the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Ezekiel 2:1-10; ; Ezekiel 3:1-11
Ezekiel’s great vision, like that of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13), is to be the starting point of his call and mission. The Spirit of God seizes him, allows him to stand upright, and opens his understanding to the divine Word upon which he must first of all feed before he can communicate it (cf. Revelation 10:8-11). Thus he will feel its effect in his own soul, for it is impossible to apply the Word of God effectively to others without having oneself experienced its sweetness . . . or its sharp edge (Ezekiel 3:1-3; Jeremiah 15:16). Generally speaking, the secret of all useful service for the Lord is to feed upon the holy Scriptures from one’s youth.
"Israel will refuse to listen to you", says the LORD to His messenger, "but in fact it is I to whom they refuse to listen" (Ezekiel 3:7). It is not his own words but the LORD’s that must be in the Christian’s mouth. Such a message will leave no room for fruitless discussion. And it is in the heart that it must be received (Ezekiel 3:10).
The forehead of the house of Israel was hard, but the LORD was giving His servant correspondingly greater energy (cf. Ezekiel 3:8-9 with Isaiah 50:7 and Luke 9:51). Besides, his own name was a promise; Ezekiel means "God will strengthen".
