Not Ready Yet.

Not ready yet.

Ezekiel 3: 22 -- 27. 12/28/03

Ezekiel was one of God’s great Old Testament prophets. The Jews had disobeyed God’s commands so often and for their disobedience they were taken captive into the land of Babylon. Even though they had been warned by the prophets the consequences of their disobedience, they continued to be a rebellious nation. As the word of God predicted, they were taken captive. Ezekiel was also taken into captivity. But even in captivity, God would raise up a prophet, a preacher among the captives.

The first two chapters God would reveal himself to Ezekiel in a magnificent way. God also gave him full instructions of how he was to deal with the people to whom he would send him. After this large and magnificent discovery which God had made of himself to the prophet, and the full instructions he had given him how to deal with those to whom he sent him, and with an ample commission, we would expect Ezekiel now to be preaching but we find it quite the otherwise. God calls Ezekiel out in the plain for further learning.

Actually, we do not find Ezekiel preaching till we get to chapter 11, I believe. There were some reasons for this and I want us to get to those in a moment.

First of all I cannot help but to chuckle at these Scriptures as I thought about my own experience. I remember so well Lord calling me to the gospel ministry. Now I’m not going to preach on me for several reasons. The main one is because of the lack of good material.

But I do remember his call in my life to preach and also there were visions. I would vision myself standing in front of many people just preaching heaven down and people responding to the call of salvation. Every time the phone would ring, I thought this is a church calling for me to come to be their pastor. God knew something then that I learned later, I wasn’t ready. God started working on some things that would prepare me for the ministry to which he called me. We began to sing in different places and I would share my testimony. But the great turning point was when I was in a meeting up in Virginia. I met this couple that were missionaries, Zeb and Evelyn Moss. Zeb told me about a school of preparation up in Hendersonville NC, Fruitland Baptist Bible college. I enrolled for the fall semester beginning and two calendar years of steady and preparation. Away from family and friends to steady and meditate on the fullness of God.

Now I told you there were some reasons God did not send Ezekiel out to preach to the people immediately. I want to talk about those reasons for a short time. I want to just pull down some words to better explain the why.

No. 1, MANIFESTATION. Verse No. 23.

God called Ezekiel out to talk with him but he did more than that, he showed him his glory. No more of a favor can be done to us than to see the glory of the Lord and be changed by the spirit of the Lord. And the Saints of God have this honor.

Moses told the Israelites, in the morning you will see the glory of God. God parted the Red Sea and they traveled through kicking up dust. The glory of God was in a cloud to lead them in the day. The glory of God was in a pillow of fire to lead them at night. They were to just stand back and see the glory of God work.

Another word of want to pull down and it is the word MEDITATION.

Instead of God allowing Ezekiel to go out and share and message with the people he said go into thy house and meditate on these things. Study that you may show yourself approved. Pray in advance before go. I

Those that are called to preach and teach must find time to study, and great deal of time. They must often shut themselves up in their house to give attendance to reading and meditation to profit themselves and others. And at times a word can replace meditation and that is agonizing over the word of God. Ezekiel was to shut himself in the house that he might receive further discovers of the mind of God. And God would furnish him with something to say to the people.

The last word we want to discuss his the MESSAGE. Though God’s prophet may be silenced for a while, there will come time that God will give him the opening of the mouth. When God speaks to his ministers, he not only opens their ears to hear what he says, but opens their mouths to give an answer.