Ezekiel 3:4 says, And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. God then commissioned Ezekiel to go to the people of Israel and to speak His word to them. We as followers of Christ have been commissioned to go to the whole world and speak God’s word to them. We are to start where we are and then to reach out to all the world, and if we cannot go, then we should help support those who can.
Verse five adds, For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; In Ezekiel's case, God said He wasn’t sending Ezekiel to other nations, but to the people of Israel, who spoke the same language that Ezekiel did. I believe we are first called on to share the gospel with our neighbors, but some people are called to go to other countries where they don’t speak the same language and to share the gospel with them.
Verse six continues, 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. God adds that even though He wasn’t sending Ezekiel to a strange land whose people spoke a hard language that Ezekiel didn’t understand, that had He done so, the people would have listened to him. If God does call you to go to another country where they don’t speak the same language as you, I believe He will equip you to do so effectively.
Verse seven concludes. 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. God said that even though strangers would have listened to and obeyed Ezekiel’s words that the people of Isreal would not. When we witness to those closest to us, they may not accept the gospel, even if those from other countries might. God said that the people of Israel, those who were His chosen people, were an impudent and hard-hearted people. As followers of Christ, we need to never become an impudent and hard-hearted people who won’t obey God’s word, but if we do, I believe that God will send someone to call us to repent and return to obeying Him.
Veres eight states. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. God said that He was making Ezekial more powerful that those who wouldn’t listen to him. God will give us the spiritual strength to do whatever He calls us to do, and we should never be afraid to obey His word and do what He has called us to do. The people that we witness to may be physically stronger or more powerful than us in the world’s view, but if God is with us, they will never defeat us.
Verse nine adds, 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. God once more told Ezekiel that He has made him stronger than anyone who stood against him. God basically told Ezekiel he was being sent to a group of people who would not listen to Him, but He also told Ezekiel to not be afraid of those he was to witness to, because God had made him stronger than them. Wherever God sends us to witness to people, we should never be afraid to do so because God will always be with us, and He is more powerful than any opposition that we may encounter, and we already know that we have everlasting life with Him, no matter what happens in this world.
Verse ten continues, 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. Ezekiel said God told him to receive His word and heed it completely. Before we are witness to people today, we need to have God’s word implanted in our heart.
Verse eleven concludes, 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. God told Ezekiel to go and proclaim His word to the people of Israel who were in captivity at this time whether they listened to him or not. We are called on to witness to the world wherever God sends us whether they listen to us or not.
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