[0:00] This message was recorded at Fish and Baptist Church in Alfreda, Georgia. Please listen to Pastor Scott Toole as he speaks on the topic of Bible exposition.
[0:15] Take our Bibles and turn to Ezekiel chapter number 1, book of Ezekiel chapter number 1. Well, that was great, wasn't it? And I'm telling you, the music, I'd love to get a copy of that. I'd also love to get that couple to come up to our place and sing it.
[0:27] Did it great. Is it a couple? Do they know each other? Husband and wife? Is it a couple? Should be a couple? Oh, cousins. We're in Georgia. We're in Georgia. That cousin. Kissing cousins.
[0:40] All right. All right. I was looking for a ring. I didn't see a ring. I didn't know. It was great. Super job and all the way around. Just a Christ-honoring job and praise the Lord for that.
[0:53] I'm also excited to be in a place with that many people that are, and some from, you know, locally and a number of missionaries that are just excited about doing a work.
[1:06] And just either being in a church that is sending out people or people that are about to be sent out or people that are coming to a church that's excited about that. Boy, what a great place to be.
[1:16] And I do commend you on all the work that you do. And, well, I hope we can catch a little bit of that up in Baltimore, Maryland. And usually I go back from a meeting like this, and I have a staff meeting.
[1:28] They hate it when I have a staff meeting after this because it's a, I'm taking notes. Boy, we need to do this. We need to do that. Let's try this. Let's change this. Let's do that. And how about this? It's kind of like you've heard the story about the rooster that rolled the ostrich egg into the hen house.
[1:42] Heard that story? The big ostrich egg into the hen house, and he just got their attention. He said, now, ladies, I'm not complaining. I just want you to see what they're doing in other places. And so that's the same type of a deal.
[1:52] I'm going to go up, and I'm not complaining. But, man, we need to do this, get more out here, and adjust that. And, boy, it really is exciting to be in a place like this. And praise the Lord for that. Boy, I think this is probably what first century Christianity and what this century Christianity needs today.
[2:09] So let's take our Bible, Ezekiel chapter number 1. Ezekiel chapter number 1. And we'll read the beginning of that and then jump over to chapter number 2. Ezekiel chapter 1.
[2:25] Verse 1 says, Of course, we know there's three Babylonian invasions.
[2:52] The last one just basically wiping out. The first one, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all taken back to Babylon. And on this one, Ezekiel, the second one, Ezekiel now captive by the river Chebar, they are prophesying.
[3:09] Ezekiel is basically warning Judah, Jerusalem of the impending doom that was to come. And so I want to look just for a few more of a Bible study on a portrait of Ezekiel, a man that's called to minister, a man that's called to preach, and some of the things that he went through.
[3:25] Lord, I do pray that you'll be with me as I do try to share your word, communicate what you've communicated to me. And I pray, God, that you'll touch hearts.
[3:36] Lord, that you'll teach us your word. And, Lord, we'll give you the praise. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Ezekiel, Ezekiel. Look at verse number one of chapter two. First word, say it with me.
[3:48] And, and, and. Chapter two is an offshoot of chapter one. Chapter one, there's a great vision of God. Chapter two, Ezekiel's called to have a great venture for God.
[4:01] Chapter one, there's visions, there's grandeur, there's majesty, there's thrones. And God arrests his attention, but then there's a personal interaction. In fact, point number one, if you want to write it down, number one, the meeting before the call.
[4:17] The meeting before the call. Ezekiel called into the ministry. Now, I know that all of us are called into the ministry, but Ezekiel here, by God, clarified, here's exactly what I want you to do, by the meeting before his call.
[4:29] Now, in chapter one, he's a priest. He's already equipped. Well, he, he, he's already enlisted, but just because you're equipped, just because you're enlisted doesn't mean you're empowered. And God wants to do something with you.
[4:41] Look at, look at verse number one, the meeting. And he said unto me, son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me and he set me upon my feet that I heard him that spake unto me.
[4:56] Now, get the picture. God comes along. Ezekiel, stand on your feet. Get the picture. God comes along. I'm going to speak with you. And then God's spirit entered him and God's spirit lifted him and, and set him on his feet.
[5:06] And then God, God spoke to him. But understand why God's about to call him, send him. God's about to, to, uh, commission him. Uh, but before he does, God arrests his attention.
