Ezekiel 3:11, commentary and pictures

God sends His prophet to His own captive people in exile to speak to them directly. They are rebellious and hard-hearted and unwilling to listen, yet he must deliver God's declared word with divine authority whether they will hear or whether they will refuse. That faithfulness means speaking the whole counsel of God without fear of words or looks, not withholding strong rebuke against sin and selfishness, and giving the trumpet a clear and certain sound. He is to leave all consequences and success with God, not forcing belief or depending on human power, but resting in God's love in perfect peace. The same commission still binds God's messengers and watchmen today to go to those deceived and asleep in sin and cry aloud without sparing, even when many oppose, disapprove, and desire smooth words.

Commission to Captive Israel

The commission is to go to them of the captivity, to the children of one's own people, to the Israelite exiles in captivity, and to speak to them and tell them Thus saith the Lord God whether they will hear or whether they will forbear. Those hearers are God's own captive people, yet rebellious and hard-hearted and unwilling to listen. The command to speak comes after the warning that they will not listen, so faithfulness is required despite resistance. The delivery is to be made without regard to their response, so that they will know that a prophet has been among them. The chapter places direction of the work with God, while human agents must faithfully do their appointed part and proclaim the message without depending on human power for its success.

Faithful Witness Regardless Response

The messenger is charged to go to the people and speak the declared word of God with divine authority, saying Thus saith the Lord, whether they listen or refuse to listen. The obligation to speak does not rest on the response of the hearers but on dependence on God, who sends and directs the work while human agents do their appointed part in proclaiming it. Faithfulness is therefore required in the face of resistance, for the command follows warning of hard-heartedness and unwillingness to hear.

That faithfulness means speaking without fear of words or looks and without regard to acceptance or rejection. The message is not to be withheld because its rebuke is strong, nor is any part of the whole counsel to be shunned. The witness is to cry aloud without sparing against selfishness and sin, and the gospel trumpet is to give a clear, certain sound even when hearers are asleep in sin and turn away mercy through unbelief and pride.

Having spoken, the messenger is to leave all consequences with God and have nothing further to do with them. He is not to try to force belief, nor to clear away confusion and contradiction of faith and feeling and unbelief, nor to depend on human power for success, nor to take glory to himself, for God alone is to receive the glory. Instead he is to rest in God's love and do the given work, kept in perfect peace, free and lifted up with peace and joy rather than depressed.

God continues to speak through warnings and reproofs even when hearers disapprove, and all capabilities and gifts are to be used to build up and not to tear down. Those who receive the message with patience and a teachable spirit may be instructed, strengthened, and blessed. In this way the powers God has given advance His work and the deceived need not remain in deception.

Bearing such plain testimony is a burden laid by God that is not pleasant and would gladly be excused, yet duty must be done regardless of consequences. Sympathy belongs to the burdened messenger rather than to the erring one who caused the burden by grieving the Spirit of God. Those opposed will rise up against it because it does not suit natural feelings, desiring smooth words and peace to be cried in their ears, but that smoothing is not the assigned work.

Present Application to Messengers

The charge to go to the captives remains in force at the present time toward those who have set themselves decidedly against the Lord's messages. It shows that the Lord will deal with His people now as He dealt with them in the past. Therefore the message must still be brought before the people even when many do not know their true condition before God. It must still be spoken when hearts and minds are filled with doubt and unbelief.

In a season of great trial messengers are to use all their capabilities, gifts, and powers to advance God's work. They are to do this by going to those who are ignorantly deceived and declaring what God has said, whether they will hear or refuse to hear. Those powers are to be used to build up and not to tear down, so that the deceived do not remain in that condition.

As long as God has a church and a people He will have instruments who cry aloud and spare not to reprove selfishness and sin. They must not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear, and the gospel trumpet must give a clear, certain sound. The watchman must proclaim God's message whether they listen or refuse to listen, even when people are asleep in sin and reject mercy through unbelief and pride. This same principle required bearing testimony to the people in Battle Creek as long as the Lord entrusted the message, regardless of how people responded. Bearing such plain testimony is a burden laid by God that is not pleasant and would gladly be excused, yet duty must be done regardless of consequences. Sympathy belongs to the burdened messenger rather than to the erring one who caused the burden by grieving the Spirit of God, for individuals will rise up against the plain testimony because it does not suit their natural feelings and they desire smooth words and peace cried in their ears, but that is not the work God assigns.