Ezekiel 2:7, commentary and pictures

God charges His messenger to speak His words to a rebellious people whether they listen or refuse to listen, and their response never cancels the duty to deliver the message faithfully. That duty includes reproofs, warnings and rebukes given plainly and fully, without changing, weakening or withholding the testimony to please hearers or avoid disfavor. It is to be done under the Spirit's direction, fearlessly and with authority, even when the truth displeases and personal inclination would hold back. The messenger is not responsible for converting hearers or controlling consequences, but must do the assigned work and leave the burden and results with God, for only His power can soften hearts and bring conviction. The message stands as a witness whether heard or refused, often leading even unwilling hearers to repentance, while to reject the light given is to reject Christ Himself.

Words and Vision Context

The command stands inside a larger vision in which wheels that look confusing to human sight are in fact working each in its proper place in harmony with the whole, bringing perfect order out of apparent confusion. That arrangement is meant to teach God's workmen to trust His wisdom and direction rather than relying on their own limited understanding.

Ezekiel 2:1-10 belongs together with Ezekiel 9 for study in connection with God's judgment on wrongdoing. Taken together they declare that God sees every act and that judgment comes upon wrongdoers unless they repent. This includes those responsible for unjust transactions, who are warned that their deeds are seen and will be judged.

The charge to speak was addressed to a most rebellious people, whether they would listen or refuse to listen. Their refusal did not cancel the duty to deliver God's reproofs and warnings, and their resistance revealed rebellion and confidence in their own ways. The same charge reaches those who firmly oppose the Lord's messages now, for God will deal with His people in the present as He dealt with them in the past.

Duty to Speak Regardless

The command is to speak God's words to a most rebellious people whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, and their listening or refusing does not cancel, excuse, or relieve the duty to deliver the message faithfully. The obligation does not depend on the audience's response, so the message is not to be made conditional on acceptance but is to be declared faithfully even when hearers may reject it. This charge rests especially upon those who face firm opposition to the Lord's messages, who are to continue their appointed work without being hindered by others.

The duty includes speaking what God gives in reproof, warning, and rebuke to those in danger, whether people welcome, accept, or heed it and whether giving it is comfortable. Resistance to such warnings reflects rebellion and confidence in one's own ways, yet that resistance does not excuse the messenger from delivering them. The warning is to be given under the Spirit's direction as His instrument, expressing the light God has given, and the messenger must not fail or become discouraged when it is resisted or refused.

Those who have received light are responsible to let it shine and to let it reach others whatever the response, testifying even when it provokes resistance. The message must therefore reach the deceived whether they accept it or reject it, must be borne even to those who do evil, and applies to those who firmly oppose the Lord's messages. The testimony is to be borne and then the burden left with those responsible to hear, for refusing the messenger's words is refusing Christ's words, and God will deal with His people in the present as He dealt with them in the past.

The messenger is responsible for giving everyone an opportunity to receive the truth, holding forth the words of life and salvation with its warnings and encouragement. That opportunity must be brought to those in darkness who are ignorant of the faith and to those ready to perish, so the message of warning is to be given to all. The work is to speak and leave conviction and conversion to God, since human workers cannot soften hearts and only God's power can do that, with heavenly intelligences cooperating with human effort, while the message stands as a witness whether people listen or refuse and turning from truth of heavenly origin becomes condemnation.

Manner of Faithful Speaking

The command requires speaking plainly and faithfully whether people listen or refuse to listen, with nothing changed or withheld because of their response. The testimony borne must not be weakened to suit the hearers. Even when faithful speaking brings disfavor or alienation, the response of the hearers must not lead the messenger to soften or withhold the message. Rejecting the light and evidence God gives is rejecting Christ, and there is no other Saviour.

The warning is to be given under the Spirit's direction, with the speaker as His instrument expressing the light God has given. It is to be delivered fearlessly whether people listen or refuse, because they are rebellious. That fearless speaking includes speaking against injustice and fraudulent dealings even when those responsible may resist correction. It is to be delivered with authority, while the responsibility for making people believe or for controlling consequences belongs to God, so the results are left to Him.

The rebelliousness of hearers does not excuse silence, and the same duty applies when truth must be spoken among believers. The same duty applies when the message displeases people, so personal inclination must give way to faithfully delivering the testimony God sends. The messenger must faithfully deliver God's warnings and reproof to those in danger even when they resist or refuse to listen. In that work the messenger must not fail or become discouraged.

The warning is not to be withheld because of the hearers' response, whether they listen or reject the message. God's Spirit attends the testimony borne in obedience to the command. The Lord sustains the messenger in faithfully delivering the message God gives, whether the hearers accept it or refuse it. That sustaining holds in bearing testimony despite opposition and despite the hearers' failure to acknowledge their wrong.

Results Left with God

The command lays the duty to speak and the burden of results in two different places, for the messenger is not charged with converting hearers, making them believe, or controlling consequences, but only with doing the assigned work, delivering the message with authority, and leaving the burden, outcome, and results with God and with those accountable to hear. Whether they listen or refuse to listen does not alter that division, so testimony is still to be borne even to those who do evil. Human effort cannot soften hearts nor effect conviction and conversion, for only God's power can do that, while heavenly intelligences cooperate with human effort to bring the precious Word with its warnings and encouragement to those in darkness ignorant of the faith and to those ready to perish, holding forth the words of life and salvation so that all have opportunity to receive truth.

Words spoken in obedience to this command carry great power. Even when hearers are most rebellious and unwilling to hear, speaking God's words at His command often brings a sorrow that leads to repentance. What is delivered must therefore be left to do its appointed work rather than be judged by immediate response.

The message so given stands as a witness whether people listen or refuse, and the messenger's part is to give everyone opportunity to receive truth rather than to secure conversion. Turning from truth of heavenly origin then becomes condemnation to those who refuse it. Rejecting the light and evidence God gives is rejecting Christ, since there is no other Saviour, and refusing the messenger's words is refusing Christ's words.

Specific Present Applications

The command to speak whether hearers listen or refuse applies to writing about the neglected Southern field, for what has been revealed about that field must be written regardless of whether people will heed it. The duty does not wait for a willing audience, because rebellion itself is the reason the words must still be spoken.

The same command applies to warning people in the cities about what is coming, declaring the truth even to a resistant and rebellious audience. That warning is to be given while keeping workers and young people as far as possible from the temptations and demoralizing influence of the cities.

The verse also requires continuing an entrusted testimony and appointed work without being hindered by others, delivering the message faithfully rather than making delivery depend on response. It covers bearing a testimony shown to be necessary to safeguard the Battle Creek tabernacle, speaking what has been given whether it is listened to or refused. It likewise covers the message given to the North Fitzroy church, which some received while others rejected, showing that acceptance by part and rejection by part does not alter the obligation.

The command applies to speaking against unjust transactions, injustice, and fraudulent dealings even when those responsible resist correction, with the messenger speaking fearlessly whether they listen or refuse. Ezekiel 2:1-10 is to be studied with Ezekiel 9 in connection with God's judgment on wrongdoing, for God sees every act and judgment comes upon wrongdoers unless they repent. The Lord sustains the messenger in bearing such testimony despite opposition and despite the hearers' failure to acknowledge their wrong.