Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"I have made your face strong"
Text: Ezekiel 3:8
STRENGTH NEEDED FOR MINISTRY
A candid word of warning was given to Ezekiel concerning the house of Israel. He must not be naive to think that the people would listen and respond well. The opposite would be the case.
“But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me;
for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces,
and your forehead strong against their foreheads.
Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead;
do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks,
though they are a rebellious house.”
Ezekiel 3:7-9
1. How the house of Israel would respond to Ezekiel.
a) The people will not listen to Ezekiel.
b) The deeper problem was declared candidly.
“They will not listen to Me” (the LORD).
2. Why would the house of Israel respond so negatively?
a) Because of their impudence.
b) Because of the fact that they were “hard-hearted”.
3. Ezekiel would be especially strengthened.
a) The face of Ezekiel.
He would have a strong face against the house of Israel.
b) The forehead of Ezekiel.
He would have a strong forehead for his ministry.
i) It was compared to adamant stone.
ii) This was known to be harder than flint.
4. Ezekiel must be courageous.
a) He must be fearless.
b) He must not be afraid of the house of Israel.
c) He must not be dismayed by the looks of the people.
d) They will be:
i) Angry
ii) Rude
iii) Negative
e) The house of Israel was notoriously rebellious.
i) They were rebellious in Israel.
ii) They remain rebellious in Babylon.
iii) Their hearts remain hard and impudent.