[5:16] God gets his attention. And then he personally interacts with him a lot like Moses. Remember Moses by that burning bush, uh, Moses turned out of the way to see, see what this was, this bush that didn't, that didn't, uh, get consumed to the fire.
[5:29] Uh, God arrested his attention. And then God had a personal interaction with him before God sent Moses to do the work that God called him to do. Now, uh, I think for us, a lot of times we'll rush past that, that arresting of our attention, that, that personal interaction.
[5:44] I think a lot of times before we spend time with God, we'll rush past God and try to do a work for God. I think you call it around here. The witness, the witness, Christ called the disciples to be with him before he sent them out to preach.
[5:59] And a lot of times we want to go out and preach before we, we, we rush past, uh, Luke 24, tarry until you be endued with power from on high. We get so busy in the work. We become a Martha so busy in the work that we miss that great work, that needful work by spending time, uh, bowing and kneeling and worshiping at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[6:21] And so the meeting before the call, the meeting before the call chapter one, by that, that arresting of the attention, the visions, and then God calling him standing at your feet. Uh, I like the fact that in verse number one, uh, God uses the phrase son of man.
[6:35] Uh, he didn't say Ezekiel. He doesn't say Zeke. He says son of man 93 times. God calls Ezekiel son of man. Does anybody want to guess how many times God calls him Ezekiel in the book of Ezekiel?
[6:46] Anybody want to guess? Boy, zero times, but every time God said to him, son of man, son of man, he's reminding him of his frailty, reminding him of his humanity, reminding him of how needy he is, how much he needed God.
[7:00] But we can't do the work of the Lord apart from the empowering of the Lord Jesus Christ. Uh, it's the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.
[7:12] And as long as that strong willed nature of, well, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. And God comes along and say, Ezekiel, Ezekiel, boy, remember son of man, son of man, your frailty, you're needy.
[7:24] You absolutely have too much humanity. You need to yield and let me without Christ, without me, you can do nothing. And so, uh, here Ezekiel, I like the fact that he not only calls Ezekiel to do something, he also enables him to do something.
[7:40] Look at verse one. I love the, I love the turn. Look at verse one. And he said unto me, son of man, stand upon thy feet. He said unto me, and I will speak unto thee. He said unto thee, and the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet.
[7:56] Boy, God called him. God commanded him. God told him. God instructed him. God dictated to him. But he didn't just leave him to do it on his own. Boy, God not only commanded him, he empowered him.
[8:08] The spirit of God. Hey, Ezekiel, stand up, stand up. And then the spirit of God entered him and lifted. Did anybody see that? A lot of times we get nervous about the commands of God and, and understand if God commands us to do something, God will empower us to do that thing.
[8:24] He said, stand up, stand up. And then the spirit of God entered him, spake with him and set him on his feet. It's the spirit, the quickened of the flesh, profit of nothing. The words that I say, Andy, they are spirit.
[8:36] They are life. And so the Holy Spirit of God commanded, empowered. And then there was that interaction. The word itself commanding, the spirit himself quickening and enabling.
[8:48] Well, the meeting before the call, put down point number two, the man, the man, the men of that call. Look at verse number three. Basically, God said, Ezekiel, I've called you, whether this be a missionary or be a pastor, preacher or, or whatever God's called you to do.
[9:03] But I've called you. I've instructed you. I, I, I, I've enabled you. And here's the group I want you to minister. Look at verse three. And he said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel.
[9:15] Look at the congregation that, that God calls him to. I love this. Look at verse number three. And he said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel to a, say it, a rebellious nation.
[9:26] Great, great. Just what I wanted. And look at, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me. Boy, rebellion, rebellion. They and their fathers have transgressed against me, even under this very day.
[9:39] Not only rebellious, they're, they're transgressing. They're sinful. By the way, a lot of times we'll get, get frustrated in the work, but if the work was where it should be, God wouldn't have called you to help perfect the saints.
[9:54] Boy, if the work is where it needed to be, then the work does not need me there to minister and to preach and to bless. And instead of being discouraged by the rebellion, instead of being discouraged by the transgression, boy, understand that, that, that God has called us to make a change.
