Compassion for Rebels is Needed

The Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel while in exile with the people of God. This Word began with a vision of four winged-creatures. “I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty...” And continued with a vision of the Lord Himself. A vision of the pre-incarnate Christ who is the Word of God. [1]

The Lord said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” The Spirit entered Ezekiel when He spoke to him and set him on his feet. He said to him: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.” [2]

God anointed Ezekiel to speak to people who esteemed themselves to be God’s people, but did not want to hear or obey Him! The Lord said to him, “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. You shall speak My Words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.” [3]

Briers, thorns and scorpions are metaphors for painful responses that God’s messengers sometimes experience from their listeners.

“Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” The Lord gave Ezekiel a scroll with lamentations and mourning and woe written on it. God gives us the free will to disobey Him, but the universe has been ordered by Him in such a way that in due season rebellion against Him and His ways yields painful hurts and losses. [4]

The Word of Lord in his mouth was like honey in sweetness. [5] In God’s presence, His Word is sweet, but among rejectors, it can yield bitter feelings.

The Lord told Ezekiel that if he spoke to foreigners, they would listen, but His people would not, because they didn’t listen to Him. They were impudent and hard-hearted. [6] They had the Bible but the Bible did not have them.

The Lord’s remedy for Ezekial’s ministry was to make his face strong. “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.” [7]

Ezekiel was to say to them, “Thus says the Lord God!” “Whether they hear, or whether they refuse.” If he warned them and they didn’t listen, their blood would be on their own heads, but if he did not warn them, their blood would be upon his. [8]

In the past, I have been threatened to be shot by someone who could not find the gun they wanted to shoot me with. Threatened to be hit with a baseball bat by another if I did not leave his property immediately. Insulted! 

I wasn’t being obnoxious. I was simply trying to tell them in the kindest way possible that if they believed in Christ, their sins could be forgiven and they could inherit eternal life. What is offensive about that? Nevertheless, because the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, [9] they rejected me.

The Word of the Lord to each of us followers of Jesus is to listen to Him, obey Him, stand up for Him, and speak for Him.

Jonah fled from the Lord’s presence when the Lord asked him to speak for Him. He said to the Lord, “I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” He told the Lord that it was better for him to die than live. [10]

Lamentations and Revelation have lamentations and mourning and woes in them. Jeremiah asked the Lord, “Should the women eat their offspring, the children they have cuddled? Should the priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?” The Apostle John was shown a vision of the kings of the earth bemoaning the loss of Babylon, “Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one-hour your judgment has come.” [11]

Jesus warned of eternal judgment. He said, “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” [12]

Horrible woes await those who prefer to be gods unto themselves. God wants them to hear of the one off-ramp option that He offers them: the narrow road in Christ that leads to eternal life.

Compassion for rebels is needed! Like that of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Apostle John! Indeed, like that of Jesus Christ. The Spirit says, “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” [13]

[1] Ezekiel 1:1-24; 26-28; John 1:1
[2] Ezekiel 2:1-5
[3] Ezekiel 2:6-7
[4] Ezekiel 2:8-10
[5] Ezekiel 3:3
[6] Ezekiel 3:7
[7] Ezekiel 3:8-9
[8] Ezekiel 3:11, 16-21
[9] 2 Corinthians 4:4
[10] Jonah 4:2-3
[11] Lamentations 2:20; Revelation 18:10
[12] Mark 9:47-48
[13] Hebrews 12:3-4