Sermon Central
-
Ezekiel
Contributed by David Heasler on Mar 8, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: The Ministry of the Prophet
Ezekiel
Our Story begins ...
During the time of ... the divided kingdom
When Israel was divided into north & south, into Israel &Judah. Both had been unfaithful. Israel had been destroyed.
In 605 BC ... Nebuchadnezar of Babylon conquered Judah
Ezekiel ... 17 years old at the time, Watched and as he watched he felt his dreams slipping away.
In 597 BC ... Ezekiel himself was taken into exile with 10,000
By his 30th birthday ... Ezekiel found himself among the exiles by the Kebar River
Ezekiel 1:1 Receiving a call to be a prophet
What’s a person to do who’s called to do
something he doesn’t want to?
1st Corinthians 4:2
What’s a person to do when he loses all hope
of ever seeing his dreams fulfilled?
Ezekiel tried to be faithful.
Jeremiah had told the exiles what they should do. (Jer 29:4-7)
Ezekiel had done it. He built himself a house, married the girl of his dreams and set about doing all the good that he could possibily do.
But it wasn’t enough.
In 586 BC the beautiful temple at Jerusalem was destroyed.
The same day, Ezekiel’s wife (the delight of his eyes) died.
Perhaps at the height of despair, God gave Ezekiel a vision.
Its recorded in Ezekiel 37:1-10 Its called the vision of ...
The Valley of Dry Bones. In it God tells Ezekiel what to do in an absolutely hopeless situation. He tells him to ..
1. Prophesy
We need ... the ministry of the prophet.
1st Corinthians 14:3
Everyone who prophesies, speaks to men ______ ______ ____________ , __________ and ______________ .
In Bible times,
a) _________ prophesied. (Numbers 11:25)
b) __________ _________ prophesied. (1st Chron 25:2)
c) __________ prophesied. (1st Chron 25:3)
d) __________ _________ prophesied (Acts 19:6)
How?
Jeremiah 23:18,22 says,
They ________ in the counsel of God
until they ________ or ______ His Word. Then ... they faithfully declared His Word to his people
2. To the ... Bones
In the vision, you’re either a bone or a prophet.
When Ezekiel prophesied ...
If you want to see your bones come together,
Learn to prophesy, but not just to the bones.
3. To the ... Spirit
We’re talking ... the Holy Spirit
When you talk to God, its called ... prayer
When you prophesy to God, its called ... prophetic prayer
When you _______ _______ with God.
To _______ ________ what He wants you to ask Him for.
And then you ______ _______.
That’s called ... the prayer of faith
Ezekiel was challenged.
To go to a place, He didn’t want to go.
To minister to a people, He didn’t want to minister to.
To pick up the ministry of prophetic prayer.
Ezekiel fullfilled his call. Will you fullfill yours?