[10:11] And we're not the change agent. We're, we're the funnel, we're the vessel into honor. God's spirit, God's word through us makes the change. Now, the men, the men of the call congregate, look at it, verse number four, for they are not only rebellious, for they are not only transgressing, for they are impudent children.
[10:30] Boy, that stubborn, that strong willed, that, that, that, that, that face that's just set in rebellion. Boy, they're going to do what they want to do. Doesn't matter what you say, basically, boy, that's the congregation that we've been called to, Ezekiel.
[10:44] Boy, that's the ministry that God wants you to, to minister to, Ezekiel. Look at it. They're, they're, they're, they're impudent children. Look at the next phrase. And stiff-hearted, I do send thee unto them.
[11:00] Boy, right about here, Ezekiel, son of man, son of man, son of man, right about here, Ezekiel saying, well, boy, if that's where you've called me, I'm going to need your help. But I'm not going to be able to do this on my own.
[11:10] Well, I, I just absolutely can't. I'm not smart enough. I'm not talented enough. Wait, I don't have enough, enough charisma. I can't do it on my own. God, I need, I need everything you, I need your help.
[11:22] Now look at verse five. And they, the men of his call, and, and, and they, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, either way, for their rebellious house, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for their rebellious house, yet shall, yet shall they know that there hath been a prophet among them.
[11:42] Listen, our success isn't determined by the nature of the people or even the number of the people, but our success is determined by our obedience to our calling from God.
[11:55] That's where success is at. But it doesn't matter if we're booming or if we're faltering. Boy, if God's called me to pastor at Rosedale, success for me is pastoring at Rosedale.
[12:07] Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, but whether they'll agree or whether they'll, they'll boo. But we don't base our faithfulness on the response that we get.
[12:17] We don't base our faithfulness and our obedience upon, but wait, but are they taking to it? Do I, am I a good fit? But it seems like they're rebellious. It seems like they're transgressive. It seems like they're stubborn.
[12:28] It seems like they're hard hearted. But, but Ezekiel, boy, that's who I sent you to. Well, that's who I want you to minister to. They shall know, they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.
[12:41] Boy, whether they listen or not, they'll know that someone was obedient to the call. Someone stood and represented me before them. They shall know. Well, uh, the men of the call there, the congregation, the call, look at the character, look at the character verse six and thou son of man, look at it.
[12:57] Be not afraid of them. Can you imagine being called to a group of people like this? Boy, do some of you feel like you've been called to a group of people like this? I remember Baltimore, our first week there, uh, I had a pastor that, that, that resigned and left.
[13:12] And he said, I pastored in a few different states. Baltimore is unlike any state I've ever pastored in. And I'm not saying Baltimore is any harder or any easier than any other area. Uh, but it's interesting.
[13:22] The first day that we were there at a street corner on our window of our house, two cars, uh, they not only honked at each other, they not only, uh, practice sign language towards each other. They, they, they actually right there, middle of the intercept, they got out and they started, you know, throwing down right there.
[13:38] And I'm going, wow, this is, this is great. Exciting right here. And UFC don't even have to pay for it. Uh, right there. And they, they, uh, uh, Baltimore, they say that, and I would agree that, uh, you don't have to wonder if someone likes you or doesn't like you.
[13:52] Uh, they'll tell you to your face. It's just the way it is. They're just, I mean, right there, right there. And a lot of times it can be a discouraging thing at times, but understand whether they're encouraging or discouraging.
[14:04] Boy, my call is from God and God has called me to minister there, to serve there, to do a work there. Verse six. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee.
[14:21] And thou dost dwell among scorpions. Boy, can you imagine that description of, uh, okay, I'm going to call you to, to, uh, to, uh, Barcelona, Spain. I like that. Are the Olympics coming anytime?
[14:33] I read over the missionary and, uh, God's called you South America or Africa. Some of those places, absolutely, uh, uh, Scotland or Northern Ireland and some of those areas, uh, uh, here in, uh, Alpharetta, Georgia.
[14:44] Boy, at times their words, there are those that speak like the piercings of a sword, but there are those that will cut and slice and, and, and hit.
[14:54] But understand, though, their words are like briars and thorns, though at times we feel like we're dwelling among scorpions. It's just biting and, and attacking. Boy, our calling has nothing to do with the circumstances around us.
