Forehead of Flint
Eze 3:1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Eze 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
Eze 3:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
Sweet to the taste; sweet to the soul but bitter too.
Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psa 119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
We must first be prepared by "eating" the word. Read the word and hear the word until it is part of us. Then be led by the spirit, not to a pig pen but to where God sends you. Go where God leads you and speak His word by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the sweetest name I know. Share the good word and warn the people of coming perils.
Eze 3:4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
Eze 3:5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Eze 3:6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
That still holds true for today. The word of God is often more readily received in some distant land. Would they receive someone dressed like John the Baptist? Another thought, do they come to us because of Christ? or because we have wealth to share? Not everyone who responded to Jesus was interested in spiritual things, but that is true in much of the church today. Many seek things from God instead of a desire to be his disciples.
Eze 3:7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
Jesus came and was rejected too
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Mat 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Mat 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Eze 3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Eze 3:9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
An adamant, a sharp stone harder than flint have I made thy forehead:
Eze 2:6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Let's look back to the wilderness journey of Israel, where some of these words were used.
Deu 8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Jesus is the rock of flint and the serpents and scorpions in the spiritual rhelm are the rebellious people with the evil spirits sent by satan. We all have seen hard faces, for example Clint Eastwood in his movies. People often take on hard emotionless faces to intimidate or to say, do not mess with me. We see popular T- shirts with skulls and terrible demonic images with the implied message, you should fear me. The flint-like face of Ezekiel and our faces should show the presence of Jesus, a determined face willing to go into the enemies camp with a message of hope.
Moses had a face when in the presence of God that the sinful people could not look upon. He had to wear a vail in their presence. vail; tsa`iyph, a wrapper, shawl, a veil.
Exo 34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
Exo 34:34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
Exo 34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him (the LORD).
Isaiah was given a face like flint too
Isa 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
If the LORD sends you, then go in spite of the hard headed people, the stone faces of stubbornness. Be determined to give the message of God. May our faces be the face of Jesus Christ.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Be faithful and determined to serve God as Ezekiel was called to be determined, by the power of God; the filling of the Holy Spirit. He is with you and all things are possible with God. There is no holding back.
Righteous Anger
Eze 3:10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
Mat 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Ezekiel having heard from God and believing with his heart, was ready to go where he was sent.
Eze 3:11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Eze 3:12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.
Eze 3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
Eze 3:14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
Ezekiel was given righteous anger against sin. There is plenty of sin to be angry and concerned about. This is righteous anger, but we are not to let it turn into bitterness.
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
The LORD is angry against sin.
2Ch 6:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;
2Ch 6:37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;
2Ch 6:38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
2Ch 6:39 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.
Confession of sin and repentance are required for restoration. Today we know that Jesus is the way of forgiveness and restoration. We are not to live in the past under the law of sin and death. Jesus has come to set us free.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Put away anger, forgive as you have been forgiven by God, then His anger is removed and we dwell in his love. Hear as Ezekiel heard from the LORD, and believe in your heart and follow his words to you.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Their Blood on your Hands
Eze 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
Telabib,"mound of the flood" was Ezekiels dwelling place. He sat by the river, stunned and awe struck for seven days.
Eze 3:16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
A prophet watchman hears from God, not with natural hearing, but of the Holy Spirit. He then is to share what he hears to those in which he was sent.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Blood guilt is a serious thing. Pontius Pilate did not want the innocent blood of Jesus on his hands but the people spoke foolishly.
Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
So much of preaching is to make us feel good or to become prosperous, that is positive but what is God saying? If we do not warn them from God when he speaks to us, then their blood is on our hands. Warn them of their sins and the coming judgement.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Paul understood the responsibility given to him to preach the gospel message to the Gentiles.
Rom 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
A final thought; what of those who respond to our message of salvation in our day? Do we put their names somewhere and leave them to their own way? We shake the dust off our sandals at those who will not receive our message, but do we shake off those who receive our message too? There is a responsibility to disciple these who come to the Lord. Ezekiel was calling Israel to repentance. They had always had a temple, but it was to be destroyed. A new faith was required in the God of the temple; a personal trust in him. For today we trust God and believe in Jesus as our savior. How will they make it in perilous times if they are not taught to trust in his promises? To ignore their growth could be as blood on our hands. To be born again is the blood of Jesus covering them and his spirit with them to guide them into all truth. It is important to have guidance from the church to keep them from the cults. They must be given the mind of Christ. We have a responsibility to the babes in Christ.
Thus Sayeth the LORD God
Eze 3:22 And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.
Eze 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
I have found that the Lord walks with me in the natural surroundings as I walk by the river. Ezekiel was told to meet the LORD in the plain; a magnificent presence for the glory of the LORD stood there before him and he fell on his face.
Eze 3:24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
The Spirit of the LORD entered into him to do what the LORD required of him. The Spirit was not always with him as he is with a born again believer. After the atonement of Jesus on the cross, Jesus promised to give us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to dwell with us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Now, we are led by the Spirit, although we still look for powerful manifestations of his presence.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
This time Ezekiel was told to go into his house.
Eze 3:25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
Eze 3:26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel was told to stay in his house, probably because the people would seek to bind him if he were to be outside at that time. They would resist his message. The LORD said that he was not to speak to them, for they are a rebellious house. There is a time not to speak. We are to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Eze 3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
No matter what they do to stop you from speaking, when I put words into your mouth you will speak. I see from this that we are not to speak our own thoughts to fill the time, but to wait upon the LORD; as he speaks we speak. When I hear from the LORD I am compelled to share regardless of whether it is received or not. Ezekiel with a prophetic ministry was to speak when God told him to speak. Prophesy is for others. We may encourage ourselves with God's word, this is good, but prophesy is for speaking to others a message from God.
Mat 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth; he that rejects the message, let him reject; for they are a rebellious people.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
In other words, they are what they are. If we are faithful to what God calls us to do, that is all he requires of us. Those who hear God, will hear his message through us, others will not want to hear.
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