WHETHER TO LISTEN OR NOT
“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words,
though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions;
do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house”
(Ezekiel 2:6).
Ezekiel was a devout follower of the Lord, a contemporary of Jeremiah. While Jeremiah was prophesying in Judah, Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon along with ten thousand other Jews, because he was a member of the aristocracy of Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 24:14). He was taken from his home and his family in Jerusalem; he lost his career as a priest for which he had trained for many years, and he became a street preacher for more than twenty years. Later, he also suddenly lost his wife, but he was not resentful. His ministry was not easy, either. He was to present a severe message that earned him many enemies. He compared his life to living in the middle of briars, thorns, and scorpion nests. He illustrated his messages dramatically: he had to eat a papyrus scroll, sleep tied on one side for more than a year, eat only one bowl of food a day, cook on a dung fire, shave his head and beard (signs of mourning), and hide his grief when his wife died. God does not ask us to do such difficult things, but we should be willing to do whatever God wants, when He wants, and where He wants.
Ezekiel’s first vision was to assure him of God’s divine sovereignty over all the exiles, to give him the surety that God would enable him to carry out his mission, and to tell him that he should be persevering and valiant, and not to be afraid nor fainthearted when faced with hostility and intense danger. God knew that Ezekiel would suffer the opposition of governors, priests, and false prophets; he would be mocked, lied about, falsely accused, and threatened, but he was to give his message to hard-hearted captives and rebellious idolaters alike, whether they listened or not (see Ezekiel 2:7).
Share the message without worrying about people’s reaction; your work is only to share it. “His precious word … is to be given to all, and will be to them a witness, whether they will hear, or whether they will Forbear. Do not feel that the responsibility rests upon you to convict and convert the hearers. The power of God alone can soften the hearts of the people. You are to hold forth the word of life, thar all may have an opportunity of receiving the truth if they will. If they turn from the truth of heavenly origin, it will be their condemnation.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, ch. 6, p. 35.
God’s Spirit will take from you all fear of being ridiculed, rejected, criticized, lied about, or falsely accused.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Angelica Cuate & Esteban Cortes