[15:07] It has everything to do with the God, the God, the God whose spirit lives within us. Look at it. Uh, their thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions.
[15:18] Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks. Though they be a rebellious house, and thou shalt speak my words. Here it is. Thou shalt speak my words, my words, my words unto them, whether they will hear, whether they will forbear, for they are most rebellious.
[15:35] And again, we don't base our, our, our, our going, our serving, our, our submitting to the responses of them, to, to the, the gathering of them, to the reliability of them.
[15:47] But we base our obedience on, boy, God's called me to pastor at Rosedale Baptist Church. God's called me to pastor. Boy, I know God's called me to pastor. The circumstances between the church that I left, and now the church that I'm pastoring, boy, it's just, it's just God has, has affirmed in my heart that he wants me to pastor at Rosedale Baptist Church.
[16:06] Why would I even consider anything else when God says, boy, that's where I want you to be? Boy, be not afraid of their faces. Be not afraid of their words. They're going to be like briars and thorns. They're going to be like scorpion.
[16:17] They're going to have some, some hateful looks, but the reliability of God, chapter one, boy, high and lifted up, the reliability of God, the faithfulness of God, boy, God's going to be with you every step of the way.
[16:30] The men of his call, okay, I've called you, I've equipped you, I've empowered you. Now, here's the message that I want you to take. Number three, the message for the call, look at verse eight, verse eight, the meeting before the call, called out, called out to spend time with, and now the men, the men for his call were rebellious and briars and thorns, rebellious and stiff-hearted and impudent and, and they're not going to listen.
[16:55] And now the message for his call, look at verse eight, but thou son of man, next phrase, hear what I say unto thee. Be not afraid of thou, the rebellion, be not thou rebellious like the rebellious house.
[17:07] Open thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, a hand was sent unto me, and lo, a roll of a book was therein. And he spread it before me, and it was written within and without, and there was written there in lamentations and mourning and woe.
[17:25] Moreover, he said unto me, son of man, eat that thou findest, eat this roll and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, son of man, cause thy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee.
[17:40] Then did I eat it, and it was in my mouth as honey. It was in my mouth as honey. More to be desired are they than gold, yet they're much finer than gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. It was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
[17:53] Listen, our message is the very word of God. Our message is the very words of God. And I like the emphasis that God puts on it.
[18:03] We need to digest it. We need to digest it before we deliver it. But we need to take it in before we pour it out. We need to make sure that we're feasting on it. We need to make sure that we're absorbing it before we announce it.
[18:16] In four times, God says, eat the roll, eat the roll, eat the roll, eat the roll. Four times, and only one time did he say, now speak the roll. Speak that word.
[18:27] That word that you ate, that word that you took in, that word that you digested. Now, I want you to stand up and proclaim it. Look at verse number one. In fact, verse eight, end of the verse, says, open thy mouth and eat, and eat.
[18:40] Verse one of chapter three, eat that thou findest. Eat this roll. Verse two, so I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. He caused me. A lot like where he said, stand up, and then the Spirit of God entered and stood him up.
[18:56] In verse number two, wait, eat that roll. And then verse two, I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
[19:09] Boy, it's our job to submit and yield and say, Lord, if you want me to be a missionary, or if you want me to, whatever you've called me to do. Whatever you've called me to do.
[19:20] I had a head deacon the first two years that I was at Rosedale Baptist. And our auditorium is fanned. The first two years, he was over here on the front row.
[19:32] And thank the Lord he was out of my line of sight. But on the front row, just flipping through the Bible, flipping through what I'm preaching, flipping through. And then when he didn't agree with something, I said, yeah, right. Flipping through the Bible, flipping through the Bible.
[19:43] Every once in a while, what was that? And right over here. And I mean, for almost two years, boy, he had a stiff-hearted, impudent face. He would not hear.
[19:53] He would not listen. But eventually it got around to, I know what Scott says. I know what Scott says. But really, it's like, I know what Scott says. Really, it's like this. And just biting and nipping and devouring.
[20:06] And his words were like briars and thorns. And it felt like scorpions and scorpions biting. And I'm sure that you've been there where at times it would keep me up at night.
[20:17] And I would just think, well, what can I do different? How can I get around this? And how can I appease or solve or change his heart? And it really, really, well, it affected me for a while.
[20:28] It affected me for a while. It affected me for a while. And when things like that happen, it still affects me for a while. But I had to make a decision that God's called me there.
[20:39] God wants me there. It's not my message that I'm preaching. And if he has a problem, it's not going to be with my words or my opinion. But he's going to have a problem with the word of God. Where the message for my calling are the very words of God.
[20:55] Four times, eat it, eat it, eat it. And then verse number one, eat this roll and go speak. Go speak. By the way, look at chapter two. Look at verse number 10. Verse number 10, chapter two.
[21:06] And he spread it before me. And it was written, say the next phrase, within and without. It was written within and without.
[21:18] It's interesting to me where Luke 24, we talked about how he expounded the word. He unfolded the word. Like a scroll that was unfurrowed. It was unfolded.
[21:30] It was opened. Here, the scroll was written not only within. It was also written without. Almost as if to say that there's so much of God's word. There's really not much room for my word.
[21:43] There's so much of the word of God. It's so filled on the front and the back. If I wanted to insert my opinion. If I wanted to give my commentary on the side. There's so much of the word of God. God, boy, it's almost as if I don't have room to pen my principles or my precepts.
[21:57] Or what I think should happen. Boy, within, without. Almost as if, boy, we need to stop editorial and just get back. And thus, say the Lord.
[22:08] By the way, I like the contrast in verse three where it's honey for sweetness. And in chapter two of verse ten. Lamentation and mourning. A lot like John when he ate the roll. It was in his mouth. It was in his mouth like honey.
[22:20] But it produced bitterness in his belly. Hey, our churches not only need the blessings of the word. They also need the blastings of the word. They need the comfort of the word.
[22:30] They also need the conviction of the word. Boy, they need the positive of the word. They also need the negative of the word. And depending on what our personality is. Boy, we'll usually gravitate to one or the other. But the only way that we govern that.
[22:42] Is by just going next chapter, next passage. Preaching through the book of John. On Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. When God speaks, Lord willing I speak. When God's silent, Lord willing I'm silent.
[22:54] When God speaks much. When God speaks little. Boy, I want to represent the Lord. I want to represent the Lord. Boy, I want to make sure that I don't misrepresent the Lord.
[23:05] By governing the Bible. In accordance to my hobby horses and my pet peeves. Remember when God told Moses to go and speak to the rock.
[23:16] Anybody remember that? And they were murmuring. And they were criticizing. And they wanted water. And Moses, boy, Moses and his pride said. Must we fetch water for thee?
[23:27] Must we? Now Moses, wait a second. You're including yourself with God. It's God that's going to send that water from the rock. But his pride, only by pride comes contention.
[23:38] Boy, he starts to misrepresent the Lord. When he says, he rebels. And he takes that staff and he strikes the rock. Boy, he's not correctly representing what the Lord told him to do.
[23:51] What the Lord told him to say. Boy, how the Lord told him to behave. Boy, he's misrepresenting the Lord. And in striking that rock. He was disqualifying himself from going into the promised land.
[24:04] Boy, it's written within. It's written without. It's written within. Again, it's written without. Look at verse 4. And he said unto me, son of man. Again, son of man. Frailty, humanity, you're needy.
[24:15] Go get the end of the house of Israel and speak with my words. My words unto them. And so the message is the word of God. The word of God. But then look at the reminder. Verse 5.
[24:26] For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech or of a hard language. But the house of Israel. Not to a people of a strange speech or a hard language. Whose words thou canst not understand.
[24:37] Surely had I sent thee to them. They would have hearkened unto thee. But I didn't send thee to them. But to the house of Israel. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee.
[24:47] For they will not hearken unto me. For all. And by the way. If you're preaching the word of God. And they're blowing you off as you're preaching. Boy, it's not you that they're despising.
[25:00] It's the Lord that they're despising. They don't. They're not going to hearken unto thee. For they will not hearken unto me. For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces.
[25:12] And thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As adamant. As an adamant. Harder than flint. Have I made thy forehead. Fear them not. Neither be dismayed of their looks. Though they be a rebellious house.
[25:25] Boy, his calling. Basically, God said. You're not going to see many results. Now, I just want to clue you in what it's going to be like. Boy, they're going to be against you. They're going to be like briars and thorns. And poisonous. And painful.
