daily java

Daily Java: He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.  (Ezekiel 32)

When God calls a prophet, or for that matter, anyone, he does not always do them what we would consider a favor.

That doesn’t mean that they will not be blessed by the call. Anyone favored by God is blessed no matter what happens to them in their lives.

But at the same time, the call is not always a time of joy. To Ezekiel God said that he was going to send him to a group of people who were known for not listening to his prophets. They were rebellious and in revolt at that time.

Ezekiel’s mandate was to preach the word of God to them anyway. And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. Even if they refused to listen, they would know that God had sent someone to tell them what he wanted them to do. There could be no confusion in their minds.

Unfortunately, Israel was not going to look very good on Ezekiel’s resume. Because they were not going to listen.

Ezekiel was going to preach, though. And he did. And of course, they got mad at him and called him crazy and stuff. But at the same time, they were afraid of him. They could see the power of God upon Ezekiel. They knew he was from God, and they knew they were disobeying God when they disobeyed what Ezekiel told them.

It is interesting (or it would be if I could maintain an academic frame of mind) to see a church rebel against what they preacher says. Especially when they know he is telling the truth. They know that what he says is from God, yet they rebel against him. They go through preacher after preacher trying to find the one that will stroke them the way they want to be stroked.

After a while, the knowledge of their rebellion accumulates in the church’s character. They know that they are rebellious and other churches around know that they are rebellious. They become known as preacher-killers and ministers who go there either are not aware of what they are or else they know they need a job and know they will be there just a short time.

It hurts the church, and it hurts the preachers that come. The members know what they are doing, and it hurts them.

But the preacher, if he knows and follows his mandate from God, will tell them what God wants them to know, no matter what the outcome.

The job of preacher is a hard job. People get mad at you all around. But God has called you. You eat what he has given you and you do your job.

In the end, he says Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 5:21). That is reward enough.

Although it would be nice if someone listened once in a while.