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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 196

"I will not be inquired of by you"

Text: Ezekiel 20:3

INQUIRY OF THE ELDERS

Ezekiel was recognized as a prophet of the Lord. In Ezekiel 14, elders came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. In that chapter the Lord refused to be inquired of them. They did not have physical idols but they had idols in their heart! The Lord refused to speak to them because of their hypocrisy and their fake faith!

A few years had passed by. The elders came back to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. The Lord once again had to speak sternly and candidly to them.

“It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month,
on the tenth day of the month,
that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord,
and sat before me.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them,
‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Have you come to inquire of Me?
As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I will not be inquired of by you.”'”
Ezekiel 20:1-3

1. In the seventh year.

a) This is to show that Ezekiel had already ministered for some years as a prophet of God.

b) He had earned the regard of many, including the elders.

c) Ezekiel’s ministry as a true prophet of God had been established.

2. Inquiring of the Lord.

a) Because life was hard.

b) Because of uncertainty of the future.

c) Because they did not have deep knowledge to resolve problems in life.

3. The ministry of a prophet.

a) He is in close touch with the Lord.

b) God reveals vital truths to His servant.

c) The prophet relays God’s message to the inquirers.

4. Ezekiel brought the queries of the elders to the Lord.

a) He was the intercessor.

b) He was God’s messenger.

c) He was the mediator.

5. God’s reply.

a) He rejected the inquiries of the elders.

b) He refused to entertain their questions.

c) His refusal was stated in a very strong tone.

d) “As I live”

i) This was an oath.

ii) It is an indication of God’s stated intention.

iii) He will not be inquired of by these elders!