August 16
Ezekiel 3:16-4:17; Jeremiah 27:1-28:17; Jeremiah 51:59-64
In 2017, during a press conference in Tampa, Florida, detailing the facts surrounding the arrest of a serial killer, a person showed up volunteering to sign, Derlyn Roberts, who chose to sign gibberish rather than what was actually being said. She signed things which many deaf individuals stated left them confused, disappointed and upset, because they wanted to hear what the city's chief of police had to say, who is responsible for their safety, and what was being put forth made absolutely no sense. When I, as a physician, employ a translator as I do, not uncommonly, to explain their medical condition and potential treatment, imagine the chaos and harm which would unfold if the interpreter changed my words to convey their own thoughts. But, this is exactly what happens all the time for God. We, His people, entrusted with His Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, often feel we have a better pulse on reality than God does. His Word clearly states something, and we choose to eliminate certain portions, soften certain portions, because we feel that those hearing might find them too harsh. All too often we are no better than Derlyn Roberts. Preachers who eliminate portions of Scripture from their congregations to keep their message positive and uplifting are guilty of this. Preachers who twist every message into why the people should give their money are guilty of this. Preachers who are either too fire and brimstone or too soft and relevant are guilty of this. God gave us His Word in exactly the right amounts of each topic and how He desires that topic to be discussed. When we step into His mission-field, which all of us called according to His name do on a daily basis, whenever we choose to remain silent, soften His message, eliminate wide portions of Scripture, we are no different and no less guilty than those preachers mentioned previously. We each have a calling and a responsibility to sound the alarm to the unsaved people around us, and shame on us when we choose not to.
Ezekiel was taken in the second siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC. Those in captivity were thinking and hoping that this captivity would be short-lived and that they would soon return to their homeland . We know from history that 13 years later in 586 BC Jerusalem would indeed fall. Notice God's instruction to Ezekiel in 2:7-8, "You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like the rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." We then read in 3:1-3, "...Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll , and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." Ezekiel wasn't to literally ingest this book, but he was to devour it and absorb it's contents. He then was given one of the two watchman messages enclosed in this book, in Ezekiel 3:17-18, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand."
We must apply this message to ourselves. First of all, who are the wicked in God's eyes? Anyone and everyone who has not accepted the gospel message of salvation which only exists by the blood of Jesus Christ. These wicked are our nice relatives, friends, neighbors, etc. God sees wicked and good differently than we do. God sees only two categories: saved and unsaved, wicked and righteous (by the blood of Jesus); and we would do well to see things the same way if we are to serve Him and reach out with the hope of the gospel message. Second, way too many Christians make a choice to spend little to no time in the Bible. How can we relay a message accurately unless we are willing to devour His book, like Ezekiel, in order to deliver the message accurately. Lastly, fortified with the truth of His word, surrounded by an endless mission-field, as God's watchmen, how can we remain silent? Do we not believe what God is saying or do we not care? There are really no other alternatives. God did not give this designation of watchmen as an alternative, it is our commission as described in Matthew 28:18-20. Maybe we should try a little less hard trying to be funny, interesting, wise in our own words, intelligent, etc, and simply dispense the only message that we as His ambassadors need, His beautiful and unchanging Word.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: