Welcome!
Today: God’s call to be a watchman/watch woman!
Passage: Ezekiel 3
16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. (Ezekiel 3, NIV)
Ezekiel was asked by God to go to the Israelites in Exile and prophecy to them
When he went there, he could not speak anything for the first seven days. So he just sat there, overwhelmed. The mission was not an easy one
In the book of Job, we see that the three friends, who came to see Job and comfort him, went through as similar experience. (Job 2:13)
Ezekiel opened his mouth and stated speaking, after that
Ezekiel did not speak anything of his own. He was on a God-mission. He was only allowed to speak what God gave him
If Ezekiel had thought that it is a bad thing not to speak anything for seven days, and he started to say something, he would have spoken something of his own, not God’s. We hear many such people who speak their own stuff, not God’s!
Start speaking only when God prompts you to speak. Speak only what He gives you!
I am sure, Ezekiel was not simply sitting there. He must have been talking to God!
It is worth talking to God, for a period like that. He must have been on a fast!
God fed him with His word, before he could speak to them
1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them (Ezekiel 3, NIV)
Ezekiel was to “feed” on God’s word and then speak exactly what God fed him with
Apostle Paul and all the others who penned the word of God, did the same. The entire Bible is written that way. Men of God wrote what God gave/inspired them to write (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: (1 Cor 11, NIV)
If we speak for God, speak what we receive from God. Otherwise, we may end up displeasing God, and pleasing ourselves/people
A “watchman” should work for the owner/master and not for the people he is appointed to watch over. God has appointed you as a watchman/women over your house/at work/church/community. Bring the news to God. Speak to and for God.
If a watchman makes a “deal” with the people he is supposed to watch and does what they want him to do, he will be out of the master’s register. Such names will be found elsewhere!
God bless your day as you choose to speak/stand for God
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for making me a watchman/watch woman. Help me to do that job faithfully, and be tuned in to you all the time, so that I can tell you what is going on, and also hear from you and speak/act accordingly. Amen.
“It is better to keep quiet, than to say something that is not from God”