[25:36] I just want to clue you in on where I'm calling you. And boy, I'm going to send you to a people. Where they're not going to hear you. They're not going to listen. They're not going to have a heart that's turned towards you. They're going to absolutely withstand you.
[25:47] Be stubborn against you. But understand, I've still called you. I still have a message that I want to give through you. Boy, I want you to go and represent me.
[26:00] Represent my word. Whether they will hear. Or whether they will forbear. For they will know that there is a prophet among them. And understand, whether there's growth or numerical increase or results or not.
[26:13] Understand, as you go, you'll grow. As you go, you'll be blessed. As you move forward, you'll mature upward as the word of God is resonating through you.
[26:26] Number four, the maturing in his call. The maturing in his call. Look at verse number 10. The maturing in his call. Moreover, he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in thine heart.
[26:40] Look at the phrases. Receive in thine heart all thy words. All my words I shall speak unto thee. Receive in thine heart. And hear with thine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity unto the children of thy people.
[26:51] And speak unto them. Hear with their ears. Receive with your heart. And speak unto them. And tell them, thus saith the Lord God. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear. But I love the wording on that.
[27:02] The words that I give you. Hear with your ears. Receive in your heart. And speak with your mouth. Boy, it's a continuous inflow and outflow. A continuous inflow and outflow. A continuous inflow and outflow.
[27:14] You're hearing and speaking and hearing and speaking and receiving and speaking. Boy, you're taking it in. You're giving it out. Boy, and as you do that, it's almost like that American Sign Language person interpreting.
[27:26] As you're talking, as you're talking. I went on a missions trip a couple of times to Costa Rica. A couple of times to Mexico. Costa Rica, they had me preach. And I struggled to preach with an interpreter.
[27:38] And do most interpreters, do they have you say a phrase and then you pause? And then they say. And by then, I'm thinking about, I wonder if the bulls are winning. How are the bears doing? And, you know, I just, ADHD.
[27:49] I'm just there. I'm back in Baltimore. And there are some sign language interpreters. And there are some that can almost. But this here, the sense here is.
[28:01] Boy, as you're taking it in. As you're taking it in. You're giving it out. As you're taking it in. You're giving it out. And as that word of God washes over your heart. And washes over your spirit. Boy, you're going to end up growing and maturing.
[28:13] As newborn babes desire the censor milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth.
[28:25] As you take it in. As you drink it in. Boy, as you're listening and receiving. Look at verse 12. Then the spirit took me up. The word building him up.
[28:35] The spirit taking him up. I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing saying. Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touch one another.
[28:47] The noise of the wheels over against them. And the noise of a great rushing. 14. So the spirit lifted me up and took me away. And I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit. But the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
[29:00] Boy, the word building him up. The spirit lifting him up. The word building him up. The spirit lifting him up. Boy, success is the word building you up. The spirit lifting you up.
[29:13] You obeying and going and speaking. Whether they will hear. Whether they will forgive. They'll know. They'll know that there has been a prophet among them. Now, again, is the spirit the quick and the flesh profit nothing.
[29:24] The words that I say in their spirit. Their life. Building you up. Taking you up. Look at the mercy. The mercy of the call. 15. And God's prepping him. God's preparing him.
[29:35] And God's going to use him. Then I came to them of the captivity of Tel Aviv. That dwelt by the river Chebar. And I sat where they sat. And remained there astonished among them seven days.
[29:48] Sat where they sat. Well, I sat. I sat. I put myself in there. I sat where they sat. Boy, I wanted to make sure that I understood exactly what they're going through.
[29:59] And, of course, the one that exemplifies this the best. Who being in the form of God. Thought it not Robert to be equal with God. Made himself of no reputation. Took upon him the form of a servant. Was made in light as a man. Being found in fashion as a man.
[30:11] He humbled himself. And the word was made flesh. And dwelt among us. We have not a high priest. That cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points.
[30:21] Like him. Yet without sin. Well, he knows exactly. He sat. He absolutely sat. In fact, he went infinitely further. Because we deserve some of the briars and the thorns and the scorpion.
[30:35] We deserve the injustices and the accu. Hey, we deserve that. Boy, the one that didn't deserve any of that. The Lord Jesus Christ. The highest bowed the lowest.
