel reminded the Jews that the Lord was still on the throne and that they were still His people.

God still calls us to obedience, and He still reminds us that He is at work. The message that was true for Israel thousands of years ago remains true for us. We may not have a prophet acting out messages for us, but we absolutely have a God who proves Himself faithful time and again.

Written by Bob Bunn