Lessons From Ezekiel – Lesson 8
Eze 12:1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
Eze 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Eze 12:3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
These are huge words. It may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
Yes they are rebellious, but they may consider. It might not look like they will but they might. And because of that fact Ezekiel is the reason for everything I am having you do and preach.
And God has Ezekiel endure some things doesn’t He. God has Ezekiel work and do and work some more. Ezekiel has to endure the talking about him and the strange looks and all of the rest of it.
Here in the end of verse 3 is the purpose, the motivation, the reason for all of what God has Ezekiel do. Yes they are rebellious, but give them a chance anyway, Yes they are a mess, but teach them anyway, yes they are not worthy and yes they don’t deserve it, but since they have a free will, they may consider.
So work, so labor, so care, and do. This is God’s way. This is God’s heart. The message to Ezekiel here, It may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house, that message is the same for all of God’s servants thru all the ages.
His message to us is the same. Yes America has turned her back on God, yes they treat Him horribly, yes they are not worthy, and yes America is a mess and yes they don’t deserve it, but it may be they will consider.
This explains the reason we do what we do. It is God’s way and it is God’s heart to give people a chance.
Many people have the root purpose and motivation all messed up. Too many work for results and when results are not what they expect, they lose motivation and all too many get depressed or even quit.
Some labor to get a large following, some want thousands to give them accolades about the power of their preaching, or their mental prowess in manipulating the Word of God.
Some labor to gain respect and for more influence in the closed society of the preachers only clubs. Yes, those do exist and are actually fairly common.
The list is almost endless. And none of them are the proper base motivation. The motivation is to follow God’s instructions and God’s heart and give people a chance by giving them God’s word because it may be they will consider. This is what pleases God.
This is what the work of God actually mostly is. This is what pleases our Lord. The work of God is not really to have endless pot lucks. Some people make their living putting on valentines banquets and desert auctions and think they are giving their all to God.
There is a place for fellowship type events in the lives of believers. Do not get me wrong. Those events can be important and if some of God’s word is given out during them it can be a help and God can use them some. Those things are good in their place, but that is not the work.
Some people think those things are the work, and thus they almost totally ignore getting God’s word out to a rebellious people because it may be that they will consider. Those other things while they have their place is not what Jesus told us to do when He went back to Heaven.
Get people His Word because it may be they will consider.
We are not to manipulate people, or beat them over the head, or fight with them. You cannot force it on anyone. The job is simple. Just get them God’s Word and let God work in their lives and circumstances and hearts. Put it out in faith because it may be they will consider.
Our actions and how we spend our money reflects this. For us this is not lip service or theory. This is who we are and what we do. Just over 10% goes to help others get God’s word out, and just over 70% goes to getting the word out ourselves. And about 18 percent goes to the fatherless and the poor because we need to not ignore what God says about that.
I will express it again because I want to be clear. Fellowship things are fine and good. Christians need some of that. And we talk to each other and spend time together. Those things are good and needed, however those things are not the job that Jesus has given us to do.
The problem is when all the fellowship things rise far above God’s way and God’s heart which is to get the Word out for it may be that they will consider.