[30:48] To be a blessing to us. To sit. He sat. He sat. And here God preparing him. God preparing him. Boy, the mercy. Look at the mission. Verse 16. We're almost done. 16.
[30:58] And it came to pass at the end of the seven days. That the word of the Lord came unto me. Saying, Son of man. I made thee a watchman of the house of Israel. Therefore, hear the word of my mouth. Give them warning. Warning. You're not going to be winning.
[31:09] You're going to be warning from me. When I say unto the wicked. Thou shalt surely die. And thou givest him not warning. Nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way. To save his life. The same wicked man shall die in his iniquity. But his blood will I require at thine hand.
[31:21] Yet if thou warn the wicked. And he turned not from his wickedness. Nor from his wicked way. He shall die in his iniquity. But thou hast delivered thy soul. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness. And commit iniquity.
[31:32] I lay a stumbling block before him. Boy, warn him. Warn him. Boy, warn him. It's not about the numbers that we gather. It's about the word that we preach. It's not about the numbers we gather.
[31:43] It's about the faithfulness we have. It's not about the numbers and pragmatism. And the tricks and the gimmick. Boy, it's not just about gathering a crowd. It's about having the spirit of God.
[31:54] And the word of God. Being obedient to our calling from God. Look at the mandate. 22. And the hand of the Lord was there upon me. And he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain.
[32:07] I'll talk with thee. Then I arose, went forth into the plain. Behold, the glory of the Lord stood there. As the glory which I saw by the river Chebor. And I fell on my face. Then the spirit entered into me.
[32:17] And set me upon my feet. And spake with me. And said unto me, go shut thyself within thy house. Tarry until thou be in due to the power from on high. But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee.
[32:29] And shall bind thee with them. And thou shalt not go out among them. And I will make thy tongue to cleave to the roof of thy mouth. That thou shalt be dumb. And shalt not be to them a reprover.
[32:39] For their rebellious house. But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth. And thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord God. He that heareth, let him hear. And he that forbeareth, let him forbear.
[32:51] For they are a rebellious people. You know, it's interesting to me. In chapters 4 and chapter 5. His tongue claved to the roof of his mouth.
[33:03] As we have, first off, we have the clay bricks. He was told to make a clay city and portray Jerusalem. And then bring some ramparts against it. And some battering rams against it.
[33:14] And I can imagine him with little toy soldiers all around it. And then take an iron pan. And it doesn't say smash it. But I think he did. Because he's portraying that Babylonian invasion. That captivity.
[33:24] That destruction. Smashing it. And so he starts out. He's not saying anything. It's a message in mind. He's not saying anything. But those clay bricks. And then he has a casual leaning.
[33:35] For 390 days. God said for 390 days. Lean on your left side. Towards the north. Towards the Israel. 390 days. For 40 days. Turn over. Lean on your right side.
[33:46] Towards the south. Towards Judah. And here he is. Wait. God said. When I give you my word. Speak my word. But until then. Zip your lip. When I give my word. Speak my word.
[33:57] But I'm going to have your tongue cleaved to the roof of your mouth. For 490 days. For 430 days. For a year and two months. Here he is. He's Ezekiel.
[34:07] Lying down. Just. Just lying down. For a year and two. Can you imagine coming to church on Sunday morning? And. Me.
[34:18] Can you imagine me lying down on my left side? I've preached some long series before. Romans. And Genesis. But listen. People coming to church Sunday morning. Sunday night. Wednesday night. And the pastor's there for 390 days.
[34:29] Just lying on his left side. Just there. Not saying anything. Just right there. And then for 40 days. Lying on his right side. For 40 days. For a year and two months. Casual leaning. And then after that.
[34:40] The cut hair. The cut hair. And throw some in the city. Throw some out of the city. Put some in your skirt. That remnant. And then. Does anybody remember the corrupt meal? When God told him to bake the bread.
[34:51] Anybody remember that? Does anybody remember what the secret ingredient of Iron Chef was that day? Anybody remember that? Anybody remember that? And it seems like that he may have. May have baked with it.
[35:01] The Bedouin tribe would. Let's see. The Bible says it's human dung. That was the secret ingredient. Oh no. No. Wait a second. Okay. Okay.
[35:12] Use cow dung then. And so. Oh good. That's great. And so. Here. Ezekiel. God's called him. God's using him. Boy. God says the word. The word. The word.
[35:23] Boy. The message that I give to you. I want you to give to them. Boy. That's where success is. That's where success is. That's where success is. And then chapter six.
[35:33] Prophes out of the mountains. Prophes out of the hills. Prophes out of the valley. Prophes out of the river. Boy. He goes from not saying a word for over a year. To now preaching to the hills. Preaching to the mountains. Prophes out of the mountains. In chapter 21.
[35:45] God says. Walk through the city. Sighing. Can you imagine? Oh. Yeah. Oh. Oh. And then take a sword. And swing the sword. And then. After that.
[35:55] Smite with your hands. And smite on your thigh. And Ezekiel wanted to make sure. That he got it. Just right. Well. Ezekiel wanted to make sure. That. That it.
[36:05] That it wasn't his word. It wasn't his opinion. It wasn't his spirit. The sign. The smiting. He wanted to make sure. That he had the tone. The spirit of the text. And then the ultimate one.
[36:17] In chapter number 24. Not just. Are there going to be briars. And thorns. Not just. Are there going to be hard times. And hard looks.
[36:28] And stiff hearted. Impudent face. And not just. Not just that. And not just at times. You feel like you're just preaching. And it's just not barely trickling. Over the pulpit. Boy.
[36:38] No one's. It's just not getting traction. But in chapter 24. God said. The desire of your eyes. Boy. The desire of your eyes. I can't imagine. The desire of your eyes.
[36:50] Char. I can't imagine. Boy. I'm. I. As a picture to Israel. The desire of your eyes. Your wife. I'm going to take your wife from you. And Ezekiel said.
[37:01] In the evening. My wife died. In the morning. I did as I was commanded. Listen. Success in ministry. Has nothing to do with size of our ministry. When we get to heaven.
[37:13] God's going to say. Well done. Well done. Thou good and. Faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. Joseph. Can you imagine.
[37:24] When he was a teenager. All that he went through. For God. To get him where he was. To get him where God wanted him to be. Hebrews were an abomination to the Egyptians. Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. Hey.
[37:34] The only way God could get him. From where he was. To being prime minister of all of Egypt. Was. Was for his brothers. To hate him. And could not speak peaceably unto him. To take him.
[37:45] Selim into slavery. By Potiphar's wife. Falsely accusing him. Can you imagine. Falsely accusing him. Of an impropriety. Being sent into prison. And for years.
[37:56] For years. He had his life. Put on hold. For years. When God finally did. Take him through that pain. The shackles. The. The. The. The. Uh. The.
[38:06] The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The.
[38:16] The. The. The. The. The. The.bad.
[38:27] it for evil ye meant it for evil ye meant it for evil but god god meant it for good well somewhere along the line joseph was able to embrace the fact that i shared earlier with the guys uh he he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake one of those paths yay though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death boy at times one of those paths can be hard can be shadowy can feel like death at times boy those accusations those those those those briars and thorns those scorpions and god says now now success in ministry has nothing to do with the results you'll see it hey praise the lord god allows us to see results praise the lord for that praise lord god allows you guys here to see incredible results but understand success in ministry has everything to do with god calling god empowering and us submitting lord i do pray that we'll see ezekiel and and take a hope and encourage in the fact that that no one here has a ministry like he had with with with uh god sending and then even before he went and god saying now just understand there's not going to be any results you know i'm just going to have you go no one's going to going to turn to me i'm just going to have you go i just want you to go well i want you to go so that they'll know there is a prophet they they'll they'll have heard my word there's going to be briars and painful and scorpions and and and and hurtful looks and and opposition but but i need you to go and and lord thank you for ezekiel being so committed to your message that for year and a half not a word and then uh those those clay and and the corrupt bread and and lying down and and lord all all that you had him to do lord i pray that you speak to our hearts and help us to be faithful to our calling help us to be not unwise but understanding what the will of the lord it is good and perfect and acceptable lord thank you for it this message was recorded at vision baptist church in alfred georgia for more information log on to www.visionbaptist.com where you can find our service times location contact information more audio and video recordings o you you